Duck hunting: places, equipment, secrets. Autumn duck hunting with stuffed animals: our professional advice Features of autumn hunting: shot size and powder weight

In the fall, young ducks have already grown up and begin to intensively collect subcutaneous fat in order to overcome the distance to southern latitudes without any problems. It is during this period that duck hunting requires certain knowledge: what shot to choose for shooting, how to aim correctly, where to expect the possible flight routes of this bird. And the hunter who believes that the size of a duck allows him to shoot without missing and immediately on the spot is mistaken.

Flying duck hunting rules

The main features of fly-in hunting are the hunter’s good reaction and the ability to quickly make the right decisions. Sometimes it takes a fraction of a second to make these decisions, on which the final result directly depends. Experienced duck hunters shoot ducks “automatically” - this is due to their vast experience. But what about beginners? We have made some recommendations for them:

The time spent preparing for the shot, as well as the time it takes for the gun’s trigger to operate and the shot itself are fractions of seconds, but they are the most important. Add the flight time of the shot and the flight speed of the duck, and it immediately becomes clear to you why you need to aim not at the center of the duck, but in front of it. Many novice hunters often make mistakes and waste dozens of rounds of ammunition until they get the hang of shooting a duck accurately. Perhaps this is even true. After all, the duck will not shoot back; it has to save itself with the speed and maneuverability of its flight.
If just before the shot the duck is about to land or take off, then it is better to aim for its head. But even here you need to take into account the distance to it.
In autumn, the duck's route is more predictable. But sometimes it may happen that the duck flies straight at the hunter. It will be better if you let it pass above you, so that you can then shoot at the rear. Otherwise, the barrel of the gun will cover the target.
Don’t try to shoot at the very thick of a flock of ducks: you may be able to knock out a couple of ducks, but many will fly away with one or two pellets in their bodies. It is better to choose the laggards from the entire flock and hunt them.

The latter sounds more like a reminder that a hunter must always remain a hunter and think about the future.

Rules for hunting sitting or swimming ducks

Beginner hunters may think that shooting ducks on the water is more acceptable than “flying.” This is a very common misconception. There are also rules here:

Diving ducks have very strong feathers and if you wound it, you will have to shoot again, often more than once. Therefore, try to aim at areas of the carcass where wounds are excluded: the back, the head.
Avoid aiming at the chest - the duck in this place is reliably protected by feathers and down. The situation is similar with side aiming - the wing feathers are quite strong. This rule does not apply if the duck is very close to the hunter.
If you like to hunt swimming ducks, get a hunting dog. It is better if it is a pointing dog or a spaniel.

I would like to end these rules with these words: since ancient times it was considered unethical for hunting reasons to shoot sitting game. They raised her with a whistle, a shout, and only then did they fire a shot.

Preparing for the autumn hunt

Experienced hunters know that you can't always rely on luck. The peculiarities of autumn hunting, and especially duck hunting, require certain preparation. Some hunters, even in the summer, look for places where huge puddles form in the fall after the rains. If a duck's flight path passes over this place, there is a high probability that they will land on these mini-lakes. Therefore, hunters mow down the grass, leaving small unmown areas for huts.

In preparation for autumn duck hunting we also include the purchase or production of decoys, profiles and decoys. Using a decoy duck in the form of a stuffed animal or a profile significantly increases the likelihood of a successful hunt. Although often hunters, not wanting to carry these things with them, after shooting one or two ducks, spread them out on the water. There is not much difference, but will it be possible to shoot these ducks for bait?

Decoys also often help to attract the attention of ducks. In autumn conditions, when the migration to the south is approaching, some ducks who have been left behind will be glad to hear the familiar quack.

It is important for a duck hunter to select appropriate shoes and clothing. Don’t forget that we are talking about autumn duck hunting, which means you need to take care not only of camouflage clothing, but also its comfort. After all, tall grass, water and cool air will interfere with your hunting in every possible way.

A knife, compass, binoculars, a thermos with hot tea and other “little things” are a purely individual matter. But if you have the opportunity to have these things at least in the car, then we advise you not to neglect them.

Many hunters use decoy ducks, a special breed whose representatives closely resemble wild ducks. This type of hunting has been known for a very long time and has proven itself successfully. A decoy duck can be used to lure a wild duck, but it is advisable to use it together with stuffed ducks. The second condition for the successful use of a decoy is its voice. After all, appearance alone is not enough; the duck must have a voice and be able to produce it from time to time.

