New iPhone App: Migration Central

Duck Junkies has broadened waterfowl hunters migration information sources

DuckJunkies.com has launched an iPhone app, Migration Central, to compliment their existing web-based community and hunting resource for waterfowl hunters.

The online community provides hunters with networking opportunities and a wealth of information including a migration map featuring a detailed weather component.

Migration reports come from a variety of sources ranging from waterfowl professionals to weekend warriors.

The new mobile app for the iPhone allows waterfowlers to follow the migration from their iPhone. The app will automatically pull up current reports nearest to your location or allow you to search on your own.

Icing on the cake: All member reports submitted each week are entered into a drawing for gift certificates and prizes!

Choosing duck calls

Choosing a duck call or calls can be difficult for the beginner. When I started duck hunting I had no idea on what call to start with. I went in to a local outdoors store and looked around for a bit and ended up asking someone working there what I should start with. This is always a good idea because most outdoors stores have qualified people to answer questions such as this.

I suggest that a beginner should start out with a poly double reed. They are much easier to blow than a single reed, and reproduce real duck sounds. I also suggest buying a "how to" DVD on duck calling. This way you can watch what a pro is doing and replicate it. These videos show you which calling sequences to use for different situations. Pay attention to this part and use it in a real situation in the field.

Once you have your call picked out and an idea of what to do, just keep on practicing. I blow my calls in my house, out in the yard (some neighbors might not like this one), in my truck, really just anywhere and anytime. Once you get down the right sound just keep on it. Practice, practice, and practice some more.

All of this practice will pay off in the field. There is just something amazing about tricking a real duck in to thinking you are one of them. You will never forget the first time a duck or flock of ducks are flying by your spread. You grab your call, and give them a few quacks which turns them and sucks them in to your decoys. It's a very unique feeling that brings a hunter closer to Mother Nature, in my eyes.

THE LAST MORNING

Well, the last morning in SW Wisconsin started out great but that didn't last long.

Last night we passed on the evening shoot and sat around drinking beer, telling stories, and laughing so hard I thought my sides would split. Although a hunt may have been fun, I can guarantee we had more fun doing this than sitting in the rain. We even came up with a commercial idea we may pursue.

In the early morning on the marsh we did see some pretty amazing sights. The "4:00 rush" was a sight to see. From our blind we could see the main channel, and it looked like I-35w during rush hour! All you saw were lights and herd boats. It was bow to stern.

After the rush was over and we were set up we sat and listened to "wings". They were everywhere! All of us were very excited, but that would soon turn to frustration. We didn't fire a shot for the first 25 minutes and then 1 hooded merganser. Matt's superstition is that good days start with no shooting, so this should have played out.

There was almost nothing working the marsh but over head we watched a part of a migration for about 1 hour. Everywhere we looked there were huge "V's" of birds way high heading for the marsh. We picked off one wood duck. When everyone else from the marsh headed in at 9:00 we didn't even get any birds flying by that had been kicked up. We did get burned by a few that flew by in the sun and escaped easily, and we picked up at 11:00. No geese. At least we were dry!

Rain Rain Go Away!

SW Wisconsin
On Friday morning we woke up after a great home cooked meal and a short sleep with the intention of getting on the "Strip". We started out late because we lost one of our wallets. We spent 20 minutes looking for it only to find it in a gear mix up. We showed up at the landing late and now in a rush we hurried out into the main channel.
With it still raining and no end in sight, Matt wanted to take a short cut to shave about 15 minutes off our ride. He was looking for 2 specific trees that marked the channel we needed. When he found what we were looking for he told me to" turn in here". We didn't make it far until the boat was stuck. We shouldn't have gotten stuck, even towing the 10ft boat, but the whole way out I knew something didn't feel right the way the motor was running. It seemed to be loosing power as the ride went on... we would soon find why.
Once in the main channel in this bay my uncle seemed confused. We had missed the 2 trees we needed. We got out of the boat and pushed it back toward the main channel the whole way trying to figure out where the turn was that we missed. We made it back and decided to take the long way around and continued on. It only took a few minutes until we encountered our next problem. I herd a loud snap and felt the boat jerk. I looked back and "OH MY GOD"! The 10ft boat was under water and our gear was floating down the channel. It had been taking on water (which was why we felt like we were losing power).
We quickly turned around and I yelled out "nobody miss the bags on the first pass"! I knew if we did not grab them the wake from the motor would sink them. My brothers bag is the only one designed to float so as I motored up to them I decided if I had to miss one on the first pass it would be his.
We managed all the gear bags in one pass! Now we had to get the cooler then the thermoses. After that it was the decoys and then the boat. We dragged all the gear to nearby shore as the channel is way too deep to get out. The guns were in our boat as I have never ever trusted something so expensive not right by my side, even though my case is a floating one. My uncles isn't, I think its designed to absorb water and sink, not sure because the tag is missing. After dumping the water out of the little boat and repacking we were on our way for the 3rd time.
We managed to find a spot in badger bay that we thought would work even though the wind was not right. We had to carry our wet heavy gear a ways to our spot and set up with just a little time to spare.
It was still pouring rain when shooting started and we jumped on a nice drake mallard right away. Shortly after that a green wing teal came 20 yds right over the decoys. My uncle and I stood up and almost at the exact same time powdered this teal. All that was left was a falling carcass and a floating cloud of feathers.
After this short burst we sat in the rain for awhile. All our gear was soaked right to the skin. We had birds work the bay but with the wind just not right it was hard. We managed one more hen Gadwall and decided to go in early and dry out our gear and hope for an evening shoot.

