First year waterfowl hunters

[HuntingAddict1775]

How are you all doing for your first year? This is my first year and I have done decent. Just was curious about the rest of y'all!

[IndianaMallard64]

been doing alright, kinda slow, been way too warm. post this kind of stuff in the 2013-2014 hunt season thread in the blind welcome bud

[ecorrigan]

This is my first year hunting waterfowl too and I'm looking forward to seeing some action, but it's tough here because the duck and goose hunting doesn't get too good until the snow falls. We're supposed to be up in the 40's for turkey-day, so it's gonna be a while before the hunting gets too good!
I work at a gun store and had one of the customers come in and try to consign his Benelli Nova and since that didn't work, he opted to sell that to me for a bargain price. Another customer is a trauma-surgeon and he loaned me about six, full-body goose decoys. My father-in-law also loaned me over a dozen duck decoys that I had to cut the old weights off and put new ones on, but I have all kinds of stuff that has fallen into my lap this season! I'm all equipped and ready to go, but I don't really know what I'm doing as of yet! I have all kinds of calls, but I read and hear that the best place for them is at home when I go hunting.
I live on a large parcel of land where hay is grown and I hear that hay fields are good places to set up for geese! Guess I'll have to try that in the near future too! The guy I bought the shotgun from is also going to loan me about a dozen goose decoys, the shell ones and I'll have around 18 to work with. I've been reading about how to set up that many and I think I've got it down!
Anyways, my season is just starting, but I'm looking forward to it since I didn't get much of a chance for any big game hunting this year! If anyone has any good duck and goose recipes, I'd love to try them out! Pointers too!! If you have any, I can always use the advice and the input!

[JGUN]

My first bit of advice would be to take the guys with you that loaned you the decoys. They should be able to show you how to setup and potentially how to call. Also if you are hunting fields a layout blind could be really useful. Be sure to camo it up good. When you think you have enough add more.

[flight control]

This is my first year hunting waterfowl too and I'm looking forward to seeing some action, but it's tough here because the duck and goose hunting doesn't get too good until the snow falls. We're supposed to be up in the 40's for turkey-day, so it's gonna be a while before the hunting gets too good!
I work at a gun store and had one of the customers come in and try to consign his Benelli Nova and since that didn't work, he opted to sell that to me for a bargain price. Another customer is a trauma-surgeon and he loaned me about six, full-body goose decoys. My father-in-law also loaned me over a dozen duck decoys that I had to cut the old weights off and put new ones on, but I have all kinds of stuff that has fallen into my lap this season! I'm all equipped and ready to go, but I don't really know what I'm doing as of yet! I have all kinds of calls, but I read and hear that the best place for them is at home when I go hunting.
I live on a large parcel of land where hay is grown and I hear that hay fields are good places to set up for geese! Guess I'll have to try that in the near future too! The guy I bought the shotgun from is also going to loan me about a dozen goose decoys, the shell ones and I'll have around 18 to work with. I've been reading about how to set up that many and I think I've got it down!
Anyways, my season is just starting, but I'm looking forward to it since I didn't get much of a chance for any big game hunting this year! If anyone has any good duck and goose recipes, I'd love to try them out! Pointers too!! If you have any, I can always use the advice and the input!

Sounds like you're off to a good start. Are there geese using the hay field? Just setting up in a field hoping to attract geese with your decoys would be a good way to set yourself up for failure. You want to set up exactly where the birds want to be. As for the calls, practice. A lot. You can spook birds by over calling, but you can also bring a lot into range by doing it right. Good luck, have fun and welcome to WFF!

[RonE]

Look for duck and goose recipes here: viewforum.php?f=53

[ecorrigan]

As for whether or not geese are using the hay fields around me, there aren't any geese flying around here at all yet! Well, I shouldn't say 'at all' but they aren't that prominent yet!
When it comes to the guys who loaned me the decoys, one is a surgeon and is busier than heck and the other is a weirdo, but in a funny way. I think the 'other' is fixin' to head south for the winter.

[Feelin' Fowl]

My first bit of advice would be to take the guys with you that loaned you the decoys. They should be able to show you how to setup and potentially how to call. Also if you are hunting fields a layout blind could be really useful. Be sure to camo it up good. When you think you have enough add more.

And return the decoys in a timely manner. Don't leave them in a field for the off season.

Good luck out there!

[RickC]

It may be something for next season but save up and find a well respected guide and book a hunt if finding someone to teach you the ropes in the field isnt possible. Watch what he does, and ask questions. You can ease the learning curve a bit this way.
I did the same thing 35 years ago trying to learn how to fish the Galveston bay system for reds, specs and flounder. That and lots of magazine articles.
This is a passion that takes a lot of work. But the rewards are worth every minute spent.