Waterfowl Hunting Hacks | Game Changing Tips

Waterfowl hunting is not easy. And it can be a cold and wet experience. But gosh, we love it! The love for hunting ducks and geese tends to sink into your bones. There are so many factors to success, which makes it both frustratingly challenging and hopelessly addicting. Duck hunting is never as straight-forward as it seems, so we’ve compiled a list of waterfowl hunting hacks from our ambassadors and partners to help you make the most of your hunting season!

Kyle Green

Host of The Green Way Outdoors

Tip 1: Moving Decoys

I have found that a few decoys that move are far more effective than a big group of still decoys on days without wind. They make decoys that splash, make ripples and a classic jerk cord can also help on a budget. Ducks are typically scanning for movement when in the air. A couple of moving decoys are way more realistic than a bunch of decoys sitting still. 

Tip 2: Remote Control Spinning Wing Decoys

Spinning wing decoys can be very effective when hunting ducks. They have become so effective that they are illegal in some hunting areas. If you are going to purchase one, I recommend one with a remote control. This way you can turn it off, once you get the ducks attention. Just leaving it on continuously can look unnatural and weary birds will likely flare away. 

Tip 3: Dry Age Duck

Dry aging ducks makes an incredible difference in the taste of the meat. Without aging duck meat, you will taste their blood and the pond water that they swim in. Learn from Kyle Green on how to properly dry age your ducks in this video.

Follow The Green Way Outdoors on Instagram @thegreenwayoutdoors 

Daniel Groce

Tip 1: Don't Be "That Guy"

Waterfowl hunting by nature is a great chance to enjoy something with a group. With that said, there is always that "One Guy" in the group that seems to take more than he gives. One of the best ways to ensure you always get invited back in the future is to always bring something to the table. Be the guy or gal that buys breakfast for the group, bring brush for the blinds to save time in the morning. Bring drinks or coffee, pitch in for fuel costs, or stay late post hunt and pick up all the decoys. There are several ways to be an asset on a duck hunt, just make sure you're not "that guy".  

Tip 2: Pre-Season Homework

Every summer the days get long and miserable, while we sit in the AC and dream about those windy cold days in the blind. With this on the brain, we often invest in new guns and gear. Opening day is never a great way to "test" out these new toys we have invested in over the long off-season. Get your butt off the couch and put that new shell, gun, or choke combo on paper. Ensure you have an effective killing patter, as well as know your lethal range before hitting the field. Buy a shiny new call in July? Then carry that bad boy in the pickup and hammer away. Nothing better than showing up to the hunt confident in your newfound calling ability. Do a dry run with your new gear, get it out and make sure you are familiar with it. Trust me, figure it out now before opening day gets here. 

Tip 3: Post-Hunt Management

Everyone enjoys burning barrels and high fiving in the blind. Heck, as waterfowl hunters everything we do the other 305 days a year leading up to that moment wings lock up and feet hit the deck. But the most crucial part of the hunt and most overlooked is the post-hunt bird cleaning. Plan ahead by bringing supplies that help this important step go as smooth as possible. Tag limits in case your hunting party has to travel across state lines with their birds. Have a few new Ziplock bags handy to throw into a cooler. Knowing where the closet station is to get fresh ice. A sharp knife or clippers will make short work of tasty ducks or geese. Be respectful to the landowners because some folks do not want you to clean or dispose of bird carcasses on their property. Have an industrial trash bag handy for breasted birds and post-hunt clean up. Make the end of the hunt just as enjoyable as the rest of the morning.  

Tip 4: Be Invisible

Having the ability to hide in plain sight, will day in and day out will put more birds in your bag. With this being said, it takes a little old school know-how to make these modern-day blinds disappear. Most new out of the box A-frames or layout blinds come from the factory with a sort of a "sheen" to them. Think of your truck after you just spent all day waxing it. One trip down a dirt road and it has lost all its shine with a dull matte coat of dust. We apply the same idea to our new blinds. Instead of dirt or mud we can go to our local hardware store and ick up some matte camo can of spray paint. Start out with a light dusting to see how much you need to add. Make sure to coat any shiny parts of the frame or hardware, as well as all of the hard edges. Once painted, let it air dry outside for a couple days. OD Green and Flat Tan are my favorite to use. Add a layer of natural brush once you arrive to the area you'd like to hunt and BOOM your now invisible.    

Follow Daniel on Instagram @mojobuck80

Todd Helms

Wingmen by Eastmans

Get Faster Reloads - Right handed shooters should keep extra shotshells in their right pockets or on their right side in a readily accessible location. This allows for faster reloading thanks to holding the firearm in their non-dominant hand, leaving the dominant, more coordinated hand, free to reload and run the gun's controls. Simply reverse this for lefties.

