shoreman
01-28-2003, 11:46 AM
What are some of the challenges facing waterfowlers today? Accessability to public land? Cost of private leases? Weather and lack of rain? Late migrations? Wary birds?
Waterfowlers must remain flexible and adapt to environmental and seasonal changes in order to enjoy their time afield and manage the resource. In what way this past season have you had to adapt your strategies for a successful hunting experience?
I'll give you a personal example; late-season Canada goose hunting here on the Shore took a turn when they stopped flying in the morning. The geese began their flights around noon with the largest flight from 2 PM on. As a result, we abandoned morning hunts and had our rigs set-up by 2:30 the latest. Calling became important, as well as strategic decoy placement, as the birds were quite shy after being shot at for a month. We would use small family groups as decoys on leeward side of the hedgerow we were hunting, and duck decoys (yes, in the field!) and 4 goose dekes on the windward side of the hedgerow.
How have any of you had to change to keep up with the birds?
Waterfowlers must remain flexible and adapt to environmental and seasonal changes in order to enjoy their time afield and manage the resource. In what way this past season have you had to adapt your strategies for a successful hunting experience?
I'll give you a personal example; late-season Canada goose hunting here on the Shore took a turn when they stopped flying in the morning. The geese began their flights around noon with the largest flight from 2 PM on. As a result, we abandoned morning hunts and had our rigs set-up by 2:30 the latest. Calling became important, as well as strategic decoy placement, as the birds were quite shy after being shot at for a month. We would use small family groups as decoys on leeward side of the hedgerow we were hunting, and duck decoys (yes, in the field!) and 4 goose dekes on the windward side of the hedgerow.
How have any of you had to change to keep up with the birds?