December A Time For Ducks

December Ducks: They're A Different Breed
A FEATURE ARTICLE FROM December, 2001
BY MIKE THOMPSON
The morning was cool and crisp, just like we had anticipated. The sounds of ducks milling around the marsh only heightened our anticipation.
Fresh in our minds was the success we had enjoyed on the opener of duck season some 10 days earlier. Gullible gadwalls and not-so-wary wigeons had made a nice opening-day bag.
The memories of willing ducks cupped and committed over the decoys was something we could not get out of our minds.
Like pups at the supper table waiting on a handout, we almost shivered at the idea of what was to come.
Surely the scene of the first opener could be repeated. After all, the ducks had rested for more than a week without being hunted. A repeat performance was almost a given.
When the first flock spied the decoys, our eyes locked on them like U.S. radar on an Afghanistan warplane. (Do they have any of those left?)
We followed the moves of the flock as they turned, twisted and slowly descended on the decoy spread, only to stop short and out of range.
Was something wrong with our set-up? Could the ducks have seen us?
These questions raced through our minds while we watched the small flock begin to feed on the submerged grasses in the shallow bay we were hunting.
While we pondered the situation, more and more groups of ducks tried to work our decoys, only to veer off at the last second.
Adding to our frustration was these ducks would scatter at any shots fired in the distance,
sometimes barely audible to the human ear.
During the rest of this frustrating morning we managed to scratch down a few ducks short of our limit, but the shooting was tough, often at the extreme range of our steel shot-shells.
Now, any day spent hunting ducks is a blessing indeed, but this day left us pondering many questions.
After much deliberation, we decided there is no other day like a duck opener.
Ducks allowed to feed unmolested for several weeks are like taking candy from a baby on opening day.
Despite the fact there had been no hunting for more than 10 days, these ducks had been hunted on this area before and were behaving accordingly.
Over the next several hunts, we sharpened up our approach to hunting the wily ducks. Attention to details became more of a requirement than an afterthought.
The season was on and the ducks already knew it.

SECOND SPLIT CALLS FOR
ATTENTION TO DETAILS
For the first time in many years the state of Alabama duck season has been split. This means the season was started for a period, then shut down. It is then reopened and will continue until the end of January.
Because a lot of the ducks on the coast are already here for the duration of the winter, the ones that have been hunted on local waters will be much wiser than the early season variety or newly arriving birds.
Just like the ducks, you, as hunters, will have to adjust.
CALLING
At the beginning of duck season the multitude of duck callers must sound like the first day of band class for teachers in September.
Some people are able to produce music from their instruments right away. For others, the shrill squeak coming out almost sounds like music, but not quite.
These "sour notes" are often ignored by comfortable opening-day ducks, but not by seasoned, hunted waterfowl. These ducks are looking for any off sounds that will tip them as to whether they should trust the ducks (decoys) below or avoid them like the plague. For a lot of hunters, it's the latter.
If you're not a seasoned caller with plenty of experience, it's probably a good idea to limit your calling. Use short quacks or soft feeding calls to let ducks know it's safe to come on in.
Try using a pintail or wigeon whistle instead of a traditional duck call. You might be surprised by the results, especially on pressured ducks.
If you must call, make sure once you get the ducks' attention you let your decoys do the rest of the work.
If you are new to calling, try to pick out a call that is easy for you to blow.
There are several double-reed calls on the market that are easy to use. Duck Commander and Haydel's make easy-to-blow calls that won't blow a whole in your budget.
Once you have mastered one of these you can move up to a single-reed call which, while harder to blow, produces some of the most realistic duck talk.
DECOYS
There is no greater mistake in decoy selection than to have species that are not common to your area.
On the coast the majority of ducks seen are teal, gadwall, spoonbills and wigeon. These are the species that should make up the bulk of your spread.
While mallards, which are primarily grain or nut eaters, are the most plentiful duck species, only a small percentage winter right here on our part of the coast where grasses are the most-abundant food.
Having a fleet of mallard decoys could spook wary gadwalls or wigeon. Adjust your decoy spread accordingly.
Numbers of decoys can also be a factor when hunting December ducks.
Before the season, large flocks are the norm for the coast. After weeks of hunting pressure, smaller groups are more likely.
You may just fool some of those educated ducks by reducing the size of your decoy spread.
A group of one dozen or less may make wary ducks more inclined to decoys than the standard 3- to 4-dozen decoy spread.
CONCEALMENT
Concealment or camouflage is a critical factor in December duck- hunting success. The more ducks giving your location a look means there are more pairs of eyes looking for anything not quite right.
Your successful boat blind of weeks earlier will now flare ducks. These man-made grass islands, which are a popular method for hunting on the Alabama coast, will be like beacons of danger, warning ducks to stay away. Try hunting from the bank or natural islands for better success.
Look for a place where ducks are feeding close enough to the bank to offer a legitimate kill shot.
Pay close attention to your camouflage pattern. Make sure it matches the surroundings. While you could have avoided them earlier in the season, face masks will also help conceal you, especially when looking up to see where the ducks are.