The feeling is near indescribable. There’s nothing quite like being on a duck marsh as the
sun peaks above the horizon and spills its rays onto still water. As you wait in anticipation and hidden from view, fleeting wings approach and slice through the still morning air and push invisible gas with an audible, high-pitched WHOOSH! Crouching with eyes honed on the sky, you watch a group of ducks circle the decoy spread like fighter jets on final approach to an aircraft carrier. Cupping their wings and extending their webbed feet towards the water, they commit to land amongst a spread of carefully placed decoys.

    According to duck hunting etiquette, everyone holds their shot until the person calling the ducks in gives the go ahead. When the ducks are in range, the signal is given and loud shotgun reports shatter the morning quiet. Some ducks fall but most invariably fly away – that’s why it is called hunting.

    Duck hunting, without a doubt, is one of the most exciting outdoor activities in which to partake and many people throughout the country have caught on.

    According to the latest U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife Associated Recreation Survey, which was last released in 1996, duck hunting has seen resurgence in the last few years. Citing the report, from 1991 to 1996 duck hunting saw nearly a 34% increase in participation throughout the United States. In Texas alone, there were 101,000 duck hunters in 1996 – 11% of the total hunters in the state. 

    The popularity is no wonder. Duck hunting is a challenging sport that has many aspects in which to learn and master such as calling, duck identification, decoy placement, and, for more advanced waterfowlers, dog training. 

    Waterfowling is also an active shooting sport. Because participants set out decoys, call, and watch for incoming birds, duck hunting is an excellent way to introduce new hunters to the outdoors because boredom is kept to a minimum. Wetlands are also a dynamic place that teems with all sorts of wildlife like white-tailed deer, beavers, and scores of birds. In addition, ample public and private land is available in Texas for those wishing to pursue the sport. So where do you start? Here’s a list of items that a beginning hunter may want to consider. 
  

The Gear to Go

    Like other outdoor adventures, duck hunting has its list of “must-have” gear that a hunter needs in order to get started. However, the amount of gear you need is all a matter of how involved you’d like to become in the sport.                      

    I remember as a teenager growing up near the Red River in northern Fannin County, my introduction to duck hunting was somewhat informal. Being a near zealot for outdoor activities, my friends and I would often crawl up tank dams or stalk beaver ponds in order to jump shoot whatever ducks would explode from the water. 

    Back then all we needed was a shotgun and some shells.  An economically efficient way to hunt, but our success rate was horrendously low. As I matured, my interest in duck hunting also matured. The amount of gear I bought and my interest as a student of the sport invariably increased.

    So what kind and how much gear does a beginner need?  Of course, that’s up to each individual hunter. According to duck hunting experts, there are a few things that a person new to the sport needs to consider.
 

Camouflage, Waders, and Other Gear

    “You need good camouflage,” says Mike Bardwell, co-owner of the Red River Hunt Club, a guide service and hunting lease club near Ravenna, Texas. “A camo waterfowl parka that has a lot of pockets comes in handy in the duck blind or in the field.” Currently, there are dozen of patterns of camouflage on the market that are available for hunters. Each pattern will do well in helping conceal a hunter and are certainly better than jeans and a denim shirt but they may not work well in all wetland situations.
    Two good camouflage patterns to look for are the Advantage Wetlands pattern and the Mossy Oak Shadow Grass. These patterns, which are widely available at many retail and mail order stores, are designed exclusively for waterfowl hunters. Each pattern is made up of cattail reeds placed against a background of neutral colors that blend in well with the type of vegetation commonly associated with marshes, lakes, and ponds. 
    When choosing camouflage, total body concealment is the rule. Because ducks have extremely keen eyesight, all parts of the body need to be covered, especially the face and hands.
    Camouflage waders are also a good idea if you plan to hunt in flooded timber, potholes, or intend to wade out and retrieve your own ducks. Waders, like camouflage, come in a variety of styles. The first step would be to analyze your own particular needs.
    I use neoprene-lined waders with a Cordura nylon shell. The neoprene is especially helpful in insulating against the cold water of winter. The nylon shell also helps protect against briars, tree limbs, and other sticky stuff that you may rub against when duck hunting.
    If you are hunting along the coast or strictly during the early fall teal season, uninsulated waders are available for added comfort.
    Another important rule to remember when selecting waders is to get them in the proper size.  Perhaps nothing makes walking more difficult than improperly sized waders. Waders are sold according to the boot size. Always try to buy them as close as you can to the size of boot you normally wear. Buy them too small and you’ll rub blisters on your feet and they will be hard to take on and off. Buy them do big and your socks will come off your feet as you walk and the extra bulk of the waders will make it hard to walk. The bottom line - do your homework.
    In addition to personal camouflage, intrepid duck hunters may also want to invest in a piece of military issue camo netting. Netting can be strung up across a couple of limbs and instantly conceal the subtle movements of picking up a shotgun or rummaging for shells.
    For permanent blinds, several commercially made models are available such as the Nacogdoches based Ultimate Blind Company. A least expensive alternative to a commercially made blind is to build one from readily available materials.
    Chicken wire strung up between a couple of trees makes a good foundation for a blind.  Cattails, grass, and other natural materials can be woven into the wire to make a blind that blends exactly to the marsh that you are hunting. Because it is galvanized, chicken wire can last for many seasons around the dampness of a pond before it starts to rust.   
 

