What do I need to get into waterfowling?

[ltk260]

What do I need to get into waterfowling?

[DakotaMan]

Like golf, duck hunting is a sport where you never quite have enough. You always need something to improve your odds. However, you really don't need a lot to have a good time. For a beginner, here are a few practical things you need:

A shotgun (20 gauge or larger, borrowed or owned), shells (say #2 steel shot), a hunting license, a place to hunt, clothing that will blend with surroundings. Waterfowl have exceptionally good sight and flare immediately from anything that looks human or out of place. Camo is good but you can get by with decent clothes for starters as long as you can hide.

This will allow you hunt in flyways, stalk ponds or hunt in fields. If you want to decoy them in, you will need some decoys (the more the merrier) and a duck call.

Here is where things get tricky. If you want to hunt over water, you will need a way to retrieve game. This means chest waders, a dog, a boat, a friend with these or all of the above. The best choice here is to befriend someone who already has these and can show you the ropes. I recommend hunting ponds for starters so you can wade. Big lakes and rivers generally require the boat. Good luck!

[RES1956]

High tolerance for all thing miserable, ie cold, wind, wet (when you fall in a tangled swamp or your waders spring a leak), etc.,,,

[Carter101]

A reliable gun good clothing that will keep you dry and warm a place to hunt and get used to getting up early most of the time duck hunting starts around 2 am for me and don't make it home till noon or after. But if you get hooked it can be very expensive after buying boat and all the neat gear that can go along with duck hunting