Author Topic: Shot size call and decoy question for a beginner (Read 1095 times)

The deerslayer · « **on:** September 28, 2004, 04:34:43 PM »

This was just a question about shot size only but I have others now. What is a good shot size for both duck and goose? Sometimes you can hunt them together in PA and dont have time to change shells. I would like to have some info about calling and using decoys for the first time. I have no idea what I'm doing as of now.

dawei · « **Reply #1 on:** September 29, 2004, 05:29:44 AM »

Quote from: The deerslayer

What is a good shot size for both duck and goose. Sometimes you can hunt them together in PA and dont have time to change shells.

#1 STEEL

lewdogg21 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 29, 2004, 05:30:59 AM »

To give you the best answer I would need a few questions answered.

1) are you pass shooting the birds or hunting them over decoys?
2) If your decoying them do they typically come to your dekes or do you shoot em on the swing before they flare or float off and away?

I take it your probably using a 12 gauge 3". Semi auto or pump? I would recommend different shells for each sometimes. Example is Winchester dry locks from like 5-7 years ago had a lot of unburned powder that fouled up semi's pretty quick. I don't know how they shoot now b/c I stopped buying them. I also sometimes got powder in my eye. :cry:

The deerslayer · « **Reply #3 on:** September 29, 2004, 01:09:07 PM »

Well I would like to get into calling and stuff but for now we just sneak up on them with 3inch semi 12 gauge.

Specklebelly · « **Reply #4 on:** September 29, 2004, 03:41:19 PM »

Here are my suggestions to your questions:

I say go with #2 steel as an all around waterfowl load. I have dropped geese with this load but would prefer to use BB or Hevishot if goose hunting only.

My belief on decoys is, the more you have the better. :-D One thing you need to do with your dekes if you are just starting out is stick with mallards for the dabbler ducks. Any dabbler will come in to mallard decoys. It is nice to have different species in your spread, but if your just starting out, go with the basics.

Do yourself a favor and don't get cheap Chinese decoys. If you are going to duck hunt a while get good quality dekes. It is worth the investment.

One more thing, go cheap on your calls. Nothing sounds worse than a $5 duck call, or the ones you get free with a magazine subscription. I use a Haydel and these are decent and long lasting.

I hope this helps.

Good luck and get a bunch this fall.

The deerslayer · « **Reply #5 on:** September 29, 2004, 03:57:04 PM »

One more thing I left out. What type of call would work best for me? We hunt on a farm with a fairly small pond. The duck population is around 200. Most are mallards but I have seen a few other species of ducks.

dawei · « **Reply #6 on:** September 29, 2004, 05:37:40 PM »

Quote from: Specklebelly

snip.............

One more thing, go cheap on your calls. Nothing sounds worse than a $5 duck call, or the ones you get free with a magazine subscription. I use a Haydel and these are decent and long lasting.

I hope this helps.

Good luck and get a bunch this fall.

Don't you mean "DON'T GO CHEAP" on your calls?

dukkillr · « **Reply #7 on:** September 29, 2004, 06:36:07 PM »

cheap calls are worth what you pay for them... but for most hunters a quality single reed call is too hard for them... buy a rich-n-tone 2, the 25$ kind and practice... get a tape or cd and listen to it in the car... when you can master the 5 quack and the comeback call then you can start worrying about the tougher stuff and also then consider getting a better call to handle it...

i shoot 2 3/4" 3s or 4s early in the season when there are more little ducks. i shoot 3" 2s or 3s later in the season. i shoot 3" BBBs at geese unless i'm only hunting geese, then i shoot 3 1/2" BBBs out of a 10ga.

decoys are all fairly similar... stay away from the gimmicks... for instance don't buy pintail decoys or gadwall decoys or whatever... and don't buy those feeding decoys... just get some regular flambeaus or whatever...

fffffg · « **Reply #8 on:** September 30, 2004, 04:35:09 PM »

if getting into serious duck geese problesm and need to change quickly put two of eachi n sock on stock in a old side by side and you can change silently in the dark or whatever in a couple seconds.. if you get binoculars and carefully find the vantagge points of where your hunting you should be able to sneak up on them with right shot in gun with any action.. about 300 yards is about right.. then after severl times jumping them you find the best way to get into the spot where they wont see you .. geeses with there long necks is very difficult to sneak up on.. i alos if first light will ue a call to see what is in the pond or creek.. it seems if you give a goose honk they just cant resist to answer.. so if you get a honk back youl know to put in the goose shot.. if not id put in the duck shot.. each location and hunting startagey is differnt ,.. it can take years to learn how to hunt your spots.. i use a cylinder bore flintlock and i have to be within thirty yards when the shot gets to the bird.. ive been as close as 5 yards,... when going up to the jump spot look for ripples in the watter as they can move a hundredd yards in minutes especially if they think somthing is up.. if you see the edg of the water and no ripples back off and insert up or down stream , if weather is calm and you can see the ripplels.. they are always paddaling diving etc.. i dont show myself on the creek unless i see these ripples.. it will put you right in their laps.. if watter is calmish.. its great fun.. dave.. ..

Specklebelly · « **Reply #9 on:** October 02, 2004, 02:29:24 PM »

Don't you mean "DON'T GO CHEAP" on your calls?[/quote]

Dawei

Correct, I must have had a brain cramp. :-D

Thanks for the correction.

Doc T · « **Reply #10 on:** October 10, 2004, 10:26:53 AM »

My all around favorite steel shot size is #1 but they are hard to find. I use #2's alot. Honestly, though, steel BBs are not too large for ducks. I agree with Speck. The best call for the money is a Haydel's DR-85. Get his tape and listen to it in your car or truck. Stay away from the variable tone types that have a hole in the barrel of the call. Some people like them but I could never find that hole when I needed it.

lewdogg21 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 11, 2004, 05:06:22 AM »

Sprig decoys are good to use on the ends of your spread. If you look at ducks on the water from a ways off what catches your eye first?

The white. Ducks key on in that white from a long ways off. I was up at Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge (Cal-Ore border) this weekend and noticed it constantly. You don't NEED other species but a dozen bull sprig dekes can help (of course if you don't have sprig in your area, this may not apply well).