2013

[SledNeck]

yeah, sometimes not calling is better...some dux are just gonna drop in anyways...its usually when your out of the blind taking a leak.

Im a believer that ducks get shy of field blinds, geese even more so

[mallardnwalleye]

In my humble opinion, folks put way, way, WAY too much emphasis on calling. Most of the time, I wish people would just shut the heck up. Take some time, scout a location, set up your decoys, stubble the ever-living-heck out of your blind, stay still, and see what happens.

Personally, I think a lot of guys call and get birds to come in and think they're awesome callers, when if they'd have stayed quiet, the birds would have come in anyway. Call me cynical, but it's the truth.

Now I suppose I'm painting broad strokes, but we're talking generalities here.

You'll shoot birds without making a peep -- or quack, as it were -- and you'll shoot birds blowing a call until you're blue in the face. More often than not, I'd err on the former vs. the latter.

Now, running traffic, well that's a different story.

[booger]

^ha!

This reminds me of my missed opportunity. There's a guy we go hunting with. He likes to call. A lot. And he's not a bad caller but the ducks don't respond that well to him. So me and another buddy give him dump, partly because it isn't helping, partly because it is annoying. He does a diver call but then mixes mallard hail, feeding call, and random quacks so it's all over the place.

He decides to go back to the cabin to get his phone. Me and other buddy decide to not call at all. Shortly after he leaves and at a time I wouldn't expect ducks to fly 11:30 or so some ducks approach and circle. "Are those canvasbacks!?" "Yep." They circle again (no calling) and circle one last time. The last time the must have been about 35 yards out and I could've taken a shot. That was the last pass and I kick myself, I know I could've made that shot. My other buddy didn't have a shot from where he was standing.

So not calling, in the right spot can work ok. I did have a jerk string and probably got busted pulling it.

[TylerS]

As I said slap a spinner in then cover up stay quiet and wait if you don't have the cajones to be a caller, but please don't ever tell me I should be quiet out there.

Don't have the cajones to be a caller...boy, those are some tall words.

By all means, haul your big cajones out to the slough and blaze away on your horns until the reeds wear out and the acrylic melts. It's a free country after all.

You must really have a sore spot there M&M. Just stating my opinion. You obviously have yours. Sorry if I poured salt on an open wound...

[GooBack]

If you called, maybe they would have been half the distance.Canvasbacks are suckers for mallard calls.

[mallardnwalleye]

Don't have the cajones to be a caller...boy, those are some tall words.

By all means, haul your big cajones out to the slough and blaze away on your horns until the reeds wear out and the acrylic melts. It's a free country after all.

You must really have a sore spot there M&M. Just stating my opinion. You obviously have yours. Sorry if I poured salt on an open wound...

Not trying to be argumentative Tyler. Just trying to help some people out there who have the idea of " I wonder if you can really call ducks consistently and effectively?" with yes you can but it takes practice and hard knocks in the field. I am just trying to help by being strong on the fact that it can be done. Nothing personal. If it was anyone else I would disagree with them just as strongly.

[Scott M]

mallard, don't flame me, but I tend to agree with Tyler. The part of your argument of "call more rather than call less" falls a little flat when you watch and listen to ducks in the wild. No matter the season, wild ducks are not screaming their little throats out to invite their buddies down to feed with them, pair up, or loaf. At least we are all in agreement that being in the right place and being well-hidden are important. I guess to me it just seems a little incongruent to be in the right place, be well-hidden, but then stand out with aggressive calling. But by all means, if you are having success calling in that manner, don't stop. I would probably make a better hunting partner with Tyler as I take a conservative approach to my calling. I don't think there's any one right way to hunt or fish to tell you the truth.

I can admit I'm a poor call, which then invites a chicken versus egg argument of "do I call less because I'm poor at it?" But I hunt with a couple very talented callers and they don't call much more than I do. They do believe you can overcall. I'll keep the calls in my truck and keep practicing, as I've been doing for some time. I'm actually meeting with a guy from Camp Woodie and the MN Duck and Goose Callers association later this month to get some tips. Maybe if I get better, I'll call more and find out I'm missing out big time. But based on what I've seen from the blind, I'd be quite surprised. I'll keep an open mind though.

At the end of the day, if there are new waterfowlers amongst us, the takehome message should be - practice to become a good call and then and only then should you call aggressively....Ultimately, you will have to decide whether to call aggressively or choose your spots, let experience be your teacher, but don't be afraid to try something different.

Fair enough?

