Thread: Advice on ducks

Did some scouting on the weekend watched a slightly flooded crop paddock only seen a pair of mallards fly over only parries feeding on there , but managed to find a decent amount of ducks maybe 70 odd in a creek with willows and Swampy area about 500m away . I found the birds and then spooked them off to see what they would do majority of them circled and dropped back in again. This was around 9am any ideas on when the best time to shoot this would be? You think it is a roost I have seen them there in the past mid afternoon aswell sleeping on the banks just curious to get opinions as I’m not going to get a chance to scout it again before opening . Cheers

Easy,shoot it at dawn,have a snooze then shoot the evening..

As above, but there is going to be a lot of banging on opening day, so the ducks will be moving around a lot. If you're well concealed, they may see it as a safe spot. I'd sit it out all day. What have you got to lose?

Hey mate.

I'd just go in the morning, spook them off and set up some decoys and the blind then stay all day.

Can't reverse the clock if you muck up the timing but if you're there all day you're covered...

go in afternoon/night before,set up everything and be there by 05;30 on D Day.... you then have an hour to feather the nest,wiggle around changing things and generally just soak it up....come 06;30 when the guns go off,you may still have to wait 20 minutes for enough light to ID birds... but your in position ready.stay all day and go back Sunday morning for shorter shoot and pack up...doing it tihs way removes most of the stress and fuss and worry of being late and also allows you to enjoy the changing of the light.

Cheers guy’s waiting to hear from land owner as Murphy would have it they’re on the neighbours place but all going to plan will have to be a very early start Saturday to get in and set up as a decent amount of rain is due Friday afternoon so will see what the water conditions are like and where to set up in the morning using lay out blinds so versatile enough . Also throws a spanner in the works because the ducks do flock to the crop paddock when it floods

If you have decoys and good calling you may be able to get some to decoy to you away from the feeding area, especially if there are no ducks on the water there etc. This will work better thru the middle of the day when they have already fed somewhere else and are looking for a resting area with other ducks.

They are naturally suspicious and lots of shooting makes them more so.

Decoys, good calling and some movement of the decoys works well. We used to have a pocket full of stones and throw one out to make ripples on the water.

You've got some decoys aye? Can borrow some of mine if not, I won't be using them this weekend.