Hunting schedule

[Wingman]

How many days a week do yall hunt a particular hole? Do you hunt them two or three days in a row and do you have a set time to be out each day?

I've hunted spots in the past that were only good for once every week or so. But if you've got ducks using one hole and none of the others, do you hunt it back to back and/or limit your time in there each morning to just a few hours?

Also, barring the last few days of the season, when would you say its okay to hunt afternoons? Fronts, ice, moon, etc.

[missed mallards]

Truthfully, it depends on the day.

On average, 3 hunts a week.

If i had more places, maybe twice, maybe once, but at 3 hunts a week, we've done ok without disturbing the birds that use the grounds (all morning hunts, all ending before 10 am most at . We have another spot we call the "yeah that's it" that we can hunt every morning, as it's a staging area. Only problem there, they come in before light, or 5 minutes before shooting light, and leave. we wait until 'time' and have had some awesome hunts on that little small area, but then again, we've been lucky! between shooting time, and 30 minutes after, if you haven't limited, you won't!

With that said, I hunt another location that can only be hunted once a week, or once every two weeks, or the birds will not land there. On that location, we limit shots to later than 7:15, and try not to shoot until the mass of birds have left (it's a roost/midday hole).

Once January comes, and around the 10th, I begin hunting afternoons if the birds permit. I call an afternoon from 12 noon to say 3, no later than 3:30. Although the last day, we hunt until last shooting light given we haven't limited by then.

When is it OK to hunt afternoons? I don't know if it's ever ok, honestly. I've ruined several good spots by shooting later in the day, then again, i've had my best hunts ever on afternoons? On my best hunts, and on my land, we can quit shooting at 3:00 and it's something to watch!

Depends a lot on the pressure from nearby camps and such. We've had mornings were we would kill 5-10 birds will the neighboring camp killed a lot more. I don't care to elaborate, but the pressure has had the most impact. If we can slip in and knock down 10-20 birds without the mass knowing it, we haven't had a probelm in our afternoon holes.

Simple answer, We hunt when we can, and as much as we can. If we can hunt 7 days a week, we try to spread it out, but if the birds are pounding one area, we stay there. I know it's not the most recommended practice, but when you can hunt them, and shoot, it makes up for the long days of watching blue skys. In short, ducks will make a man go crazy! Some days you can shoot them all day, some days one shot scares off the flocks that aren't 50 miles around?

I need to note several things.

One: I only shoot when birds are 'in the dekes' or in the <30 yard range. Preferred floating into the dekes! I can't adjust (eye sight) to any further so i wait until I can kill them.
Two: I don't harvest/kill near as many birds as others!
Three: If the birds 'want' to be there, ain't much going to stop them. Then again, you can hinder thier 'want' quickly by too much pressure.

[Wingman]

Yeah I had a spot once we could hunt every 7-10 days. If you didn't kill what came in in the first 30-45 minutes you had to wait until about 9 and pick off the singles and pairs as they returned. It was over for at least a week after that, but it was all mallards.

[cwink]

[Bonecollecter1111]

now you know he wouldn't be trying to pattern hunters, that'd just be sneaky

[mharville]

that was my first thought when i saw a topic titled "hunting schedule" started by the warden..haha.. I hunt when i can where i can. Hunting public land i think i'd have to get in and sit there without a gun for any "spot" to get a rest amyway

[jdbuckshot]

I hunt them web footed suckers untill they leave. i don't by that let em rest crap. if you blink they will be gone.


If you got ducks, you need to be shooting at them.

JD

[Trip]

Unless it's raining, the timber hole gets hunted every day.

[hillhunter]

We mostly will hunt a hole and let that be it for a few days. Depending on the numbers as they refill we will hunt it again anywhere from three days, to a week apart. I had a buddy hunt one of his holes 3 days a week all year and killed ducks, but he has an abnormal spot.

Also, some places are traditionally an afternoon hole. We have a spot that continously hold ducks but cant kill crap there in the morning. Show up about 1:30 in the afternoon an its pretty consistent from then till end of hours.

[tunica]

If I aint in My Tunica hole someone else will be...so even if I aint hunting I'm there anyway the wife likes it she gets a break from the Honey Do's

[dukhunter]

will hunt em till I don't see em then move. has been a whole season out of 1 hole as many as 4 or 5 days a week.....they just wouldn't stop comming and I figure if they don't stop why should I