I wear camo clothing that is a good match with corn stubble. My blind is based on one important factor-good camouflage. A blind will keep you pinned down in one spot. Few farmers want you digging holes in their fields anyway, so a mobile approach is the key to success. This strategy means you do not build a blind or dig a pit. Set your decoys in the exact spot birds are using. Find the exact location where birds are actively feeding and pinpoint the precise terrain where they are landing. Top areas are always changing, and the successful field hunter must be mobile and constantly on the lookout for new hot spots.ĭon't make the mistake of hunting the next field over or going to a spot where birds were feeding two weeks ago. Ducks often switch fields because of hunting pressure and where grain is being harvested. Start with learning the flight patterns of local ducks, and determine the time birds fly and which fields they are using. Begin by finding ducks, of course, and that calls for plenty of scouting. There are a few strategies you can use to turn the tables in your direction. But, the action was furious and many more flocks tried our spread.īesides, the pleasure of duck hunting in field or marsh is not how many birds you take but rather how you play the game. By the time I announced, "Take 'em!" we were shaking so badly we missed some easy shots. Wow-was it ever fun to have such big numbers of birds "kissing close!" Birds tumbled to our shots, but we were even more excited to see flocks of hundreds of mallards circling closer and closer. Flock after flock zoomed into our spread. The landowner quickly agreed to our afternoon request and soon we were in duck heaven with birds locked up on our silhouettes. But that suddenly changed when I saw a flock of 500 mallards circling a cut cornfield. For several weeks I had a tough time finding birds. After the excitement of the opener, hunting went downhill-fast. With fond memories I look back on last year's season. Field hunting is also an excellent opportunity to introduce friends and relatives to the sport. Second, there are tons of birds available and you can count on plenty of shooting opportunities. First, there are no other hunters around. Generally speaking, the positives outweigh the negatives and ducks, and other wildfowl (such as geese) have higher survival rates in large flocks.The beauty of hunting these spots is two-fold. Avian Cholera is one of the examples of many diseases that can be spread through bird-to-bird contact or ingestion of contaminated water or food. When there is not enough food, some of the birds in the flock are unable to find food.ĭiseases can also be a problem when large birds are in close proximity to one another for prolonged periods. This is generally only an issue when food sources are not abundant in certain habitats. For example, the loud noises produced by the conspicuous birds can attract both predators and hunters.Īnother negative can be that the larger the flock, the more competition for food. Secondly, if a predator decides to attack, they can often get overwhelmed by the number of targets, which can confuse them and mean their attacks become much less successful.Īlthough gathering in these large flocks is mostly beneficial, there are a few negatives. As we know, ducks aren't the quietest of animals, and members of the flock are quick to notify the rest of the group. This is because they are outgoing and sociable birds.įorming these large groups means more security for ducks in general and can mean much higher survival rates for the pack.įirstly, a large group of waterfowl has much more eyes and is better at detecting any nearby predators. Why do ducks flock together in large groups?ĭucks generally feel most at ease when they are in large groups.
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