2013

[CANOPY SAM]

On the topic of decoy spreads...we can all learn a lot from simply watching live birds on the water, or in the field.

I'm blessed to live in an area, Northwest MN, where we see a lot of birds move thru on their fall migration. To the north of us we have the Roseau Bog, a huge wetland on the Canadian Border that sees almost zero hunting pressure, and Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge as well as Mud Lake.

As I begin my scouting routine each season, and of course obtaining permission to hunt good fields, I often stop alongside the road and simply watch and listen to birds in the field. It's kind of fascinating to watch large groups of birds move, once they land, and how they spread out while feeding, or how they react to other approaching birds, or when slightly uneasy about my presence, or other distractions from their routine.

I often see hunters pack their decoy spreads into a tight cluster and place their blinds in the center of the spread. On an average day this will certainly offer some pass shooting opportunities, and occasionally new birds will lock up and glide in. However, I think if the decoy spread is a bit more broken up, and spread out in little family groups, pairs, triples, and slightly offset sentries, they would see more birds committing to the spread. The trick is to make your spread look relaxed.

With blocks in the water...when you watch live birds relaxing in a slough they are almost universally spread out in small family groups; a few here, a few over there, a large group milling around in different directions over on the edge, etc. When live birds are alarmed they bunch up, get into lines, are all facing the same direction ready to jump, etc. Set your blocks in relaxed little groups, leaving a couple landing holes for incoming birds. Tie dekes to the front, to the tail, etc, so they are not all facing the same direction.

I've never experienced a situation where perfectly painted, gorgeous decoys (to us) were really making a difference. My decoy spreads, ducks and geese, are all over 20 years old. There's not much paint left on any of them, and some are virtually brown, black, gray from years and years of use. A few dekes with bold white patches really stand out. Once the birds see the spread I don't think they're spending any time checking to see how pretty the decoys are. I believe they're paying much more attention to the overall look (placement) of birds in the water/field. Does the spread look relaxed, or on alert? Are there any nearby or approaching threats to them if they land there? Obviously, if something looks really out of place; glare on the decoys, a decoy that's upside down or laying on it's side, too many sentry heads up, etc., they'll likely flare or keep circling way out.

If everything looks reasonably natural and relaxed, by the time they notice you haven't painted your decoys in 20 years you're already teaching them a new way to land!

I learned a neat little trick many years ago out in NoDak goose hunting. I set my Honker spread considerably upwind (maybe 50-100 yards) from a large spread of Snow Goose rag decoys, with a fairly large gap between them. If you've ever noticed, honkers and snow geese rarely mingle together in a field.

As I hailed in groups of honkers they would nearly always swing wide downwind of the honker decoys, comfortably cupping up and gliding over the snow goose spread. Interestingly, if we watched the birds in the air, they were never looking down at the snow geese (rags) on their approach. Their eyes were glued to the honker spread upwind ahead! Conveniently, we were concealed in nothing but cheap white bead sheets inside the snow goose decoy spread. They never knew we were there, and as we weren't hiding inside the honker decoys with nothing to cause them to flare, we had perfect shooting at geese and ducks that were cupped and committed gliding gently right over our heads!

This little trick has worked for me countless times over the years, for ducks and geese, even when we didn't have any snow geese in the area we were hunting. The snow flags act as a powerful attractor for any birds even miles off, but once they see the honker decoys, and mallard decoys amongst them, they don't even look at the snow rags anymore. They're dialed in on the bunch they want to set down in, and again, you're concealed inside the group they aren't interested in, but they have to fly over due to an upwind landing approach.

It's a little more work, but the dividends are well worth it.

[Gordie]

I was always taught that a tight group of ducks or geese could mean unsure thoughts or almost a panic like state don’t know the best way to explain it but when they are spread out they seem to invite that it is a calm atmosphere. More inviting for the birds.

Again divers can be a bit different than this

Good stuff CanopySam

[gac12]

Great post CanopySam those are some great points and definitely something to think about.

[Shane Z]

CanopySam- Great read and a tactic i truly bought into last year. Like u said. Setting up in a inconspicous place sush as the sides of the spread or a bit aways will take the main focus off you and your blinds. Our most successful field hunts were done this way. Plus it helps when birfs landans for most right handers a right to left swing is the natural way to swing. Leading birds becomes easier as well.

[Shane Z]

Growing up on the Iron Range I did my fair share of diver hunting, but over the years I have gotten out of it for the most part. Does anyone know the specifics about layout boats? Lake Superior is on my door step and I see tons and tons of divers out there each year.

[Lunker]

A quick comment on the calling debate. I believe it directly corresponds to hunting pressure most of the time. For example, When I have hunted local birds up on the iron range in rarely hunted locations, I have seen great results when calling. While hunting the Mississippi Refuge system when it's crawling with hunters, even a quack will send birds 180 degrees the other way. Last year the days I did well on the River I barely picked up my call and sometimes didn't at all. I have also seen good results when hunting pressured areas when new birds come into the area. So basically I let pressure dictate how much I call (or if i do at all).

