shooting techniques

[jparrucci]

I totally agree with Sledneck that ducks sitting on the water are hard to hit. Most of my early season hunting is jump shooting woodducks on some small ponds up north hidden in the woods. I probably miss are more ducks sitting on the water than I do flying. There is not much for margin of error when the duck is on the water, little is exposed. Way different than a duck with its wings back and chest sticking out.

I think its is a rush to try to sneak up on those woodies. They are gone if they so much as hear a twig snap or see even a flicker of a branch. I think it is as hard or harder than decoying ducks. It is great work for the dogs too, doing blind retrieves in thick lilly pads. I usually do this in north central MN during the opening week or two of the season. Any luck up by Vermilion sledneck? I do a lot of hunting up that way, but it is usually divers. I also have never seen many ponds in that area to jump shoot.

[SledNeck]

JP,I don't hunt on vermilion I just jumpbshoot with some chestwaders and hunt ponds that aren't more than waist deep. I used to hunt the V. River and lakes with my cousin until he quit hunting, now I just don't have anyone to go with cause it's just too much work for me and a 10 year old. I'm getting a dog this spring and fixing my duck boat up for next year. Adding a few more decoys too. Then hopefully it will be on!

[Jimmy from Cottage Grove]

I had four geese land on my pond about 100 yards out saturday. Then they swam into my decoys, and walked up on land 10 yards. I took some nice photos of them. Then let them go on there way. I just don't see any fun, in shooting them unless they are in the air.

[Hookmaster]

Anyone wanting to understand the various ways to shoot birds on the wing should read the "The Orvis Wingshooting Handbook". I have the 1985 edition but there is a new revised edition released this year. I went from, what I considered, a below average shot to an excellent shot after reading this book and getting a shotgun that fits me. This book teaches the instinctive method of wing-shooting. How many times do you have a duck rippin' through the dekes and you snap shoot it and usually cleanly kill it in one shot. You think how did I hit that? That's instinctive shooting. No looking at the bead. You mount the gun keeping both eyes on the bird and shoot when the gun is mounted. When keeping both eyes on the bird you have to turn to follow the bird which is the swing. A proper fitting shotgun shoots where you are looking. When my 13-year old son drops a bird I sometimes ask him "Do you remember where you aimed?" He says, "No" and I say "Good Job".