Bring em in

[Mud Creek]

Ok guys I have a question. I rabbit hunt a spot that has the obvious briar/field element but also has a creek that runs through a 5-10 acre patch of woods which borders a corn field on the other side. Not always but usually the woods and back part of the corn connected to the woods have plenty of standing water this time of the year. I should say it's not waist deep but I've seen years where we couldn't rabbit hunt it without hip waders and honestly we usually just save it for dryer summer training grounds because the water can be hard to get around at times.

I have seen some ducks in there but not sure if they are regulars or if it was random. My question(finally) can you put decoys in the field/around the edge with standing water or possibly in the woods a little bit back from the field and call ducks in? In a nutshell can you hunt a spot that in theory "looks good" and attract them or is it best to know ducks frequent a spot.

 

[Cache]

Best spot I've ever hunted we didn't hunt for 3 years because we didn't think we could kill them there. Only took one hunt to realize we wasted 3 years of not hunting it.

 

[MickThompson]

If you have another "sure thing" spot that you know is holding birds, I'd hunt there. Otherwise, they'll either be there or not. One way to find out.

Something to keep in mind is the need to rest these small isolated spots. You won't be getting piles of fresh birds constantly, so you need to let the ones that you don't kill settle back in for a few days between shoots. I try to lay off the spots I hunt at least 5 days in between hunts. No more than I've been able to hunt lately, that's not a problem.


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[TreyB]

Hunt it and rest it for 3 days minimum. Wait for fronts to come in also.

 

[Bgoodman30]

Ok guys I have a question. I rabbit hunt a spot that has the obvious briar/field element but also has a creek that runs through a 5-10 acre patch of woods which borders a corn field on the other side. Not always but usually the woods and back part of the corn connected to the woods have plenty of standing water this time of the year. I should say it's not waist deep but I've seen years where we couldn't rabbit hunt it without hip waders and honestly we usually just save it for dryer summer training grounds because the water can be hard to get around at times.

I have seen some ducks in there but not sure if they are regulars or if it was random. My question(finally) can you put decoys in the field/around the edge with standing water or possibly in the woods a little bit back from the field and call ducks in? In a nutshell can you hunt a spot that in theory "looks good" and attract them or is it best to know ducks frequent a spot.

Lot of variables but it's pretty dry now. Does it have water now? Have your tried to glass it and seen ducks using? Is there a lot of other ducks in the area? Refuge or reservoir close by?

It sounds like a spot if you find em in there beat them there the next day... Sometimes decoys are not necessary and can even them flare them if something is out of ordinary...


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[Mud Creek]

Maybe I should've asked a specific question for general areas instead of a general question for a specific spot. It's Mostly all bottom land that stays wet and pretty flooded(well some spots)until higher summer temps come along. I haven't been to this paticular spot yet and checked for birds I usually stay out until rifle is over or he fills his freezer and tells me he's done. Some of these old farms around here have a lot of creeks, and fairly large private ponds/lakes. I know this is probably a crazy/stupid question but I guess I'm trying to get my fingers on the pulse of any birds that use the wet/flooded farmlands but it may be as you said if these "local" spots have birds it'll be a matter of getting there and setting up to get THOSE birds rather than calling others from around in to a spread. I just wondered if I set the plate and rang the dinner bell would they come in.

 

[MickThompson]

I hunt just north of you some- Cookeville area. You're down in sinkhole country.

You are still hunting migrating ducks, but I don't think we don't get enough migration traffic around here for birds to find decoys and come to hang out. I've looked at some of that country you're hunting on aerials and it looks good for sure. Some spots will consistently have birds if they aren't pressured, but some are hit or miss.


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