Gunning for Waterfowl

    “Everyone has their favorite, but I like a 12 gauge autoloader with 3” chambers and choke tubes,” says Scott Sudkamp, Texas Parks & Wildlife Biologist and avid duck hunter.   “I shoot a Remington 11-87 model shotgun with an improved cylinder and love it. With steel shot, the improved choke shoots like a modified cylinder.” It is important to know how your gun sprays a pattern of shot at various distances so that you can lessen game crippling shots. Take your shotgun out early and shoot it at paper targets at various distances well before the season starts. Learn the nuances of the gun through measurable tests instead of through trial and error in the field.

    Bardwell agrees.  “If you are going to start duck hunting, it is very important that you buy a shotgun early and learn how it shoots. Then learn how to shoot it safe and accurate.”

Shotgun brands, like pick-ups, are a source of endless debates in Texas. Therefore, it is best to leave the topic alone. A good rule of thumb in selecting a shotgun, though, is to buy one that is durable and takes apart easily. Since duck hunting typically takes place in the wettest and muddiest places and under cold conditions, it is important that a shotgun be able to hold up for many seasons.

    A pick of many waterfowlers is a fully camouflaged 12-gauge shotgun that has a stock and forearm made of synthetic materials. These shotguns are water and rust resistant and take apart easily for a thorough cleaning after returning from the duck marsh. Furthermore, a 12 gauge packs enough punch to down a flying duck at forty yards away. Although there are many choices of chokes, brands, and actions available in shotguns today, shot types are a bit more limited. 

    In 1991, the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, the body that governs migratory waterfowl hunting laws, banned the use of lead shot for hunting waterfowl. The reason is simple. It was found that ducks and geese would ingest lead that had sunk to the bottom of wetlands as they fed. In turn, the lead would rise to toxic levels in the bloodstreams of the birds and they would ultimately die. As a result, steel shot was phased in to lessen the impact of loose shot on waterfowl populations.
    As of the 1999 season, the USFWS had approved of six different types of shot for hunting waterfowl: steel, tungsten-iron, tungsten polymer, bismuth-tin, tungsten matrix, and tin. The upside is that they all lessen the effect on the wetland ecosystem.  he downside? They all behave differently from lead shot and are considerably higher priced. 

    Steel is harder and lighter than lead so it patterns tighter at the same distances yet packs a smaller punch at forty yards and beyond. Bismuth, on the other hand, behaves more like lead shot but it is considerably higher in price than steel. The highest priced shot that waterfowlers might consider is tungsten. Tungsten can pack a wallop at fifty yards and retains a tight pattern to boot.

    Your best bet is to try out different types of shotgun/shot combinations on paper and clay targets and see what works best for you well before the first day of duck season.
 

Duping Ducks with Decoys

    Perhaps the essence of waterfowling can be found in the use of decoys. Once carved for functionality, wooden decoys are considered works of art today and many fetch into the hundreds and even thousands of dollars from collectors.
    Don’t fret though. Plastic decoys are readily available for a whole lot less. “I would start with two dozen plastic Flambeau water keel decoys,” advises Bardwell. “They are a nice looking decoy and I use them whenever I guide duck hunts.”

    Water keel decoys have a central ridge that runs down the middle of the bottom of the block.  Water keel decoys are lighter to carry and less expensive to buy but critics of them contend that they don’t look natural riding the waves when the water gets rough. For wary ducks, that is plenty of evidence to send them flying the other way.
    Weighted keel decoys, on the other hand, have counterbalanced keels that add to rough water stability. As a result, they have a more lifelike appearance when riding waves. The downside is that they are heavier and more expensive. If hunting big, open water like lakes though, they could make the difference between success and failure.

