| Duck hunting is the sport of hunting | | | | have a low profile in a field without |
| ducks. Duck hunters normally use a 20, | | | | digging a hole. It is made of a metal |
| 12 or 10 gauge shotgun. Decoys and duck | | | | frame and canvas. The hunter crawls in |
| calls are commonly used. The term | | | | and lies down in the blind. When birds |
| waterfowl is interchangeable with duck | | | | are coming in the hunter can sit up and |
| or goose. Most geese are taken over land | | | | shoot. |
| or fields and most ducks are taken over | | | | With the growing popularity of |
| water. | | | | motorcraft such as boats in waterfowl |
| Shotgun | | | | hunting, many individuals have elected |
| The duck gun in the United States and | | | | to use boat blinds also known as pop-up |
| Canada is usually a pump action or | | | | blinds. Boat blinds are used to conceal |
| semi-automatic shotgun, however a number | | | | a hunter when hunting out of a boat. |
| of hunters choose to hunt with break | | | | Boat blinds can be hand made or are |
| action guns including side-by-side and | | | | available from manufacturers. |
| over-under guns. In the United States, | | | | Oftentimes creating a temporary fixture |
| UK, Canada, and many western European | | | | or blind as a method of concealment is |
| countries (France in 2006) all shot used | | | | popular using native grasses or marsh |
| for waterfowl must be non-toxic, and | | | | vegetation. Temporary blinds are common |
| therefore may not contain any lead. | | | | in protected and public areas where a |
| Steel is the cheapest alternative to | | | | permanent fixture is forbidden. |
| lead but steel has a much less effective | | | | Temporary blinds can be very simple and |
| range than lead. 30 to 40 yards is | | | | usually require a three dimensional |
| considered the maximum effective range | | | | enclosure to conceal hunters from |
| for duck hunting. In order to kill a | | | | circling flocks. |
| duck or goose with a shotgun the bird | | | | Clothing |
| must be close. | | | | Duck season takes place in the fall and |
| To do this, the hunter chooses a | | | | the weather can be harsh. All the |
| position that appeals to the waterfowl | | | | clothing needs to be waterproof. Most |
| as a safe place to rest or feed. | | | | duck hunters hunt over water which means |
| Decoys | | | | they stand in water or in a boat. In |
| Duck decoys are used to attract birds a | | | | order to stand in the water and stay dry |
| hunting spot or blind. The three most | | | | the hunter must wear waders. Waders are |
| common materials used in decoys are | | | | pants that have attached boots and are |
| wood, cork and plastic. Cork is almost | | | | completely waterproof. Duck hunting is a |
| the same density as a duck and therefore | | | | very cold sport and the hunter must be |
| is considered to be the most realistic | | | | well insulated from the cold. Ducks also |
| in the way that it floats and moves on | | | | have great vision which requires the |
| the water. Wood is a cheap alternative | | | | hunters clothing to be well camouflaged. |
| to cork. Most hunters no longer use wood | | | | Many clothing manufacturers such as |
| or cork decoys because they are heavy | | | | Drake, Herters, Whitewater and Mad Dog |
| and maintenance intensive. Plastic | | | | have incorporated use of modern apparel |
| decoys are much more common due to their | | | | technologies to provide added comfort |
| commercial availability and cost. Decoys | | | | and protection from the diverse weather |
| come in almost all species of duck and | | | | elements that waterfowl hunters can be |
| goose that are hunted. Most hunting | | | | subjected to. |
| experts agree that mallard decoys work | | | | Dogs |
| best for general hunting situations | | | | Duck hunters quite often employ a dog to |
| because mallards are the most common | | | | retrieve downed birds. Most often |
| species in North America and most other | | | | hunters use retrievers, though Spaniels |
| species are willing to land in their | | | | and some versatile breeds can also fit |
| flock. | | | | the bill. The use of a dog provides a |
| [edit] | | | | number of advantages. As duck hunting |
| Calls | | | | often takes place in cold wet locations, |
| A duck call is a very simple woodwind | | | | the use of a dog frees the hunter from |
| instrument. It has a barrel, a sounding | | | | potentially dangerous forays into cold |
| board and a reed. The caller grunts into | | | | water to retrieve the bird. Such efforts |
| the call while saying “hut”. This | | | | can be dangerous for the hunter, but are |
| produces a call that sounds like a | | | | managed by a dog quite easily. It also |
| mallard hen quacking. There are calls | | | | allows for the recovery of wounded birds |
| for almost all species of ducks. The | | | | that might otherwise escape. A dog's |
| pintail, teal, wood ducks and other | | | | acute sense of smell allows them to find |
| ducks including the male, or drake, | | | | the wounded birds. The use of a dog |
| mallard make whistling calls. | | | | prevents waste and ensures that a higher |
| The majority of duck sounds or chatter | | | | percentage of birds shot, end up on the |
| people have heard and are familiar with | | | | table. |
| comes from female, or hen, mallards. | | | | Conservation |
| Blinds | | | | Waterfowl are indigenous to marsh and |
| There are numerous types of structures | | | | wetlands areas that are shrinking. |
| that qualify as duck blinds. Blinds can | | | | Wetland conservation critical for |
| be temporary or permanent. | | | | continuance of waterfowl hunting. |
| There are two common types of blinds for | | | | Organizations such as Ducks Unlimited |
| landand field based waterfowl hunting: | | | | are making a concerted effort to |
| pit and layout blinds. The pit blind is | | | | maintain and expand waterfowl and |
| a solid structure that is placed into a | | | | marshland conservation to ensure safety |
| hole in the ground or on the bank of a | | | | and expansion of this sport. |
| pond. Lay out blinds allow a hunter to | | | | |