Getting into waterfowl.

[Skoaltender]

Decided to get into waterfowl hunting after going on a few hunts last year. But I have a few questions.

What do you look for in a field when your pre season scouting and trying to get permission?
Is it generally easier getting permission for waterfowl compared to big game?

[elkhunter11]

When scouting, you look for the birds to actually be feeding in that field. I won't bother even setting up, unless I see the birds feed multiple times in the field, and I watch the field the evening before the hunt , and watch the birds leave the field on their own. Then I go into the field, to determine exactly where in the field they are feeding. As for permission, the farther you are from a large city, the easier the permission usually is to get. It is usually easier to get than permission to hunt big game, and if you are respectful, and clean up after the hunt, permission to hunt the land again, is usually easier yet.

[nube]

No point in going scouting till birds start feeding and it's hunting season. But that being said knowing the roost ponds before hand always helps

[Pikebreath]

Originally Posted by nube

No point in going scouting till birds start feeding and it's hunting season. But that being said knowing the roost ponds before hand always helps

Exactly,,,,

I get a kick out of guys who come around in July and August and ask for permission to hunt pea fields. Many farmers will say sure we let people hunt,,, but that doesn't mean they now hold that field just for you indefinitely.

When hunting season does roll around and another hunter drops in asking to hunt that field tomorrow, he will likely be told to go ahead, becuz the farmer has no idea when the first guy is going to be hunting, so might as well let someone have at the birds!!!

Every year or two, some guy will drive out when we setting up or packing up for a shoot where we granted permission a day or two previous. Anyways they want know what are we doing there as he has permission for the field. When we ask him when did he get permission? The answer is a couple weeks ago or back in August when he talked to the farmer. Well it's now late September or early October.

Conversation usually ends when we pull out a phone and tell to him to call the farmer to come and kick us off.

As a side note if the guy not a jerk we will ask him to join us, but typically they decline.

The moral of the story is always ask for a particular day or two to hunt and it's usually best to do this no more than 1-3 days in advance. Also ask if anyone has been given permission for the field for that time frame. You should also ask if you need talk to anyone else about permission particularly in the case of non farming or absentee landowners. Farmland renters are considered legal occupants and as such have the legal right to grant and deny access as well.

And oh yeah,,, it really helps to hunt a field the ducks and geese are actually using at that time!!!

[Sledin]

I've found finding the field then asking is hard to get permission, somebody's always locked it up. The great fields can be a challenge to get, but secondary fields might be easier.
I'd almost rather hunt a marsh or lake, no permission and if there are other hunters they bounce the ducks around.


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[Skoaltender]

Sorry for not wording it properly, I know that I should be scouting during season and finding which fields they are feeding on. I meant to ask what types of crops should I be looking to hunt over so I know which fields to seek and which to avoid.

[Justfishin73]

Peas and wheat

[tikka250]

Originally Posted by Skoaltender

Sorry for not wording it properly, I know that I should be scouting during season and finding which fields they are feeding on. I meant to ask what types of crops should I be looking to hunt over so I know which fields to seek and which to avoid.

Peas wheat and barley will be your main fields. Peas are the crop everyone loves to hunt on cause the birds love it but it can be a royal pain in the arse to hide in. Given the choice of fields to hunt barley swath is by far my favorite to hunt in.

[32-40win]

If you are going into a new area, it doesn't hurt to go round to the landowners and ask IF they will let people hunt birds on their land before season. Can save some wasted calls and effort during the season. We have a few landowners that don't let people hunt waterfowl on their land for various reasons. See something on there, just go look somewhere else for today, but go back and check to see if they are still there the next day, sometimes they move across to the next field which you can hunt. I look at them as an attractant to the area, for other birds, as well. Never hurts to go round and acquire cell phone numbers and let them see who you are and what you are driving, and to see what they drive and what they look like. Have acquired hunts by passing by that landowner on the road, and the wife won't give you his cell number.

[gloszz]

Originally Posted by Skoaltender

Decided to get into waterfowl hunting after going on a few hunts last year. But I have a few questions.

What do you look for in a field when your pre season scouting and trying to get permission?
Is it generally easier getting permission for waterfowl compared to big game?