Follow Wingmen by Eastmans on Instagram @wingmen_usa

Fisher Neal

The most important factor in duck hunting is being where the birds want to be. It's easy to decoy birds if you're set up right where they like to hang out, and very challenging to pull them off their routines if you're not. Weather and other factors are always affecting where they're finding food. Sometimes it's totally different one year and the next, and sometimes things change in a day when there's a big weather event. Burn some gas, wear out some neoprene, bring some binoculars, and come back to hunt a day or two after you find them somewhere.

Follow Fisher Neal on Instagram @huntingactor

Michael J. Stroff III

Father of Mike Stroff, host of Savage Outdoors and The One

Decoys matter!! Cannot tell you how often I see decoy sets that make no sense. Wind is the deciding factor on which end of a decoy spread has a J hook. Even if the wind is wrong you can make them fly your spread. Watch how the birds react to your spread. Adjust based on their flyover. 50 years of watching ducks decoy tells me that your spread makes a hunt. Get out there and move those decoys until it works!

Follow Savage Outdoors on Instagram @savageoutdoors_theone

Nick Ventura

Host of Become 1 TV

Where I grew up majority of the birds we hunted used to roost on the lakes.  We used to hunt a lot of corn fields in the later part of the season.  The most success I ever found was when I would follow birds in the morning off the lake or the roosting spot to see where they would feed.  Sometimes birds would fly for a long time, and it was literally “a wild goose chase”, but other times you could find where they were feeding not far from the roost.  There is nothing quite like being on the “X”, some of those hunts where you find the perfect spot will be hunts you will never forget.  

Follow Become 1 on Instagram at @become1_tv

Calahan Henry

Host of Inside Outdoors TV

The world of waterfowl hunting is a constantly changing environment. There are a couple different factors that are in an ever so changing cycle that make this sport the challenge that it is. The alternating flyways have an impact on where the birds will be one season to the next. The slightest shift in food or water could cause your previous year honey hole to not be so honey hole anymore. So that brings me to the next and possibly the biggest factor of all, weather. Keep an eye on your weather and a closer eye on the coming cold fronts. Birds from up north will group and stage until the cold weather arrives. They will either be just ahead of the front or will be right in the middle of it. Some of my best hunts have been on the nastiest of cold fronts. With that being said, always make sure to practice proper safety and have the gear necessary for the elements. If you’re looking for that hunt of a lifetime with your pals, make sure you’re in the blind when that cold fronts arrives in your neck of the woods.

Follow Inside Outdoors TV at @insideoutdoorstv_official

Allie Butler

As the hunting season approaches, I wanted to share some of my best advice for a successful and enjoyable waterfowl hunting experience. First and foremost, it's crucial to hunt where the ducks and geese are feeding. These beautiful creatures are constantly on the move, searching for their next meal. By scouting and identifying their feeding grounds, you increase your chances of encountering them during their feeding frenzy. So, grab your binoculars, study their patterns, and find those hotspots! Now, let's talk about the importance of decoys. These lifelike replicas play a vital role in attracting waterfowl to your hunting area. Set up your decoys strategically, mimicking a natural feeding or resting scene. The sight of other ducks or geese on the water will pique their curiosity and draw them closer to investigate. Remember, the more realistic your decoy spread, the better your chances of luring them in.

Follow Allie at @alliembutler

Sallie Doty

Good fitting waders are a must have. Another waterfowling tip is to pack extra clothes and shoes for after the hunt. You may end up getting into the water and getting cold and a little wet. Pack a bag of dry comfortable clothes for the drive home.

Follow Sallie at @sallie_doty

Lee & Tiffany Lakosky

Hosts of The CRUSH 

Tip 1: Use Heated Socks

Use heated socks in your waders! Use the kind with the long cords (ours are Gerbing) and run the cord up the side of your waders so you can change up the batteries. Also, make sure you try them out before you are standing in flooded timber. Sure, we can handle the cold but why be uncomfortable when there is something that can help you stay out longer. 

Tip 2: One Dog at a Time

Only hunt one of your retriever dogs one at a time. Years ago when we had Mattie and Tank we wanted both our dogs out, but it was a terrible mistake as they were both competitive and behaved horribly so it was a lot of extra work for us as handlers. It also created vocal issues because they both wanted to retrieve so badly. Our trainer, Tom Dokken of Dokken’s Oak Ridge Kennels gave us this advice but sadly, we didn’t listen, but now we know. Live and learn! 

Follow The CRUSH on Instagram @thecrushtv