Hunting Fun

Duck hunting blinds are camouflaged shelters to conceal the hunter from ducks and other waterfowl when hunting. Duck blinds are permanent or temporary. Meant to conceal hunters so ducks do not notice their movements, some duck blinds are on land while other hunting blinds conceal a hunter’s boat, vehicle, dog, motor, and other items. There is an almost limitless selection of duck blinds for hunting over water. Hunters can make their duck blinds from natural material such as native grasses and vegetation or purchase camouflage hunting blinds. Many public areas prohibit permanent blinds so hunters use temporary duck blinds when hunting in these areas.

Ducks have very good vision so duck blinds should conceal the hunter while blending into the surroundings. In some cases, the natural cover is dense and high enough to hide under but ducks will detect movement so the hunter must stay still. Permanent hunting blinds are usually the most comfortable but building and maintaining the blind is labor intensive.

One disadvantage to a permanent blind is that if the ducks change positions on a body of water, which they do often because they have exhausted the food supply, the wind switches, or the hunting pressure increases, you are not mobile. Hunters with portable blinds easily transport them and set up fast.

Some types of portable blinds include a cameo mesh blind that you drape over poles. You can use this blind both on land and over water to fool the ducks. One-man collapsible duck hunting blinds have an observation window and a seat, which conceals the hunter completely. The hunter collapses the blind by stepping on a pedal when the ducks are close enough to get a clear shot.

Collapsible boat blinds work exactly the same way except they cover the entire Jon or duck boat. Fiberglass one-man coffin duck hunting blinds are really low profile and the hunter stays down by inclining on a backrest. A giant goose, magnum decoy blind with viewing slots, hides the hunters by having them blend into their spread of decoys.

Some of the many permanent duck blinds available include the stilt and box blinds. Theses blinds normally have bench seats, wooden floors and corner posts. Chicken wire covered with vegetation hides the hunters. Box blinds are on land whereas stilt blinds are set in the water.

A boathouse blind is similar to a collapsible boat blind because it covers the entire duck or Jon boat and the hunters. It is almost like a portable garage because they drive heavy posts into the ground with an end opening for the boat to slip out of to recover downed ducks. There is also a door for easy access to a hunting platform.



By: Ronald Piper

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Duck hunting is a popular sport enjoyed by outdoorsmen from around the globe. Ducks are a migratory species, meaning they spend their summers in the northern locations, such as Michigan, North Dakota, and Canada, then when cooler temperatures hit, they begin a long journey south to warmer areas like Texas, Arkansas, Mexico, and South America. Many hunters prepare for months for the upcoming duck season and take great enjoyment out of every aspect of their sport. Especially when dealing with firearms, it’s important to check all of your equipment to be sure it is in great working condition before opening day. Some basic supplies a duck hunter may have are: decoys, duck calls, camouflage clothing, and a shotgun. Some avid hunters may even spend time and money on a duck boat or bird dogs.

The most common gun for use in duck hunting in the United States and Canada is a semi-automatic shotgun or pump action, although some hunters prefer a break action gun such as an over-under or side-by-side. Most western countries, such as Canada, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom have banned the use of toxic shot such as lead. For safety reasons this is good, but the steel replacement poses more of a challenge to the hunter. Steel shot is cheaper, but less effective as it doesn’t have the range that the heavier lead shot did; this means that a hunter must get closer to his target.

One of the most important duck hunting supplies is clothing. Most hunters prefer the use of camouflage as duck’s have phenomenal eye sight, but check local regulations as hunter orange may be required. Duck’s prefer wetland habitats, so the duck hunter often encounters wet situations while out in the field. Also, since duck season is done in the cooler temperatures of fall and winter, having appropriate clothing for conditions is essential. A hunter will get years of use out of his waders, a pair of waterproof pants with boots attached. This will allow him to focus on his target and not his steps to avoid puddles; he will also be better able to retrieve his kill if he’s not using a dog. Finding clothing that is lightweight, yet very warm and well insulated will be the most important thing a hunter can do for himself. The hunter should be able to move well in the clothing, and waterproof wear will always be an asset. All too often a hunter underestimates the cold conditions and has to cut his hunt short due to inappropriate clothing.