In addition to the beauty and grace of such a hunt, there is another advantage - males, as a rule, fly up to the decoy duck, and this allows for less destruction of females, which will be able to give birth to offspring next year.

Hunting dog on autumn duck hunt

Not everyone has the opportunity to own a hunting dog. It’s a pity, because when hunting ducks in autumn conditions, it is irreplaceable. The main argument in favor of the dog is that during duck hunting, wounded animals are often encountered due to strong feathers or the inexperience of the hunter himself. A well-trained dog will not only retrieve a duck from the water, but will also find it in thick grass. There have been cases when hunters without a dog literally walked over a wounded duck, but did not even suspect it. After all, in the fall the grass is not only thick, but also very similar in color to the duck itself.

As mentioned above, the best ducklings are pointers and spaniels. But this does not mean that husky or greyhound are bad hunters. Most likely, it all depends on the dog’s intelligence and level of training.

Distance and fraction choice

These two concepts are closely related when it comes to hunting in general. And even more so when hunting ducks. Here is a table for better understanding:

DESIGNATION	3	4	5
DIAMETER (mm)	3,50	3,25	3

Of the presented shot numbers, it is recommended to use No. 4-5 for ducks in early autumn and No. 3-4 in more late period. This is explained by a change in the plumage of game: the feathers of ducks become coarser. But a lot depends on the distance to the target. Many hunters have success hitting fall ducks with No. 7 (2.50 mm) or No. 8 (2.25 mm) shot. The hunter chooses the shot himself, based on his skills.

To increase the accuracy of shooting and the flight range of the shot, duck hunters use pressing the cartridge with an “asterisk”, transfer the shot balls with starch and other tricks.

The method of hunting with stuffed animals described in the article is used by many hunters. It is quite easy to learn if you know about the correct choice of location for their installation, as well as the behavior of the duck during migration. Below are clearly shown diagrams with photo material that will not leave more questions. The important issue of choosing these artificial baits is touched upon, and the nuances and secrets of selection are described. It is important to consider powder weights and shot sizes, which differ in autumn from other seasons.

What time of day do birds migrate?

The method is suitable for hunters who know how to properly prepare for the process and who know how to wait. For a positive result, it is important to collect all the missing information, learning the subtleties and nuances from professional hunters. The article is useful for beginners. Many people began their hobby by hunting birds. This is easily explained by its simplicity and accessibility. We will try to cover as many questions as possible to convey a positive experience.

Like many other migratory birds, ducks migrate to the territory of Azerbaijan, India, and Iran every autumn. The long journey is full of danger and unpredictability, which affects the behavior of the bird, which is in an anxious state all this time.

It is difficult for hunters to conduct targeted fire at night or at dusk due to low visibility. Having understood the trend, birds make their main long flights at this time of day. During the daytime, you can calmly prepare for the process, find a suitable place, display stuffed animals, and check weapons. Next we will talk about the various nuances and features of the process, because without this information the effect will be blurred, you should carefully prepare and study the theory.

Features of the autumn event: shot size and powder weight

As in hunting any other game, everything begins with the preparation of the hunter and weapon. First of all, everyone checks their own gun, adjusting it to suit themselves. Particular attention is paid to the butt. We advise you to conduct training on throwing up and aiming at dusk in order to hone your actions, not to hesitate and not to miss during the flight of the flock. Thanks to “rehearsal”, you can adapt to twilight and train your eyes to distinguish different objects. Another feature is that closer to autumn, each duck develops a good layer of fat, which means the bird is more resistant to wounds from gunshots.

In professional jargon, this is called being tough on the wound. The main question is what kind of shot to shoot: due to the presence of fat, we recommend using a shot of at least No. 3, up to 5-7 numbers. The weight of shot in the cartridges is about 35g; experience in shooting at flying targets will only be a plus. Be sure to take advantage of the training if possible. This will provide targeted shooting and the chances of hitting a bird increase. Check the accuracy and action of the gun before hunting, for example in the morning. Shoot at different distances. This allows you to hold your weapon more confidently and make accurate shots.

