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Questions about field hunting ducks

4K views 13 replies 13 participants last post by  Johnnieboat 
#1 ·
I have allways heard of hunting ducks in a field but i have never seen them land in a field that was not flooded.
I have done a lot of goose hunting in fields and they land all the time, and I put out duck dekoys every time but never even have them think about it.

Is this something they do in areas with less food in the water or is it more likely with a certine spec. of duck like mallard because we mostly have wood ducks and teal.
 
#2 ·
When we field hunt its Mallards and Blacks all day hitting the fields. We hunt them in corn while we are hunting geese and sometimes do pretty good. Teal and Woodies are not really known for being known for hitting the fields to feed. I have also seen pintails come to the fields and feed. I think you problem is your hunting the wrong species. You get a half dozen full body Mallard decoys and have a pair of Mallards fly by... Its usually game over.

Also i don't really know your hunting situation but hunting ducks in fields you usually want to have a pond of body of water close by. They tend to not travel as far to fields as geese do. I like to have a pond within 500 yards when i am targeting ducks.
 
#3 ·
come to Saskatchewan and get lazy , 75% + of the time i only shoot ducks in dry fields ... its easier retrieving them that way . Usually the baby mojo mallard is the only duck decoy i put out amongst a few canada's and don't have a problem bringing them in.

its probably just a location thing
 
#4 ·
The only problem with the mojo is around here ducks and geeese flair on those like they have seen them a hundred times. I have one and never use it.

Thanks for the tips, it sounds like in my area hunting from a field isnt the best option due to spec.
 
#5 ·
last season in illinois we hunted geese primarily but ended up shooting greenheads at the same time. we were hunting in the corn stubble and had no problem at all getting ducks to land. the mojo is a real big help but like they said it tends to flare geese so i dont use it too often unless we're only going for ducks. if you throw out a few duck dekes, and maybe keep them a little separate from the honkers maybe you'll have a little more luck?
 
#7 ·
adv sask said:
come to Saskatchewan and get lazy , 75% + of the time i only shoot ducks in dry fields ... its easier retrieving them that way . Usually the baby mojo mallard is the only duck decoy i put out amongst a few canada's and don't have a problem bringing them in.

its probably just a location thing
I hate you!!! :boxing: Why couldn't the good lord bring me into this world in Saskatchewan.... :fingerhead:
 
#8 ·
I have seen large groups of woodies feeding in burnt wheat fields durning the september dove season. We hunt mallards in corn and bean fields and the colder the better. The more water is locked up the better the mallard hunting in fields at least in missouri. The place we hunt has a big pont about 1 mile away and they roost on it with geese and keep it open. We don't shoot the pont as bad as we are tempted because we don't want to screw up the roost. I have seen a couple thousand mallards and geese sleep on that pond. We just watch a field and see where the ducks want to be and then walk in and flush them and set up a few floater decoys and a mojo. They don't seem to notice they are not high dollar full body deeks. We had a great hunt last winter with no deeks and only a mojo. If your on the x it seems to be a lot more about the robo than the deeks.
 
#9 ·
mgbonardi said:
The only problem with the mojo is around here ducks and geeese flair on those like they have seen them a hundred times. I have one and never use it.

Thanks for the tips, it sounds like in my area hunting from a field isnt the best option due to spec.
Don't count the mojo out on field hunting just yet. I rarely use a mojo on water setups because they seem to flair birds, but on fields they seem to really draw them in. I'd at least give it a shot if I were you.
 
#10 ·
mgbonardi said:
it sounds like in my area hunting from a field isnt the best option due to spec.
I wouldn't count out the woodies. We used to slay them in fields around Lansing, MI, but you've got to be in the right location. Those little buggers will come into a field goose spread and a mojo right at first light.
 
#11 ·
mgbonardi said:
Is this something they do in areas with less food in the water or is it more likely with a certine spec. of duck like mallard because we mostly have wood ducks and teal.
That is it. They are constantly looking for food, but will always pick a flooded food source over a dry one, unless the quality of food in the dry area is that much better.
 
#12 ·
yeah, don't count out the Woodies. We shot a whole bunch last year, It's pretty hit and miss though and sometimes pure luck that you are in the right spot. Usually we'd be out goose hunting in the corn field and low and behold, at very 1st light, the woodies would come buzzing in. If you have a mojo out in your goose spread, those woodies will try to knock the damn mojo right over, seen it lots last year, they eat that thing up.
 
#13 ·
Where I hunt, field hunting for ducks doesn't get good until all local lakes freeze up and and only open water is Rivers or creeks.
We due kill some ducks while goose hunting but nothing like a good freeze to push all birds to the rivers. Follow the birds out when they feed in evening to find the field there fedding in. I see you live in S/W Mi Ive had some good late seasons goose and Mallard hunts just outside Benton Harbor.
 
#14 ·
I have question...Do ducks prefer corn stalk fields to fields that were plowed after they harvested the corn? Aound here, most of the corn fields are silaged and are already cut and plowed under. I hardly ever see ducks there but I do see geese. There are a few fields used for seed corn and when they harvest them the stalks will still standing so should I be scouting them out? Any ideas on this?
 
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