shoreman
02-02-2003, 10:16 AM
Okay, sure, the seasons are closed, but hey, I'll get a jump on next season's cold-weather tips! :D
Weather affects virtually everything we do, but it can be particularly important to waterfowl hunters. In general, cold weather usually means good hunting, because the cold creates situations that are usually favorable to hunters. The reason in a nutshell, is that the options available to waterfowl are reduced. Cold weather reduces resting and feeding areas available to the birds – this makes it easier for hunters to predict the movements of the birds.
I’ve lived along the Chesapeake for many years and get to see first-hand how waterfowl react to various weather conditions. When temperatures drop well below freezing and stay there for a few days, the ducks and geese have to find the places that have open water. The areas that can be used are reduced, and they become easier for the hunter to pattern.
In my area, the tidal rivers and spring creeks will almost sometimes have open water in the sections with fast-moving waters. The farm ponds will be frozen, along with the slow moving waters in most rivers and streams, but on most creeks and rivers there will be sections of open water as well.
Another excellent place to look for open waters during periods of cold weather are spring creeks and spring-fed ponds that are very common in the Mid-Atlantic region. The spring creeks become even more important when bitterly cold weather moves in and food gets hard to find. Trout fishermen will tell you that spring creeks are extremely fertile, which makes them ideal trout streams. During periods of very cold weather duck and geese move to the streams for the open water, and also to feed on the aquatic insects and the aquatic vegetation that found in spring creek.
One of the best late season duck spots that I have had the pleasure to hunt was a small spring pond near the Maryland/Pennsylvania border. The pond was part of an old gristmill operation that was probably in operation in the late 1800s. A high-volume spring bubbled out of the ground just upstream from the pond, and sent thousand of gallons of waters through the pond and on downstream each day.
A friend and I found the pond by fishing our way up the trout stream that it fed. The farmer that owned the ground gave us permission to hunt ducks as long as we were careful around his herd of milk cattle.
As it turned out we were only able to hunt the pond two winters before the owner retired and the farm was sold to owners who did not allow hunting. When the weather was bitterly cold, the pond was usually full of ducks. The best way to hunt it was to arrive early and flush (but not shoot at) any birds on the water. All that was needed was to throw out a few decoys to attract the birds as they returned and you were in business. A limit of mallards was usually only a matter of how long it took you to make the shots.
This also points out another tip for taking birds in the late season: Some of the best, most productive spots will be spots that most hunters overlook. Duck and geese have the ability to find the small, out-of-the-way spots that most folks drive by and never think about. Examples include small, aerated ponds, irrigation ditches and the little spring creeks that seldom, if ever, freeze over.
Weather affects virtually everything we do, but it can be particularly important to waterfowl hunters. In general, cold weather usually means good hunting, because the cold creates situations that are usually favorable to hunters. The reason in a nutshell, is that the options available to waterfowl are reduced. Cold weather reduces resting and feeding areas available to the birds – this makes it easier for hunters to predict the movements of the birds.
I’ve lived along the Chesapeake for many years and get to see first-hand how waterfowl react to various weather conditions. When temperatures drop well below freezing and stay there for a few days, the ducks and geese have to find the places that have open water. The areas that can be used are reduced, and they become easier for the hunter to pattern.
In my area, the tidal rivers and spring creeks will almost sometimes have open water in the sections with fast-moving waters. The farm ponds will be frozen, along with the slow moving waters in most rivers and streams, but on most creeks and rivers there will be sections of open water as well.
Another excellent place to look for open waters during periods of cold weather are spring creeks and spring-fed ponds that are very common in the Mid-Atlantic region. The spring creeks become even more important when bitterly cold weather moves in and food gets hard to find. Trout fishermen will tell you that spring creeks are extremely fertile, which makes them ideal trout streams. During periods of very cold weather duck and geese move to the streams for the open water, and also to feed on the aquatic insects and the aquatic vegetation that found in spring creek.
One of the best late season duck spots that I have had the pleasure to hunt was a small spring pond near the Maryland/Pennsylvania border. The pond was part of an old gristmill operation that was probably in operation in the late 1800s. A high-volume spring bubbled out of the ground just upstream from the pond, and sent thousand of gallons of waters through the pond and on downstream each day.
A friend and I found the pond by fishing our way up the trout stream that it fed. The farmer that owned the ground gave us permission to hunt ducks as long as we were careful around his herd of milk cattle.
As it turned out we were only able to hunt the pond two winters before the owner retired and the farm was sold to owners who did not allow hunting. When the weather was bitterly cold, the pond was usually full of ducks. The best way to hunt it was to arrive early and flush (but not shoot at) any birds on the water. All that was needed was to throw out a few decoys to attract the birds as they returned and you were in business. A limit of mallards was usually only a matter of how long it took you to make the shots.
This also points out another tip for taking birds in the late season: Some of the best, most productive spots will be spots that most hunters overlook. Duck and geese have the ability to find the small, out-of-the-way spots that most folks drive by and never think about. Examples include small, aerated ponds, irrigation ditches and the little spring creeks that seldom, if ever, freeze over.