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There is a lot of confusion about hunting ducks during the late season.
Whenever I go duck hunting with some friends, they seem so enthusiastic in the opening part of the season but as soon as it enters its second half, I find myself hunting solo.
It’s like they suddenly remember their excuses: there are no longer any birds; even if some do arrive they are too aware of decoys and cannot be enticed by them; or alternatively, they don’t want to brave the cold weather.
Nonetheless, late season duck hunting does require a different approach and weather conditions can certainly have an impact on your hunt.
Despite that, this is actually the period which I anticipate throughout the year.
By using a suitable method for late season duck hunting, you can witness immense flocks of birds and bag a limit quickly. Look up these useful tips if you’re targeting ducks during the later stages of the season.
Gear
Late season duck hunting can bring unexpected erratic weather conditions.
To make sure you are prepared, invest in some active insulation pieces to keep you warm while in the blind, and outer shells to block the wind and water.
I’ve had experiences when my hunting buddies were ready to call it quits because they were too cold, before the action started to pick up.
To ensure a successful hunt, making sure you and your four-legged friends are dry and warm is key so that you can concentrate less on comfortability and more on getting those late season greenheads.
Move to Big Water
Once January arrives in the Midwest, ducks transition to larger bodies of water.
This means more scouting is necessary, as the concentration of birds is lower compared to iced-over fields and timber holes.
However, if you find a great spot with favorable winds, there will be some thrilling late season action on offer.
During this period, I frequently utilise scouting apps such as OnX and HuntStand to search for areas near lakes and rivers with shelter and food sources nearby.
I also look into public land that isn’t too crowded, but I have had great luck by requesting permission of private property owners too. Get creative and think outside of the box to increase your chances of success!
Don’t Get Too Aggressive
It is already late in the season for the ducks, so no matter how great a caller you might think you are, they are going to be cautious and if something doesn’t sound right, they will flail. My preference during the late season is to keep things conservative when calling ducks.
When the ducks are flying away, I really only call, and even then, it’s a few greeting quacks or maybe even one “come back” sequence.
As soon as the ducks turn my way, I put down the call and stay hidden. Feed chuckles are great, but during the late season ducks will be pinpointing all calls and if they see anything abnormal, their paranoia will overpower their curiosity and they won’t fly in.
Your spread will attract more ducks if it’s simple and quick.
Movement
Last year during the final week of the Arkansas season, I felt like I had everything setup perfectly.
My blind was hidden, weather conditions were perfect, the birds were flying, all signs pointed towards a successful day on the water.
But every time the birds would seem interested, they would flair out just before they got within shooting distance I couldn’t figure out the issue.
After talking to a great hunting buddy as well as my main waterfowl mentor, he said, “You need more movement in your spread. Ducks don’t just sit there like decoys.” The glass shattered at that moment.
When you add motion decoys to your spread, you will bring in some much-needed realism, as well as calm down a lot of the incoming ducks, making fooling them much easier.
If you’re looking for spinners, I recommend those with intermittent spinning or those that can be controlled remotely for a more lifelike effect. Jerk rigs and ripplers are also great options.
Open Waters
If you are fortunate to locate an open water area, either small or large, which can be kept open by the use of an ice eater, it becomes a hotspot for ducks soaring overhead.
The nonstop flow of water in addition to pumping warm water into the spot will decrease freezing and provide lifelike ripples in your decoy spread, encouraging more birds while other shallow water sites are frozen.
Having been privileged to hunt with the assistance of ice eaters during freeze ups, I can confidently proclaim that it is one of the greatest tactics to call in many ducks.
Put some effort into scouting, make your spread and calling realistic, and go where the ducks are. This is my favorite part of the season.
Sources:wideopenspaces
