Hunting Blog

The duck is one of North America’s most commonly hunted species. Our most common duck breeds are the mallard, teal, gadwall and widgeon. Other ducks often hunted across the continent include the northern shoveler, the wood duck, the bufflehead, the ringneck and the bluebill.

The mallard is, according to scientists, the daddy of them all. His striking coloring and distinctive style makes him a favorite for trophy seekers as well. Mallards are omnivorous, eating everything from grains and insects to aquatic plants depending on what’s available. They make their homes near ponds, lakes and marshes as well as in ditches and urban water features.

Whatever the duck, it’s behavior is bound to be similar. So, the best advice is to practice your calling techniques, dust off your decoys and find the best blind location you can. Be patient, think safe and take care of your bird dog while you’re waiting - the rewards are there for the taking.

Reaping the rewards of the forthcoming duck season starts with reflecting on the events, successes and failures of your last season. So, review what you tried last year - what worked, what didn’t and was there anything you never got around to trying?

Key things to consider include how your duck blinds and other sites performed under various weather conditions and how do other variables, like the river stage, impacted your favorite spot? Balance the answers to these questions against your goals for the coming season and you’ll be in a good position to maximize your duck hunting time and get the best results.

As you choose areas to hunt at particular times or under specific conditions, make time to practice your hunt skills before you intend to use them. And consider taking a journal on hunts with you - or at least a notepad. This will allow you to jot down your successes, failures and things you might like to try in the field next year. After all, it’s never too early to start planning for your next success.

If you’re serious about hunting ducks, you’ve got to know your calls. When used correctly, a duck call can be the key to a great day in the blind. Experts say there’re eight duck calls serious hunters should know to make the most of their time on the hunt.

First, the basic quack - this is the foundation for all other duck calls, so it is important to get right - a top tip is to be sure you end each quack with a crisp CK sound rather than just tailing off the QUA part. The hail or highball call is the honking Aink Aink noise. It should be used sparingly, and never when you’re within 100 yards of ducks. Next, is the greeting call, a steady Kank Kank Kank Kank Kank that’s excellent for getting ducks in the distance to come nearer.

The basic feeding call (kitty kitu kitty kitu), the pleading call (a long greeting Kaaank), the comeback call (a faster KankKankKank) and the lonesome hen call (a drawn out, sort of whiney Quack) are all useful to add variety to your calling repertoire. And finally, the simple whistle is a great variation on traditional calls and works best for Mallards, Pintails and Wigeons.