The weight of gunpowder should be adjusted in increments of 0.05 g, and the fraction in 1 g. If the gun does not have a recoil reduction device installed, we strongly advise you to reduce the weight of the shot, or at least not to increase it without zeroing. Autumn is a time when game is extremely cautious. When shooting at a bird, it is better not to miss, otherwise, remembering the location of the attack, it will not return there. Under special circumstances, you can catch several different flocks in one place, at the time of their flight to feed. The last feature is the speed and height of movement of the flock. Knowing how to correctly determine the speed and altitude of flight, you will not needlessly fire into the air.

Such actions are fraught with wounded animals who will have enough strength to fly away from the shooter to an unattainable distance and, having fallen, give up the ghost. We highly recommend learning how to determine the distance to a flying target. If you don’t know how to do this, then wounded wounds or missed hits are simply guaranteed, not to mention the fact that such empty shots will only scare away the flocks, which, no matter how deployed, will not land on the scarecrows.

What to look for when choosing stuffed animals

Among professional and experienced hunters there is an opinion that the use of stuffed animals is the most effective method achieve a positive result in competition with a bird. The most responsive to them different types ducks, including a rather rare diving duck. At the selection stage, pay special attention to quality. There are many different options for domestic and foreign production. For those wishing to buy a domestic product, we recommend reading specialized literature and the opinions of real hunters (we recommend the hunters forum forum.guns.ru) who use one type or another. We do not describe all the pros and cons of a particular company or brand, due to the diversity of representatives on the market.

For those who are not limited in material resources or can afford to buy foreign stuffed animals, we recommend German and Italian products. For many years they have been performing well in our conditions and realities. It is extremely important that they float well on the water and do not change shape due to the influence of various external factors. If a shot was hit, it was quickly and easily restored. Check that the stuffed animals do not shine from the sun's rays. There is an important aspect known to experienced hunters: in the morning, stuffed animals may be covered with dew or drizzle. From above, all this can produce glare that scares away a wary bird. We strongly recommend that you check the products for the absence of such a problem, or be sure to ask sellers or fellow hunters whether the chosen brand is “sick” of this scourge.

We advise you to take a closer look at the place you have chosen for hunting. For example, discarded garbage (foil from a pack of cigarettes) can ruin the whole thing with one glint of sunlight. If one flying individual notices a reflection on the ground, it will alarm the entire flock, which will pass by. This is the bitter experience of many hunts. Compactness. If the stuffed animals are made of full size foam, plastic or any other material that does not shrink in size during transportation, then sometimes this becomes a serious problem. Having experience, we can say that the larger the flock of artificial ducks you can place, the better, but first you need to bring them into place.

If possible, buy them from materials that can be easily disassembled to a minimum volume. Or one that folds easily (rubber). In any case, the final choice is yours, we just give advice from our experience. Let's talk a little about the arrangement. It is best to install them within 15-25 meters from the hut or shelter. Such a short distance is due to the fact that it is necessary to hit the target with maximum precision, precision and power.

What are the breeds and poses of ducks in the parking lot?

In order for the outcome to be successful, it is important to use those stuffed animals that are suitable for a particular breed. Let's talk about what types of ducks there are:

Teal
Mallards
Gogoli
Diving and some others

Teal

Mallard

Gogol

Dive

Stuffed animals can vary in poses. It is necessary to take into account when the flock sits down to rest or feed, they all have their own duties or functions. From their names it is clear what this or that bird in the flock does:

Vacationer
Sleeping
feeding
Diving

Vacationer

Sleeping

feeding

Diving

Correct placement schemes for stuffed ducks

This is a very important aspect. All species completely repeat the behavior of real birds in natural conditions. Yet again. This is also an important stage in the process; the success of the entire hunt will depend on its correctness; we advise you to study it as best as possible. The more stuffed animals you display, the better. You need to have at least six of them: one drake and five females; with less you shouldn’t even go hunting. The average number is considered to be 20 individuals; if you have the opportunity to purchase more, do not miss it.

It's rare to have hunts where you're the only one in the area. During the season, everything around is filled with hideouts and huts, and a huge mass of stuffed animals is displayed. In most cases, with a small number of them, you will lose to your neighbor with a large number. Experienced hunters, sharing their secrets, said that other species also willingly fly up to mallards. At the same time, if you wanted to land a mallard, luring it to stuffed animals of other species was usually not crowned with success.