Another new spot

Second day trying a new spot in central Minnesota.
After spending last night working on the motor I was able to get a temporary fix made so that it would work. Being on the road is hard when stuff breaks and you don't have your tools and your shop to get things working again, but you make do with what you have.
With the wind forecast being strong my brother and I thought it better to not go back to yesterday's spot. We talked to my father in-law and he said that people had done well on the lake just down the road from him so we thought we would try it.
We got to the landing and set out. From the maps there should have been a nice spot across the lake. After a short boat ride we were there but not impressed. 30yrds out from shore it was 10 feet deep! The total lake depth was only 12! We motored to a back bay to find more of the same. We talked about heading back and baggin' the hunt but we didn't leave enough time to go anywhere else.

Being extremely tired we went back to the first spot threw out 4 goose decoys and 7 mallard decoys. I had a feeling that if the lake was 6 feet deep 10yrds out from shore, it wasn't going to have many birds. When the sun came up I was right. We herd a few shots in the distance but didn't see a thing. After 1 hour we decide to pick up.
Looks like there is another cold front moving down this week so hopefully it brings a few new birds. Only have a two-day turn around before we leave for SW Wisconsin. Hopefully someone has the part I need or I will have to make a more permanent fix for the week.

A Far Cry From Yesterday

In past years the second day has yielded more birds than the first. After all the birds we saw on Saturday, but didn't necessarily get to shoot at, we went back to the same spot thinking that a sunrise shoot would be great.
On the lake behind us they started shooting 5 minutes early and once again you could tell that many were not hitting much. Two groups were so close together that you could almost count 4 seconds between when the birds would fly past one than the other. We listened as one guy chased a cripple around the marsh.
As for us we didn't see a flock, or any birds, for about 20 minutes than a small flock riding the water line popped out. I pulled up to shoot hitting one on the first shot but tried to hit it again with the second as it sailed out. We watched it hit the water and immediately dive never to return to the surface. Nothing worse than having to tell the dog "no bird buddy". About 20 minutes after that we had another flock of wood ducks get up and fly by but they turned out of range for me. My dad got off 2 good shots folding up one nice drake. Then the thing I hate worse than sky busters showed up. A fisherman. With the whole lake available, he choose to fish 100yrds outside our decoys. After not seeing many birds, almost none at all, we decided to call it a day before 10am.
Hopefully next weekend we hit on a good spot. Sounds like wigeons and gadwals are on the move in the area. Had a buddy get a few in Mora today along with a greenie, teal and a hooded. It is hard to do some good scouting with 2 kids under the age of 2, but I'm sure we'll eventually find the "X". I just hope sooner than later.

A New Beginning

The new duck season is just 36 hours away! Hopefully you all have your plans made and spots picked out. The ducks seem to be moving more this week with the cold weather moving in. Last weekend the northern region of Wis. got it's start on their season and from the reports I have been hearing about it was pretty good. Many hunters had good success on Saturday but Sunday's storms made it a hard hunt with high winds and lightening.
Northern Wisconsin used to be my stomping grounds for duck hunting until recent years, but maybe this year I will make it back there for a late season hunt. I will be making it to southern Wisconsin for an exciting extended weekend hunt with my uncle towards the end of October, that is if he hasn't shot everything by then. {:>)
Looks like Saturday morning my dad and I will be trying to conquer the marsh in NW Chisago city. I am trying to be optimistic with the low water levels. This recent rain "event" has brought a lot of much needed water to the area, so hopefully it will be good.

I also hope you will check out the new web page! The address is www.Duckjunkies.com It was just launched this week and we are very excited. The site still has some fine tuning to do so any suggestions are welcomed as we hope to make this site very user friendly for all hunters. Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable opener with plenty of ducks. King and I have been waiting 304 days for this, the day we get our "FIX".

WELCOME!

This blog is dedicated to bird hunters of all types; duck, geese, turkey, pheasant, grouse... even crow!! Visit this blog for website links to all types of fowl hunting and open discussions about calls, dogs, guns/shells, clothing, blinds, techniques, migration, regulations and more. Share your knowledge and build your knowledge here!

From Wikipedia:

Waterfowl hunting (also called duck hunting, goose hunting, or wildfowling) is the practice of hunting ducks, geese, or other waterfowl for food and sport. (In the U.K. the word "hunting" is not used, but "shooting"; the word hunting is reserved for the pursuit of prey with hounds.) In many western countries, commercial waterfowl hunting is prohibited, and duck hunting is primarily an outdoor sporting activity.

Many types of ducks and geese share the same habitats, have overlapping or identical hunting seasons, and are hunted using the same methods. Thus is not uncommon to take several different species of waterfowl in the same outing.