[jdubovy]

Hey all, I have been following this forum for a few months now and I thought with the impending end of our waterfowl season that it would be a good time to introduce myself as well as ask some questions in preparation for next year. I live in Hull, which is a great little beach town if your into that stuff, however I'm really not. I've been an avid deer hunter for the past 4 or 5 years and dove head first into that hobby. Had great success but was getting caught up in all the little things that seemed to make it not fun anymore (scent control, camo patterns, tree stand locations, etc). Fast forward a few years and I decided I was going to get into the waterfowl game. Growing up my Dad always told me stories of how him and his buddies in the 70's would chase pheasants in the fall down at standish with his springer and would shoot rats out on the Boston harbor islands. With his experience in mind I did my research on dogs and found a great local lab breeder down on the south coast, I got on the waitlist, waited about a year and a half and brought my boy Fletcher home February of 2021. We got to training right away and we put in many hours and miles in the car going to different training sessions, hunt test, seminars etc. I quickly realized that he wouldn't be ready for that fall and that was okay with me. I'd rather do it right than rush into it and ruin the dog. We trained trained and trained some more and this past fall was our first year hunting together and it was a success. We limited out on pheasants many times and it was amazing to see him put the pieces together in an actual hunting situation. Pheasant season ended with success on Thanksgiving and into duck season we went.

Now this is where being a newbie and a first year duck hunter really shined. We went into duck season with high hopes, but I quickly realized that I simply wasn't as prepared as I thought I was. From deciding what to carry, how to carry it, where to go, where the birds were, what birds I was seeing... I was green. I'm glad to report that since that first trip out I have definitely find tuned some things on that front but I still have a lot of work to do to get my first duck or goose. If anybody has any beginner tips even if there obvious and would comment that would be great. I realize that the season is coming to a close in the next few weeks but if anybody ever needs a dog just give me a shout, I quickly realized this past fall that just watching him work gives me more pleasure than pulling a trigger. Thank you. - Joe

 

[jdubovy]

Guess l will start. Scout, scout, and scout. Find out where the ducks want to be. Hide, hide, and hide some more. I think poorly hiding is the most overlooked thing by new waterfowl hunters especially your face. Don’t come in late. If legal shooting is at 6:40 am be set up at least 20 minutes before legal. This won’t help you get more ducks but won’t aggravate me! Last thing just enjoy time in field and the learning process. I used to be an obsessed deer hunter before making the switch to waterfowl. Hardly ever deer hunt now. Just addicted to the marsh and all that it has to offer.

Yea so far I'm already having a lot more fun than sitting in a tree stand!

 

[jdubovy]

Welcome to the forum Joe. Stick around.

Will do !

 

[jdubovy]

Welcome Joe. As Buffle said scout! Also he is write about hiding, you can never have too much cover. If you don’t already have one get yourself a kayak or small canoe. Something that is stable and can hold gear.


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Yea I think I'm in the market for a canoe, I do have a little tin boat that I have used for the salt marshes with boat ramps near by but I realized that not a lot of ponds near me have ramps.

 

[jdubovy]

Question for ya'll, during my limited scouting I did find some man made wooden blinds on public land. Would it be wrong to invest some time and money fixing these up again and grassing them in? Are these permanent blinds even legal in the first place or to be hunting out of? I have read the abstracts and its not clear cut at all compared to say deer hunting with tree stands what the rules are. Thanks

 

[jdubovy]

IMO takes a LOT more effort than hunting deer or released pheasant. Spend your spring and summer looking at places you can reach, the more out-of-the-way the better. Be were people are too lazy to get to. Find what would attract ducks and look for them as well. Seasons change bird patterns in some cases and not others. Determine if a place is dry in July but would bet wet in winter or with rains. Lotsa time, lotsa miles but that's the investment to success.

Yea I quickly came to the conclusion that this isn't the same as getting in my tree and hunkering down.