Seasoned Advice for New Waterfowl Hunting

Seasoned Advice for New Waterfowl Hunting

By Aaron Stonehocker

Getting started with any hobby can be a whirlwind of research, trial and error, time and money wasted, and overall frustration. Getting started in waterfowl hunting is no different. In my opinion, waterfowl hunting is the most consuming rabbit hole you can get into as a sportsman. There are hundreds of pieces of gear, opinions of all shapes and sizes for anything related to the topic, on top of so many tier levels and pricing options to consider when diving deep in any one area of the sport. I started my waterfowl journey by jump shooting ponds with my trusty Mossberg 500 and some el’ cheapo Winchester Super X steel shot, with much success I might add. While that may be the bottom of the barrel for start up costs and learning curves, I have graduated now to having a dedicated waterfowl gear section in my hunting closet that goes with me each season to enjoy those cool mornings and beautiful sunsets in the field. Here are a few things I have learned during my waterfowl hunting experience, that will shorten your time as a “green”head waterfowler.

Invest in a Quality Gear Bag
Get yourself a quality gear bag. If anything is to be learned about waterfowl hunting, it is that you will need a selection of gear for your trips afield. To organize, transport, and store your gear you will want a large, high-quality bag that fits your gear comfortably and allows you to organize and access your gear in an efficient manner. The brand and overall style are up to you but consider the elements your bag will be enduring and the amount of gear you will want to carry (decoys, calls, lanyards, dog supplies, snacks, waders, boots, extra cloths, shells, chokes, etc.). The gear bag selection ultimately depends on what gear you end up needing for the field, but it is definitely one of the most important items on your list.

Don’t Over complicate Your Gear List.
With all of the things that may seem essential for water fowling, it is easy to get overwhelmed or downright deterred at the idea of getting into the sport. The truth is you don’t need a ton of gear to be successful hunting ducks and geese.

Waders or Hip Boots
At a basic level you will want: A decent set of waders or hip boots. There are a variety of price points for these, but if I was going to splurge on one gear item, it would be waders. Get a set that can be used in warm or cold weather. A duck and a goose call.

You can find these in a wide variety of price points and options, but at the end of the day…a call is a call (feel free to fight me on this). A call is primarily to get a bird’s attention onto decoys. After that, the decoys are their primary focus when deciding to commit to your location, or at least close enough for a shot.

Non-toxic Shot and Chokes
Get some non-toxic shot and a compatible choke tube. Non-toxic shot isn’t just a suggestion, it is the legal requirement for ammunition you take to the field for waterfowl. There are a bunch of opinions on this, but I have killed plenty of birds with just about every brand and type of non-lead shot out there. I actually prefer some of the Federal FS Steel loads for upland. It travels faster than a lot of steel loads and helps shorten that learning curve of hitting fast flying ducks compared to a slow rising pheasant. Another consideration is the style of choke you are using. Steel and lead perform differently in a choke tube as it restricts the shot, and steel has a lot less give than lead. Make sure you choose a choke that is rated for steel and then choose a shot shell that performs well out of that choke to achieve your desired pattern at your desired shot distance.

License and Stamps
Before you leave, be sure you have the proper licensing. Waterfowl is managed and regulated on the federal and state level, and every hunter needs to purchase a federal waterfowl stamp, on top of whatever the state requirements specify. Be sure to get the right state licenses and then head to the post office to get that federal stamp. There is usually a place to stick this stamp on your license and, from experience, be sure you sign over the top of your stamp to verify it is 100% yours and not one your buddy loaned you. The game warden will want to know.

Decoys
Decoys are great but not totally necessary. If you can find a used set of 6-12 duck decoys, this is a great place to start. Better yet…see if you can borrow a buddy’s before investing in your own. If you know the birds preferred side of a waterbody to hang out, you can simply set up on that side of the water and wait for an ambush without decoys. If you plan on hunting the birds where you don’t know their habits, decoys make it easier to convince birds to come to your side of the pond.

Remember with getting started in anything, less is more. Your gear list will grow and evolve as you get deeper and more experienced, but at the end of the day, everything on this list will get you successfully started and last you a lifetime in the field. Another note on the gear list is to have a checklist in your gear bag to make sure you aren’t forgetting anything. This sport has a lot of moving parts, and it is easy to get to the field only to find out you left the steel shot in the gun safe, and you only have a few lead loads on your truck floor boards.

Find a buddy or mentor
Water fowling is fun on your own, but it is much better with a buddy to share the work, gear, and learning load with. Finding someone who has the same experience as you will make the experience much more enjoyable as you both learn together. Finding someone with more experience than you will shorten your learning curve, get you into the birds faster, and will likely have most of the non-worn gear you will need for the hunt so you can focus on learning and having a good time.

Knock on Doors
A lot has changed in Iowa since I was a new hunter, especially in the whitetail and turkey hunting game. Where I used to be able to door knock for deer, there is now a larger expectation of leasing prime hunting opportunities. The same cannot be said for waterfowl opportunities. I can’t tell you how many times I have been given permission from landowners when asking about waterfowl hunting their ponds, creeks, or river access points. Typically, landowners are a little taken aback when they realize what you are asking for and say something to the tune of, “Have at it. I can’t believe you want to eat those things”.

Practice How You Play
Shooting non-toxic shot out of a choke made for steel is different than shooting lead out of your standard. Be sure to spend some time shooting clay pigeons and spend some extra time on those hard crossing shots. You will be surprised how different a pattern of non-toxic shot performs compared to lead on paper and in the air.

Stick With It!
A bad day of shooting could have you turning those decoys into lawn ornaments. It happens. Waterfowl is one of those hunts that doesn’t make sense until it does. It might make sense when that first time a flock of geese comes decoying in over your head at 10 yards. Or that moment might be the first time you turn a pair of ducks with your call, and they come screaming into your set up. Or you might experience the first time you forget your gun in the truck after carrying all of your gear ¾ mile back into a marsh and realize it just as the ducks start to fly. Ok, so some memories aren’t so awesome but all of this grows on you as you get more trips under your belt. Trust me when I tell you to stick with it. Waterfowl will likely turn into one of your favorite seasons of the year!