Hard to pre season scout and be sure 100% the birds will be there unless you find a roost they have been using for the past few years. When I go looking for areas that may hold geese, I look for fields that are close to fields with trees as you will not look out of place if you use a willow blind. Also a field that is somewhat close to water. I tend to scout the day before I go shooting and make sure to put the birds to bed. I also look at the county maps and call the landowner and ask if I can shoot birds since I see them on his/ her field. I have yet to get a no for waterfowl. I have got many no's for big game so seems like waterfowl is easier, but you may find that the birds love to stick to fields you cant get permission on ( livestock nearby or in the actual field). I like to see a fair amount of birds as I hope that they will return the following morning and are not just there due to being shot at on another field. Look for Canadas mixed in with Specks and a few ducks. Tat is usually a good field and will have a good morning.

Hopefully that helps as I am still learning but have some great guys putting me on birds.

[bobalong]

Originally Posted by Skoaltender

Decided to get into waterfowl hunting after going on a few hunts last year. But I have a few questions.

What do you look for in a field when your pre season scouting and trying to get permission?
Is it generally easier getting permission for waterfowl compared to big game?

-ALWAYS GET PERMISSION
-First hunts depending on the area are almost always peas or silage fields and later peas, barley, wheat and sometimes even oats. (depending on where you hunt)
-As mentioned if you find the roost, just wait and follow the birds to the field.
-As mentioned always confirm exactly where the birds are feeding, if possible at all set blinds in a depression, dekes on the rise. Always set dekes for the wind and if possible shoot to the west in the morning and to the east in the evening.

-If you find a shoot and get permission and get to the field in the morning and someone else is set up. Discuss who got permission and possibility hunting together. Personally I never bother the land owner with hunter disputes, pizzes them off and they have probably 50 things at that time of year that are more important to them than a hunter who is upset.

-Landowner permission and respect are two of the most important things you should take to the hunt. Almost if not all waterfowl hunting is done on deeded land and landowners must be respected. Some may swear at you and be somewhat ignorant, but for the sake of all hunters you are better off apologizing and walking away. Sorry to get sort of preachy on this but good hunter/landowner relations can not be stressed enough IMO.

I have generally found it easier to get waterfowl permisssion than big game except if you are archery/xbow hunting. Probably 10 times if not more big game hunters than waterfowlers so competition in prime areas can be high for rifle hunters.

Waterfowling for over 50 years and it is definitely my passion/obsession. I am already doing a couple mods to the willow blind and touching up some dekes. If you don't know already learn to make Goose jerky it is excellent. Have a great season and enjoy all the great moments that waterfowling will give you!!


This was our first hunt last year, and it was a great one. The wind was blowing toward the lake and we watched them come all the way about tree top high.

[Skoaltender]

Originally Posted by bobalong

-ALWAYS GET PERMISSION
-First hunts depending on the area are almost always peas or silage fields and later peas, barley, wheat and sometimes even oats. (depending on where you hunt)
-As mentioned if you find the roost, just wait and follow the birds to the field.
-As mentioned always confirm exactly where the birds are feeding, if possible at all set blinds in a depression, dekes on the rise. Always set dekes for the wind and if possible shoot to the west in the morning and to the east in the evening.

-If you find a shoot and get permission and get to the field in the morning and someone else is set up. Discuss who got permission and possibility hunting together. Personally I never bother the land owner with hunter disputes, pizzes them off and they have probably 50 things at that time of year that are more important to them than a hunter who is upset.

-Landowner permission and respect are two of the most important things you should take to the hunt. Almost if not all waterfowl hunting is done on deeded land and landowners must be respected. Some may swear at you and be somewhat ignorant, but for the sake of all hunters you are better off apologizing and walking away. Sorry to get sort of preachy on this but good hunter/landowner relations can not be stressed enough IMO.

I have generally found it easier to get waterfowl permisssion than big game except if you are archery/xbow hunting. Probably 10 times if not more big game hunters than waterfowlers so competition in prime areas can be high for rifle hunters.

Waterfowling for over 50 years and it is definitely my passion/obsession. I am already doing a couple mods to the willow blind and touching up some dekes. If you don't know already learn to make Goose jerky it is excellent. Have a great season and enjoy all the great moments that waterfowling will give you!!


This was our first hunt last year, and it was a great one. The wind was blowing toward the lake and we watched them come all the way about tree top high.

THANK YOU! And others for the informative posts.
The main reason I’m getting into waterfowl is I LOVE goose jerky, smoked goose and duck. I also acquired about 3 dozen decoys, two lay down blinds and some other misc gear.
As mentioned earlier I went on a few hunts last year and we all did well. Can’t wait for the upcoming season, hoping I can learn lots and meet others.

[Top of the Foodchain]

All good advice, but don’t overlook corn fields. Have had some of our best shoots on corn. Corn does tend to come down later in the year, and when it gets cold and the earlier crop fields have been eaten off, corn can be dynamite. Also tends to have good cover.

