Waterfowl Hunters Unite! (Accessories, Gear, Trips Discussion)

I've seen a thread about upland hunting and a few mentions of waterfowl hunting as a hobby, but no dedicated thread to it. Figured I would start one since I have dabbled before, but recently got more serious about it and wanted to pick some veteran brains. I figured we could also share any deals that come up on gear or decoys too.

So any duck hunters out there? My group, we personally focus on ducks and dabble in geese. I live in Indiana so we hunt all the local corn fields, small lakes and marshes that are all over here. We haven't invested in a boat, so we hunt out of camo'd Momarsh invisiman chairs. They do pretty good and are super comfy but suck to carry in with all the gear.

So to kick it off, I wanted to post this deal I found on lucky duck spinners from Rogers sporting goods. $199 for 2 HD spinners with remotes. Over $140 savings off normal price. I ordered up a set.

https://www.rogerssportinggoods.com...f-lucky-duck-lucky-hd-drake-with-remotes.html






So where you guys from? Where do you guys hunt? And what's your hunting gear setup?

 

Yooooo I was hoping I'd find something relating to waterfowl!

I'm in Mid TN hunting Old Hickory Lake. It's a WMA and it's in Mid TN so we're lucky to kill 150 birds in a season. We've lucked up the past couple of years and gotten top 10 blinds each year. I actually just started last season and going on my second season this year. Last summer I start buying all the gear (including my first shotgun, LH Remington 870). Stuff is expensive!

Cannot wait for this season!!!

 

I am an avid upland bird hunter in Washington and am looking to get into waterfowl hunting so I am tagging this post. I do have a Lab and an 870 so I guess I’m half way there.

 

Im near Sacramento, CA and hunt waterfowl all Dec/Jan. I lease a blind in a rice field and have enjoyed some really good hunting over the years.

 

Badass guys. I wasn’t sure there was anyone else in here. This thread went inactive for a while!

So whose ready for this season? What are your setups? What are you guys going for?

For me, Canadian opens this weekend. Unfortunately I’ll be back home in KS to visit the fam, so I’ll miss the opening weekend. Otherwise, I’m ready to slay some birds!

My setup consists of a Benelli SB3 for duck and geese, decoys galore, but we still walk in everywhere. No boat yet and no dog, we get our own birds for now. My hunting buddy just got a pup this year though, so he’s starting training in a couple months.

 

Boise, ID here, hunt a pile in Idaho and Montana. Run a 17ft sled with full blind and 150hp jet on the back, a-frame blinds for the field, layouts, and more decoys than you can shake a dead duck at.... oh and a badass little black lab that loves my SBE2 pro shop edition.

 

I have a lease in North Texas. Looking forward to teal in a little over a week.

 

I'm pretty fanatical about duck hunting. I average about 40 days per season. The picture on the 4-wheeler is my dog Sailor in Arkansas on his last real season hunt the year he turned 11. That year we did 42 days on ducks and 6 days on pheasant in ND. That last hunt we had been going for 14 days straight. The others are my mudboat and my current dog Jax. Both pictures of Jax are in Tunica, MS with the goose and sitting in the back of the old Land Cruiser with Deke the DU dog. I mostly hunt my marsh lease here in South Louisiana, but I'll go pretty much anywhere.

 

Really digging the pics!! Keep em coming.

Man I need a dog... I just don’t want to spend the cash on one, but I curse myself every time I’m wading out to the middle of the edging pond to retrieve a bird...

Here’s a couple pics from last year. Our blind setup and also one of my buddies forgetting his waders at home.

 

Some pics from last season, one of our better years for geese. Pics of me and my sons. I’m stoked that they love to hunt and will carry on the tradition.

 

I need duck recipes. I tried duck when I was younger and didn't care for it. I think it was over cooked. I'd like to hunt more waterfowl but can't justify it if I don't eat it. Plenty of ducks here in irrigation ditches and rivers. I don't sit in a blind, just jump them on the river when pheasant hunting. Always pulled up on them but never pulled the trigger since I don't eat them. New lab that will be coming with me this year as well.

 

Jax looks a lot like my dog out of Super Sonic Scooter. He would rather die than let a retrieve go.

 

I am from BR originally. Still hunt woody’s behind my grandmothers place on the MS River at thanksgiving every year. Pic of me and the boy last year

 

I give some away, trade some for deer and elk, eat some and in the spring have sausage made with everything I have left. You don't need to eat them all to enjoy it. Just remember, lead and ducks don't mix. The possum cops will have a field day with you.

 

No kids myself but I took two friends young sons out for their first hunt last year. I love to see kids out hunting. Got to get the next generation hooked.

 

For me, I save up the breast meat (possession limit for my whole family) and take it to one of the meat companies at the end of the season. I have them mix it 50% pork shoulder and they make me all sorts of different sausages. I like italian the best. It makes the meat much more palatable. My wife is very picky and does not like gamey flavor but she loves the duck in this form.

 

North Dakota hunting in harvested wheat and corn fields mainly. Hunt mainly Canadian geese with occasional ducks later in the season. Use all big foot decoys. I have a dog but still working on retrieving training.

 

I maintain duck impoundments for he state of Maryland.

Deal Island WMA. They call it the pearl of the eastern shore for duck hunting

 

I’ve got one of those as well

 

That’s awesome! I hunted Canadians specifically for the first time last year. We’ve killed Canadians over ducks before, but never exclusively. Hole crap it’s way harder. Especially on harvested corn. It’s harder to hide, harder to pull them down unless you have a decent size spread, but man was it a good time. We invested heavily in Canadian gear after last season and were ready to hit it this year. Season opens 9/8 here. T-minus 2 days.

Edit: we also jumped on the big foot bandwagon. Those things are quality!

 

Love duck hunting. Mostly in southeast Missouri.

The Tundra's first trip duck hunting

Little chilly this morning

 

I hunt 5 to 10 days a year for ducks. Central MO. I have a 16 month old Am Standard Poodle who will be with me in the dove fields this weekend but I don’t know if she’ll be ready for ducks this year. I’ve absolutley failed in getting her in the water.

 

Duck takes super good as long as you DON'T overcook it. If you think there's no way it's done yet, then it's done. I don't mind it in poppers or by itself. For poppers, just slice open a jalapeno, place a piece of duck meat inside it and then wrap it in bacon. Throw it on the grill and it's delicious. Best way to do duck meat is soak it in Dale's for about 24 hours. This helps lose the game taste and makes it basically taste like steak. Can't go wrong.

Here's a couple pics from this past season. This was my first season ever hunting and it got me hooked.




Had to do some work to that ice to get into the blind that day.

 

A mallard breast is one of my favorite foods when cooked correctly. Sear it like a steak and only cook it for a few minutes each side. It needs to be red in the middle to be good.

 

This. I really like duck breast, especially over some coals or smoked.

 

Season opens up in TN tomorrow. I'll be out both mornings this weekend. Hopefully I can post some success pics!

 

Hey gang, there is not much I love more than duck hunting! My problem is I am in SE Pa and finding places to hunt is not easy!!!

 

Deke is half brother to my dog. Same Dad Kane.

 

Do you do any of the Wildrose events?

 

A few pictures from the blind this morning. Only got one teal and one gadwall but what a great place for a cup of coffee with the dog.