Duck hunting for beginners

[Gophereyes]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I didn't see anything on it recently. My son and I want to go duck hunting this year. It will be his first time and mine since I was in high school. What steps should I take to start? I have my guns and will have no problem coming up with clothing. However, what would be the first piece of equipment to buy? Do I need a boat or are there public areas I can hunt with waders? Decoys? How many and does it matter what duck? My son has been practicing his call. I'm looking for a little guidance to get started and make this a positive experience for him. We've gone pheasant hunting, but would like to try something new this year. Thanks!

[Lunker]

A dozen or so decoys (mallard), a pair of waders for each of you, a call, guns, and ammo is as simple as it gets. If you decide to get more involved, more decoys, a boat and a mojo would be the next additions.

As far as the question about boat vs walk in,it totally depends on the area you live in. I've lived in areas where waders were all you need for miles and miles of access, and areas where a boat is the only way. Good luck. But be careful, it's addicting!

[TylerS]

I grew up duck hunting the metro. If you can find a walk-in spot, great. But chances are you'll have a better/easier time with some sort of water-tight vessel. Hit cr-a-igs-list (I have to type it like that to circumvent the automatic edits of this forum) and look for a canoe. Avoid aluminum. If you can get a fiberglass one, that's perfect. Spray paint it a matte green and you're in good shape. We hunted out of a canoe all the time. Was deathly quiet, easy to maneuver for the small marshes we used, and hid quickly in the cattails.

Otherwise see if you can get some bargain-bin floaters (weighted keels are a bonus) in the dozen to two-dozen range. Type doesn't matter. Just a smorgasbord.

Calls, gun and waders, too.

Do you have a dog that can retrieve a bird? If so, bring it along. Otherwise shoot carefully and try to drop ducks in the water. Tough, I know, but you'll be a lot less frustrated waiting for the right shot than dropping birds in cattails and never finding them.

[Feathers Rainin]

Lunker is spot on as far as the waders and boat advice. Certain areas of the state you can get by without one but a boat will open up a lot more opportunities no matter where you are.

It might be tough to break it to mini Gophereyes but you will be better off leaving the duck calls at home. Calling for ducks in Minnesota is not needed and unless you are pretty good it does more harm than good. You do need a call for geese though.

A dozen or two mallard decoys is really all you need as long as you scout to make sure you are where the ducks want to be. Scouting is the single most important ingredient to being successful. Get the kid out before the season and do some looking around, that is half the fun.

If you can find an experienced hunter to take you out it will shorten the learning curve. Most experienced hunters like taking newbies out. That may also give you an idea of what gear to invest in. If your kid is young enough you should take him out on youth waterfowl day. That will be his best shot at success. Bring a lot of shells for youth waterfowl day because you will most likely be shooting at teal and those buggers are quick.

Most rookie hunters hang it up after the first few weeks of the season. The best hunting is usually at the end of the season when most guys are out chasing bambi. If you hunt late season I would pick up some ring neck or bluebill decoys. Good luck!

[CANOPY SAM]

You know what Gophereyes, I think FeathersRainin is really offering the best advice right now, at least to start out with. You and your son already have the clothes and the firearms. I wonder if the next logical step to take would be to actually commission a guide to take you out for duck hunting and/or a day of goose hunting, before you jump head over heels into this sport.

Some here are suggesting that perhaps you should buy a boat or canoe, and that's certainly good advice if you're really committed to go all the way in this, but it also opens up more doors to more gear, and more licensing, and more safety equipment, and more headaches, and concern, etc., etc.. Don't get my wrong. I'm not discouraging you.

I honestly think, before you get really serious about this game, you should find out if your son is really gonna stick with this, and for you as well. I only caution you at this because, short of ice-fishing, waterfowl hunting is likely the most "equipment intensive" outdoor sport today. The list of equipment to buy, and the amount you can spend, goes on and on and on.

Duck hunting in Minnesota, unfortunately, is nothing like it was 20+ years ago. There are still birds that migrate thru our state, but you'll put in many more days without birds then you will filling your bag limit. Goose hunting on the other hand can be phenomenal throughout the entire season.

Spend a couple days with a guide hunting ducks and geese, then we can talk about filling out your list of hunting equipment, if it's something you really enjoy and intend to keep doing.

