10 Reasons Why Waterfowlers Fail
Ryan Barnes for SPLIT REED
We’ve all been on hunts where we get cold, frustrated, and discouraged because the action has been slow. Maybe the birds are flying all around the area and you’re just not bringing them into the spread. Or maybe you went out and the birds just aren’t finishing how you’d hope. There’s a harsh reality when we have to realize most of the success (or lack thereof) comes from the hunter. Very few times will anyone ever get “lucky” waterfowling. More often than most of us would care to admit, the poor hunts we have are on us. Here are 10 reasons why waterfowlers fail in having successful days in the blind.
10. LACK OF SCOUTING
This might be the biggest reason any hunter in any situation fails. If you don’t scout to know the best ways to hunt your game, you have extremely limited your abilities for success. Ducks and geese are creatures of habit, so being successful is largely determined by your ability to follow and imitate those habits. Driving out and seeing a few geese in a field at midday or finding ducks loafing on a pond you happened to drive by, isn’t really scouting. To truly scout, you need to put the miles on. Find the big feeds and the large rafts of birds. Don’t just assume that one spot will work because “it looks good”. When hunters don’t scout, they’ve already taken themselves out of contention to have a truly successful hunt. Scouting can make or break a hunt, depending on how much quality effort you put into it.
9. BAD HIDES
After you’ve scouted and found out where the birds are hitting, you then are faced with the challenge of finding and creating a good hide. There have been many times when I’ve found an X field, but due to a dismal hide, the hunting wasn’t as good as it could have been. Whether you want to hunt the edge, set out layout blinds, or simply lay in the spread is up to you. Just don’t let your hide hinder the ability to shoot birds. I always recommend having a back-up plan. If you find that the birds are timid and landing short or sliding away while you’re in the layout blinds, move to the edge. And remember, if you have to ask if it needs more brush- it does!
8. POOR MARKSMANSHIP
This is a topic that not everyone wants to address, but there would be a whole lot more pile pics if people spent as much money at the trap range as they do new guns, shells, chokes, etc. Take the time to become proficient with your shotgun. Learn what shells work best out of it. Pattern it and see if it shoots low, high, or a bit more to one side of your aim. Many duck and goose hunts finished shy of a limit because the shooters in the blind couldn’t draw a feather. Waterfowl are hard enough to hit as it is, especially when fast-flying teal or divers come bombing through the decoys. Do what you can to make the easy shots a “sure thing”, and the difficult shots something you’re capable of pulling off.
7. POOR DECOY SPREADS
Regardless of what you may hear, well-placed decoys are a quintessential element of killing waterfowl. Don’t think that just because you have decoys out, means the birds will come to the spread. Quality decoys, set in a realistic pattern can fool even the wariest of birds. If something isn’t working, switch it up! Your decoys dictate how the birds will finish, and how they will work around the spread. Whether you’re going for in-your-face action or shooting them on the pass is completely up to you. However, your decoys should be placed in a pattern that allows the birds to become interested, and have a desire to finish in the hole. If that’s not happening, it’s time to fix the spread.
6. POOR GEAR MAINTENANCE
Everything costs a lot of money in the hunting world these days. Especially when it comes to waterfowling gear. That being said, just because there was a hefty price tag, doesn’t mean it won’t need maintenance. Everything from trucks, boats, trailers, even down to the calls around your neck. You need to make sure everything is in proper working order before you head to the blind. Nothing will ruin a hunt faster than a malfunction with your gear. Whether it’s a leak in the waders or a boat that won’t start, do what you have to avoid these blunders so they won’t get in the way of a successful hunt.
5. INABILITY TO READ BIRDS
Blowing a call is an art, but working birds into your spread- that’s a dance. Knowing when to hit the call, and when to back off takes time and experience. Hunters can turn birds away by over-calling, and lose birds by not keeping their attention by not using a call at all. Becoming well acquainted with reading birds will allow you to more fully utilize the calls on your lanyard. The old saying “hit ‘em on the corners” is a great rule of thumb. Don’t over-do it, but at least keep them interested enough to come and take a look and work the decoys.
4. FEAR OF LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
We all know that age-old adage, “there’s no growth in a comfort zone”. Well, this is especially true with waterfowling. Except you could change it to “there are no dead birds in a comfort zone”. Many hunters become afraid to venture out of their comfort zones to find new hunting areas, or expose themselves to new tactics. This is something that affects both waterfowlers young and old. The old veteran hunter may have his two or three spots that are great for a few shoots, but other than that, the birds leave, and he doesn’t. While the younger hunter might be afraid to try new methods or explore new realms of the waterfowling world that would be able to help him kill more birds throughout the season. If you truly want to become more successful, step out of your comfort zone. You’ll find that the risk was worth the reward.
3. POOR HUNTING COMPANIONS
While hunting is a sport that brings friends and family close together, it doesn’t change the fact that the people you hunt with can drastically affect your ability to kill birds. You might have a friend that is always late, or has to bring his untrained dog, or any number of things. I’m not suggesting you find new friends, just simply suggesting that you might want to go on a hunt with those that share your same desire to kill birds. Eventually, as hunters progress, who they hunt with changes. Don’t let your current hunting partners hold you back from becoming an even more successful waterfowler.
2. INABILITY TO READ WEATHER/MIGRATION
As has been stated before, killing ducks and geese is much more than just throwing out decoys and hoping for the best. One of your best tools to help you become more successful is to read the weather and migration patterns for the birds you plan to hunt. If there’s a storm front moving in, that will also bring new birds. If the weather North of you is good, then you might want to scout a bit harder because the chance of migrators is going down. Look at the lunar patterns. If there’s a full moon, birds will move at night, making them more docile and less likely to fly the next day. You can help yourself out a lot just by simply checking your weather app on your phone. It may help you kill more birds next year, as well as spend less time on hunts that don’t prove to have any birds.
1. NOT GETTING OUT AND HUNTING!
While these aren’t listed in any particular order, I leave this as number 1 for a reason. The ultimate reason most waterfowlers fail is that they simply don’t get out. You have a very limited amount of time each year to kill birds, do yourself a favor and take advantage of it! Don’t just wait until you “feel like it”. The truly successful hunters are those that are hunting as many days as possible. It allows them to see where the birds are going, track their patterns, learn what they do and don’t like. But most importantly, they’re out hunting! You can’t kill ducks laying in bed. The biggest reason a waterfowler fails is by simply not getting out enough to be successful. So do yourself a favor, and get out and hunt!
At the end of the day, hunting is hunting. Nothing is guaranteed. However, if you can avoid these 10 mistakes, you might be able to see more birds on the ground at each hunt.
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