How do yall hunt teal?

[bluwtr]

Hey guys,

This will be my first year to really hunt teal and I was looking for some advice. My wife gave me a dozen decoys 3 seasons ago, but I have heard that you really don't need them for teal. True or false? I've also heard that you don't need a blind or really all that much camo. What I have heard and been told is that they are basically dumb birds and they are not that hard to hunt, although hitting them is another story. I will be hunting in the Pascagoula River marsh area and probably other similar places. Thanks for the help guys.

Wes

[Anatidae]

Don't believe everything you've heard.....they're not that dumb. You have to hide 'well-enough'.

Go out a couple o' days before Saturday ('bout all you got left), try to find teal in at least 2 different areas, consider your options on how to set-up on'em under different circumstances, then set-up there before someone else does, on Saturday.

Very rarely can a fella just arbitrarily pick a spot on opening morning, plop some decoys out and have birds come-in......scouting is often essential to success......'gotta do a little homework and hope the weather cooperates.

Look in shallow areas where aquatic vegetation (anything but ornamental water hyacinth) covers the surface of the water or where there's cattails or even lilly-pads. Backwaters.

Just be sure you can tell the difference between teal and wood ducks on the wing at first light. Just 'cause it didn't 'squeal' doesn't mean it's a teal.

Use all your teal decoys......randomly spaced, some in tight groups. Good Luck!

[bluwtr]

Thanks Anatidae,

I knew one of you experts would help poor ole' me out. I haven't had a chance to scout jack you know what, but my dad was fishing the other day and he had about 20 or so buzzing around him. Unfortunately he doesn't duck hunt (trying to get him to buy his licsense though) so he had to describe the way they flew to me. They were deffinitely teal. I think that is the area where I'm gonna try 'em. If nothing else I guess I can shoot mosquitoes!

Thanks again for the advice and one other thing. Should I add a few mallard hen decoys to my spread? I kinda' figure from a distance they'll look like black ducks or early season drakes.

Wes

[Anatidae]

If your decoys are not teal, then just use a dozen mallard hens (or better yet, pintails or wigeon hens) to look like large teal in eclipse plummage. No drakes!......heads ain't turned green yet, anyway.

One thought......if you can find some blue masking tape (they sell it at Sherwin Williams), you might cut some pieces and put'em on your mallard deeks to resemble the powder-blue speculums of BW Teal. 'Don't know whut to do 'bout the orange mallard hen bill........'maybe some black duct tape would do it.

[bluwtr]

I've got pins, mallards and b.w. decoys, so I thought I would put out all of the teal and mix in about 1/2 doz. of the hens from the other two. Like you said--they heads ain't green yet. I hope we all have a great opening weekend! Thanks for the advise.

Wes

[spoonie]

make sure you wear your orange vest

[bluwtr]

Hey Spoonie I was thinking of wearing pink!

[Bigpoppa]

Tried teal hunting a couple of yeqars ago. Here is what I do. I put on my camo boxers and I pop in a video of folks shootin teal.

So many gators and snakes I just cant hang. I may give it a try again one day in the fields of the delta, but marsh and river hunting ismor than I can handle.

[sig]

Hey man...I grew up hunting and fishing around that Pascagoula marsh. I have had better luck in the marsh east of the Chevron Refinery and around Bayou Cumbest better than anywhere else down there(for Teal). Just a little fyi which you may already know. Don't mind telling about my old spots since I don't live down there any more. Watch out for the gators.

[Anatidae]

Ya know....when I first read the title of this post, the first thing that came to mind was:

Step 1: Find'em
Step 2: Kill'em

......but after a dismal scouting run today.......sometimes, it's just not that simple. Good Luck!

[Wingman]

Ya got to know where to look. I ran up on so many today, it sounded like a policeman's convention in London. Peepin' and whistlin' everywhere! But this storm may move 'em all out tonight and they'll be gone in the morning. Teal are here one day, and gone the next.

Wingman

[bluwtr]

Hey guys I appreciate all that has been said (except the orange comment Sig ). Hopefully it will be a good day but then again how is a day in the field ever bad regardless of the outcome.

Best of luck to all and be safe!

Wes