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Hey duck hunters

Duck hunting can be big money but if he is outdoors doing stuff ,it is money well spent . A lot of other bad stuff he could get into. Good luck
 
Every now and again you can find some decent deals I check Rogers sporting goods online every year for Black Friday get deals every now and again. Same with hit the Cabela’s bargain cave decent stuff shows up it’s just not as common as after season.
 
I would spend more time researching WHO he’s going to hunting with if the plan is rivers and the coast. Walking in to a beaver swamp is one thing, but throw in a boat and the game changes. There’s no place for foolishness, complacency or a lack of knowledge in a boat at any time really, but especially during the time of year duck hunting takes place.
 
And after the first round, there will be retrieving dogs and boats, and if he gets the itch for geese, then trailers too.

It is all good! A long as he is safe in and around water (boats, waders, etc.) it should be a grand time! Deer aren’t the only critters that are fun chasing.

I goose hunt and duck hunt (woodies) when the opportunity opens up. I just don’t have the drive to pursue them more than deer.

In any case, it sounds like a cool adventure. I wish you and your son all the best!
 
ain’t no joke there boats and dogs have seriously showed my bank account what a solid beating looks like.
 
Then the decoy bug bites and you start buying up old gunners and start bringing them back to life.....

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That’s only a drop in the bucket to what I have in the pipeline
 
and don’t even mention the cost of dekes if snow goose hunting! The snow geese literally fly over my house on their migrations back up north. and to get them into a spread, large numbers are needed.
 
For decoys, I would look around Kijiji (or equivalent) for some used ones. Put the budget into the other gear. Yes, now I run some nicer decoys, but I started out with some beat up old ones that worked just fine. Also don't get carried away with laying big sets of decoys - in some areas that can be effective and popular, but again I have put 3 or 4 out plenty of times with great success.
 
He will want sitka waders before long.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
dalton916 said:
I would spend more time researching WHO he’s going to hunting with if the plan is rivers and the coast. Walking in to a beaver swamp is one thing, but throw in a boat and the game changes. There’s no place for foolishness, complacency or a lack of knowledge in a boat at any time really, but especially during the time of year duck hunting takes place.
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Yep. Deer hunting is mighty tame compared to duck hunting.
 
I just sold 4 dozen decoys...that waany even half, ha! Once you start going forn divers, it's a while new (fun) game. I like when you shoot them, and the ice breads whem they hit the "water" brrr :)
 
I have been duck hunting for a long time. The gear that he will need all depends on where he is hunting and the birds he is hunting. He may need waders or jus a pair of hip boots. Whatever he and you and he can afford like anything else buy the best you can afford. He may have an area that he can walk in and just needs a fishing rod to to retrieve birds. Yup sounds stupid but it works.

My suggestion is you find out more about the style of waterfowlling you son is looking to do.

For decoys, Mallard decoys are the most universal, because they are found in all flyaways and are the most recognizable bird in the us.

You can pick up inexpensive calls and tune the reeds. Learning how to call and the cadence of the various calls is more important than getting a $100 + call and not knowing how to use it.

I am going to throw one at you, a good dog for water-fowling hunting is invaluable. From retrieving birds to just being your constant companion.
 
bigjoe said:
I have been duck hunting for a long time. The gear that he will need all depends on where he is hunting and the birds he is hunting. He may need waders or jus a pair of hip boots. Whatever he and you and he can afford like anything else buy the best you can afford. He may have an area that he can walk in and just needs a fishing rod to to retrieve birds. Yup sounds stupid but it works.

My suggestion is you find out more about the style of waterfowlling you son is looking to do.

For decoys, Mallard decoys are the most universal, because they are found in all flyaways and are the most recognizable bird in the us.

You can pick up inexpensive calls and tune the reeds. Learning how to call and the cadence of the various calls is more important than getting a $100 + call and not knowing how to use it.

I am going to throw one at you, a good dog for water-fowling hunting is invaluable. From retrieving birds to just being your constant companion.
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I echo everything here. I would like to point out the "good dog" part. To make a dog good requires a lot of work and patience. 98% of the dogs I've hunted with have had owners that didn't do the work. I've duck hunted emphaticaly for 30 years and hunted around a pile of dogs. I can only remember 2 that I didn't want to shoot 15 minutes in.
 
Squirrels said:
I echo everything here. I would like to point out the "good dog" part. To make a dog good requires a lot of work and patience. 98% of the dogs I've hunted with have had owners that didn't do the work. I've duck hunted emphaticaly for 30 years and hunted around a pile of dogs. I can only remember 2 that I didn't want to shoot 15 minutes in.
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Yep. I'd rather go dogless and friendless if the dog and buddy aren't "where it's at."
 
Every body wants a dog that will sit there and patiently wait a shot, Mark, heel, not break, not whine etc. it takes work.

I have never had a dog trained by a trainer. The biggest thing in training a bird dog is your patience and understanding that every dog is different.

One dog may need force breaking and another just needs a confidence builder.

The next big thing is obedience. If your dog will not sit, heel, and stay, leave the dog at home. It can be dangerous for the dog and it is not fair to your hunting buddies. Work with the dog until they will. Basic obedience is what everything else builds off of. There are a multitude of books, videos out there to train a dog. It is not rocket science. It takes time and patience. Just people dogs have good days and bad days.

Some dogs are born hunters, most are not.

Starting off with a good pedigree does not guarantee you the best hunting/family dog. But it is your best shot. Yes to get a good lab it will probably run you several thousand dollar. Or you can run the risk of not having a good family dog, or a great hunt g dog.

Yes I say family dog because that is what most become and that is where most their lives are spent as part of your family. You want a dog that can coexist with the family. All of my dogs have lived in the house as a pet first, when you take them to the field or duck blind a light switch goes off. They turn into different animals.

Best hunting lab I ever had was given to me as a birthday gift. Bailey, was incredible in the field. (I was offered several times, tens of thousands of $$ for him). However, he was always at odds with my wife, stealing food, getting into the neighbors garage to steal theirs dogs, dog food etc. Had to get his stomach pumped several times cause he had sucked down 20 plus lbs of dog food. Lol. Holidays were always a treat he only liked pecan pie. More than one time, a pecan pie fell victim to him. Then there was the time he walked over to a neighbor house and marked it in front of my neighbor.

Yet he loved his kids, yes I say his because he acted like they were his. I had to replace 3 storm doors; he would get between the fed ex/ ups man and my kids and the neighbor’s children. I finally gave up replacing them and left the auto-latch off.

God I miss that dog. He lived and loved to hunt.
 
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Pure goofball till he sees the whistle then it’s time for business going to be three this January and have one pass left till we get his master hunter title on him. Don’t sacrifice obedience for a bird you will appreciate it in the long run. Nothing is worse than a dog that doesn’t listen and a owner that fails to realize it should have been worked in the off season not the day before. Woodys claim to fame is attempting to go on truck rides with the package carriers that leave the door open. My lab before him it was eating half a socket set while I was working on putting a new trans in my truck. Great dogs but I swear a lab will do the wildest things if it is bored.
 
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