Guaranteed way to harvest more ducks

[Dakillaofnada]

I’m afraid I’ll screw myself up

dan its guaranteed

 

[Flyfisher]

DMC FTW

 

[Calikev]

I think that a lot of guys don't practice their shooting skills in the off season because they know that they can shoot pretty good.

That works for a while but it is a diminishing skill at some point. So getting the time on the range can be important to stay sharp, especially for aging hunters.

Another great way to stay sharp is shooting pigeons. Getting harder to find places to hunt them as guides are charging money now for hunts but they make great targets for hunting practice. Obviously dove hunting is an awesome tune up as well but most won't get enough repetition shooting doves to really hone in if they are struggling.

 

[WinDog]

I'd rather shoot sporting clays than play golf every single time

Me too

 

[craig wilson]

Just like any sport, off season practice helps keep you at the top of your game.
My shooting has fallen off, and my hunting conditions have changed. I will be shooting a lot this offseason. Especially out of a layout blind
I’ve gleaned some very helpful advice off the forum. When I know everything there is to know about killing ducks, I think I’ll quit

 

[Downwind]

^^^ a 3 gallon bucket laid sideways under the head rest or large back pack does wonders.....also try an outdoor chaise lounge pad to lay on in your layout blind. Keeps you off the ground and adds insulation. Cut a bigger flagging hole on the side of the blind.

 

[California Flyway]

The cost of ammo is a big limitation for young and old shotgun shooters these days wanting to practice. I have layed up a pretty good larder of ammo and recently sold my reloaders. When I took my shotgun reloading components to my local Trap Club to give away they descended on me like a pack of Wolves. Trap and sporting clays shooters have had to face high ammo prices and a lot of reloading components not available even if you have the money.

 

[CA Birdman]

I have the Alps snow goose chair which is like a chaise lounge with ghillie blanket and then hide with tall socks and it is comfortable to hunt with and off the ground.

 

[ducknutz]

Son and I shot QP this am. Just some guy time while he's home for spring break for another couple days. The main event course has a couple tough stations, for sure. Always seem to have a tough time going from birds to clays than the other way around for some reason. Gotta try and keep that muscle memory somehow though. Always a good time, regardless of the card.

 

[millertime]

Am I missing something? The “premier” club in the Great Lakes is all pass shooting birds at birds 40+ yards?

correct
I know 'premier' is in the eyes of the beholder
was not trying to make any claims
'premier' is merely the word that many friends, other hunters around here, and myself have used
and conveys a high quality level
perhaps due to the famous people i hunted with, the restricted access, the top class treatment, the 'old english' punt boats/culture/history, and the cost ($1,750 usd for an afternoon and morning hunt, 1990 dollars)

bradley marsh in ontario - a number of videos and info comes up when googled
they had corn mountains in their 'sanctuaries'
birds would come off of the lake to feed
and naturally 'learn the drill' of swirling around to gain altitude, knowing they had to go over firing rows back to the lake
I mostly hunted the dry standing corn strips, no decoys set out - thus, pass shooting
and 40+ yards - which I have a much higher batting average on than the 15 yards decoying shot (seems too easy, haha)
you could get decoying birds in their marsh, but most of my marsh hunts were on 'closing Saturday' after Christmas with 8" of ice, so the marsh became the same pass shooting as the dry standing corn, birds using the express lane between the sanctuary and the lake

around 2000 they called me for advice in diking a field for flooded corn shooting
I went out for a hunt to critique. the birds were lower, and some decoyed
but they had planted the corn in the wrong direction, perpendicular (crossways) to the flight path to/fro the lake
I told them to plant corn strips heading straight out from the sanctuary to provide visual runways
they said that direction really helped the decoying the next year

but never made it back there
now I understand that all 3 brothers have passed away and it was sold - not confirmed
if so, at least I have the memories