As you're currently in the south Metro, I'd encourage you to make a quick run down to the Rochester area during the heart of the migration and hire a guide service for ducks and geese. You can, for a reasonable price, spend a morning in a field blind with a first class operation that will almost certainly put geese on top of you. You should also be able to find a guide that will set you up on one of the Mississippi backwaters for ducks.

Glad you and your boy are interested in waterfowling. We need to encourage more young people to spend time in the hunting blind, watching the sun rise, and experiencing the amazing spectacle of the waterfowl migration! Best of luck to you!

[Jack Asche]

I wouldn't go with a guide unless money is no object. Going with a guide is artificial - like a shooting gallery, only guides have bad days too, so I don't really see it as a huge win, especially with the money it'll cost for one morning of hunting.

Get a canoe, get comfortable using it during the summer, and learn how to stake it out for stability. Putting an inexperienced hunter in waders in muck and/or thick vegetation with a loaded gun increases the risk of at least a dunking, if not serious danger.

Skip the calling unless it's really his passion and he sounds exactly like a duck. 99% of callers sound terrible and do more for conservation than consumption!

The best thing you can do is get your kid into MN Waterfowl Association's Mentor program that takes place at the National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington. I don't remember what they call it, but call MWA headquarters and/or check their HSOforum. Also, apply for a mentored waterfowl hunt through the DNR, either during YWD, or at Carlos Avery WMA.

Also, do you have connections to any specific part of the state, or will you be leaving from home / south metro every time you hunt? There are ducks to be shot all over the state, but as mentioned above, it ain't the same as the old days.

[dan z]

Hunted out of a canoe until my late teens. A couple dozen nice duck decoys and some honkers will help. There are plenty of birds around but your odometer will tick a bunch trying to find them. Game fairis right around the corner and tthat's a great place to go learn some things and spend a few bucks. Duck calling is an art. I'm grateful that the guys let me do the calling as there not as good as me. Took years to learn how to communicate with them. Movies tapes and seminars help. A local city pond will teach you a few things also.

I hope the addiction takes over I love hunting in Minnesota.

[Gophereyes]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. It's definitely going to be a fun learning experience.

[CANOPY SAM]

A local city pond will teach you a few things also.

This is SO true! Sit on the bank and do your absolute best to copy their sound. Ducks and geese. I've learned so much simply listening to live birds, and mimicking their sounds, and listening to how they chatter. Particularly birds landing inside a large group of birds.

[Tom7227]

My 2 cents -

Getting a kid interested in waterfowling has to include two considerations - comfort and getting some shooting.

Many years ago I was out with a youngster and we were standing in water in waders. It didn't take very long before the kid was uncomfortable because he got tired standing. Water was warm, not very deep, and there were plenty of ducks. Given the high water conditions this year I suspect that finding a place where standing in the water while hunting could be a challenge. Add to it the problem of keeping the gun and ammo out of the water. Not insurmountable but still an issue. Finding an area in the dark without scouting could be a big problem as you will likely be bushwhacking through cattails and muck. If you're really lucky you may be able to find a muskrat or beaver hut for the kid to stand on and a lot of the hassles are solved that way.

Most kids don't want to sit out for 6 hours. And my experience is that the majority of the action comes with in the first couple hours after opener. Give some serious thought to quitting earlier than you would like but as an acknowledgment that the kid may not be as enthralled with the experience as you are.

Two things come to mind. I just saw a note about a deadline for signing up to be a mentor during the youth waterfowl season. Maybe you can check into that. I don't know if that allows a dad to accompany the kid along with the mentor but that could be a great opportunity. There usually is a very early youth waterfowl hunt the weekend before opener and it also presents an opportunity to try things out and avoid the craziness of the duck opener.

I have hunted WMA's in the Le Center area and had good luck on the opener. I had a canoe for those events. The area gets hunted heavily on opener and you have to get out early to stake your spot. I always had fun and got a decent amount of shooting when I did it down there. I think things peter out pretty quickly though and not much happens after opener.

Finally - have dry clothes in the car and stop for a breakfast at a small town cafe. Comfort and good food are part of the deal.

[booger]

Maybe the first question you might want to ask is - is your son really going to get up at 3-4am?

