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Has anyone here hunted without decoys for ducks before? If so, have you done it successfully? How?
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Yes...I tow my Camo covered(Cat-tails) Jon-boat along side my Air Boat and Battery Power Drift Twoards the Lake or Pond Ducks and get them on the rise,or over head pass shots and you have to get to the Ducks before the Gators Do!
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Never had much use for dekes! They kept floating off down the creek! LOL!
Shot lot'sa ducks as a young man. Spent hours sneaking along the banks of Keechi Creek, jumpshooting woodies, mallards and the occasional teal when Persimmon Slough had water.
Haven't shot any water fowl since the late 70's.
Love the action, not a big fan of the flavor. My dad absolutely loved duck and dressing!Comment
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I'll have to try jump shooting, I've done mostly pass shooting, I am investing in decoys soon but until then I'll give it a shot. Thanks guys!Comment
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Take your time. Use high banks and trees for cover.
Concentrate on bends. When the weather is nasty, ducks like to lay up where that high bank protects them from the wind.
Consider a modified choke and small shot such a #6's. Most shots are gonna be up close and personal.
Picked up a "Y" series M12 Win in 1978. Couldn't WAIT to hit the creek. Next day dawned cold, cloudy and misting! Almost broke my neck getting there!
First stop was a cut bank in a 180° bend. As I eased forward, I could see the tell tale ripples and a woody's "squeal" cut the heavy air, confirming their presence! My adrenaline screamed and I mounted the M12 and eased forward another step.....
When the "flush" came, one brilliant little drake came directly at me.
The gun already mounted, my mind screamed, "Don't shoot!", but my finger wouldn't obey! I watched the bird's breast literally disappear when the 12 bore's load of high velocity #8's connected at about 20 feet!
Use a modified chokeComment
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Drew- what part of New England are you in? And do you know of two different types of hunting locations? First being a navigable stream, no wider than 100 ft, preferably closer to 20-25 ft wide. Slow moving water, that can be paddled in a conoe; borrowed or otherwise(not stolen of course). If you know of something similar, paddle it very quietly and stay on the inside corners. Watch for ripples and be ready for a quick shot on a bird where you least expect it. Waders help to cross beaver dams but hip boots will work also. Have fun and be safe, don't shoot at right angles unless your conoe is very safe. Always stay low and shoot from a low position.
The second- if there is thin ice in a known duck hot spot, you can bust up the ice very early before the sun up and usually the first morning flight birds will set down in your newly made open water. No decoys required. They're just glad for a wet landing. Obviously be very careful busting the ice, PLEASE.Comment
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Yes, Ah hunted Mallards indy Secret Pothole between bays when hunting pressure everywhere else drove them to seek refuge.That wuz the biggest flock of dux Ah evva saw before Ah came here to Washinton.Tar made the retrieves.Gotta photo of Tar at the Secret Pothole in Mah Photos...Comment
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I wouldn't advise small size shot for jump shooting on creeks. Number four steel is as small as I would go. Maybe even number two. Without a dog you'll need to kill them dead. Remember to use as much velocity as possible with steel. Nothing less than 1500 fps for ducks. Also, you're shooting at the back of ducks which is solid bone and thick flat feathers. Tough stuff. If you can jump them from sides, you're shooting at more vulnerable sides and extended wings. Modified would be a good choice for choke.Comment
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Use to shoot the bejesus out of mallards in Eastern WA. jump shooting the irrigation ditches. First thing in the AM, and sometimes before closing hours we could sneak the ditches, and be highly successful. Then in the day time we had incredible pheasant hunting. Never a need for dekes, and didn't own any.Comment
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GREAT QUESTION, I DON'T USUALLY HUNT WITHOUT DECOYS, BUT WHEN I DO I SCOUT OUT MY PROPERTY OR WHEREVER IM GOING TO HUNT AND FIND WHERE THE DUCKS ARE NATURALLY GOING. I THEN WILL FIND A GOOD PLACE TO BLEND IN TO MY MAX4 OR MOSSY OAK GRASS BLADES, OR MAKE A QUICK FIELD BLIND WITH THE BRUSH AND REEDS BY THE SPOT I HAVE FOUND TO HUNT. SIT QUIET AND PATIENT, AND DO NOT MOVE!! YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME SUCESS AND ALSO DONT TRY TO CALL THE DUCKS IN THERE WONT BE ANYTHING TO CALL FROM. I LIVE IN UTAH AND FIND SUCESS IN DOING THIS. BEST OF LUCK!!Comment
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I have hunted a little lake near my house for years with no decoys. It is a very popular lake with ducks and geese so never had to use them. Also do some duck hunting along creeks.Comment
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CHASE!
MAYBE WEAR SOME EARPLUGS, TOO!
(fyi: all capitals means you're yelling when you're writing on the interweb)Comment
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Excellent help guys, appreciate it! Hunt-pray-work, I hunt in Massachusetts down the cape. Sea duck is available but I've always been an inland, freshwater guy. My family is from Kentucky, so I guess some things never change.Comment
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Drew- I grew up on the ocean in Maine and although I sea ducked some, I was much the same as you. Inland ducks always were a bit more intriguing to me. Wood ducks, mallards, teal and blacks were by far my favorites.Comment
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Green timber mallard shooting requires a call more than decoys, never considered jump shooting as my sport of choice when ducking, but to each his own.
What I am saying is that you can pursue the sport many different ways, and the equipment you need varies with your type of pursuit. As long as it is hunting, it is OK with me,,Comment
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