How to Finish Strong The Last Week of Duck Season

Ice and cold can make hunting difficult and dangerous. Make sure your gear is up to the task. Photo by Nick Costas.

Duck season seems to have a twisted sense of humor. It’s tough enough for hunters to grind for weeks and stay optimistic about the campaign’s final few days. And when you factor in the year’s harshest conditions, trying to finish strong might seem like a fool’s errand.

But you can beat the late season’s toughest challenges. In fact, with planning and foresight, you can make that final push one to remember for the entire off-season. Here’s how to tackle the late season’s biggest obstacles.

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ICE

Big cold fronts move ducks, but they also freeze shallow waters, which really limits duck hunting options. Ice eaters have become popular options to keep water open, but many hunters don’t have that option. Sometimes, they must chop and break ice to create open water. This can work very well, but keep some considerations in mind.

First, be extremely careful if you’re considering breaking ice with a boat. If your craft’s hull isn’t designed for it, don’t take a chance. Guides and veteran hunters in areas that typically see ice — northern Mississippi River pools, for example — often run boats with thicker aluminum hulls so they can safely break through a crust.

Also, when creating a hole, don’t toss the broken ice shards atop existing ice. That creates lots of glare, especially if there’s snow on the ice. Instead, slide the sheets underneath the ice so your hole remains open and looks natural.

In addition, if possible, use remaining ice to your advantage by placing some full-body goose or duck decoys around the rim. Loafers mixed with a sentry or two can really boost realism.

STALE BIRDS

If you find a sure-fire fix for this dilemma, you’ll be a millionaire. Stale, pressured birds can be a problem at any point in the season, but ducks are usually never warier or more skittish than during the final days.

The fix, I’m afraid, will sound cliché: You must find spots or pockets of birds that haven’t seen as much pressure. And that requires getting out of your comfort zone.

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If ducks are feeding in dry fields, scout diligently to identify travel routes they take from a refuge to the X, and plan a traffic hunt, being careful not to set up too close to the refuge. In timber, try to identify small, out-of-the-way holes other folks haven’t hunted much. On impoundments or big water, abandon your traditional blind, and try temporary setups in overlooked spots where you’ve seen ducks travel or congregate. You might have to sacrifice a morning or two of hunting to find these spots, but locating even a small spot with two-dozen birds might set you up for a good shoot.

Bottom line: Try something different, and don’t fear failure. At worst, you’ll learn something that might set you up for success later. And putting forth that extra effort is better than just playing out the string with tired approaches.

TOP GEAR

Precipitation and freezing weather play havoc with duck hunting gear. All you can do is prepare.

If you plan to hunt from a boat during frigid conditions, make absolutely sure everything is in top working order. Don’t take a chance with old or undercharged batteries. Make sure outboards start reliably and circulate water for cooling through the motor and out of the indicator hole.

Don’t take chances by shooting a dirty, gummed-up semi-auto. Clean your gun thoroughly, and don’t use too much oil when lubricating it. That can actually hinder cycling. If you’re worried that your auto might fail, tote a pump or double-barrel instead.

Be extremely careful with your dog. Despite their toughness, retrievers can easily get hypothermia, which is very bad news. Limit their time in frigid water, and make sure they get dried off back on shore or in the boat. Avoid multiple retrieves or long-distance missions. Learn to identify the symptoms of hypothermia — lethargy, confusion, intense shivering, pale or blue gums, and very cold skin on the ears and paws — and be ready to treat it with immediate yet gradual warming.

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LATE CAN BE GREAT

Overcoming the late season’s biggest challenges won’t guarantee success, but taking the right steps can set you up for a memorable finale. When the stars align, the late season can produce incredible hunting. And even that prospect makes it worthwhile to give it one final shot.