    “As for a variety, beginners can’t go wrong with mallards. Nearly all ducks will fly into mallard patterns. I also like add a few teal in the spread, especially early in the season.” explains Sudkamp. When going after diving ducks, hunters should add some scaup, ring-necks, or canvasback decoys.

    Beginning hunters might also want to consider adding a motion decoy to their collection. A motion decoy can add life to a spread by creating movement on still days when there is little or no wind. It works by using a battery-powered ball that sits inside of the decoy body and wobbles when the power is turned on. The wobble creates ripples on the water that mimics ducks swimming around and dabbling for food. The motion can be just what you need to convince the wariest ducks to commit to a spread. 

    Another type of motion decoy is the flying decoy. A flying decoy mounts on a pole and has rotating “wings” that mimics the flapping of a landing duck. I have hunted with a Red River Spinner flying decoy and was amazed at how effective it was in getting flocks of birds that were a couple of hundred yards away to turn and land right beside it. 

    Be prepared though.  To add a motion decoy to your collection, be ready to pay $50 or more for a single bird. Is it worth it? It depends on how serious of a duck hunter you plan on becoming…In addition to the decoys, a lightweight mesh decoy bag is a must for toting the faux birds in and out of the field.
 

Calling All Ducks

    Perhaps one of the most difficult and, at the same time, crucial aspects of duck hunting that a waterfowler must master is the art of calling.  Yes, art…Calling ducks is more of an art than a science. It is kind of like playing a piano. You can always get a sound to come out of a piano but whether it is any good or not depends on your skill level. 

    Both Bardwell and Sudkamp agree that your best bet for becoming a good caller is to buy a quality wooden mallard call and an instructional tape and practice over and over. Then go out to local parks or other places where mallards may congregate and see how the ducks respond to your calling.

    After that, hunt with experienced callers and see how they work the calls as far as pitch, tone, duration, and frequency of calls. Through trial and error, those wretched sounds that all new duck hunters make in the beginning begin to sound like the greeting call and feeding grunts uttered by mallards. One word of advice, though. Always practice by yourself and in your vehicle if you don’t want your family to hide your new call.
 

License to Hunt

    Although it seems like a given, it bears mentioning that new duck hunters need to read and understand the Texas Parks & Wildlife and United States Fish and Wildlife Service laws as they apply to hunting waterfowl. Game wardens often report that many violations that Texas hunters commit are due to an ignorance of the game laws. To avert the problem, pick up a Texas Outdoor Annual as well as a USFWS migratory game bird bulletin wherever hunting license are sold. In each book you will find a list of opening dates for various species of ducks and other waterfowl, legal shooting times, bag and possession limits, and legal shot types.

    To hunt ducks in Texas, you will need a current Texas hunting license, a state duck stamp and a federal duck stamp. In all the combined license and stamps will cost you $41. A bargain in any book.
 

Ducks at a Distance

    Maybe the most important skill that you can develop as a duck hunter is also relatively free to obtain. The skill is duck identification. 

    USFWS and TPW guidelines state that different species of ducks have different bag limits.  For example, on any given day during the season in the duck marsh, the current bag limits for mallards are five per day; only two of which can be hens. Alternatively, only two wood ducks can be taken while a single pintail can be harvested. And those are the bag limits for only three of the 14 or so species of ducks listed as huntable species in Texas. 

    Can you tell a wood duck hen from a blue-winged teal hen? How about a mallard hen from a black duck hen? Do you know the difference between diving and puddle ducks? If so, great. If not, you’d better learn your duck ID before you hit the water. 

    There are many sources by which you can begin to learn duck identification. The most obvious is picking up a field guide at your local library or book store. If you are Internet ready, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Ducks Unlimited, and United States Fish and Wildlife Service all have websites which have information regarding the positive identification of ducks both on the water and in the air.

    Once you have studied up on learning various wing patterns, plumage coloration, and flight behavior, the next things to do is test your skills in the real world. Often, in city parks, there are a number of wild ducks that make their home in small impoundments that often accompany these municipal lands. Go there and try your hand at identifying them in the field.  If you can recall the species successfully you are ready to hunt. If not, hit the books another day or two and give it another try.