[booger]

If you called, maybe they would have been half the distance.Canvasbacks are suckers for mallard calls.

And if I would've shot, and if I would've brushed myself in better, and so on.

I just didn't want to spend the couple hundred on taxidermy (woulda been my first)

[Shane Z]

mallard, don't flame me, but I tend to agree with Tyler. The part of your argument of "call more rather than call less" falls a little flat when you watch and listen to ducks in the wild. No matter the season, wild ducks are not screaming their little throats out to invite their buddies down to feed with them, pair up, or loaf. At least we are all in agreement that being in the right place and being well-hidden are important. I guess to me it just seems a little incongruent to be in the right place, be well-hidden, but then stand out with aggressive calling. But by all means, if you are having success calling in that manner, don't stop. I would probably make a better hunting partner with Tyler as I take a conservative approach to my calling. I don't think there's any one right way to hunt or fish to tell you the truth.

I can admit I'm a poor call, which then invites a chicken versus egg argument of "do I call less because I'm poor at it?" But I hunt with a couple very talented callers and they don't call much more than I do. They do believe you can overcall. I'll keep the calls in my truck and keep practicing, as I've been doing for some time. I'm actually meeting with a guy from Camp Woodie and the MN Duck and Goose Callers association later this month to get some tips. Maybe if I get better, I'll call more and find out I'm missing out big time. But based on what I've seen from the blind, I'd be quite surprised. I'll keep an open mind though.

At the end of the day, if there are new waterfowlers amongst us, the takehome message should be - practice to become a good call and then and only then should you call aggressively....Ultimately, you will have to decide whether to call aggressively or choose your spots, let experience be your teacher, but don't be afraid to try something different.

Fair enough?

Awesome post. Obviously there is a gray area wherever and whenever your in a situation when the ducks didn't commit like you wanted them too. At the end of the day,I'm always questioning whether or not I should have done this or should have done that. It seems like we could go on and on about ducks, but what about GEESE?!? Nothing gets my heart jumping like seeing a flock of 25-30 Canadas locked into the spread!

How did your 2012 early season go? Did you make any special trips during some of the other state's liberal bag limits for Canadas? last year me and a buddy went to Nodak for the early season and did OK. We were hunting in a fairly high pressured area and the birds seemed to pick a new field everyday. Once we got out of the hustle and bustle we did much better but you have to put on the miles!!

[mallardnwalleye]

No gra

mallard, don't flame me, but I tend to agree with Tyler. The part of your argument of "call more rather than call less" falls a little flat when you watch and listen to ducks in the wild. No matter the season, wild ducks are not screaming their little throats out to invite their buddies down to feed with them, pair up, or loaf. At least we are all in agreement that being in the right place and being well-hidden are important. I guess to me it just seems a little incongruent to be in the right place, be well-hidden, but then stand out with aggressive calling. But by all means, if you are having success calling in that manner, don't stop. I would probably make a better hunting partner with Tyler as I take a conservative approach to my calling. I don't think there's any one right way to hunt or fish to tell you the truth.

I can admit I'm a poor call, which then invites a chicken versus egg argument of "do I call less because I'm poor at it?" But I hunt with a couple very talented callers and they don't call much more than I do. They do believe you can overcall. I'll keep the calls in my truck and keep practicing, as I've been doing for some time. I'm actually meeting with a guy from Camp Woodie and the MN Duck and Goose Callers association later this month to get some tips. Maybe if I get better, I'll call more and find out I'm missing out big time. But based on what I've seen from the blind, I'd be quite surprised. I'll keep an open mind though.

At the end of the day, if there are new waterfowlers amongst us, the takehome message should be - practice to become a good call and then and only then should you call aggressively....Ultimately, you will have to decide whether to call aggressively or choose your spots, let experience be your teacher, but don't be afraid to try something different.

Fair enough?

[Scott M]

How often are we in that right place? If a duck is 20 yds on a pass by- I shoot I don't call. If it is 100 yds and cupping up heading straight on I don't call but if it starts to land at 45 yds I am going to hit it with a call to bring him up and maybe stay on em to finish em.

[dan z]

Move your decoys. Maybe even pull some or add some. Call sharper and shorter. Sound like (1) duck. Hit em on the corners. Trust me I can call ducks.

[mallardnwalleye]

Quote:

What I think would separate us is when you are getting 2-3-4 passes just out of range and most guys are just laying on the call. That's not duck behavior. And I chose to let those ducks work in silence or see how they react to the decoys and calls. You'd probably call that an overly conservative approach, and maybe it is.

