How important is gloves and head net ???

[Meeka]

I prefer you not go with me w/o a facemask and TWO gloves. I am almost always hiding in buckbrush, against a tree or in cypress knees. GC is 2000% right about faces shining, but if you are white like me, your hand shines as well. If you like to look at the ducks ( I do) and you have a call at your mouth, even if not calling, your hand is NOT hiden . . . and it shines just like your face does. Plus, some folks like to wiggle fingers when calling.

My advice - you will harvest more and scare away fewer ducks the more hidden you are. Are you hidden wll enough? You decide. If you have breakup camo and gloves and facemask and your dog on the bank and few hunters in the party, you can hide in the open but against a tree, even facing the dekes.

Why not wear TWO gloves and facemask. If you complain about the muffled sound, learn to call with a glove on. If you call SO good that you can't get the same sound without a bare hand, put some paint on that hand. What is the problem? Is it a macho thing? By the way, they make neoprene gloves, they make thin cotton gloves, they make even net gloves. They don't even cost much.

[GulfCoast]

Mack's sells some ultra thin camo neoprene back shooting gloves with leather palms that do really well for me. They are as thin as competition shooting gloves but warmer, and they do not muffle a call very badly. Unfortunately, they are not waterproof due to the thin leather palms. Still highly recomended, though.

[mallardhunter]

I'll buck the trend here as well. Don't use a headnet, and only use a glove if it's cold - and then not on my right hand when calling. Tend to agree with others that say a glove muffles a call and makes it sound like . . . bad.

You can work a flock of ducks so close that you can feel the wind off their wings without a headnet or gloves (or any modern, trendy camo patterns, either). The secrets are:
stay still (I mean really still, not just sorta still)
keep the sun off of your face (and calling hand)
don't look at the ducks with both eyes
keep the ducks right under the bill of your cap (you are wearing a cap with a bill, right?).
Watching reflections just doesn't work for me if the wind is kicking, or if you are kicking to ripple the water, and you should be, if you're in the woods.

I grew up hunting in blinds where there was always cane or oak leaves. Keep a piece of bursh between you and ducks so you're always looking through some brush at the ducks. I now hunt timber almost exclusively. Stand on the shady side of the tree. Never stand in the sun or at least hunt with your back to the sun. The sun is a great help when hiding.

You can learn to look at ducks without flaring 'em. Look at them out of the corner of one eye only; never turn your full face up to the ducks. Always squint out of the corner of your eye, peeking out from under the bill of your hat. When/if the ducks fly between you and the sun, either don't watch them, or peek from behind the tree with one eye to track them. In the woods, I've even used my gun to hid behind, peeking at them from around the forearm piece or barrel. I've also removed my cap and used it to block the sun/face thing until the ducks got around to the right end of the hole.

Headnets are useful for hunters who just will not keep their heads down and peek at the ducks out of the corner of their eye (not eyes!).

[RedEyed Duck]

Face Mask = 100% of the time
Gloves = only when it is really cold

GC and many others commented on remaining still (that includes all members of the hunting party) this is definitely a key to success!

[Welldoggie]

I always wear a face mask...if you have to keep your head down until you shoot, you miss the best part of the show. Only need to keep your head still and don't give them a "Marty Feldman" stare when they are directly over head or flying straight at you.

Glove on left hand, nothing on calling hand...you can tell when anyone hunting near you is calling with a glove on. It just doesn't sound right.
[img]images/smiles/icon_cool.gif[/img]

[Meeka]

Mallardhunter, I hear what you are saying and agree with all you have said about timber hunting, but what is this deal about one eye? I believe deer can feel you stare at them, but ducks? Or are you saying you never want them to see 2 eyes so they can ID you? I have heard someone say, maybe here, that ducks can wind you and . . . I believe it.

[ December 13, 2001: Message edited by: Meeka ]

[GulfCoast]

I respect the wisdom of all on this board, but until you have been in a plane looking down at folks, stock still, "peeking up" from behind blinds, ros. cane and under ball caps, you cannot IMAGINE how much shine comes off your face (and how obvious your blind looks from above). After that experiance, I will always opt for the 'net, and just being a "hide behind" kind of hunter when possible. I killed more than my share of ducks pre-net, but it has really made a difference in working ducks close for me.

I totally agree that keeping still will make a world of difference. I still think a 'net is an advantage even for a rock still hunter. Peace out [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[mallardchaser]

HEAD NET 10O% OF THE TIME...GLOVE 95% OF THE TIME, BUT NOT ON MY CALLING HAND...I LIKE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT 'EM..

[msdawg]

My pappaw always told me "them ducks can see the whites in your eyes, keep your head down, and don't move".. I always wear a mask and try not move till I get ready to shoot.

[Model12]

I hate a headnet/facemask in general, but I know you need it. I found this little silk, black balaclava that hides most of my ugly face under the brim of my lucky hat, uh, you do have a lucky hat don't ya. I hunt out of an Avery blind most of the time and try to be as still as possible. I think thats the most inportant thing too. While bow hunting a few years back I noticed my partner headed across a cutover toward me. He was camoed head to toe except the face. With the "birds-eye" view that I had I realize what GC and others said about the "shining". PS my hunting buddies say the black silk thingy is real sexy.... [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[mallardhunter]

GC - I fly SE planes over duck areas and agree wholeheartedly that blinds tend to stick out like sore thumbs. You and I can see the faces in those blinds because we know exactly what we are looking for - and precisely where to look. I believe, when a duck surveys those blinds, they are looking over the entire structure for anything - foxes, people, etc. I think that's why blinds successfully hide hunters - unless they're letting the sun shine on those faces.

Meeka - the one-eye thing is to keep you from turning that moon-shaped spotlight we call a face full up to the ducks. If you're peeking under your bill and only looking out the corner of one eye, you are presenting about 1/2 the square inches of your face to the ducks. Makes a huge difference in what they see.

Just my $0.02 worth and overvalued probably!

[GulfCoast]

ROFLMAO! [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] If that face mask cranks thier tractor, then I would hate to know what they think about yer boxers, Model 12!

[GulfCoast]

I pulled this off Wingman's "Fowl Mood" website under the "What to bring" section:

"Face Mask THIS IS A MUST. IF YOU DON'T BRING ONE, YOU'LL BE ASKED TO BUY ONE."