Best time of day to duck hunt?

[njgolfer]

I love hunting but love my sleep almost as much, I often work late into the night. Can I be successful duck hunting without having to be set up by daybreak? What are the typical duck daily cyles - feed, rest, etc. and when is it best to get them? Thanks.

[Rem870sm]

i always find that there is nothing like the daybreak setup, sometimes the night flight can be good but the good flights always start at 1 min after hours close.....:huh:

[salt-hay]

You can kill ducks any time of day, especially if it's cold out.

But you'll need to find loafing, feeding, and roosting area's and hunt accordingly.

At First light they wake up strech their wings and always give good action. You'll almost always get some shooting early if you are in a ducky spot. Otherwise it is a more hit or miss proposal.

[Sterling Tackle]

Study the duck patterns where you hunt. You may find that tide or wind effect thier movement.

[tool box]

Morning hands down is the best time. As it gets colder they do move a bit more during the day. Also in my experience I have more flight throughout the day in coastal areas. Like the guys said if you can get their patterns dialed in you will be successful.

[massbaster]

All of the answers are good ones.....I really like the answer about patterning the area. I have a favorite area I hunt and hands down the night flights are 2-1 better than the morning. I set my hunts up for first light to 11:00am and 3:00pm till dark (legal shooting time). Reading tides is #1 on tidal waters....I will say timing high tide for flooded areas at night is great!!!!

[feathersnfins]

duck hunting and sleep dont mix. Always Burnin' Both Ends. Morning, Tides and Cold Damp Air. Unfortunately it gets cold enough down here about 2 times a season.

[tool box]

duck hunting and sleep dont mix. Always Burnin' Both Ends. Morning, Tides and Cold Damp Air. Unfortunately it gets cold enough down here about 2 times a season.

Get enough sleep when you are dead. Gotta be out there. My wife hates it I sleep downstairs days I get up. Don't want to wake the wife and baby up.

[feathersnfins]

once left my wife at home with our twins, about 3 months old screaming in bed with her. Got about halfway down the road and said this would probably not be good. Like legal papers not good:thdown:Turned around got home my son had crapped all over the bed. Helped out and got things settled for about a half hour and jumped back in the truck. Limited out on birds that day:thup: Gotta respect Karma baby!

[wall hanger]

Start Goose Hunting! Theese birds don't usually start flying until 7:45 to 8:00 am (check your watch when you see the first flocks of Canadas). This will give at least an extra hour or so of sleep! Afternoon hunts can be very productive on pond or non tidal marshes for duck.

[njgolfer]

Thanks for the feedback. I could kill millions of geese where I live and hunt, we are crazy with them. Unfortunately for me, Canadian Geese taste like crap (maybe that's just how I cook them) and I only will hunt what I will eat (unless there is some Chinese restaurant near me that will take them).

I will give the early AM hunting more effort. I mostly hunt the Black River and Clinton WMAs.

[massbaster]

Canadian Geese taste like crap

All on how you cook them (marinade, marinade and ...marinade) ....last geese I cooked tasted like fillet...I took some to work and grilled them on the barbi...I didnt tell my bosses what is was till they ate it. They have been asking for more lol....cant wait till 11/15......

[ACEarcher]

Yeah goose is something you must do right. I had a couple of my dad's friends that where a lil nervious about eating goose that I prepared because of past experiences. But I marinate and cure the heck out of the fillets. Goose also makes good jerky. All that dark meat makes it very sweet.

[waterman482]

I love hunting but love my sleep almost as much, I often work late into the night. Can I be successful duck hunting without having to be set up by daybreak? What are the typical duck daily cyles - feed, rest, etc. and when is it best to get them? Thanks.

There are alot of spots we do well at depending on the tide, the birds come to feed at low tide.Hope that helps.

[Darrin Greene]

effing brant feed at low tide LOL!

you have to learn your area, what weather pushes birds where and at what time of day w/the effect of tide

i routinely hunt from 10-2 certain times of the year depending on weather conditions and tide

the guys think i'm nuts when i show up and they are leaving after getting up at 4 am and killing nothing...

i have been told literally dozens of times what no birds were around only to kill a limit in 60 minutes and go home happy

[tool box]

[QUOTE=Darrin Greene;7400]effing brant

Uhhhh, I love brant...now you want something that tastes like crap try a brant and don't give me that marinade line.

[massbaster]

I have never tried brant.... :huh:

[salt-hay]

I have never tried brant.... :huh:


Good for you!.........not missing much!

[massbaster]

Good for you!.........not missing much!

haha..I hear that about buffies too..... ill always try something new though....I have something marinating in the fridge right now...heres a hint :wave:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y49/pop_r_master/mallards.jpg

[tool box]

Good for you!.........not missing much!

Jode what's up Dennie here.

[salt-hay]

Hi Dennie,
Not much:thup: Been ducking a bit and Deer hunting out back with the rut starting......Plus carving and painting like crazy to get ready for Easton......Will be doing more with the ducks once our second split starts.......Jode

[tool box]

i dont' think I am going to make Easton this year too much going on. Still trying to get some striper fishing in and duck hunt so no time for the decoys right now.

I will shoot you and email maybe we can trade some hunts this season