hello all. my name is mark and i am new to the forum and a rookie to duck hunting. i have been out for 3 seasons 2006,07,08.
i would go hunting with my uncle in central northern michigan. unfortunately he passed away two years ago (R.I.P.) and with him
went all the hunting gear, boat, and everything else that had to do with a good hunt.
i have been anxious to get back out to the lake we used to go to because we've had successful hunts there over the years and
am wondering where would be a great place to start as far as equipment goes. can anyone steer me in the right direction or
have any pointers, tips, ideas. it would be greatly appreciated. thank you in advance for any input.
one of many things my uncle told me was," duck hunting, you either hate it or you love it" and i was hooked on the first day out.
If you're looking at getting started, all it takes is a handful of decoys and a willingness to scout and explore your local lakes, ponds, and rivers. Go poke around and see if you can find some birds.
You can build from there and add gear over time that will open up additional opportunities for you.
Spend some time on the MDNR website and you'll be able to find info on public land near you that you can hunt.
I'm not too much more experienced than you. When I first got started I bought stuff that didn't end getting used much. I would recommend a dozen decoys, start practicing your call every chance you get, and most importantly find ducks. Find a place with Ducks and then figure out what you need to hunt it. Usually a lot less stuff than you'de expect.
thank you for the input. got a place to hunt, central michigan and the ducks were plentiful. thinking i should talk to my aunt
and she if she's willing to sell some of my uncles equipment. he was hunting for at least 45 years so he had quite an array
of things. just the basics is what i'm looking at. anyway to get myself back to the woods and water would just do me a world
of good. anyway thanks again for your input... :thumbsup:
Hello Mallardmark,
Seeing if your aunt will sell you some of your uncles gear might be a good way to start. You have been given some good advice already and just to add a few ideas for you to think about. First off I would get myself a good Gortex hunting coat, something waterproof and windproof and being in Michigan make sure its warm. I wouldn't go cheap on this piece of equipment. Next I would get a good pair of warm insulated waders and buy the best you can afford and make sure they are comfortable. I found if you go cheap you end up cold and wet and that doesn't make for an enjoyable hunt with these two pieces of equipment. I wont comment on a shotgun because that is obvious and I believe you already have one. Next is decoys. A dozen to start off is not bad, but you can get approximately 3 dozen decoys in a netted decoy bag. Try and get several different species in some different positions. Some Mallards, Some Pintails, Some teal and this is just an example. If you can have a mix of feeders, and resters, and uprights or duck butts, it all adds to the authenticity of a spread and all fitting in one bag. It doesn't take much. Next I would invest in a cart. I purchased a small game cart that I load up my gear on and pull it and push it to the blind. It makes things a lot easier. One can be had on sale for about 50 bucks + or - . I put my wader bag, shooting bag, decoys, soft cooler, my stool, a back pack and my shotgun, all on the cart. I'm not 20 years old anymore and try to make it as easy and pleasant for myself. I have to walk into my hunts and I usually put on my waders and coat when I get to the blind so I don't overheat and sweat when pushing the cart. Now some good scouting to know where the ducks want to be, and some calling practice as mentioned previously and that is how I would start. After doing it a few years you will accumulate gear and experience and spread out the expense over time and the hunting will only get better for you. Hope this helps.
Happy Hunting,
MuddyWaders
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Duck Hunting Forum
3.2M posts
63.3K members
Since 2000
A forum community dedicated to duck hunters and hunting enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about safety, gear, tips, tricks, optics, hunting, gunsmithing, reviews, reports, accessories, classifieds, and more!