Greenhorn waterfowl questions

Hey everybody I have some basic waterfowl questions. Over the past two years I've come up empty-handed in finding a mentor so this season I have decided I'm going to cut my teeth on my own. I live in the Niagara region and I'm not opposed to driving an hour or so to different spots.

I figure my biggest challenge is going to be finding locations due to all the recent waterfront development. I was wondering if all you waterfowl vets could give me info on how far to be away from a residence, waterways that may not be open to hunting or other info that a newbie might not think of.

I want to get out scouting soon but in order to do that I need to find out if the places I'm going are legal to hunt. Right now I'm mostly using Google earth to find spots along the Grand River and Welland River. I plan on calling a C/O to ask questions before the season opens but I'm hoping you guys can give me some topics I may not think to ask.

Equipment wise I'm fairly set I have my decoys I'll be using a Mossberg 500 with 3" #2's. I have a kayak to get out on the water and 2 dozen Mallard decoys along with a baby mojo. I only need to pick up a pair of chest waders before the season.

Any tips you guys have would be greatly appreciated anything I might need to look into gear wise. I've been watching as many YouTube videos and listening to as many podcasts as I possibly can but that can only get you so far.

My best advice is just find a spot you know is legal and go.
I started hunting waterfowl without anybody to show me the ropes, I started off in popular and busy spots. I watched what other people did, I read books and articles as well. Over the last 7 years I've slowly found places I like that have little pressure. I've also managed to bag a lot more birds and even found a hunting partner.

The "am I breaking the rules?" Slowly fades once you get out a few times. Even if you don't get birds you will learn.

Any public land in Southern Ontario that holds Ducks has likely been hunted at some point. As far as distance from residences, I follow the township discharge of firearms bylaw and use common sense. If you roll up and set up at the end of someone's dock, you might have a confrontation. Outside of that people won't even care you're there.

Hopefully some other guys have a bit of advice.

If you would like to come up to Ottawa in Oct there is a fella on here who quite often offers people to hunt with him, I will be there a few evenings this fall. Just keep an eye out for when he comes online and he will let you know. A few people from the South have been up here. He's well known on this site, I don't mention his name as it would be wrong for me to invite people without his permission but I'm sure he will be out this fall and he is a great person to hunt with and a very good mentor.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by greatwhite

If you would like to come up to Ottawa in Oct there is a fella on here who quite often offers people to hunt with him, I will be there a few evenings this fall. Just keep an eye out for when he comes online and he will let you know. A few people from the South have been up here. He's well known on this site, I don't mention his name as it would be wrong for me to invite people without his permission but I'm sure he will be out this fall and he is a great person to hunt with and a very good mentor.

---

Karen and I will be up for two weekends at his camp, and the whole week between them. Plan to hunt the ponds there on the weekends, but let them rest over the week.

Hint for Frogman.....if you can Hunt during the week and work weekends.

I am going to try to get out more this year, and will be posting for people to join me.

My work schedule gives me random days off, so I could be hunting just about any day of the week.

Keep an eye out, you may caught myself or other looking for people.

Do you want to know how to become a millionaire duck hunting??? Start out as a billionaire..........lol

Keep up the research in the area you plan on hunting, internet info is ok but take it with a grain of salt and never go on that info without checking said info out through the proper resources.......township/regulations/MNR.

Get a little time in with rubber on the road looking for birds and promising area, secure permission and get out and hunt. No better teacher than the birds/nature themselves.

Don’t expect immediate results, stick with it, put some time in and it should all come together for ya!!

GOOD LUCK!!

Thanks for the info and encouragement guys it's much appreciated! I will be sure to keep an eye on the forum as we get closer to the season. my work schedule is a little more flexible than most so I'm hoping to get out on some Monday and Fridays maybe even the odd Tuesday.

I do have some afterthought questions. I know as the temps start to drop the bird start to move more. What temp is ideal for birds to start getting active. Also while out fishing I've seen quite a few wood duck. Should I get some wood duck decoys to mix into the mallards or am I fine with what I have?

