newbie

[mww24]

I'm and avid fishermen. I am starting to get an itch to try waterfowl or pheasant. I need to get gun safety at age 26. That's a statement to how green I am. If I were to get into this venture. What is the financial burden it carries. I know nothing about guns decoys or anything. I just know I love the outdoors and the wildlife we're blessed with in Minnesota. My wife would be joining me as well as she has expressed interest to. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Notcho]

If you want to get into waterfowl and do it right you will need a second job! Best thing to do is go with a buddy or hire a guide for a 1 day trip then see if you really like it. Hunting pheasants is defiantly cheaper and easier at getting the other half to go with.

[shortfatguy]

You can get started in waterfowl hunting with minimal investment. The biggest cost is going to be a shotgun. You are going to want to practice wingshooting with cheap shells on clay targets before you start trying to hit a flying duck. You will need to buy a camo jacket and hat as well as a pair of chest waders. You can get by with a half dozen mallard decoys to start. Hunt shallow marshy areas that you can wade with your chest waders on. This will save you from having a boat. Best of luck but be warned, it is addictive!

[mixxedbagg]

Well, you're at the right place, that's for sure. I'm a newbie to waterfowling this year myself. It actually is kind of daunting to figure stuff out at first. I spent time picking through the best threads here, watching a few episodes of DucksUnlimited (I don't like Duck Commander...I don't learn much and they don't seem to show much respect for the birds), and flipping through waterfowl magazines. I post a lot of questions here because I have the misfortune of not knowing any local duck guys to show me the ropes. And I was really a little paranoid about being discourteous, because some of the 'rules' of politeness with waterfowl hunting are a little different than with pretty much anything else you'll do. Also, some of the laws are a little confusing at first. I was fortunate to get checked by a CO on my very first day out, so I asked a bunch of questions.

So, after a little research, cobbling together the basic essentials, and finding somewhere to go, I just go out and see what happens. Sometimes I do alright, sometimes I don't. I've gone out goose hunting twice this season without seeing a honker and I've been out duck hunting 6 times and shot ducks on 3 outings for a total of 7 birds of 3 species (ring-necked, mallard, goldeneye). Astonishingly, I got a band on the 4th one.

After each outing, I do a little debriefing in my mind. What worked well? What didn't? What would make setting the dekes out a little easier? What gear would be nice to have or would have been better left at home? How did those birds react when I called? It's kind of a fun exercise and I think I've already grown a little. Even my shooting is improving. It's really exciting and I'm finding that I'm daydreaming about waterfowl hunting pretty much constantly!

I'm not starting with much equipment, but that's OK. The biggest problem I'm having is that I can't have a dog, don't have a canoe, and can't justify buying chest waders with all the other expenditures I've had, so I have to use my jonboat to retrieve ducks. Thus, I don't have a blind on my boat which limits where and how I can set up to some extent. I've dealt with this by sticking to rivers where I can park the boat on the shoreline, then walk down a little way and sit in the vegetation or behind trees. I've used my boat in the cattails and rice of big marshy lakes a couple of times, but it was difficult to find good spots because I was just wearing camo and rolling a piece of burlap over my boat. Only ring-neckeds and coots were complacent enough to approach my spread and it was a little inconvenient to roll up the burlap to retrieve ducks.

The hardest thing for me has been finding places where I felt confident I wouldn't end up in someone else's airspace. (Sometimes I'm successful, sometimes not.) Otherwise, it was a pain at first to deal with the predawn launch and navigation, decoy setting, and boat placement all alone, but it's already become a routine...though I certainly now know why just about every other duck boat I've seen has had 2 guys in it. I haven't seen many loners at all...but I sure enjoy when I find a quiet spot on a weekday and sit by myself with the shotgun, binoculars, and a thermos.

Writing as someone who was pretty much in your position a couple of months ago, you want to do it, you have your wife's support, and you're on this site, so you'll probably do fine.

Regarding cost, here's what I have wrapped up in it:

State and federal waterfowl stamps - what the heck were they...$23 between the two??

Shotgun - already had, but mine was a cheap 12g pump I bought for $200

Shells - if you don't need Black Cloud (and I don't) you can get 25 rounds for $15 or less

Boat - you already have one if you're an avid fisherman, right?

Decoys - I bought 12 mallards, 6 gw teal, the cord, a bag, and weights for a total of about $100 at L&M (the teal on sale at GM), then I added 3 geese floaters for $14 each and I borrowed a dozen bluebills from someone at work

Calls - I bought the Primos Easy Mallard for $10 and some goose call for the same...I'm not sure these were the best choices, but I have turned around a few birds already

Camo clothes - I got a full brim hat with a face mesh for $10, a skull cap for $6, had camo pants and shirt, camo shooting gloves for less than $10, face paint for $3, a jacket for $29

Camo burlap to hide my boat that I also used on shore yesterday to drape over a blind I built in the dark - less than $15, but I had to sew together two strips

Headlamp and spotlight - $50 between the 2

GPS - I had one...if you don't, I sure have enjoyed using mine to mark points when I scout or when I like somewhere I hunted so I can get back to the same place in the dark

Blind bag - $15

There are plenty of other things you'll want, but you probably have most of them....shooting safety glasses, a thermos, binoculars, good warm clothes, a PRIM map, etc...

[fishnhuntnboy]

Best thing i can suggest is to try and go out with someone. When i started thats what i did. I would also suggest to go pick up a duck call and start learning. If you are looking to start getting stuff, look for used stuff. Its alot cheaper and works just as good. Waders wise, go to walmart and buy those cheap green fishing ones, but you will have to bundle up underneath them but it will save alot of money if you decide to not duck hunt anymore.

I see you live in St. Francis and if you ever want to check it out sometime shoot me an email. I live right down the road from ya in Isanti. Im always looking to meet new people and new hunting partners.

There is alot of info out there. You just have to be open to learning alot. It is a great and addicting sport and I absolutly love getting them ducks and sittin in the cold. I couldnt ask for more.

[BrdHunter01]

If possible I would try to get out with an experienced hunter a couple times. Many people on here are looking for hunting partners because as MB said it can be a pain/a lot of work by yourself. It is not a cheap sport to get into but once you have everything it lasts forever. I have duck hunted for 15+ years and still use the old reliable 870 pump action shotgun for under 300 dollars.

There is a TON of info out there, MB covered much of the essentials but if you have the chance try to get someone to take you out on a hunt. All you need to bring is your gun, camo, shells, and warm clothes

Its a very addicting sport that takes some dedication. 1st you have to invest in all the gear and 2nd you have to be willing to get up at 4am in sub freezing temps. Every chance I get I am out in the duck blind, wouldn't miss the morning sunrise for anything! GL and I'm sure you and the lady will love it!

[RumRiverRat]

You will spend way too much money on decoys because you can never have too many.

Since you live in Saint Francis, you should stop by my house sometime and I can show you the amount of gear you accumulate for duck hunting.

If you want to join me as a spectator and see what duck hunting is all about let me know.

Those that know me from this site can vouch for the fact that I love to talk about duck hunting.

[GooBack]

Stick with fishing.