First time Duck hunter!!!!

[unionjack]

What is the essential list of supplies needed for a duck hunting, i have never been. I have been invited on a goose hunt, but i have always held an interest in duck hunting. Shotgun wise i am planning on a pump 12 ga. useing 3" shells. Benneli nova to be specific. I live on lake Erie in ohio, everyone i know hires a guide and they go out on the lake and hunt open water. I had never heard of that before. I would rather hunt marsh area( im not to keen on boats) Do i need to look at getting a dog ? I have been considering that for some time, not just for hunting but companionship as well. What are the bare esentials im going to need to get into this great sport?

[TreeDoc]

Welcome to a disease!

You have all the gun you need, it will shoot 3.5" if you ever need to though I never do. Many Goose shooters go that route though. You'll want to get into some decent Camo clothing. Concealing movement is extremely critical when waterfowl hunting. You'll obviously need to tailor your clothing needs to the weather and surroundings you will be shooting in. Out here in California we can shoot the opening few weeks in T-shirts but by mid and late season it's time for the 4 in 1 type coats if you're in the north.

Face mask! Don't leave home without it.

If you're in the marsh than a set of boot foot waders will probably be necessary. If you're hunting cut fields than perhaps a bib type overall will work. For your first time maybe utilize appropriate clothing that you have and just conceal yourself with a camo shell type garment until you can figure out what is best for you. Quality waterfowl clothing will be spendy so research you needs and buy the best and buy once. I can heartily recommend anything built by Drake Waterfowl. I am on my second season with their stuff and am buying more all the time. IMO, they are second to none in design and comfort. Duck Hunter's clothing built by Duck Hunters. If you are not comfy and warm than you will not like being out in the weather....weather is what the ducks/geese fly in so be prepared.

A guided hunt might be a good idea in your area for your first time as not only will you get into birds but you'll learn a lot doing so. Hopefully a guide would be able to instill some proper etiquette as well as proper technique. If you by a duck/goose call, leave it at home. Unless you are a child prodigy with musical instruments, you'll suck at calling for quite some time so practice while listening to some instructional Cd while driving around in your car. Most importantly, go to a refuge if you can and sit in a closed zone and listen to the orchestra of waterfowl. Be the closed zone.

If you have friends that are into it, pick their brains or go to a local gun shop and befriend a fellow hunter. I have had the opportunity to get several guys that I never knew out in the field for their first hunts. I've always done my damnedest to show them whats right and whats wrong wth the sport. Each and everyone is thoroughly addicted now.

Join Duck's Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl. If you want to continue hunting, their support is mandatory.

Post more questions here...there's always good support to rely on.

My name is TreeDoc...and I'm a Duck-a-holic.

[tjwatty]

Welcome to the wonderful world of waterfowling. Bring your check book.
Unlike treedoc, I'm a thickheaded midwesterner and I had to have the "just get by stuff." Now I have been back ,after learning my lesson, and got the good stuff. The old guy who got me started favorite saying was "It only costs a little more to go first class." And after almost 30 yrs I finally figured it out. The good stuff just works and lasts better.
I hunt similar to you, hunting the bigger waters of the Mississippi. Wide open areas and lots of water. We use big boats, 18 to 24 ft with 60 to 90hp. Gotta be stable for me.
Try and get hooked up with an established group in your area, DU banquets are a great place to get aquainted. I have a base group of 7 guys but not all can hunt at the same time so we rarely have a full blind. We are always on the lookout for "new Blood" because it takes a lot of work/cash building blinds maintaining decoys etc. And with the cost of gas now, wow.
I'll hunt about 45 to 50 days taking off only for deer season and or funerals. I've had calling lessons from 2 different world champs and Doc is right, untill you become very very good and confident leave the calls home. I've been known to take the reeds out of a guys call, and I know one guy who threw one in the river. Nothing makes me more upset than to be working a bunch and have some "expert" blow a high ball at a locked up group. With the possible exception of the guy we call "Rubbernecker" No face mask standing up in the blind with his face looking like the light house in the bay.
Listen closely to your guides, they do this for a living. If they're any good at all you'll know it. Common sense is a good thing to take along. Can't go wrong with that.
And if your ever in Illinois give me a shout, I ain't the best but my price is the best. (free)

P.S. My license plates say QUACK and my name is T.J. and I'm a duck-a-holic

[fabsroman]

TJ,

Is that invitation open for me too? I might just take the drive out to Illinois. Almost took Doc up on an invitation to hunt with him last year in Cali.

