Out for a hunting adventure but facing trouble getting your birds? It’s all about tactics – especially if the weather conditions aren’t on your side.  Here are some of our tried and tested Duck Hunting tips to get you in the game.

1. Observe Your Quarry
The more you observe your prey; the better your chances of recognizing their behavior patterns. Spend a good few hours watching the ducks – what are their favorite resting spots, what kind of food do they prefer, what calls they respond to etc. Experts agree that watching ducks and waterfowl in their natural habitat is one of the best duck hunting tips out there because it will not only help you predict the best location and time to hunt, but also let you appreciate what fascinating creatures they are.

2. Concealment? Check!
Ducks are highly observant, so make sure to go the extra mile when it comes to hiding yourself! Though migratory birds stop at predictable areas, they become familiar to their surroundings within only a few days. For this reason, always maintain a low profile, invest in proper camo and face paint and also camouflage your boat from view in case you’re on water. Coming to decoys, while mallards are usually the common choice, invest in others as well, especially if your hunting ground attracts a variety of duck species like pintails, gadwall, teal and wood ducks.

3. Become an Expert at Calling
One of the best duck hunting tips is to practice your calls so that your calling sounds as natural as possible. Remember that a hail calls do not always work, especially in calm and cloudy weather or when the birds have been in your area for some time. Instead, experiment and adapt your calls to the environment- switch from calm, quiet calls or a raspy low cadence that the waterfowl respond to best.  After observing the ducks you may find no calling is the best calling, learn to read the ducks and they will let you know what if any sounds are required to entice them to within gun range.

4. Make It Real
Have you noticed that there are moving ripples in the water even when waterfowl are stationary? Do the same with your decoys to make the situation more realistic for ducks, especially on sunny and bright days when they can see more easily. A good idea is to use motorized decoys or else attach a string that creates movements with slow jerks. Another good tip for duck hunting is to make sure that the paint on the decoys is clean and new; you can touch up or clean it again for a more visually attractive effect by using a damp cloth.

5. Use Larger Decoy Spreads on Migrators
Migrators often travel in larger flocks, so one of the best duck hunting tips in such instances is to increase your decoy spread and use aggressive calling variations to draw in and attract larger groups while Missouri duck hunting.