By: Abhishek Agarwal

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Whilst duck and other waterbird populations may change and a hunter’s success will vary, duck hunting gear on the other hand just keeps improving. These improvements include everything from ammunition, clothing, blinds, dog training methods, decoys, and other hunting gear.

Many hunters believe that modern duck hunting shells and ammunition available today are far better than the lead shot from years ago. Many of the major improvements include higher velocity loads proving greater shooting distance and non-toxic shot making the consumption of the bird more palatable. With this improved equipment, hunters can bag ducks from further away and have far more choices available in ammunition.

Camouflage hunting wear have certainly improved duck hunting success. Todays garments are made from extremely lightweight, waterproof materials that keep you comfortable and dry far longer. New hunting jackets are wind proof, keep the hunter warm, are lightweight and give the duck hunter’s freedom of movement.

They make duck boats much more advanced and specialized today than the boats from years ago. Duck boats are an important part of the necessary duck hunting gear used for navigating lakes, cattail sloughs, swamps, big rivers, and streams. Manufacturers of watercraft realized the importance of boats for waterfowl hunters and today, almost every major boat manufacturer got on the bandwagon and now produces waterfowl / duck boats. There are Jon boats for duck hunters that come in many different lengths, models, a big selection of camouflage paint colors, and have accessories available such as a built in fuel tank, grab rails, gun storage boxes, lights, bilge pumps, center or side console steering, ice chests, and bench seats. Some boats even have lockable dry storage and shelving for storing decoys, shotguns, and many other duck hunting gear items.

Both land and boat duck blinds today have undergone huge design changes with better designs, materials, and superior construction. When it comes to the right gear, the new duck blinds are easy to install, portable, compact, affordable, lightweight, and hide hunters efficiently. The boat blinds are made of rugged nylon fabric, with sturdy frames, and easy to setup, attach, and take down.

Duck boat motors have also undergone a variety of important changes over the years. Surface drive model mud motors move both larger and small duck boats across water-related obstacles such as logs, sand, mud, swamps, weeds, and other things that would bog down or destroy the old water-cooled, conventional outboard engines from years ago. Compared to years ago, todays modern equipment certainly makes hunting easier and far safer for duck and waterfowl hunters. Hunters are now comfortable while they enjoy their favorite outdoor activity.



By: David G Johnston

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Every duck hunter knows you need to have a lot of duck hunting gear with you when you head out to the blind. The ability to carry all of this gear to and from the duck blind is no easy feat, so it is important to fill a blind bag and have it ready to go. When we compiled the following list, we have taken into account the fact that you already have a duck hunting gun, ammunition and decoys. So, to help you decide what duck hunting equipment is a necessity, we have listed the top eight items every waterfowl hunter should carry.

1. The first order of business and the first item on our list, is a high quality blind bag which can organize all of your gear. This is your primary piece of equipment. My favorite is the Avery Floating Blind Bag. It has enough room to carry everything a waterfowler needs. Not to mention its water repellant construction and buoyancy makes this bag an excellent choice.

2. There is no sense in going hungry while you are in the blind. Snacks and water are the next order of business. What types of snacks isn’t all that important, but items which are individually packed such as trail mix and cereal bars will be protected if, the unfortunate should happen and they get wet. Coffee or water can be taken; finding a thermos which floats is a good idea. Oh, by the way, while you’re at it, don’t forget some snacks for man’s best friend.

3. Many duck hunters head out to the blind in the pre-dawn hours much like their deer hunting counterparts. A ball cap light will help until the sun brightens up the landscape.

4. A jerk cord is a must have item. This is the simplest, yet most effective item to create motion on the water when mother nature doesn’t do it for you.

5. A good set of binoculars should be a given no matter what you are hunting. I would suggest a minimum of 8×42. This should be perfect for spotting the ducks off in the distance.

6. You never know when you will need to mend something or improvise a jerk cord in the field. Having an extra nylon cord is always a good idea. This simple, yet versatile piece of equipment can save you a lot of headaches when you are out at the blind.

7. Duck hunters spend many a cold morning in the blind. Having some hand and foot warmers will make the wait easier to take.

8. Last but definitely not least, a prepared duck hunter should have multiple duck calls to increase his chances of success. Consider having a double reed call, short reed goose call and a whistle call in your arsenal.

Being prepared when heading out to the duck hunting blind will make your duck hunting experience a more enjoyable and hopefully a more successful one. Having this essential duck hunting gear ready before you head out will help to eliminate any stress along the way.



By: Keith Cantelmo

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One of the fondest memories of my childhood is playing Duck Hunt on the original Nintendo 8 bit system when I used to be a kid way back in the 1980s! My friends and I use to sit around and play duck hunting games and shoot thousands of ducks. We really had a ton of fun with a small gray plastic light gun that you would point at the screen. This toy gun had a built in laser for shooting ducks on our console TV.

Nintendo games and video games in general have really developed into something spectacular since first being introduced in the 1970s. The first system our family got was an Atari and I thought that was cool back then. Then we got the Nintendo and were blown away by duck hunting games and Super Mario Brothers.

I am amazed by the videos games that are around today. I see graphics that are nearly lifelike, with absolutely incredible 3D perspectives and scenes. The most popular games in this area are first person shooter games. However, these types of games have a lot more action and violence than the old school duck hunting games I grew up with.

I walked into a local video arcade last week and was shocked to see how expensive it is to play a video game for only a few minutes. These games are very complicated and I am sure they must cost several thousand dollars. Modern day video arcade games make duck hunting games and other types of games I grew up with look completely ancient.

I have not found a video arcade in the area that still has duck hunting games like they use to have back in the 1990s. Most arcades would probably go out of business by having games like that with such primitive graphics. People today want to play the ultra violent first person shooter games where there is a lot of blood and gore.

All video games are so addictive and essentially a big waste of time. The problem is, once you start playing, it is hard to quit. In fact, when I was a child, I even rode my bike about 4 miles to the largest video arcade in the city, just to go play games for few hours.

It would really be nice to find a casual and laid back video arcade in the area with the kind of classic and low key video games that I grew up with. Playing silly duck hunting games on Nintendo, or even combat on Atari, was fun for hours when I was young.



By: Dugan Dimensheski

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I would like to cover every aspect of this topic. In order to keep things short I have only included the major topics detailed as good as possible.

Duck hunting can be complete on dry land and you can use duck hunting boats as well. These boats are great for hunting for ducks in a diversity of environments that other boats will have difficulties in. You can prefer the type of boat that will best suit the terrain you are preparation on doing your hunting in. For duck hunters this means have a knowledge of the habitat their prey lives and feeds in.

While the majority of duck hunters prefer to hunt ducks from behind a duck blind, there are some who prefer to look for their game birds in other places. For these people sometimes the terrain they need to travel over is that of swamps and marshes. Since these places are full of water and dozens of leafy hiding places, they are ideal for ducks.

Before you can flush your game birds out into the open you need to get to them. This is where duck hunting boats with flat bottoms come in handy. The companies who manufacture these types of flat bottom duck hunting boats have investigated the various necessarily of duck hunters. The boats are configured to float through the waterways with minimal difficulties to the duck hunter.To make sure that the duck hunting watch has ample room to store their gear and hunting rifles these duck William Holman Hunt boats are provided with stock space. You will find duck hunting boats which are designed to hold not just the duck hunter, but also their dogs, decoy ducks, and all of the equipment which is required for duck hunting…please continue on a site that is all about this topic and other related information for your interests…

I hope you enjoyed reading this article and found the information useful and interesting.



By: Michael Malega

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Getting started in the sport of duck hunting can be simple or it can get expensive quickly. This is partly due to the fact that there is several different ways to hunt ducks. However you would like to get started we’ll help you out below.

How ever you choose to hunt ducks having a well trained retriever is very important. In many situations heavy vegetation such cattails will exist and a fallen or crippled duck can be virtually impossible to find if downed in these situations. You owe it to yourself and out of respect for the duck to find each and every bird taken.

Hip Boots or Waders
Since ducks spend most of their time around water such as creeks, rivers, lakes, and marshes you will of course need a pair of hip boots or chest waders. Hip boots are fine for hunting shallow creeks and small rivers but will not be high enough for most marshes. Chest waders provide a much more versatile solution and will also keep your **** dry when sitting a water soaked log. While both boots were made of rubber or canvas years ago neoprene boots now provide the best solution as they are also very warm.

Camouflage Apparel
A warm versatile camouflage jacket or parka is essential to stay warm on cold damp mornings in the marsh. A jacket with a zip liner is the best solution as it can be used early on in the season when it’s warmer, and then both the line and shell together when it gets cold later on. Choose a camo pattern that best blends in with the vegetation you hunt around most frequently. Camouflaged gloves and a cap will be needed to stay warm and hidden from the ducks as well.

Shotgun
A shotgun capable of shooting steel shot or another approved non-toxic load is of course needed to get started duck hunting. The most common gauge used by waterfowl hunters is the 12 gauge. The smaller 20 gauge is a popular gun for youth. The 10 gauge is still used by hard core duck hunters that want maximum range. Both pump and semi-automatic shotguns are popular choices.

Duck Decoys
Decoys are of course need to hunt ducks over decoys versus other techniques such as pass shooting or jump shooting ducks. Hunting ducks over decoys is an art that takes years and years of experience to become proficient. Plastic ducks are the most popular and cost effective solution. The best advice is to buy the most realistic and quality decoys you can afford as they can last for years with a little care.

Duck Calls
A good duck call and the skill to operate it are necessary for luring ducks into a decoy spread. Calling ducks is truly an art that many fail to master as it takes countless hours of practice to sound like a duck in addition to knowing what sounds to make and when to use these sounds. Fortunately many good training DVDs are available.

Boot Dryers
The way boots can keep you warm is if they are dry. Boot liners can get very damp from sweat. This dampness can cause cold feet the next morning so every night after hunting be sure to dry them out and you will be much more comfortable the next day.

Well several hundred dollars later we’re at the end. If this expense seems overwhelming try starting with the just the bare minimal. Decoys and a call are not needed to simply pass shoot and jump shoot ducks.



By: Jeff Matura

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If only duck hunting were as simple as going out to a local slough and calling “here ducky, ducky, ducky”! Unfortunately, there is much more involved than that when it comes to bring our feathered friends close to our shotgun barrels. This article is meant to steer through the many options out there for being successful at duck hunting. In an attempt to separate the wheat from the chaff, here are the secrets that will ensure a duck hunting success next time you are in the blind.

Scouting

Due to the time consuming nature of scouting it is often the thing that gets put aside first, but given the way that the environment a duck lives in is ever changing it really is a necessity. Simply put, a duck needs three things to survive and prosper: food, shelter and a place to rest. If you find a spot that has all three of these you are in for some great shooting! Often it is a bit harder than that, but the key is to remember that we must always keep these three things in mind while scouting. Due to the fact that hunting inherently removes a place from being a great resting spot for ducks (would you consider a place that you get shot at a restful place?), focusing on food source for ducks is the key here. Find duck ***** and coot and you will find ducks is an age old adage that is spot on.

Concealment

Once you have found that perfect out of the way spot that is loaded with duck food the key becomes hiding near it so as to get high quality shots. As an duck hunter can attest, ducks have keen eye sight that can bust a hunter in a split second if not properly hidden. Remember to always attempt to use the natural surrounding vegetation in your duck blind as this is the best way to appear a natural part of the landscape. If you can’t completely hide yourself, remember that movement is often the key thing that ducks notice on the wing. Another great tip to conceal yourself is to use whatever shadows are provided by the surrounding habitat. There are nature’s great camouflage and work great to keep the prying eyes of overhead ducks at bay.

Using these two duck hunting secrets is guaranteed to put more ducks in your bag next time you are out. It may take a bit more effort, but that effort is what separates the great duck hunters from the hunters that simply shoot ducks here and there. If you can perfect your scouting and concealment techniques you will become the envy of your fellow hunters and that will translate into more success in the field.



By: John R. Olson

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Finding good duck hunting boats is an extremely important factor in your duck hunting success. Very simply, no matter how good a hunter you might be, if you don’t possess the right equipment you can never be as effective at hunting duck and waterfowl as you otherwise might be. Hopefully these tips will be to find the best duck hunting boats and duck boat blinds and other equipment for your duck hunting expeditions.

First of all, you can either go duck hunting by land or by water. If you do want to go by water, you can either hunt from the shore or from a boat. When you are looking for the best boats to purchase, you have to know exactly what kind of water that you plan on hunting in, so you can find the right boat that will fit your needs.

For instance, while some hunters like to hunt by sneaking up behind the ducks, there are also others who like to look to travel to other places. Therefore, you might want to consider whether not you need to travel over some swamps and marshes to get to the area you want to go to.

Some of these places offer a lot of tall reeds and great hiding places, and you can often times hide from the ducks and shoot them without them ever seen you. There for coming of the boats they can handle this kind of terrain.

If the ducks are in the water, before you can get them you have to be able to get them out in the open where you can hunt them. This is the reason you have to purchase duck hunting boats, especially with a flat bottom.

Most of the firms that make these at manufacture them specifically to float to the water with minimal difficulties. Also, most of them come with a lot of room for you to put your other duck hunting equipment, such as dogs, decoy ducks, and any other criminal you might consider bringing along.

These duck hunting boats come in many different models and sizes, and you will need to decide which one will best suit your needs. Also, most come in camouflage paint colors, so that you can blend in better with your surroundings.

Don’t ever purchase a boat with bright colors, as they will be extremely easy for the ducks to say. Also, look for both to have built-in accessories such as the fuel tank, he grab rails, gun storage boxes, etc. Don’t settle for second best to go if you’re hunting boat; these can make or break your success of your trip.

The best way to find these, of course, is simply going on the Internet and finding a hunting boat that meets your budget. Once you’ve done this, simply read reviews on them and the Internet, you can find the best hunting boat without having to spend your money beforehand. There’s nothing worse than buying a boat on the Internet and find that it’s the wrong one for your needs; use these tips do find the best one.

Also, some other great duck hunting tips besides the boat that you’ll need to keep in mind is to always wear camouflage when hunting. Whenever you wear camouflage, no matter what kind of animal you are hunting, this can greatly improve your success, because you blend better with your surroundings. Most of the time, this camouflage is made out of very lightweight and waterproof materials that you can stay dry a couple in for a very long time.

Also, generally speaking, these camouflage lifejackets come water proof, which will keep you warm at the same time. There’s nothing worse than sitting on a boat for hours and freezing to death in wet clothes, and you won’t have to worry about this when wearing camouflage hunting gear. Hopefully, these duck hunting boats tips will help you to find the best boat and other equipment for your duck hunting needs.



By: Walter Madison

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Duck hunting is a relaxing and gratifying way to enjoy the outdoors. Being successful requires real patience, to be still and quiet waiting for the ducks to touch down, a good eye for that shot and invariably persistence in dismissing the sometimes seeping cold.

Great skill is also needed. Choosing the right size and type of decoy, siting them correctly – which means reading and noting wind conditions. Shotguns need to be carefully cleaned and shot kept in good shape and on hand.

The triumph is to bag trophies. With ducks this will be not too many, to avoid overkill, and not too few. Enough to know that one’s time and skill is vindicated.

The hull of duck hunting boats is nearly flat. In fact some argue that the most successful duck hunts undertaken are from layout boats and that the skill involved in this type of water-fowling will soon cease to exist.

The layout boat has a very low profile, lying close to the water. Both boat and hunter being well camouflaged, hunting takes place in the middle of the lake where the decoys have already been carefully laid out. The hunter lies down, almost flat, with room for him to be able to sit up and take a shot at the appropriate moment. Remember that most duck hunts take part in winter so true dedication to this art is required to follow the practice.

Layout boats are around 19″ high, 11′-15′ in length and 6′-8′ wide. The wider they are the more stable they’ll be. However this is only a small part of the overall outfit. One also needs a boat to retrieve the birds, transport the hunters and the decoys, and to tow the layout to its place.

These boats are hard to find commercially. People who use them generally build their own.

There are other boats from which one can successfully hunt like the Jon boat or canoe. This is also flat-bottomed with one, two or three bench seats. They are known to be stable, important for the moment when the shot is fired.

The flat bottom also means that the boat can go into marsh and reed where ducks may hide, without running aground.

Purchasing an outfit is one way to go, but there are alternatives. One of these is to build your own boat. In fact if you are an outdoor enthusiast, the choice of boat plans are endless. An advantage of building your own from these well constructed plans is that they are cost effective.

If you are interested in checking it out, click the link below to find out more.



By: Doreen Murgatroyd

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