Advice on positioning

[mixxedbagg]

I've always heard that you should set up with the wind at your back. Tomorrow, the wind is supposed to be fairly strong from the WNW. However, this would leave me facing into the morning sun, which would be a disadvantage. Which should take priority? Is there a better way to set up with NW winds?

[creepworm]

crosswise works well. I usually don't worry about wind unless it is extreme when deciding where to set up, but try to keep it out of my face.

[slabchaser]

I agree. Set up for the cross wind. I always play the wind. Right, wrong or indifferent I always try to play the wind

[mixxedbagg]

Thanks. I think we're looking at 20 to 30 mph tomorrow.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

10 mph wind or less and i dont mind the wind in my face, i just set the dekes farther out and shoot the ducks when the come over the top. a good rule of thumb i follow though is to always have the sun at your back or at least quartering so you have good light to identify ducks.

[Finlander]

Good luck with waterfowl landing or approaching from behind you, ducks and geese like to approach from open water.

With a west wind, try to set up on a point if you can so you don't have to stare into the sun if possible. And they will come in over open water. So set up on any point except a south point and put the decoys to the north side of the point and you'll be good to go!

Good Luck!

[mixxedbagg]

I set up crosswind and life was pretty good...I even got a double on Ring-neckeds, one of which had a band! (Was banded 8/16/07 in Gonvick, MN.) Then, at about 7:30, a couple of guys that definitely saw me motored up and set up right behind me. Their first shots peppered me with pellets! I pulled my dekes and left. Worst part is there were only like 2 other parties on this big lake. Sheesh.

[mixxedbagg]

By the way, this is my first year waterfowling...how common is it to take a banded bird?

[WollMan]

By the way, this is my first year waterfowling...how common is it to take a banded bird?

Go buy a powerball ticket...Not very

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Good luck with waterfowl landing or approaching from behind you, ducks and geese like to approach from open water.

Good Luck!

works just fine. you just have to give them room downwind of the decoys. we had mallards circle behind us, behind trees, over the crp, come back over the top of the trees, and drop right into our kill hole on saturday. wind was in our face, sun was at our backs. 20-30 flocks of mallards did this all morning. you just have to be where they want to be. no big deal. the first flock that came in right after shooting time almost knocked the spinner over they hit the dekes so quick.

[mixxedbagg]

Will do...that was only the 4th duck I had ever taken in my adult life. I thought I'd rack up 6 or 8 of 'em this season...

Go figure.

So then....how common is it to get pelted with someone else's shot?

[TruthWalleyes]

It's not that uncommon anymore to get hit with BBs. Its happened to me on a couple of different occasions throughout the last few years. Each time more disapointing than the last. I now avoid the lakes where i get shot. Swan, Middle, & Reeds you will not see me on anymore. And of course your odds go up with more trucks at the landing.

[mixxedbagg]

That's what's messed up. The lake was practically empty and these guys arrived at 7:30 and easily saw me. When they shot it sounded like the gun barrel was halfway up my rear end. I'm pretty new to this, and this is something I should know, but I don't know how close is close enough to be dangerous. That's why I picked up and left because I was concerned about my safety should some ducks fly in low between me and them.

[pulleye16]

Starting with the wind to your back is a good "starting point" but there are occasions when the birds just like an area better. Opener this year we had some ok wind and all the ducks were landing on the otherside landing with the wind...sometimes you just have to wait and see!

[creepworm]

Being where the birds want to be will get you more ducks anyday than making sure the wind is not in your face. I set up this morning with the wind in my face ( because the weather last night said wind out of the NW) and did quite well. Had a fair amount decoy but it also worked well to shoot them when they swung around the decoys.

[mixxedbagg]

I just looked at an aerial photo online and the guys who peppered me set up less than 350' away on a 900 acre lake with only 3-4 parties on it. Seems a little excessive....

[TruthWalleyes]

Normally when i get peppered its because i'm on a fairly busy slough, and with cattails 8' high people can't see you. Last year when i got peppered it was very similar to your situation. They were in plain sight, and i almost shot back to let them know i got a BB shower.... But shooting at eachother wouldn't have solved anything unfortunately, we just ducked the rest of the day when they shot.

I think i bought my duck hunting license this year to shoot my opening day limit of wood ducks, and might just pass on the rest of the season.

[CANOPY SAM]

MB. 300+ feet away isn't really that bad. I've had shot drop on me from numerous directions, for many many years. Not to take sides, but I doubt these folks thought they were infringing on your spot, and because some of their shot fell in your area doesn't necessarily mean they were intentionally being rude.

You have to accept that with waterfowl hunting, we're often going to occupy the same relatively small areas with other folks - unless you have your own private land (or water).

Now-a-days, it's not all that uncommon to find some jewelry on a bird. When you get enough practice, and have the right set-up, you'll find you've got time to actually look for it on birds coming in. Collecting bands is fun, and finding out info on the birds is even more interesting.

[rugbymn]

You have to accept that with waterfowl hunting, we're often going to occupy the same relatively small areas with other folks - unless you have your own private land (or water).

A few years ago, we got out to Carlos Avery pretty early and got the small island. It's not much bigger than 2 basketball courts put together. At just about shooting time, we had a couple of jokers come onto the island and try to hunt right next to us. They couldn't quite figure out why we were upset.

We kindly told them to get back in their canoe and we'd give them a shove.