Feature Story But the mallards gave little thought to reptiles or bugs and tried to land in our decoys throughout the morning. Ironically few shots were heard on the main section of the lake where most hunters waited for flights. Ponds: You might be surprised how many ducks or geese will draw to a small pond close to hunting hotspots. Ironically, there are public area ponds that are isolated and filled with waterfowl but never hunted. Grass Fields or Winter Wheat: We sat in a Missouri duck blind several years ago and watched geese landing in a strip of green grass across the lake. Younger hunters in the blind noticed this too and set out the following morning with big bags of decoys. They were in the small field before sunup and had limited out a half-hour after legal shooting time opened. “The geese came in low and practically landed on our heads,” One of the hunters told me. “They were trying to land while we stood in the field and picked up decoys.” The hunters observed where the geese wanted to be and returned from the heavily-hunted lake for some quiet grazing. Grass fields or winter wheat on southern exposures tend to draw in geese on a cold day to soak up the warmth of sun rays. A few well-placed decoys and adequate calling will often bring the geese in to land without many cautionary circles to scan for danger. This is another type of area where you will see huge numbers of geese on your drive home. Ask permission to hunt and you might be surprised how many farmers will welcome you. Geese tend to pluck out a lot of valuable winter wheat shoots. Flooded Crops: During a wet year, fields of crops by flooded rivers are duck magnets. An old friend once found a hundred-acre cornfield standing in about three feet of flood water. He slipped in the cornrows and quickly limited out on ducks and geese. Scout out flooded row crops and you will likely find waterfowl. They love to find easy meals in areas where they can eat, drink, and rest in peace. Equipment: You are living in the day and age of layout blinds, four-wheel-drive off-road vehicles that allow decoys to be carried over rough terrain.
A good pair of binoculars makes scouting easier, especially when searching out fields from your car. Motorized vehicles will take you deep in swamp areas, but walking is a quieter way to scout. Waders are required. Some backwaters require wading where boat access is impossible. A “posterior” pad is more than welcome, especially when sitting on the ground. Five-gallon plastic buckets will work in a pinch when standard shooting seats are not available. Camouflaged netting, portable blinds that fold up to fit in a boat and decoys bags with shoulder straps for transporting decoys are a must for this kind of hunting. A strap on your shotgun is essential too. Asking Permission: Remember to be polite and helpful. I once stopped to help a farmer pick apples, resulting in a great deer hunt. Ask landowners where their livestock is located before starting a hunt. Make sure you avoid driving over crops by asking where they would prefer you drive. Offer them dressed-out ducks or geese when the hunt is over. Make sure you leave their property as you found it and pick up any trash, even if it is not yours. Do you want to hunt their property again? Then take a care package during the offseason so they will remember you. Kenny Kieser All photos courtesy of Kenneth Kieser.
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION