Get More Ducks the Other 300 Days

Duck season is roughly 60 days. Improve your harvest by using the other 300 days of the year more wisely.

Duck season, unlike the months of deer season, or the year-long fishing season, is very compact. It seems we often have to rush to get the most out of those precious two months. How we prepare during the off-season can dramatically impact the outcome during the “harvest period.” First and foremost, utilize the spring and summer months to learn more about waterfowl. A few days in a park or refuge in the spring will teach hunters more about duck vocalization and calling than any instructional CD can. Ducks are very vocal as they prepare to mate, and carrying a small tape recorder can give hunters hours of great audio that can be used to practice with throughout the year. Want to learn to sound like a duck? Than listen to ducks, not people.

Also, utilize every day possible to train your retriever. I’ve often said that I have a really good bad dog. Due to a dominant, aggressive nature, it’s literally a year-round job to keep my dog in check. Daily exercise and drills all spring and summer keep him where he needs to be come fall. But it’s just as important to get your pet out in the boat and in the duck marsh, as it is in the backyard. It keeps him in the mode, and prevents too much anxiety in the fall. Also, for pushy dogs like mine, denials are often the most important training activity to prevent breaking in the fall. We’ll be covering more dog training tips with video clips in the upcoming months of the off-season.