Advice for a newbie?

[7-08 fan]

I have always been a hunter for pretty much everything except duck and turkey, but now I have the itch to duck hunt. I was just looking for some advice on how to get started.

What equipment is absolutely essential? (I have a 14' jon boat with outboard).

Where are some likely places to hunt?

All this just seems a little intimidating to me It seems so much more involved than the deer hunting I'm used too.

 

[Dodge Man]

Stick with deer hunting. Duck hunting is not worth the money and trouble it takes to get started in it these days!

 

[tasaman]

There are two ways to go. Spend about $500 not including gun or make friends with a duck hunter who has everything. Even then you will need waders and gun, steel shot choke, and shells. Get good waders. Stay away from lacrosse. Cabelas, Mack's PW, Columbia. I have frog toggs and are good but not best but I paid half price.

All that don't mean diddly if you don't live near good water and duck flyway.

 

[tn_duckman]

Get good waders like tasaman said.. i would would go with macks or cabelas or hodgeman.

but the best advice i can give is learn from someone who has been doing it for awhile.

 

[Nitro]

IMO the absolute most important thing you can do is find a place where there are ducks. Scout hard and figure out where they are midday. Set up there in the morning and have either a good boat blind or set up on the bank camouflaged extremely well with cover overhead and cover your face. Ducks land into the wind so set decoys up accordingly. You don't need 200 decoys, you don't need a spinner, you don't need an extended choke, you don't need a 1200 benelli, you don't need a custom duck call. Matter of fact, unless you can call, you should just call at thier butts and do quacks. Spend your money on warm clothing and a good set of waders. Rig a simple jerk string for movement. When you see ducks, don't make sudden moves or talk and make sure hunting partners know this. Many people make duck hunting too complex. It can be done on the cheap. ..and know how you shotgun patterns. Practice shooting. Most use modifed (improved modified steel) choke with #2 - 3" shells. Kent or Rio's will kill em dead. Good luck.

 

[BroadHeadsNLead]

Some Of what Nitro said is true but I have been doing this for a while and depending on whether u hunt timber or field is what u need. Wadders boat or four wheeler and good gun a must. Good call a must because unlike east tn west tn has a lot of ducks when its right. wing tips and butts until u fig out how to call ducks becuase u can sound great but if u dont know when to call u still may not killem. Robo a must if ur hunting a flyway if ur pond hoping or looking for pot hole ducks or locals is what i call them then a robo will scare them more than anything. Decoys depends on your money but magnums r better way to go ducks see them better! And as far as how many decoys depends on the hole and where u r at. Kents winchester experts rio's r good. I like BB's in a field 2's in timber. jerk cord is a must and a floating robo is better in timber its easier! Best thing on places is to go with someone who knows some places to go on wma's or get in a lease. Lease is easier dont have to fight the idiots out there. its alot of info and can be discouraging going by urself an trying to learn go with a buddy or make one that hunts learn to u feel comfortable with going on ur own! Good luck!