2,3,4 passes means you aren't a good caller and aren't hidden well. When you put down the call you lost them. Finish them with my above technique for Sled a page back

[mallardnwalleye]

For the above scenario lets give 4 options on calling.

1. Blareing away indiscriminately.Not good

2. Staying quiet- Ducks don't finish and leave.

3. Hitting them on the corners with a quick 5 note aka chop chop (D.C) aka hurry up. Good, but if they get too far on the corners you will lose them. A hurry up while they are almost in line with the path they have to set up into the spread might be better.

4. when they come around from the corner quack em in. they will beam in and if they don't set up they will at least fly over or just to the side of you.

Chances are the ducks are circling because like Dan said your spread is off or you are too big a blob with your hide-blind and maybe right in the path of where they are going to land. That or shot gun shells are spread out. either way good calling will work better than not calling.

[SledNeck]

2,3,4 passes means you aren't a good caller and aren't hidden well. When you put down the call you lost them. Finish them with my above technique for Sled a page back

When they circle like that we call when they are out and away, hush up when they are coming close. The results are usually good. In the woods, we'll feed call until they are dropping.

[Shane Z]

Hey we should talk about everyones 2012 early goose season (trials and tribulations)!! Just a thought

Thanks everyone who have added to this thread so far. Very Good stuff..EVEN if we dont all see eye to eye.

[mallardnwalleye]

Now the tip from the above scenario is to call not on the corners as that will only require more calling on the corners and you risk losing them, but CALL when they are out front so they set up right. Also have a good enough blind so you can do this. Then stay on them with single spaced quacks to finish them.

I hope you guys learned something?

[Scott M]

Wow, what marsh are you guys hunting in? The city park pond? You read it here first, some guys don't have birds that circle more than once!!! 2,3,4 times - never! We've finished a lot of birds that made the rounds - that's what late mallards do - drop high out of the sky and circle before committing. Sure, we move dekes and change up the calls if they don't come or flare off. We let em hear it on the corners and keep on them to come but I'm convinced there's a time to call and there's a time to hold back. Both practices can kill birds, so everyone's happy.

I'd swear some of these tips are designed to make worse hunters of the lot, but to each their own. I wouldn't recommend aggressive calling to a newbie if you want them to keep with the sport, but if they are willing to make a pile of mistakes, perhaps they too can be a blackbelt duck caller like some on here. As Shane says, I guess we're going to have to agree to disagree. Take what you can out of this thread that will help you.

[Gordie]

Great post dachise and I know that you can not count on any duck doing the same thing as the last one well except for divers but thats a different ball game. typically if you have mallards close enough to shoot on the first pass its time to take them and I havent had to many times where the mallards cirle more than twice over decoys but,

I have watched mallards circle spots 3-4 times with no hunters and still fly off so its more to it than just calling and covering up. Mallards are fussy and sometime everything has to be perfect for them and even if its perfect for them it doesn't mean that they will want to drop in that spot.

One of the hardest things to do In my opinon is to try and predict what a animal is going to do, becuase just when you think you have them figured out... The game changes.

[mallardnwalleye]

The point I am trying to make is -don't let them circle as you will lose them. Turn them with the call just before they get in the set up zone not on the corners. Then -Quack em in.

I just gave you an awesome tip. I am not trying to argue with you.

Give it a try (3 times at least) this coming season and let me know how it works out.

I generally don't have ducks circle because I take command of them or they leave. If the spread isn't right they will set up goofy or backdoor it but the call will generally convince them to come in. I personally believe that absolutely beats watching ducks circle and leave or circle and set up with a long shot.

I am trying to help you guys!

[CANOPY SAM]

I've been hunting ducks since I was 12 years old. This fall I'll be 47. That's 35 years in the blind, with only a year or two off here and there. Am I a professional? Heck no. But I've learned enough thru trial and error over the years to know that it's not as hard as some of you are making it.

Too much arguing here, and not enough sound advice. Typical FM banter.

The one resounding mistake I hear most duck/goose callers make is they repeat the same pitch/tone over, and over, and over again. Listening to a novice caller from a quarter mile off...he sounds like someone blowing a real nasally whistle. Really listen to a group of ducks/geese loafing/feeding on the water, or in a field, you'll hear a myriad of different tones, pitches, and sounds, all differing based on the different sizes and ages of the birds in the group.

A novice caller can improve his success dramatically simply by cupping the call with both hands, pinching it closed, opening it up, left, then right, blowing softer, harder, and everything in between. Varying the degree of air going in, and exhausting out, releasing air thru the call forward, backward, toward the ground, and high into the air creates the natural sound of numerous birds, rather than just one.