I should be able to go out more my contract ends Sept 11 and if it gets renewed it is quite flexible.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Snowwalker

Karen and I will be up for two weekends at his camp, and the whole week between them. Plan to hunt the ponds there on the weekends, but let them rest over the week.

Hint for Frogman.....if you can Hunt during the week and work weekends.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Frogman89

Thanks for the info and encouragement guys it's much appreciated! I will be sure to keep an eye on the forum as we get closer to the season. my work schedule is a little more flexible than most so I'm hoping to get out on some Monday and Fridays maybe even the odd Tuesday.

I do have some afterthought questions. I know as the temps start to drop the bird start to move more. What temp is ideal for birds to start getting active. Also while out fishing I've seen quite a few wood duck. Should I get some wood duck decoys to mix into the mallards or am I fine with what I have?

---

Sometimes the best duck decoy is a goose decoy. If you are looking to get more, I would invest in a couple nice goose floaters. Birds can see them from far away. I use mallard and a couple geese to draw all different species.

As for temperature, I think the change in temp is more important than the specific number. Scouting is the key to finding birds moving.

Woodies are a great confidence decoy. Seeing as how they are usually the first birds to land, sometimes even before light, when other ducks spot them they feel safer landing.

Cheers

Hello Frogman 89,

You are not too far from Long Point Bay ... perhaps a two hour drive but it would be worth it being a controlled hunting area. Check out the Long Point Waterfowlers' Association web site for more information regarding this area.

The staff and the hunters will always help you out with where to go and what to do there. Your kayak should be fine for most of the blinds as I have taken my kayak to every blind (except for some of the "walk in" blinds).

Jerome

I am that guy they are talking about in Ottawa. If you can get up here I will put you through the paces of pond and water hunting. Plus teach about small game and other game. The camps I run are free, and all are welcome.

Here is the link to last year posts. Only Difference, I will not have the truck camper, but some kinda walled tent. Everything will remain the same.

https://www.oodmag.com/community/sho...Hunt+mentoring

As Jerome aka Buddy Boy stated the Long Point Waterfowl Unit is a good place to start. Unfortunetly this years high water on Lake Erie will make a lot of blinds in the marsh un-useable due to it. They may make them "Shooting Points" instead meaning you will need a boat/blind to shoot out of. Also the "Walk in" blinds could be a challenge. There is The Hahn Marsh just west of Port Royal on Lakeshore Road that would be kayak friendly. A few Wood Duck decoys are a must have for the beginning of the season down here as Woodies are plentiful.

PM sent

I'm NW of Toronto and I offer up several hunts in October for new and young hunters. I have been doing this for a few years now with great success and many happy faces, keep an eye on my post.

Scott

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dean.f

Sometimes the best duck decoy is a goose decoy. If you are looking to get more, I would invest in a couple nice goose floaters. Birds can see them from far away. I use mallard and a couple geese to draw all different species.

As for temperature, I think the change in temp is more important than the specific number. Scouting is the key to finding birds moving.

---

I agree dean f. with your idea of having a few goose decoys. I do a lot of pass shooting, so I’ve used an idea I read about call the 35 yard goose. I set one of the goose decoy out in front of the blind at about 35 yards to act as a marker to establish the range for an effective kill shoot. Any bird that is at tree top level (about 30 yards high) and inside that goose decoy is in the kill zone, goose or duck. At the full extent of the line along the hypotenuse that gives a range of about 45 yards. About the upper limits for a load of: BB, #1 or #2 steel shot.


You don’t stop hunting because you grow old. You grow old because you stop hunting - Gun Nut

On the subject of decoys.
Buy different decoys from not just different manufacturers, but also different styles, sizes and quality.

Birds don't just come in one size, color or shape. From the air the birds will mostly see the shape and shadow with a little of the color of your decoys. Movement is more important the the realism of the decoys. Some cheap decoys with movement will always work better then top quality decoys that just sit there like a bunch of stumps.

When I am looking at a pond when going by at 100km/h I can spot a bird in a pile of stumps because it moves.

Yes goose decoys alone will pull in ducks too.