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Question for southern duck hunters

2K views 14 replies 14 participants last post by  Steve Anderson 
#1 ·
Up here in Minnesota when we can't get the ducks to come into the decoys we tend to blame it on them being decoy and call wise. This last weekend I was sitting there watching ducks fly past me and wondered, You guys down south must really have a hard time since they have been called by every duck hunter on their way down. Then a second thought made me think maybe we just don't know how to call. Any opinions?
 
#2 ·
I am not from the south but I hunted La. 2 days in 05 with Keith Malone. I didn't notice the birds being the least bit call or decoy wise. So maybe one needs to look at other things. Not saying you guys don't call well enough because the lord knows I don't. (proved that yesterday) Maybe you are missing something in your spread or you are not hidden well enough, or maybe someone is looking up at the birds that shouldn't be. I know if you make eye contact your done. I know from my experience that some days I can't blow it wrong and other days I can't blow it right.

Calling in 2 teal and drake mallard today regards.
 
#4 ·
What's a duck we haven't seen those down here since about 200BC. Ya'll figure out how to call'em in and have fun. Seriously, if we get any concentration they are very well educated and it's best to lay off the call and use small spreads in the timber with motion on the water. Oh, and leave the mojo's at the house.
 
#6 ·
Not from the south but hunted Reelfoot Lake TN last January and will be going back again this year. On the lake proper they basically have huge spreads and a lot of motion (IE mojo's / mallard machines /etc) an pretty much straight high ball the birds until they're in close enough to shoot. Away from the lake in flooded corn it's a different story. More standard calling practices where you start out long and hard and back off as the birds move in. Feeding clucks and single quacks at the end to sell them on the the spread. They also "mouth call" which I never heard before. Doesn't sound much like a duck call up close but from a distance it sounds really good. The first time our guides opened up mouth calling we all thought we were being "punked". Then we saw how well it worked. Really gets those those skiddish birds to commit. The other thing I know they do is back off the calling and let the spread do the talking. Low muffled feeding calls / single quacks and not much of either. Less is more so to speak. Just have to stay low and be patient while the birds work. Just my experience. Hope this helps.

Danny
 
#8 ·
I would have to agree with boykinhntr on location. If moving to the birds is not an option which is usually the case where I hunt, I pay lots of attention to decoy placement and concealment. I have moved decoys as many as 4-5 times during a hunt depending on the birds. We also try different calling styles/strategies depending on the birds too. One day they might like to be called all the way to the water, others barely called to at all. You can always just let them go and send them to us here in Louisiana, we will take care of them for ya. :)
 
#9 ·
I hunt in Texas...a lot. If you have a nice spread with some movement in it, your hunters keep perfectly still and don't look up into the sky, and you make some decent calls birds will decoy. Maybe the problem is that you are watching the birds fly by. Keep you face down or wear a mask. I watch them off the reflection in the water if I can or if I don't have a mask. Mojo ducks are awesome too for getting ducks to to turn and decoy.
 
#10 ·
I hunt the tail end of the Mississippi flyway. The ducks get really "blind shy" down here, more than they get call shy. They can spot an obvious duck blind from a mile away. I flew over the local marsh in an ultralight one time, and was just shocked at how pituful most of them look from overhead. I avoid duck blinds like the plague whenever I can, and just make a natural "hide." Cover your face, be still, and only call "on the corners" even if you are a world champion caller. That works for me. Good luck!
 
#11 ·
This far down we don’t do a lot of calling. Our local mottled ducks are suckers and you can about call them in by yelling “Quack Quack”. Good location and small spread works well as long as there is some motion. Very good camouflage and location, location, location.
 
#13 ·
You guys down south must really have a hard time since they have been called by every duck hunter on their way down.
Not really. Most of the good callers down here have a heavy French accent which the ducks aren't use to unless they are coming from the Quebec area. Plus, they don't use those fancy competition calls. The guy that runs the Pecan Island club uses a blade of reed grass held between his thumb and index finger to call all species!
 
#14 ·
They get wise but you learn to make adjustments. I once hunted 75 yards from my decoys and had a great hunt. This was on public land and the birds had been shot at a ton. They wanted to work but kept landing out of range and swimming in. we moved down and limited out fairly quick. In Jan. I rarely hail call or even call loud. Alot of feeding calls, chuckles and quacks generally do best. The best days you don't even call you just get where they want to be and hope you can hit em when they come in.
 
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