Duck Hunting Tactics for Unusual Weather

by Steve Austin Content Writer

Weather conditions can have enormous effects on how successful duck hunting can turn out to be. It can be quite easy if the hunters are in the right location at the right time, with the right wind, right hunting apparel, and the perfect hide. Though it is important to remember that when pursuing bird hunting or any animal is that it will not be always action-packed as seen on television with hunters in their full gear and the most essential hunting jacket. You might not be successful in hunting ducks every other day, there might be days spent with a frosty morning and this is the part of the enduring challenge.

To give duck hunting a whirl this season and properly set your expectations, know that each season brings new opportunities that can hone your skills and make your hunt much more than a successful harvest.

Those who prepare and adapt to the changes succeed more than those that don’t seldom have their hunts for dinner.

Here are a few tips or tactics that can give you the foundation and some basic knowledge about hunting in any kind of weather as even the experienced hunters know that the easy days are few.

Do your Research

Before you directly jump into your hunting gear, it is not a bad idea to watch and study the weather, the tactic used by hunters. With the beginners, it is seen that they spend plenty of time hunting the ducks without knowing the strategies like setting up, calling, and decoying and give a little time observing these things. You can pair up with a seasoned duck hunter, to be able to recognize patterns in behavior. For a successful hunt, it is important to understand why ducks do what they do. Studying and examining them can help hunters later to predict what waterfowl will be doing when it’s time to hunt them and also makes it easier to choose the right location.

This is a very good chance for you to take some hands-on training and then you will need to practice and fine-tune your calling strategies.

Utilize a Great Hunting Gear Which is Waterproof and Insulated

No question, but the cold front days are the best when birds are arriving from the flyway. The air is usually brisk and sharp at that time which demands a gear that is well insulated and waterproof along with a print that matches the natural vegetation. While packing, pay attention to the long-range weather forecasts. The weather and how well your hunt goes- go hand in hand, weather is a huge factor throughout the duck hunting season in terms of the numbers of ducks you can see moving.

Pay Attention to Waterfowl Migration Reports

Other than watching the weather reports it is also important to learn about the bird’s weather-driven migration and determine where they will be flying when the weather changes. When those reports show a big flight over a big lake or around smaller bodies of water that is the perfect time, also you will also know the direction of the wind and can set up your blinds and decoy facing the right way.

The important takeaway, check the weather, cold and rains are good for duck hunting and invest in a proper gear which is waterproof and insulated to enjoy at the maximum. The absolute must-have for bird hunting includes a waterproof bird hunting jacket with fleece lining, waterproof pants along with gloves and boots.

Match your Decoys

Ducks have great eyesight, so spreading out decoys seems more realistic than a spread of all mallards which can look fake. And most importantly, the decoys you are going to spread should mimic the behavior of the geese under different weather conditions. Your best bet will be to invest in decoys that mimic the vegetation around and spread them flat on the ground. and spaced tightly together.