On this moment The most popular placement schemes are the following positions:

Hook
Hook with gap
Horseshoe

Horseshoe and wedge method

Hook with gap

Hook placement diagram

Having arrived at the hunting site, you need to spend a couple of days at this place to determine the places where the flocks fly. Next, a hut (hideout) is built for 1-2 hunters. The view should be excellent on all 4 sides. In an open area, be sure to place at least 1 female - in the pictures above she is circled with a dotted circle. This point will be the landing site for the flock. If there are scarecrows, several such points are made.

Then we determine the approximate distance and location of the ducks to calculate the shot. When running for the amount of game they have caught, some hunters shoot at ducks that have already crouched, knocking them out simply by the dozens. This is especially true for those who have so-called “anti-aircraft guns” (such shooters are called “anti-aircraft gunners”). During takeoff, you can fire a dozen well-aimed shots, leaving the bird no chance of salvation. We do not condone such behavior. It’s more sporty to calculate the distance on the fly, aiming and firing as you approach. If they miss, the ducks have the opportunity to quickly take off.

Another secret is the stricken floating birds. There is one caveat here: if a duck with a white belly has been shot down, for example a goldeneye, floating belly up, it is better to immediately pull it out of the water. The reason for this is the unusual and unnatural nature of such a situation, which will undoubtedly affect the approaching flocks. In other cases, the caught game may continue to float in the water until you pick it up. The mallard can distinguish colors, which is why so much attention is paid to the colors of profiles or stuffed animals, as well as all other objects that can scare away and alert the bird.

A decoy is used in tandem, the best results of which are shown by manufacturers in the USA, Germany and Italy, made of wood or plastic. When choosing, you should rely either on experience and reviews experienced hunters who can recommend a specific working model, or by their own ears. There should be no wheezing or rattling sounds. Playing decoy is a very complex process that requires experience. It is advisable to practice more often, listening to the pitch and frequency of duck calls. If you have little experience, lure the flock a couple of times and observe the result. If you continue, you risk scaring away the bird, which will not land.

Duck hunting in the fall gives duck lovers the opportunity to indulge their souls all year long! It lasts longer than spring, and the rules of autumn hunting are more relaxed compared to fishing in warm seasons.

Hunting methods

Duck hunting in the fall involves the use in various ways tracking game. Moreover, some hunting methods are used only during autumn fishing and are not suitable for spring.

Hunting from the approach

This method is used only in the first days of autumn hunting, when the duck is not yet intimidated by the sounds of gunfire. You need to approach the pond along the shore, stomping loudly. The dull sound of stomping will scare away the duck from its shelter.

The bird will fly into the air, and all you have to do is shoot at it. Such a hunt will go better if you take with you a trained dog that will help you “trample down” the duck and bring the shot game from the water.

If you accidentally spook game without preparing to hunt, wait until the flock returns to its location and start again.

Use of stuffed animals

Stuffed birds as bait help a lot if you decide to hunt ducks from a boat in the fall. In this case, you will have to be patient and spend time on some preparation for such fishing.

Place the fake ducks no more than 20 meters from the hide, which is a shelter made of reeds in the form of a hut. Stop the boat in the coastal thickets, drive pre-prepared long stakes (up to 3 meters) into the bottom around you and cover them with a woven grass blanket.

To be able to quickly swim out of cover for prey, do not create obstacles in front of the bow of the boat.

Hunting on flights

In the evenings, ducks fly from their roosting sites to fields or swamps to find food and gain fat for the winter. At the same time, they lose caution, make noise and gather in large flocks. This is what experienced hunters use.

A few days before the start of the fall hunt, observe where the flocks fly off in the evenings and return at dawn. At dusk, take a place in bushes or reeds that will not block your view.

When the flock flies above you, you can start shooting. It is better to shoot at a duck not in the forehead, but after it, aiming at the stomach or back. The fact is that the bird’s chest in the fall is protected by a dense layer of feathers and down, so there is a possibility that you simply will not injure it during shooting.

The beauty of such a hunt is that in the dark you no longer need to hide behind the bushes - you can stand up to your full height and take a comfortable position with the gun. Just don't make any sudden movements.

You can also use this technique: when the flock starts flying towards you, stand up sharply from cover. This will scare the duck, causing the bird to get confused and slow down on its way. This will buy you some time to aim.

