Thread: Crash course on duck hunting

I have access to a farm with a pond and maimai which the farmer doesn't use. He's offered to let me use it. Problem is is that I know nothing about duck hunting. I also don't have a dog.

I was going to use the Toby shotgun or maybe borrow the farmers Baikal as it has a choke.

I know you need a caller and decoys and feed but other than that I am not clued up.

Cheers.

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depending on how big the pond is a jag with a bit of lead wrapped around it will do the trick tie to a hand line. dont get to stressed about feed. dozen decoys will be heaps, can tie couple onto a string back to where yo sit for a jerk rig just to get a bit of water movement . See if you can get out for a look around soon and try to work out what way the birds might fly in. try and set up a bit of a hide. might have a spot already.few old branches bull rushes etc. Lead shot falcon 4s
(farmlands)

Originally Posted by bigbear

depending on how big the pond is a jag with a bit of lead wrapped around it will do the trick tie to a hand line. dont get to stressed about feed. dozen decoys will be heaps, can tie couple onto a string back to where yo sit for a jerk rig just to get a bit of water movement . See if you can get out for a look around soon and try to work out what way the birds might fly in. try and set up a bit of a hide. might have a spot already.few old branches bull rushes etc. Lead shot falcon 4s
(farmlands)

Thanks so much. I have some falcon number 3 but I'm not sure if they'll be good.

The maimai faces away from the house towards a hill. With trees to its right. From memory they seemed to fly over the trees to towards the pond.

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Thats one less thing you have to worry about if it has a maimai.

you CANT USE LEAD over water......
need to purchase licence (you arent lawnowner or manager)
steel shot in #2-3-4 is what I use...for pond where ranges are going to be short eg 30 or less yards #4 all the way....falcon put out good non expensive loads.
2-3 decoys might be enough. if you cant call well DONT AT ALL.pocket/bucket of small stones to carfully chuck into water to create ripples works great just dont let ducks see movement AT ALL.
need nuteral colours eg greens n browns as ducks ARENT colourblind like deer.
swing through your bird in flight eg come up from behind pass the bum pass the beak BANG keep swinging. best time bar none to fire is when they about to land...wings flared landing gear down and air brakes on...all vitals are at most vunerable then. most times you can get dead ducks off pond with string attached to one bank then walk around pond carefully pulling belly of string around to push them across.
keep well hiden and dont let ducks see movement.
take lunch and plenty heaps cups of tea.

If the wind direction is constant eg, always from the north or west ect ......ducks land Into the wind.......have nothing shiny especially your shotgun

I will buy some steel shot then.

Thanks all for the advice. I will hopefully put it all to good use.

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I was meant to stay steel cant blame auto correct on that

You're a lucky bugger Russian22!

What I've learned after two seasons. Being still and camouflaged does matter. No shiny things on show. Electronic calls work. Phone app + blue tooth speaker is a cheap way to go. If you're a beginner like me, wait until the birds are nice close. No point trying to pull off long shots and scaring them all off for a couple of hours. Even more so with steel shot.

Originally Posted by MightyBoosh

You're a lucky bugger Russian22!

What I've learned after two seasons. Being still and camouflaged does matter. No shiny things on show. Electronic calls work. Phone app + blue tooth speaker is a cheap way to go. If you're a beginner like me, wait until the birds are nice close. No point trying to pull off long shots and scaring them all off for a couple of hours. Even more so with steel shot.

Thanks! I am going to go to the clay birds as I am not experienced with shotguns. I will have to wait until they're on top of me hahaha.

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I shot my first few ducks with a cylinder bore Mossberg riot gun, you just need to make sure they are close. Steel seems to shoot a tighter group than lead so in a way better out of a cylinder bore gun IMO.
Whatever you use, try and get some large sheets of paper to pattern the shotgun. Learn where the pellets go at 5, 10,15 and 20 m, get some clays and a thrower if you can.
Judging distances is most important, put some pegs on the bank of the pond at say 10, 20 and 30 m from the maimai. Limit yourself to 20 maximum distance, although a full load of steel at 5 m tends to smash the meat pretty bad.
If the pond is mall the string idea sounds awesome. I used a large trout landing net with a cord attached and managed to get them out to 5 m or so no problem.

The pond is pretty small. Maybe 10 odd paces wide.

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Get some bicycle inner tuber. But a stake in on the opposite bank to the Miami, attach the inner tube to a green line. Next fix a few decoys to the line. Attach inner tube to stake and run it across the pond to the Miami. If you peg it down and run it up and into the Miami via a bit of black alkathene this will help keep it hidden. Now you pull the cord towards you tie it off. When you see the ducks fly past release the cord and the decoys swim across the pond lots of ripples. Worked well for us we had two big ponds and used to set up three lines.
In the off season you could ask the farmer if it would be alright to fence the pond and plant some cover. Make it more duck friendly.
Spend a bit and you can make a real haven. Flax is good around the Maimi as well as honey suckle. Saves on cutting down Manuka.
OH if it’s not been said (sorry if someone else has covered it) gloves and a face mask your face and hands look like someone shining a torch to a duck.
Good luck have fun and pluck them while there warm. It’s a lot easier than when cold

10 paces wide...you wont wont many decoys...3-6 should be heaps....yip 10 yards will be hard work to hit them...shotgun spreads somewhere around 1" per yard so you may have a foot wide pattern ....you best be on the ball or will clean miss. give it heaps and enjoy the day no matter what happens.

At that range wont be much duck left if he hits them will there