[nube]

Wheat doesn't hold birds for long usually. They usually bounce off that pretty fast same as green grass or pasture.
If you watch birds for 45 days straight you start to get a feel of where they like to feed from one day to the next and how it all works.
Some may think going to the roost ponds is great and it can be but then you won't see birds around as much if you keep blowing roosts plus you are wrecking everyone else's field shoots. Food for thought if you like doing that.

[ESOXangler]

Originally Posted by nube

Wheat doesn't hold birds for long usually. They usually bounce off that pretty fast same as green grass or pasture.
If you watch birds for 45 days straight you start to get a feel of where they like to feed from one day to the next and how it all works.
Some may think going to the roost ponds is great and it can be but then you won't see birds around as much if you keep blowing roosts plus you are wrecking everyone else's field shoots. Food for thought if you like doing that.

Good advice. To me hunting water is the reason I’d want to get into waterfowl. How can one still hunt water and not “wreck it” for everyone else?

[hal53]

Originally Posted by ESOXangler

Good advice. To me hunting water is the reason I’d want to get into waterfowl. How can one still hunt water and not “wreck it” for everyone else?

Shoot at their day roosts, birds generally night roost on bigger water. Ducks especially prefer smaller potholes after their morning feed and thru' the day. As always with hunting there are no absolutes.

[sns2]

Thanks to all for their excellent answers. If we had a waterfowl forum this would likely become a sticky.

This thread is AO at its best and all posters are to be commended.

Bobalong, thanks for taking the time to post pics. They are always helpful in giving hunters a visual.

Have a good one boys.

[elkhunter11]

Last fall, I spent two evenimgs and two mornings scouting every week to set up one hunt on the weekend. I scout an area 15 to 30 minutes from my home, and my scouting trips last approximately two hours each, so about eight hours per hunt. I picked up a county map, and I am out early enough to see the birds in the air, and I watch where they land, which tells me when they are coming in, and from which direction. I usually find at least two or three fields that have plenty of birds, coming in several flocks,into an area that is turntable. The day before the hunt, I select the two best fields and attempt to get permission either face to face with the landowner which I prefer, or over the phone. The evening before the hunt, I check my two choices, and I sit and watch the best choice from a distance, to ensure that the birds come in, feed, and then leave without being disturbed. I then go into the field and verify the exact spot where most birds were feeding, based off of the droppings, and I place a stake with orange ribbon at that location, that is easy to find in the dark the next morning. It has happened that the birds were scattered over a large area in several concentrations, so I just picked the general area. It has happened that no birds came to the number one choice the evening before, so I moved to the number two choice and watched that field until they left. Twice last year, no birds came to either field the evening prior to the planned hunt, so I did a quick scout, and one time I found a last minute field that had a couple of thousand Canada geese and we took a chance on hunting It, even though there were no geese feeding in that field previously.I lucked out and found the landowner working in his shop that evening, and we had a great hunt the next day. The other time , I could not find a good field the evening before, so we did not hunt that week. I was denied permission by two landowners last fall, once because someone else already asked, and once because the landowner doesn't allow hunting on his property. If I want to hunt the same property again, a week or two later, I ask for permission again, and we have never showed up to set up , and found someone already in the field. We are very careful not to rut up fields, and we clean up all garbage and hulls after the hunt, and getting repeat permission has never been an issue. We hunted over several different crops, and our best hunt was actually over a worked field. The toughest part can be brushing in the blinds, and if I don't see material for that in the field when scouting, we have brought bags of straw with us on the morning of the hunt. Our group is not the most experienced group of waterfowl hunters, and our investment in equipment is small compared to many hunters, but by finding good fields, and taking the time to prepare , we have done quite well.

[Skoaltender]

Getting more into he actual hunt, what do you feel is more important. Having a good decoy spread or a more experienced caller? Are there any tips for goose field spreads? As in formations and stuff like that? I have 3 dozen or so decoys and was planning to just set up a “V”. With me sitting behind the point.

[elkhunter11]

Our group does not have a great deal of experience compared to many hunters, and we are not very skilled at calling, yet we have been doing fine, because were had decent set ups in the right fields, and we take the time to properly brush our blinds. Since we aren't great at calling yet, we don't call a lot. As long as the geese keep coming, we don't call much at all. I will be working on my calling this fall, and hopefully , as I get better at it, we will do even better.

[Justfishin73]

Originally Posted by Skoaltender

Getting more into he actual hunt, what do you feel is more important. Having a good decoy spread or a more experienced caller? Are there any tips for goose field spreads? As in formations and stuff like that? I have 3 dozen or so decoys and was planning to just set up a “V”. With me sitting behind the point.

