Waterfowlers???

[Sundance]

Wow........ the early Canada goose season starts next
Friday here!! 2 weeks earlier than normal. Am I ready??
NOPE....... will I be? YEP!:)

Waterfowling has been my favorite hunting since I was
a youngster. From Bluebills on Mille Lacs to moving here
to the Mecca of waterfowl hunting.

Any other duck/goose hunters out there??????

[mike haney]

in my younger days i used to "jump shoot" wood ducks in the farm ponds. fond memories. now that i have this cursed/bleessed pacemaker, no more large calibers for me. amazing when you look back how good you used to shoot:)

[Sundance]

Out here it's mainly decoy work. I have backed off
snow/blue goose hunting a bit as it usually takes
a lot of work to set up, and gas to scout.

It doesn't get any better sitting behind a nice set
with the sun rising.......... and birds on the wing.

[mike haney]

the excitement of jump shooting is hard to beat. but thats apples and oranges- good fruit, but different:)

[Sundance]

Oh I love a good jump shoot......... as the years piled on
the "sitting in the blind" became more and more popular.

For "jump" shooting I do pheasant and sharp tail grouse.

[Ken&Andria]

My Lab just tore her ACL, and my Setter pup is too young for serious field work yet. Grrrr.

[cow pollinater]

I've been thinking about getting back into it but good hunting here is a three hour drive and I have a hard time freeing up the time.
I have ducks and geese in the pasture behind the house. When I irrigate they get excited and it pulls in every waterfowl in the county for a closer look. I have almost as much fun just watching them come in and buzz around as I do hunting them.

[phil c]

I used to spend ALL my spare time duck and goose huntig. The last year I was single me and a couple of buddies hunted 7 states, Started in North Dakota and ended up in Oklahoma. We put close to 3000 miles on my boattrailer that year.
My favorite prey are divers, there is just something about that jet airplane sound as a bunch buzzes over your spread before daylight. But watching a bunch of mallards cup up and drop the landing gear is good too. I just love it all!
I wish I had more time to spend in the blind!

I almost got kicked out of high school for taking time off to go hunting. A man just has to make time when a big front is moving in!

[NeilV]

I love to duck hunt. I have about 36 dekes that I can cram into a pack and walk in hunt. I have a several ponds and shallow coves scoped out.

I have a four year old boy, and I have not hunted much for the last four years. Coincidence? Maybe not.

But this year, Luke and I are going hunting!!!!!!!!!!!

My one year old will have to wait.

ndvan

[LAS]

Reading this thread I thought of a favorite huntin hole, a soybean field next to a river with several fields of alfalfa around. I realized it would be ideal for Bees!!!!
Ducks and Bees, GREAT combination

[Sundance]

As far as trying to figure out which of the waterfowl I like
to hunt the most........... I just can't. They all have their
special apsects.

As Phil said........ the sound of Bills jetting over at 60 MPH
makes your hair stand up. But so is watching 3000 mallards
do the "tornado" around your set. And Teal on the wing aren't
easy prey.

Dogs......... I've had Labs, Springers, Chesapeake's, and now
a Weimapeake. (an intentional cross between a Weimariner
and Chesapeake).

For ducks and geese, the Chesapeake is a wonder. She has
done retrieves that would kill most any other dog. Many have
made me wonder if she is going to live through them.

Her daughter, the Weimapeake, is looking very, very good.
Like a Chesapeake with a nose.

[Brian Kelly]

I have two boys 17 and 15 both are addicted to hunting like myself. I live in the Finger lakes Region of New York and have lakes in every direction I can face and a lake with in 20-30 miles iof each direction. Last year I purchased 3 layout blinds for hunting along with my 48 duck decoys and over 100 field goose decoys I still do not have enough (then again one never has enough hunting toys). If I could retire today I would hunt every day of the season but reality checks in and the bills keep comming with no money tree to pay them.
When I was young I would jump several ponds and creeks but as I got older i found it more chalenging and rewarding on calling and decoying them more fun.
Our local goose season starts Septenmber 1 thru the 25 but it is hard to hunt them as most fields are not ready to harvest and once you shoot them off a pond they find another location to water on. So I wait till October for the regular season when fields are easier to hunt. Not to mention that in September the weater can still be hot and more of a chance of spoiling the meat.

Happy hunting
Brian

[Sundance]

For Snow/Blue geese we used to set out 500 to 1000
decoys which is a "small" spread by many counts. That
can tire you out. "The old days" meant lots and lots
of decoys of lower quality just to get a huge spread
to get their attention.

After years of getting shot at 250 days a year the ol'
Snows have gotten pretty wise.

The new strategy that I use and many others for them
is smaller spreads of top quality decoys. Full body with
flocking is the standard. That works for Canada geese
as well.

Kites are big now as well to add motion to your set. And
of course lay down blinds.

Here's to tipping wings..........

[NeilV]

How many is a "smaller" spread for snows. We have lots of them come through Oklahoma, but I've never tried it. I did not want to devote the time or money to a monster sized spread of decoys. I have thought about hiring a guide, but never have.


ndvan

[Sundance]

ndvan.............. A smaller spread can be as few as 3 dozen
to 10 dozen. The key is quality........ Full body with flocking
are the best, but spendy.

For economy these are great. I have yet to hunt over then
but have heard good things.

http://www.deadlydecoys.com/

And get a kite with a good laydown blind and you're in
business.