Hunting in this way is also carried out for large flocks that have already fattened up and are flying to their wintering grounds, usually using the same flight route every year.

Fishing during the day

Hunting in the fall during the day takes place on the principle of catching on flights with the difference that now you need to take your position before dawn and point the gun at reverse direction- to where the birds will fly from feeding for the day, while it is still dark.

Day hunting in the fall is very interesting for professionals, but may seem difficult for beginners. The point is that you need to have good skills aimed shooting In the dark. In addition, it is more difficult to search for shot game at night, so it is better to take a specially trained dog with you.

About others interesting features You can find out about hunting by watching the following video.

Duck hunting in the fall, as a rule, is carried out on calm small rivers, in floodplains and creeks, and in swamps. You need to get close to the prey by sneaking along the shore. A prerequisite is to approach the bird against the wind so that it does not hear you or smell your scent.

Weapon Selection

Choosing the right gun and decoy attachments will help you have an exciting and productive fall duck hunt. But good weapons are not enough - you also need to gain aiming skills.

Practice at home how to sharply raise your gun so that the muzzle points directly at the target.

Weapon

Although duck hunting in the fall involves the use of both shotguns and rifles, shotguns are more popular among hunters.

Here are the main types of shotguns that are used when fishing for ducks:

conventional shotguns;

shotguns with large caliber bullets;

heavy shotguns with long barrels;

“specifiers” shooting at long distances.

At the beginning of hunting in the fall, you can use medium size shot No. 6-8. At this time, the plumage of the young animals is not yet strong enough to protect against such caliber.

But with the approach of cold weather, change the shot to No. 4-6 - larger and more penetrating. You won't need larger caliber shot when duck hunting.

The most convenient distance for shooting at a moving target in this case is approximately 45-60 meters.

Lures

Waterfowl hunting can also be carried out using various luring devices. For example, purchase several types of fake birds that attract live ducks.

Hunting in different bodies of water involves the use of stuffed ducks that are found in the area. Place baits in a chaotic manner in several places in the pond.

To make your lure look more realistic, try different ways of moving it. Particularly popular are line sweeps, underwater propellers and magnetic vibrators.

Add also a quack sound for naturalness. A decoy will help you reproduce it during duck hunting in the fall. Among the variety of products, give preference to domestically produced decoys - they are much cheaper than products from foreign manufacturers, and their sound is more suitable for attracting birds in our area.

There are different types of decoys:

for open spaces and wide bodies of water (with maximum volume);

for small bodies of water (minimum volume):

universal decoys with medium sound volume.

For beginners, it is enough to have a universal decoy in stock for good hunting. Choose wooden and acrylic products - their sound is closest to the natural call of a duck.

If you cannot reproduce the sound correctly, purchase an electronic decoy, which will make duck hunting in the fall much easier.

Precision shooting

Depending on the hunting method you choose, the technology of targeted shooting also changes. When accurately hitting a target, you need to take into account various factors, such as the distance to the duck, the speed of its movement, the speed of your reaction, and the time of aiming.

Shooting a sitting duck

It is harder to shoot a duck sitting peacefully on the water than it seems at first glance. At rest, the bird's feathers fit tightly together, forming a hard protective layer.

Use these tips for a successful hunt.

If the duck is swimming, aim slightly below it, at the point where the bird's body touches the water surface.

If the future trophy is sitting on a rock or on the shore, shoot approximately at the center of the body.

The best place to hit stationary prey is the back or side. But don’t aim at the bird’s chest—this is where its plumage is the hardest.

Choose shot No. 3-4 if you plan to hunt floating targets.

Shooting at a flying target

Hunting a flying duck in the fall is only possible if you know how to quickly react to a moving target, raise your gun and hit the target in the air.

When hunting on flights, aim not at the duck itself, but slightly in front of it. By the time the bullet reaches the target, the duck will also have flown a certain distance. Therefore, the shot will hit the body exactly.

During flight, the duck is more vulnerable to gunfire due to the fact that its plumage flutters in the wind, losing its protective properties. Therefore, you can limit yourself to fraction No. 6-7.

Autumn also marks the beginning of the fishing season for many river fish. For example, fishing for catfish, pike, carp and crucian carp is especially popular.