As far as what is needed, about the only thing you need is a desire for waterfowl hunting, a shotgun, shells, and some decent camo if you are going with guides.

I agree with TreeDoc about the clothing. When I was in undergrad and law school, I could barely afford to hunt, much less afford $300 jackets and such. So, I used two sets of coveralls for almost everything. It was miserable when the weather got cold or wet because they weren't very insulated or waterproof. However, I love hunting and got cold and wet doing it during those years. Once I got out of law school, I spent the money on a nice Benelli Super Black Eagle, a Columbia 3 in 1 coat, Columbia bibs, Cabelas Icebuster waders with 1000 gms. thinsulate in the boots, some Rocky Pac boots to wear with the bibs, $40 Cabelas waterfowling gloves, and a bunch of face masks. I am loving life right now and hunting in style. If you can afford it, buy the nice clothing. I still have my coveralls and they are over 10 years old and I can still use them. However, the rest of the clothing described above is about 7 years old and they are just fine and they feel a lot better on those great waterfowl days where it is snowing or raining cats and dogs and it is cold out.

Now, if you were doing this on your own (i.e., without a guide) like the rest of us, I would recommend several dozen decoys, a decent amount of calls, a lot of practice on those calls, a boat, some layout blinds if you decide to hunt in fields, and the list goes on.

As far as the dog is concerned, it comes a lot later in the equation after you are sure that you really love waterfowling. There is nothing worse than buying a great retrieving dog to only have him sit at home. Nitro, my yellow lab, is sitting here biting my leg off right now because we haven't been hunting in two weeks.

At the end of the day, go out there, make sure you stay warm, and have a great time. Afterward, you will end up reading so much and asking so many questions on here that you will know exactly what you need to buy and learn.

One of our members, Tater, just started waterfowling last year and he is addicted.

I started 9 years ago and absolutely love it.

[unionjack]

Thanks Guys!!!
I figured i would be warming up the ol check book in the beginning. I know duck hunting weather is nasty, around here anyways. Soon around december, i am planing to move up north to Canada. I will be in Sask. just above the North Dakota border. I know the wind blows cold up there!!!!
As far as the calls go, i did buy a cheap duck call at Gander mountain just to play around with. And i have realized that calling is an art all its own. Are there any dvd's you can recomend to get me started. I have seen the prices of some of the calls, WOW!!! Not cheap! But i have come to realize that in life you get what you pay for.
One last thing, as far a shells go, what is the best way to figure out how they will pattern out of my gun? What kind of distances are normal when taking shots.

Thanks for all the info so far, and i may just take you up on the offer for that hunt some day!!

[tjwatty]

Jeff Foiles has a nice tape and so does Mick Lacey (Big River calls), they're the only ones I've heard. I know the good calls are expensive my personal collection is over 100. One of my favorites I bought at a gun show for $6, but the 2 I use now are Foiles calls, just because I get the sound I want with the least effort. I still have a hard time with his short goose calls so I'm sticking with the ole flute till I get better.
When you move to Sak. you will be in waterfowl heaven, (according to some wealthy friends) a lot of wheat field hunting I understand. You'll make me jealous.
My favorite load is Winchester #2 1 3/8oz 3" mag. and we have a mark at 40yrds. We want to shoot inside that, preferably 25 to 30 Closer if I can. I have been using a Briley waterfowl choke but it won't fit the new gun so I'll use the Mod. choke with steel. Last year I shot my 20ga. on small ducks with #4 Federal fasteel loads. (1550fps) That was fun and they are right speed does kill, but I think for a new shooter you can't beat #2 mags. But that's me, everyone has their favorite and it is what you get comfortable with.
Keep it inside 30yrds and you'll do fine.
fabs, anytime pal. I love to show people how we do it on the big muddy. I'm supposed to be greening the blind now but my son is stuck in Chicago and won't make it home till late, so we have 3 boats and 6 guys to do the whole job tomorrow. It will take about 6 or 7 boat loads to cover the thing. That's about 5 trees, good thing one of our guys has a whole forrest of white pine to thin. My truck has that nice pine fresh scent right now, along with my garage. (boat load in the garage)