Waterfowl Strategies – Hunting Pressured Ducks

Waterfowl Strategies – Hunting Pressured Ducks

By Nick Johnson

Those that spend much time hunting waterfowl in Iowa know that pressure can be a very tough thing to deal with, especially when it comes to hunting public ground. I suppose many places around the U.S. you could say the same. This is especially true when the term “stale” is used, referring to birds that have been in the area for a while and are wise to the common tricks. It can pay off to think outside the box in these circumstances and do things a little differently.

No Boat
When I say no boat, I’m not just talking about the walk-in only type hunts. I’m referring to using the boat to haul decoys and get to where you want to set up and then simply leave it a hundred yards or more from where you plan to hunt. I actually do this fairly often as the places I hunt fluctuate in water levels and don’t often have very good shoreline cover. At least not enough to effectively conceal a boat.

I’ve found in many instances despite the boat having good camouflage that it just doesn’t look natural and sticks out like a sore thumb. How many times have you been hunting, and you can look around and see the other duck boats? Probably most of the time when other hunters are present. I try to find as much natural cover as I can to hide amongst which can range from driftwood, grass to dead trees. I’ve even nestled up amongst some shoreline boulders and had success on more than one occasion.

Much of the time I will look for a dead tree or big chunk of timber to use as a base for adding in some additional camouflage such as grasses and sticks. If you have any way to create some overhead cover this can also be helpful, especially on overcast days.

Don’t Wait
This one takes a little bit of practice and readiness. I’m sure most of you reading this have experienced ducks making their closest pass, most often well in range, on the first swing. Then they circle and circle and get farther out before finally leaving due to something they saw or didn’t like.

I know any duck hunter likes to see birds work and cup up feet down into the decoys. Well, this just isn’t always the way it happens. If you or your hunting group are vigilant, you can catch these ducks on that first close pass and let the shots fly. What many of us experience is that folks are talking or perhaps having a sip of coffee and someone loudly whispers, “right here”! It is at that moment the ducks are probably at their closest and also why this can be so difficult to pull off safely and successfully.

Less Calling
This one is maybe a little more obvious and something that a lot of waterfowlers already know but, its worth mentioning because it really can make a difference. Running a call and working birds is what makes waterfowling so exciting. Just like turkey hunting, that interaction between a hunter and game is a thrilling experience.

In a lot of situations with pressured ducks, a whole bunch of calling is not the ticket at all. Less calling and softer can coax those weary birds in with a better rate of success. A greeting call consisting of a few soft quacks followed by some light feeding chatter is a good start. Maybe a couple soft quacks on the corners if they are circling. This isn’t usually a game of calling them til their toes are in the water.

A Natural Spread
I often find myself setting up the same or similar spread any time I hit the water, or even the field for that matter. It consists of a U, J or W shape depending on spread size and wind direction relative to the hide. While these spread shapes are absolutely effective, they aren’t always. Just like your concealment, natural is the name of the game. In certain situations, I have to remind myself to think a little different and not rely on the old faithful spread design.

If you watch ducks in nature, you will almost never see these shapes. When content they will be scattered around, maybe in little clusters feeding about in the vegetation or near shore. I’m talking about puddle ducks here, not divers or mallards that like to sit in the middle of reservoirs. Instead of trying for a shape, spread them out a little more along the shore and leave few open pockets for approaching birds to land or hone in on.

Sometimes with a natural spread it may not require that many decoys. I’ve successfully shot ducks over a dozen decoys. This holds especially true when hunting smaller pockets of water. Utilize scouting to tell you what size of decoys spread should be appropriate. I might also add that good quality decoys in lesser numbers are usually better than a larger spread of old beat-up, worn-out ones.

Hunt Later
Who doesn’t love getting up early, setting the spread and prepping the hide, listening to the world wake up and those first sounds of whistling wings in the gray light. In the early season, this is the time to shine on those first light eager ducks. As the season progresses though, pressured birds may fly at first light but there is a noticeable lull in the action as the morning wears on.

Many hunters, myself included, will pack up after a few hours of lackluster action. If the weather has cooled off a bit, or a front is moving in, try hunting mid-day instead. I’ve heard and read for many years about the 11 o’clock express for ducks moving back in to a wetland complex or lake, especially with mallards. This also offers a great chance to sleep in a little and grab breakfast with your hunting group before venturing out to the water.

Scout, Scout, Scout
I’ve harped on this in many of my waterfowl articles over the years but it pays to keep it in the forefront. Successful scouting is one of the biggest tools in a waterfowlers arsenal. Technology nowadays offers us some amazing digital tools such as OnX which I utilize constantly throughout the hunting season. Not only does it aid in my scouting tremendously, its also shown me some new places to hunt that I never knew existed before.

Hunting pressured or stale ducks can be very frustrating to say the least. Sometimes it seems like you couldn’t buy a duck, trust me I’ve been there. There is no smoking gun to figuring it out but a few of the tactics mentioned may help put a few extra ducks in the bag. Hunt safe and have a great season!