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Spend time scouting for duck hunting success
By Luke Clayton/luke@catfishangler.com
Duck season is once again here. The season dates for the north zone in Texas are Nov. 4 to 26 for the first split. The second split of the season begins Dec. 9 and runs through Jan. 28.
This long season gives hunters plenty of opportunity to take to the marshes in quest of a full strap of ducks. The limit this year is a very generous five ducks, but it’s important to be aware of “which” ducks and how many may be harvested.
A “hunters choice” is in effect, allowing hunters to take only ONE duck per day from the list of mallard hen, canvasback, pintail and dusky duck. The five-duck limit may also include two wood ducks, two redheads or two scaup.
With low water levels on most area lakes, duck hunters will have to scout harder than ever to find ducks. As a general rule, where you find the water, you should find the ducks. I hunt a series of gravel pits near my home and these areas that hold water year-round. Now they are several feet low. A couple days ago, I did some pre-season scouting and found that areas that I usually paddle my small boat into have to be accessed by walking. After walking along the edge of what was shoreline for a quarter-mile or so, I found some isolated potholes and I found the ducks-widgeon and woodies mostly. It will take a few more Blue Northerns up in the mid-west to push the mallards into the state in large numbers.
Once a concentration of ducks is located, it’s important to develop a game plan for hunting them.
I always make sure I mark my route to these backwater hotspots with surveryors tape (I remove it on my way out). It’s one thing to access the back country in broad daylight but finding one’s hunting area before daylight is a different proposition. When scouting, I carry a dozen or so decoys and a machete to use to cut vegetation to build a couple of quick blinds.
Once I locate a spot I like, I set up my decoys and construct a make-shift blind from natural vegetation. In dry years, such as this, when access to permanent blinds will often be limited, duck hunters must improvise and construct temporary blinds where the ducks- and water are. It’s important to take prevailing wind direction into effect.
When building blinds, remember ducks will always approach your decoys from downwind. Large decoy spreads are not necessary when hunting these backwaters. I have found that a motion decoy can be worth it’s weight in gold when hunting these “tight” areas. My goal is to construct a blind from natural vegetation and set the dozen or so decoys on the scouting trip. I usually back pack in with my Poke Boat which is constructed of fiberglass and weighs about 35 pounds and my motorized action decoy. Then, I leave the area and return well before daylight to hunt.
I keep my calling to a minimum when hunting small waters. If I see passing ducks, I will give them a highball call to get their attention. If they circle and look over the decoys, I give a lonesome hen quack and maybe a feeding call, which serves as a “confidence” builder, telling the approaching ducks all is well, come on down.
According to Ducks Unlimited reports, there are plenty of ducks heading our way. We will just have to alter our tactics when hunting them. We might not be able to drive duck boats into large, comfortable permanent blinds this year, but those of us that spend our time scouting the backwaters should be in for some very good hunting!
Listen to Luke Clayton’s radio show at www.catfishradio.com and also check out www.dannykings.com or call 877-219-BAIT.
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