Field Hunting Mallards

[poutpro]

When hunting mallards in a field, do you need to have field mallard decoys, or does it work to put floating decoys and just push them down into the dirt? What is the best type of field to shoot mallards in this time of year, and when is the best time AM or PM? Any other info would be great. Thanks.

[shae1986]

The best decoys to use when field hutning mallards is a robo duck, when u legally can on oct. 9th, but i use my water keel decoys and push them in. Most of our luck is done in corn fields, which are going off this time of year. Also wheat fields or any small ponds in the middle of fields work well too. The good thing about field decoys is they are usually larger in size for those mallards to pick out. Most of our field hunting for mallards is done in the morning but maybe the evening is good too, i really don't know bc i usually bow hunt in the evenings. When hunting fields be real still, those mallards looke for any movement. Good Luck this year.

Andrew

[poutpro]

I was thinking of trying a bean field in the PM becaue the 5 mallards we shot last weekend over water were absolutely full of soy beans when we cleaned them. They must be going into the beans sometime during the day.

[Fish'n guy]

I've shot many greenheads and pintails out in bean fields with a lucky duck and field mallard decoys although they tend to prefer corn fields more. The thing right now is that they have very limited access to corn fields, and it should stay that way for at least a little while longer.

The only problem is that you can't use a lucky duck until October 9th, but this doesn't include wind powered spinning wing decoys. Mallard field decoys work much better if you have goose decoys because they can see the geese much better (larger size).

Hope you get some good shootin!!!!

[Tyler Holm]

I though I would give you some confidence photos for hunting beans in the PM. Please note, this is late in the season when ALL corn fields have been harvested. Photo date says 11/21/04 Its possible to shoot birds all fall long in the beans, but traditionally they prefer the chopped corn.

Here is the spread we used. Our setup was simple with about 15 mallard floaters, and 2 doz honker silhouettes and a few shells. We also had 2 roboDuks.

I know it looks silly, but those ducks would decoy right into us. The blinds stick out pretty bad, but it didn't seem to matter.

Here is our results with 3 of us.

We shot the pheasant on the way to the field. Ended the day plenty before sundown and had 13 greenheads, and 5 drake widgeon.

[poutpro]

Looks good Tyler. I think I'll give it a try this weekend. I bout a half dozen Avery field mallards and will use the lucky duck on sunday. Should be able to shoot mallards and my 1 goose.

[poutpro]

My dad was out today looking at fields and said he found one with about 50 mallards sitting in it. Hopefully be able to get into that one this weekend.

[doser]

Nothing is better than field hunting ducks if you find a good spot. I've always used regular water keel decoys, but also just bought some new Green Head gear mallards last yr. where the keel comes off which works great for field hunting too. Tyler how did you get that rooster to decoy???LOL

[EW6]

Tyler,

Did you shoot those birds in the rochester area? I am new there and I have always hunted ponds for ducks. I was quite disappointed to find no ponds to hunt ducks on when I moved down to rochester. Have you got any tips on how to get started finding places to hunt waterfowl in the area? Is the area around immediatly around rochester the best or am I better off going one way or another from town? Is field hunting the only way around here, or are there ponds I am just not finding? Thanks,

Eric

[Tullibee]

hey EW6, I am a buddy of Tylers and to answer your question about whether or not he shot those greenheads around roch is no. he got them back in south dakota where he grew up. but hey if you are ever looking for someone to do some hunting with around the roch area drop either tyler or myself an email. mine is cory_mn @ yahoo . com and tylers is posted on his profile I believe. peace.

[Tyler Holm]

Eric,

Exacty what Cory (Tullibee) said. We are always looking for hunting company near Rochester.

After you duck hunt the Rochester area, it will become apparant that the is no way those ducks came from this area. I'm new to Rochester, so I really don't have a great feel for how to setup a successful waterfowl hunt. Maybe we can put our heads together and come up with something.

Growing up in SoDak spoiled me in the ways of duck hunting. It was not uncommon to have hunts like the photos above a 2-3 times a week.

[chefjim]

rochester Duck Hunters,

I went west to the whitewater state park yesterday evening through out a dozen floaters and saw lots of duck and geese I should have shot at ducks but got call happy and forgot to shoot. The geese were workable until my flute redd clog and they bugged out. I guess it get hit pretty during the weekend until the cold comes but it was me and one hunter in the area. There is no boat access but there is decent walking no more than a mile. I am going back over there tomorrow night if anyone would like to join me. I have decoys and a dog. I am glad to see there are other duck in the rochester area.

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