[CANOPY SAM]

Lunker. You are probably correct in many situations. However, I've personally seen, when amidst a group (2-3) of very good callers (including myself), ducks and geese circling a slough filled with hunters all calling. When our group started calling the birds immediately locked up and glided all the way across the slough to set directly into our spread.

This was a clear example of really good calling vs. everyone blaring out the same pitch over, and over, and over again. A really good caller, practiced at changing pitch, tone and tamber, can turn birds on a dime, while others are simply scaring them off. I actually felt kind of bad for the other hunters. Practicing with your calls, a lot, can make a HUGE difference in your success.

Another tip I thought about the other day, and some of you may disagree with this, but I've witnessed it too many times in the blind; When to shoot, and when to stop shooting?

As part of my profession as a clinical laboratory scientist I've had the responsibility of collecting blood specimens from literally tens of thousands of people. We have an often unwritten rule with this procedure that you are allowed two (2) attempts, and if by then you haven't "struck oil" you are to stop and get someone else to try. Much of your success at this procedure is based on years of knowledge, experience, and keen intuition. It's not common to get lucky drawing blood. You have to make a good first or second shot, or you might as well hang up your hat. But there is also a high degree of confidence tied to your success.

For 17 years I've made the analogy of shooting ducks to drawing blood. If you can't hit those first couple shots in the morning, it might not be a terrible idea to sit back, take a deep breath, refocus, and for heavens sake don't keep shooting!

I know it can take a few shots in the morning to get dialed in, but my point is more toward the number of shots the average hunter takes at a single, or small group of birds. Once they're in range take an extra millisecond to focus, and take good aim. Fire off. If you miss, jack in another shell, relax, and take another shot if the birds are still within 30-35 yards. If you miss on the second attempt, please, please, please, do yourself, and everyone else within a mile of you a favor, and stop shooting! By the time you get to that third shell the birds are almost certainly out of range, facing away from you, and you'll just going for the hail Mary with a third shot. How often does the Hail Mary really work?

It has SO much to do with confidence. If you're knockin' everything down, and wasting very few shells, your confidence is riding high, and you can start picking and choosing your targets at will. If you're only punching holes in the sky, slow down, take a shot or two, then save your shells. They're too expensive to waste in the first place! Emptying your gun at every bird is only going to kill your confidence, and likely end up wounding and/or crippling ultimately lost birds.

[booger]

Going to the range a few times before the season also helps with confidence - skeet, 5-stand and sporting clays are probably best.

To add to your 'when to stop shooting' point - I hit on a hail mary last year. Great shot. Sort of. Until the bird landed out of range (couldn't shoot on the water) and it dove off never to be found. So while I could hit it, maybe I shouldn't have...

[Sifty]

Going to the range a few times before the season also helps with confidence - skeet, 5-stand and sporting clays are probably best.

To add to your 'when to stop shooting' point - I hit on a hail mary last year. Great shot. Sort of. Until the bird landed out of range (couldn't shoot on the water) and it dove off never to be found. So while I could hit it, maybe I shouldn't have...

Thats a great tip. The group I hunt with grabs a few boxes of clays and hit the farm for a few hours of fun and it really helps a guy come hunting season.

[Shane Z]

I agree with Sifty. Canopy Sam, you make a very valid point, I have learned to cut way way back on my third shots because most all of them wing a bird or is just a wasted shell. There's nothing worse than seeing a bird drift a mile away wounded, knowing you'll never find it.

Thanks for reviving the thread Sam. Great tip

[Gordie]

Canopysam you have a great point on the shooting tips, I have gone as far as asking someone to watch me to see where I am shooting so I can dial in faster, because its hard to tell by yourself if your shooting behind or ahead of them ,or stoping and not following thru the shot. Could be many things and its nice to have that second opinion.

I have also done the slow down thing and the deep breath and again I will take it a step farther and only put one shell in the gun to make it a single shot and pick my shots very carefully so I can help myself understand what I am doing wrong .

The above tip has really helped me become a better shooter over the years.

Its something my dad taught many years ago when I wanted the auto loading 22 for squirrel and he said you won't like it because you know the the gun reloads fast enough for a second shot if missed so you are setting yourself up to miss the first shot.. Dam if he wasnt right so I sold my winchestr auto and purchased a winchester 22 bolt action and it really made a difference in my first shot ability. I hope that makes some sort of sense.

Another thing that alot of people do is not focus on one bird in the flock and it is excitement and that will throw your shooting out the window. I try and I'm not always successfull at it, but I will try and focus on one bird until it is hit/folds up before even looking at another bird.

[Stringerless!]

No 3rd shots 4 me anymore. Use an over and under now. Still have pump leaning in boat loaded 4 geese though.3 shots for geese.

[mallardnwalleye]

Shooting tip-Advice Version 9.76.

Don't think and just point and shoot.

The more you think the more you miss.

If you do think -Think of your shooting a shotgun as though you are throwing a football at the target. You will stay in range and put the right lead on it almost always. I have told people this and seen them go from missing to hitting. It works try it!