A Duck Hunting Question - Coastal

[dhmc03]

Not new to the coast or duck hunting...

But I am new to duck hunting on the coast

MY QUESTION
where and how far from the blind do you park da boat? Upwind? Downwind? 100 yds? 200?

FYI Its a poling skiff.... very white and bright.

[Lungbustr]

Definitely not downwind. Not sure on a bright white boat, I've never duck hunted with one.. Divers probably doesn't matter that much, but for gun shy puddle ducks, the farther the better.

[Ride_Klein]

When duck hunting on the coast its best to drop your buddies off who want to hunt and then fish the rest of the morning til they call you to come pick them up.

[Statton48]

Get you an big camo net....they're pricey but might be worth it. I'm new to coast hunting as well. Good luck

[EL JEFE 001]

i think around 100 yards should be fine if you have the area

[marshhunter]

I'd go a hundred yards.. a white boat to ducks is a camo boat however will flare ducks all day long.


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[hopedale]

Following

[Buckley99]

You could shoot redheads out of your white boat...while drinking beer and listening to Skynyrd. Just throw 3 or 4 decoys out (can be duck decoys or crab trap buoys) and wait.

[Raider Power]

You could shoot redheads out of your white boat...while drinking beer and listening to Skynyrd. Just throw 3 or 4 decoys out (can be duck decoys or crab trap buoys) and wait.

This

[Quackerbox]

Assuming you're hunting the bay and not the marsh. 100 yards or so. By now a white boat is almost a confidence decoy.

[ultralite09]

You could shoot redheads out of your white boat...while drinking beer and listening to Skynyrd. Just throw 3 or 4 decoys out (can be duck decoys or crab trap buoys) and wait.

This is the most accurate thing I've read all day.


If we even bother going to park the boat away from us, it's usually 100 yards or less away. Don't even bother trying to camo it in. Those birds on the coast are dumb as rocks as compared to what I'm used to hunting up here

[Buckley99]

On a more serious note, here are a few coastal duck hunting tips....

1. Park the boat upwind for two reasons...(1) If the anchor breaks loose, you MAY have some time to wade out and catch it. (2) the birds land into the wind, so they are likely to fly into the decoys from a downwind direction, making it less likely that they flare from the boat.

2. Large spreads (3-6 dozen decoys) tend to work better on the coast

3. Be VERY careful if you decide to take a dog, unless you want to cut your hunt short for an emergency trip to the vet. The oyster reefs can do a number to your dog's feet. I've even seen them slice through the little protective booties that they sell for pups.

4. As stated above, you will shoot your limit of redheads, so I like to target big drakes only.

5. If you shoot a buffleheads, put it on the wall or give it to a friend to eat. There isn't enough sauce on the planet to make that bird taste good.

6. In MY opinion, calling on the coast is a waste of time. I have maybe convinced 1 in 1000 coastal birds to turn around and come see me. And in all honest, "1" might be my ego talking. In my experience, Coastal birds know where they are going and are rarely convinced to do otherwise.

Good luck brother!

[jaker_cc]

On a more serious note, here are a few coastal duck hunting tips....

1. Park the boat upwind for two reasons...(1) If the anchor breaks loose, you MAY have some time to wade out and catch it. (2) the birds land into the wind, so they are likely to fly into the decoys from a downwind direction, making it less likely that they flare from the boat.

2. Large spreads (3-6 dozen decoys) tend to work better on the coast

3. Be VERY careful if you decide to take a dog, unless you want to cut your hunt short for an emergency trip to the vet. The oyster reefs can do a number to your dog's feet. I've even seen them slice through the little protective booties that they sell for pups.

4. As stated above, you will shoot your limit of redheads, so I like to target big drakes only.

5. If you shoot a buffleheads, put it on the wall or give it to a friend to eat. There isn't enough sauce on the planet to make that bird taste good.

6. In MY opinion, calling on the coast is a waste of time. I have maybe convinced 1 in 1000 coastal birds to turn around and come see me. And in all honest, "1" might be my ego talking. In my experience, Coastal birds know where they are going and are rarely convinced to do otherwise.

Good luck brother!

This is all right on track. A big bull redhead is a beautiful duck, and there are thousands upon thousands of them. Know the bottom as stated, we've had a few of those screw the decoys I'm taking this dog to the vet moments. Not fun.


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[huntinfool]

I'd agree with the above, except the calling.
I don't call using a mallard quack call. I make a diver type sound and have definitely turned big groups of birds.
We put on a blast and cast event in Rockport every year in January. We take about 100 guys out.
It's very true that you don't need to call. But I haven't seen it hurt down there.
As an example, we got a late start a d couldn't find a spot. We ended up on a cut that the first few groups flew by. However once we started calling, the birds poured in.

It's just our experience. Certainly not always the case.

I park my boat about 100 yards away.

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[dhmc03]

Many thx fellas. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (a bit early)