That works well, the X does too---decoys before calls for me anyway. Unless you have a decent amount of decoys, a flock bigger than your set up usually doesnt like to come down.

[alpinebeers]

Originally Posted by ESOXangler

Good advice. To me hunting water is the reason I’d want to get into waterfowl. How can one still hunt water and not “wreck it” for everyone else?

Birds move in and out of areas so fast this doesn't ruin it for anyone. Not to mention lots of birds get shot off their roost and go right back. Age old argument between water and field shooters.

[Justfishin73]

Originally Posted by ESOXangler

Good advice. To me hunting water is the reason I’d want to get into waterfowl. How can one still hunt water and not “wreck it” for everyone else?

Blow their roosts, send em my way in the field!

[gloszz]

Originally Posted by Skoaltender

Getting more into he actual hunt, what do you feel is more important. Having a good decoy spread or a more experienced caller? Are there any tips for goose field spreads? As in formations and stuff like that? I have 3 dozen or so decoys and was planning to just set up a “V”. With me sitting behind the point.

I would say a spread. I have been on a few hunts when we are setting up and the birds just drop in with no calling, nothing. Other times we just sit around talking and birds drop in as well. Calling is important but if birds REALLY want to be in that field they will be there regardless.

In regards to the spread, I like to see how the birds are sitting on the field and try to mimic that with a somewhat "natural J" just to force them to work one side more than the other. This spring I had about 28 dozen snow socks just set up on the shore of some flooded field and didn't pay attention to the shape as that's how the birds were setup. You can also setup on one side of the V with three hunters and that can be a fun shoot as well since the birds sometimes fly in without calling and you don't have to shoot behind your shoulder. Best advice I can honestly give you is trial and error. That's how I learned, it's tough and expensive, oh and frustrating but tough love is the best teacher.


https://ibb.co/knkihy
No idea why my pictures won't show up so here so here is the link:

[gloszz]

Originally Posted by alpinebeers

Birds move in and out of areas so fast this doesn't ruin it for anyone. Not to mention lots of birds get shot off their roost and go right back. Age old argument between water and field shooters.

I think the issue may be that instead of shooting loafing ponds like you're supposed to do( I think), people tend to shoot the roost and the local birds which sometimes makes a big number of birds, don't come back and move 10km over. A roost is where the birds go to sleep and rest. I wouldn't go back to my house if I had shootings there everyday haha.

[ghostguy6]

Im still rather new to water fowling but Ive had success both on land and on water. So far Ive been using the standard V formation with the blind at the tip of the V or off to one depending on available cover.
Biggest piece of advice I can give you is, don't move until the birds are coming in feet down about to land. I hunted with one guy that would shoot as soon as the birds were within what he felt was range. He wasted so many shells and I would say 95% of the birds just flew on past us. Even if the birds don't land the first time they may do a 2nd or even 3rd pass before they land.

[drake]

I use a a VERY shallow V....like nearly flat. I let the call and flag bring the birds into the shooting pocket. “Shapes” look very unnatural.

With ducks I use a bit more of a structured V with the robo 10 yds infront of the blinds....I’ll move the robo depending on how the birds are working

[Skoaltender]

Originally Posted by ghostguy6

Im still rather new to water fowling but Ive had success both on land and on water. So far Ive been using the standard V formation with the blind at the tip of the V or off to one depending on available cover.
Biggest piece of advice I can give you is, don't move until the birds are coming in feet down about to land. I hunted with one guy that would shoot as soon as the birds were within what he felt was range. He wasted so many shells and I would say 95% of the birds just flew on past us. Even if the birds don't land the first time they may do a 2nd or even 3rd pass before they land.

I was given this tip by the fella who took me on a few trips last year. I knew I was hooked from the second I seen that first flock fly overhead and I seen them twisting and moving their heads/bodies trying to find a safe spot to land.

[Skoaltender]

Originally Posted by drake

I use a a VERY shallow V....like nearly flat. I let the call and flag bring the birds into the shooting pocket. “Shapes” look very unnatural.

With ducks I use a bit more of a structured V with the robo 10 yds infront of the blinds....I’ll move the robo depending on how the birds are working

Is flagging more so for drawing their attention from a distance or more so tricking them into landing in close to your blind?

[Justfishin73]

Originally Posted by Skoaltender

Is flagging more so for drawing their attention from a distance or more so tricking them into landing in close to your blind?

I like to put shell sleepers close to the blind, gives them a sense of security to come down