On the topic of birds circling vs. immediately committing vs. "controlling" their approach. There is a lot to be said about getting on the X, as being where they've been comfortable before is a large part of the game. However, birds that hesitate to commit are often a product of the conditions. A huge component of a group of birds desire to land is based on weather conditions, blue bird skies vs. inclement weather, and they'll almost certainly make their decision more quickly based on available options.

If you're set up in the only flooded barley field for 20 square miles you can stand in the center of your spread wearing blaze orange and the birds will likely land on your shoulders. But if you're set up on one pothole in a section that has 45 other potholes, or in a slough with 10 other groups hunting, you better play your cards well or your barrel will be cold all day.

Please stop contradicting each other in this thread. There is valuable information to be shared here, but way too much "quoting" quotes, that were quoted from another quote, with no real information that benefits anyone. Thank you.

[Shane Z]

I've been hunting ducks since I was 12 years old. This fall I'll be 47. That's 35 years in the blind, with only a year or two off here and there. Am I a professional? Heck no. But I've learned enough thru trial and error over the years to know that it's not as hard as some of you are making it.

Too much arguing here, and not enough sound advice. Typical FM banter.

The one resounding mistake I hear most duck/goose callers make is they repeat the same pitch/tone over, and over, and over again. Listening to a novice caller from a quarter mile off...he sounds like someone blowing a real nasally whistle. Really listen to a group of ducks/geese loafing/feeding on the water, or in a field, you'll hear a myriad of different tones, pitches, and sounds, all differing based on the different sizes and ages of the birds in the group.

A novice caller can improve his success dramatically simply by cupping the call with both hands, pinching it closed, opening it up, left, then right, blowing softer, harder, and everything in between. Varying the degree of air going in, and exhausting out, releasing air thru the call forward, backward, toward the ground, and high into the air creates the natural sound of numerous birds, rather than just one.

On the topic of birds circling vs. immediately committing vs. "controlling" their approach. There is a lot to be said about getting on the X, as being where they've been comfortable before is a large part of the game. However, birds that hesitate to commit are often a product of the conditions. A huge component of a group of birds desire to land is based on weather conditions, blue bird skies vs. inclement weather, and they'll almost certainly make their decision more quickly based on available options.

If you're set up in the only flooded barley field for 20 square miles you can stand in the center of your spread wearing blaze orange and the birds will likely land on your shoulders. But if you're set up on one pothole in a section that has 45 other potholes, or in a slough with 10 other groups hunting, you better play your cards well or your barrel will be cold all day.

Please stop contradicting each other in this thread. There is valuable information to be shared here, but way too much "quoting" quotes, that were quoted from another quote, with no real information that benefits anyone. Thank you.

WELL SAID Canopy! Thank you!

[Gordie]

Mallardnwalleye great tip and I will will use that.

Nothing is set in stone when it comes to hunting and different things work for different people, and you can have a banner day and then go to the same spot the next day and have different birds work the same spread you had the day before and the results might be totally different.

These TIPS are hopefully going to help when the hunter is having one of those days that nothing in their bag of tricks seems to be working, so then its time to think back to this thread and pull a new tricks out of the hat and give it a try and if it works great and if it doesn't then try it again and hopefully it will put more birds in the bag for you.

CANOPYSAM I love the cold barrel line, but I don't want to quote you

[TylerS]

Wow, what marsh are you guys hunting in? The city park pond? You read it here first, some guys don't have birds that circle more than once!!! 2,3,4 times - never!

I was thinking the same thing.

I mean, M&M, you're telling me that you actually sound MORE convincing than a live bird! Is this true?! Have you ever watched live birds landing in live birds in pressured areas? They will circle not twice, not three times, not even four times...but 20 times before committing! And that's even IF they commit. I've seen a boiling, chattering, quacking ball of ducks 2,000 strong in an October harvested corn field in southeast North Dakota, and every darn bird that saw that group took a solid 15 minutes before barreling in. That included pass after pass after pass...and on LIVE birds.

You might be God's gift to duck calling, but I can guaran-freaking-tee you would not have been able to hunt that field the next day and call every duck into your spread on the first pass.

I'm sorry, but the more you talk, the less credible you sound.

[Sifty]

Heres tip #32.75

Remeber to have some movement in your spread.

I had a oldtimer tell me that they would take off there hats and wave then above there heads when they would see a flock off in the distance,didn't always work but he said they would get birds close enough to take a look.