Dove season and duck season are a nearin'!

oneastrix · 08-05-2003, 09:33 PM

Are ya a dove hunter? Are ya a duck hunter? I am an avid dove hunter, but this will be my first year to duck hunt. What can you tell me?

jerry · 08-06-2003, 11:47 AM

Hi 1*,
Used to hunt alot of dove in AZ. Duck hunt more now. If your going to hunt ducks, you might want to start shooting your dove with steel shot to get used to the difference. Get hooked up with someone who duck hunts if possible. Ducks love food and water. They have very good eyesight, so camo and limited movement is important. Buy a good duck call or two and get a tape, practice, practice, practice.

Pattern your scattergun with the new steel loads #2'S AND 4'S are pretty common shot sizes. 23/4" is good if you can get the birds in close enough. other wise 3" is a bit more of a payload. 3.5" is a lot of gun IMOHO. yes you can use 20ga, use the 3"ers and make sure your darned good.

Get a couple dozen "blocks" decoys to start with. Or know someone with some. I hear TX is good for pintail, may throw in a few teal too.

Be prepared to stare at the sky all day w/o seeing anything. Coffee and deer sausage are good on days like this.

If you buy all new gear, smear mud on it all and roll around on the ground so you don't look like the game warden or new guy. Brush up on the regs. Duck hunting is very federal.

pmspinnerb8 · 08-06-2003, 04:03 PM

I agree with Jerry, been hunting Texas for 7 or 8 years now and run into a game warden at least twice a season and this year I got inspected by a federal GW. They are very serious when it comes to ducks. I hunt South Texas lakes and bays and mostly kill lots of pintail, gadwalls, and wigeon with quite a bit of teal thrown in. In Texas you need to learn to blow a pintail call. I like the Wingsetter 4 in 1. It gets pintail very well and with a little practice it nails the wigeon call. Get an Arkansas Timber call with a lot of rasp to it and you can do a pretty good gadwall call. I like shooting #4 steel in 3in mag 12Ga. I always have some steel #1's in case I get a cripple trying to swim away. Don't go out and try to buy everything at once, it will cost you an arm and a leg. Buy a dozen decoys each year. You can pick up some decent Flambeaus or Carry Lites for $30-$50. To me duck hunting is not a sport its an obsession. Dove hunting is just a primer and shooting course for ducks.

alan c. · 08-07-2003, 09:18 AM

It's funny that I have hunted dove, quail, duck, geese, turkey, havelina, bear, coyotes, bobcat, squirrel and rabbits. All before my 25th birthday. I am now 46 and have not been hunting since. My dad has been gone for about 15 years now. I still have all of his varmit calls and duck, quail, turkey and goose calls.
My dad was a great outdoorsman and hunter. Not to mention an expert varmit caller.
It's sad to say that I have not passed on any of his traits to my son.

08-06-2003, 04:03 PM	#3
pmspinnerb8 Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Lonestar State Posts: 286	I agree with Jerry, been hunting Texas for 7 or 8 years now and run into a game warden at least twice a season and this year I got inspected by a federal GW. They are very serious when it comes to ducks. I hunt South Texas lakes and bays and mostly kill lots of pintail, gadwalls, and wigeon with quite a bit of teal thrown in. In Texas you need to learn to blow a pintail call. I like the Wingsetter 4 in 1. It gets pintail very well and with a little practice it nails the wigeon call. Get an Arkansas Timber call with a lot of rasp to it and you can do a pretty good gadwall call. I like shooting #4 steel in 3in mag 12Ga. I always have some steel #1's in case I get a cripple trying to swim away. Don't go out and try to buy everything at once, it will cost you an arm and a leg. Buy a dozen decoys each year. You can pick up some decent Flambeaus or Carry Lites for $30-$50. To me duck hunting is not a sport its an obsession. Dove hunting is just a primer and shooting course for ducks. __________________ Two in the chest and one in the head and even the Green Giant falls down dead.

08-05-2003, 09:33 PM	#1
oneastrix Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 5,213	Dove season and duck season are a nearin'! Are ya a dove hunter? Are ya a duck hunter? I am an avid dove hunter, but this will be my first year to duck hunt. What can you tell me? __________________ There's no one more thankful to sit at the table, than the one who best remembers hunger's pain.

08-06-2003, 11:47 AM	#2
jerry Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 10,870 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 1	Hi 1*, Used to hunt alot of dove in AZ. Duck hunt more now. If your going to hunt ducks, you might want to start shooting your dove with steel shot to get used to the difference. Get hooked up with someone who duck hunts if possible. Ducks love food and water. They have very good eyesight, so camo and limited movement is important. Buy a good duck call or two and get a tape, practice, practice, practice. Pattern your scattergun with the new steel loads #2'S AND 4'S are pretty common shot sizes. 23/4" is good if you can get the birds in close enough. other wise 3" is a bit more of a payload. 3.5" is a lot of gun IMOHO. yes you can use 20ga, use the 3"ers and make sure your darned good. Get a couple dozen "blocks" decoys to start with. Or know someone with some. I hear TX is good for pintail, may throw in a few teal too. Be prepared to stare at the sky all day w/o seeing anything. Coffee and deer sausage are good on days like this. If you buy all new gear, smear mud on it all and roll around on the ground so you don't look like the game warden or new guy. Brush up on the regs. Duck hunting is very federal. __________________ I'm a down home back woods redneck

08-07-2003, 09:18 AM	#4
alan c. Banned Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pasadena,Tejas - also known as Texas Posts: 3,767 Images: 15	It's funny that I have hunted dove, quail, duck, geese, turkey, havelina, bear, coyotes, bobcat, squirrel and rabbits. All before my 25th birthday. I am now 46 and have not been hunting since. My dad has been gone for about 15 years now. I still have all of his varmit calls and duck, quail, turkey and goose calls. My dad was a great outdoorsman and hunter. Not to mention an expert varmit caller. It's sad to say that I have not passed on any of his traits to my son.