[Tom7227]

Another -

When my son was 11 or 12 I took him pheasant hunting in Iowa back when there were a lot of birds. It was very frustrating because a bird would flush and by the time the kid figured out what was going on the bird was in the next county.

Had a chance to send him to a camp and he spent a week learning about hunting. I spoke to one of the instructors when we went to pick him up and the guy explained that while I was making a number of decisions and getting the gun up ready to shoot that process was much slower and multi-staged for a kid. 1. I hear a sound. 2. It's over there. 3. It's a pheasant. 4. It's a rooster. 5. Get the gun up. 6. Take off the safety. 7. Aim. 8. Too late to shoot.

The instructor said that part of the solution was simply the need for the kid to grow up a bit, secondly to get chances to work through the process.

I took him shooting clays and he started getting the hang of things. Within a year or two he was doing very well out in the field.

Try and get your kid out to a range to shoot some clays a few times before you go hunting. It will help get things on the right track a lot more quickly out in the blind.

[luckydog25]

I agree with Tom, get some shooting practice in. My nephew was pretty discouraged when he first started duck hunting with us. He was 11 when he started and couldn't hit much, even with practicing on clays. Early season there are lots of teal, small bird and very fast. We would bring lots of snacks, make sure he is warm, and have lots of laughs. He is 14 now and a better shot than me! Keep it fun, hard to get young boys out if bed at 3am unless they know it will be a good time even if they miss a bunch.

[TylerS]

You know, if your son is young enough, you could take him out for the youth opener, which I believe is the weekend before the regular opener. We took my buddy's brother out when I was in high school and we all had a blast even though he was the only guy doing the shooting. My buddy and I got to call and get work the dog while his brother banged away all morning. I think he eventually shot a limit, but pretty sure he blew through a box and a half of shells. It was a riot. We had a lot of fun.

[BoxMN]

I am not really a "go with the guide" type person, but in the OP situation, it could be a very good idea. I.e. he doesn't even know yet if they will like it, or what type they might like. So instead of investing big cash in what even might be mediocre at best quality stuff, why not spend a couple/few hundred $$ and try some field hunting, some boat hunting, some marsh hunting and see which they like best? Sure would save buying some carp on the list only to turn around and sell it, or let it collect dust. Even if you don't like/want a "guide" at least consider it rental on a day of good equipment and some first hand advice from somebody who does it day/weekend in and out.

Now, if it was me... I would get a Carstens Pintail boat if the boy is small enough for two to ride in it, or two Puddlers, some waders, and a couple dozen mallard decoys and a couple dozen bill decoys, paint 4-6 of them like buffies, paint 12 of the mallards like Canadas (smaller and easier to use than real goose dekes), put about 5 wraps of line on and you are set for anything but real big water. Put the wind to your back and find some vegetation and back those Carstens boats up into it and have fun Experiment.

....But you are talking well into your first thou$and at that point, before you even woke up early to see if the boy wants to do that!

You could always try to get someone here to take you out, but honestly good duck hunting spots get shared much less than good walleye spots on small lakes

I hope it works out for you and you and your boy have a great time and become regulars! It is a blast, we had 3 rookie young girls and one rookie boy last opener and they had lots of fun. But we had full blinds on shore, trap shooting, rifle target practice, shot the decoy with a BB gun. Meaning as was stated above, if he is young let him shoot and as much as possible, as that is what the kids really want to do. Then end it before he gets tired of it - keep him wanting more Good luck!

[Jack Asche]

Looking forward to hearing back from the OP since we've given him plenty to consider. I'm all about doing stuff on the cheap... now that I'm a middle aged working stiff.

$200 canoe would be ideal for summer time scouting / canoe practice / fishing small lakes. Stake in the marsh for stability, or use it to hunt rivers. No need to get up early to float a river!

Dekes are available on c - l i s t, rigged, for peanuts. Get as many dozen as you want.

Then get a map of public areas for about $30-40

If the OP and son don't want to continue, they can sell the canoe and dekes and lose less $$ than a day at valley fair. If they like it, they can trade and upgrade as they see fit.

[Gophereyes]

Great ideas everyone. As Asche just stated, I have thought about purchasing some things off c list and selling if it doesn't work out. However, I am looking into the mentor hunt through the dnr. I think that may be a good first step.

