Duck hunting is one of the most exciting outdoor adventures you can find. The anticipation of sitting in an ice cold blind in the pre-dawn darkness, waiting for that first pink glow to highlight your decoys, then watching as the first flock of mallards, buffleheads or pintails breaks wing and drops onto the water is unmatched by any other sport.
The first thing you should know is that a duck or goose is a small target that moves fast. The average migratory duck or goose will travel hundreds of miles before it dies, making it a risky game to try to shoot with a rifle.
As a result, shotguns are the only firearms that can accurately deliver the high-powered shot that you need to hit a duck or goose when it’s flying at a great speed and with little or no wind. A good duck gun will also be durable enough to withstand rain, sleet, snow and other nasty weather.
Most modern pump and semi-automatic shotguns made specifically for duck and goose hunting use metals and chokes that are more resistant to moisture and corrosion. A lot of these guns can even be stripped and cleaned up in a flash at the end of the day, giving you less to worry about during your hunting trip.
You should also be sure to use non-toxic shot in your gun, as lead is toxic to both birds and humans. Steel, tungstens and Hevi-Shot are the most common types of non-toxic shot on the market today.
If you are an experienced duck or goose hunter, you should be able to spot a flight of ducks and focus solely on shooting at that flight. Instead of shooting at each bird in the flight, take a trailer with the first shot and then concentrate on staying with the same bird until it lands or flares out of range.
This technique will ensure you kill the bird before it gets too far away. It’s also a great way to reduce the number of missed shots that will occur when two or more hunters shoot at the same bird.
A final tip for shooting ducks or geese is to slow down your pace while mounting the shotgun and aiming. A jerky mount can cause you to miss shots that might otherwise be clean hits.
A lot of hunters don’t think to slow down their tempo when they are mounting the shotgun, but this can have an impact on your shooting efficiency. Keeping your tempo in check will help you get in and out of the shotgun quicker, allowing you to fire faster. It will also give you more time to aim accurately and keep the barrel from slipping, which can help you to make better, more consistent shots.
Duck Hunting
Duck hunting is a big deal in the US with millions of birds winging it across our shores each year. The best part is, there are a ton of duck hunting buffs out there willing to share their knowledge and their wares with the rest of us. From spotting a duck to the proper etiquette, there is no shortage of learning curves to be tackled by any waterfowler with the right tools and the right attitude. Some even do the heinous thing and get their yappy little terriers involved. In fact, one of the more popular duck hunting breeds is actually a terrier-cat hybrid. The most common terrier in the field is a black labrador, but you will also see plenty of kelpie’s roaming about. Regardless of the breed, the main thing you need to know is that ducks will not take kindly to a biting dog and if you can’t control it, you will find your dinner on the floor.