[CANOPY SAM]

I am not really a "go with the guide" type person, but in the OP situation, it could be a very good idea. I.e. he doesn't even know yet if they will like it, or what type they might like. So instead of investing big cash in what even might be mediocre at best quality stuff, why not spend a couple/few hundred $$ and try some field hunting, some boat hunting, some marsh hunting and see which they like best? Sure would save buying some carp on the list only to turn around and sell it, or let it collect dust. Even if you don't like/want a "guide" at least consider it rental on a day of good equipment and some first hand advice from somebody who does it day/weekend in and out.

You could always try to get someone here to take you out, but honestly good duck hunting spots get shared much less than good walleye spots on small lakes

What Box says above is exactly what I was getting at earlier. You go ahead and purchase pop-up blinds, decoys, boat/canoe, life jackets, calls, etc., etc., you'll drop significantly more money then a simple day or two with a good guide. The goose guides down in Roch don't charge much for a morning hunt per person from a very comfortable sunken blind, and they lease very good fields where you have a good chance at some close range shooting. It's a nice "turn-key" hunt. One your son will almost certainly enjoy.

I'm not a "go with a guide" guy either. I've always been a DIY hunter, but I've always been one to endure whatever conditions we found, while many of my friends and family simply can't tough it out.

Like others have said, it's extremely important to make these first few hunts for your son fun, reasonably comfortable, and interesting. Depending on his attention span, and his personality, he may not remain engaged for very long, and if he's bored, or particularly if he's uncomfortable/miserable he'll probably never want to go again! Ease him into it, teach him to appreciate the little things (ie. the sunrise, birds rising or setting in the distance, morning sounds, the smell of a slough or stubble field at daybreak, waterfowl ID while on the wing ), and help him appreciate what waterfowl hunting is about. It's WAY more then just whacking and stacking birds.

Tyler offers great advice above. Get your son out there on the early Youth Season opener. The weather is much nicer then late Oct or early Nov, and there is typically quite a few local birds around to keep things fairly interesting. It's also a really cheap, easy hunt, with very inexpensive licenses, and minimal need for lots of gear and heavy clothing.

As BoxMN says above, ask around and see if you've got friends or neighbors that might take you and your son out. Or even another fellow FM'er that will help to ease your son into the sport.

I'd be happy to take you and your son out for some field hunting, but I'm about 300 miles north of you in NW MN. I've taken out a few other FM'ers from the Twin Cities who made the drive up here. I don't presume to be a great guide, or a great hunter for that matter. I tend to try and keep my hunting budget on the low end, and stick to fundamental approaches to waterfowl hunting. I don't charge anyone. I just take people along who want to hunt, and enjoy a little time in the field.

Hope to hear that you and your son enjoy a good season this fall! Supposed to be more ducks this year, so this should be a good year to get him started!

[monstermoose78]

I am with the others try the youth hunt day. The wood ducks and teal are here in numbers and provide great shooting. There is pletty of small ponds, creeks, and small rivers that will provide great hunting. I used to take the brother and his friends until they got to old. Waders would useful to get your ducks that die in the water, maybe a 4 pack of decoys mallard or woodduck, a woodduck call can be amazing early in the year.

[rbs]

You are getting some very good advice, here is one that maybe not everyone would do, but it worked great

...Lie to the kid! I know, I know you should never lie, but when you both pull up and shoot and a bird goes down, tell him "wow you got me on that one!" I tell you what, a kid thinking that he out shot his old man is something that will stick with him for a very long time. Let him raz you even. It really gets them excited about hunting...and besides it is only a white lie anyways...it can't hurt!

[Cheers]

You are getting some very good advice, here is one that maybe not everyone would do, but it worked great

...Lie to the kid! I know, I know you should never lie, but when you both pull up and shoot and a bird goes down, tell him "wow you got me on that one!" I tell you what, a kid thinking that he out shot his old man is something that will stick with him for a very long time. Let him raz you even. It really gets them excited about hunting...and besides it is only a white lie anyways...it can't hurt!

Worked for me when I had a newbee out

Then send him to the range to practice on clay birds

[fishuhalik]

Check your pm, I'll put you & your boy on some awesome action if you're still interested