Experienced hunters claim that a successful hunt can be organized. After all, 60% of prey depends on the proper organization of hunting. The remaining 40% can be distributed as follows - 30% of a successful hunt depends on knowledge about the life and habits of the game, and 10% on the luck of the hunter.

Nowadays, it is often possible to observe the following picture while duck hunting. Young people sit on chairs near expensive SUVs and calmly drink alcohol. There is a box of cartridges next to them. When the first ducks appear, and at an altitude of about two hundred meters, they, without hesitation, begin to shoot at the birds with their five-shot rifles.

How are they going to hit the bird at that distance? One gets the impression that they are not hunting, but simply came to shoot at flying live targets. Such “hunters” very often return home empty-handed or with an accidentally shot bird.

It’s a different matter when an experienced hunter who knows and respects the culture of hunting hunts. Such a person with an ordinary Izhevsk single-barreled gun and homemade cartridges is capable of catching much more game than those young people mentioned above with their entire arsenal.

Especially for our readers, we asked some experienced hunters to share their secrets. And although, it would seem, everything has been written about duck hunting for a long time, and there can be no secrets, we still hope that this information will help our young hunters make their hunt more productive. We will tell you about several well-known methods of hunting ducks and will try to highlight the most important points of such a hunt.

One of the best ways When hunting for ducks, hunters consider shooting these birds during migration. At the end of summer, almost all ducks leave their nests and begin to fly to the fields to feed. Such migrations usually begin in the evening, and at dawn the birds return to their usual places to rest during the day.

A hunter who knows such flights has every chance of returning home with good prey. With such a hunt, there is no need to build a hut or even special camouflage. It will be enough to choose a place convenient for shooting and stand calmly among tall vegetation and observe with the help of an optical device. Large selection of optics and more on the website https://veber.ru/

You can choose a place for shooting near a pond or along the flight path of birds to feeding areas. It is better not to disturb them in the fields where ducks feed, since the birds may not return there another time. Because the most of If ducks fly to the fields at night, it would be nice to have a well-trained dog nearby that could search for and bring back dead birds. If there is no dog, then you need to shoot so that the duck falls on dry land open place. After all, finding a dead bird among the reeds at night is not so easy.

In the spring, when duck hunting is prohibited and you can only shoot drakes, it is better to use a decoy duck. To do this, the hunter arranges a hut or other shelter on the shore of a reservoir, if there is no time. It is best to make a hut from vegetation that grows on the reservoir where the hunt will take place. The shelter must be spacious so that the hunter can freely shoot from it. It is also important that the area of water where the decoy duck will be clearly visible from the shelter.

Domestic or tamed wild duck is used as a decoy. Once upon a time, hunters raised decoy ducks themselves, because they knew that the success of the hunt depended on them. For this purpose, the young duckling was constantly picked up, hand-fed, stroked, and everything was done to get it used to humans. Then a special leather strap was put on his paw. When the bird got used to it and stopped fiddling with this strap with its beak, a rope was tied to it and the duck was released into shallow water.

Usually the duck very quickly got used to such “decorations” and behaved calmly on the water. Then, the bird was gradually taught to sit on a wooden circle, which was lowered into the water during the hunt. After which the bird was fired with blank cartridges so that it would not be afraid of shots.

A good decoy should behave actively and constantly raise its voice, thereby attracting the drake. The hunter’s task is to constantly monitor everything that is happening, because decoys are sometimes attacked by birds of prey. When the drake flies up, the hunter must take good aim and shoot. You cannot shoot a drake if it approaches a decoy duck, so as not to hit it.

Hunting with stuffed animals can also be successful. You can hunt with stuffed ducks that imitate sitting ducks from spring to late autumn. But the most productive hunting is in the fall, about a month after the opening of the duck hunting season. At this time, birds begin to gather in large flocks, usually in large bodies of water. Having determined such a place, the hunter needs to place stuffed animals nearby.

Previously, stuffed ducks were made independently. Today there is no such need, since stuffed animals can be purchased in hunting stores at affordable price. Having placed the scarecrows, of which there should be 15-20, the hunter needs to camouflage himself among the vegetation. To prevent the stuffed animals from drifting far from the shore, special weights are tied to them.

When choosing a place for shelter, you should take into account that ducks will fly up to the stuffed animals from the windy side. The hunter, depending on whether he is left-handed or right-handed, must position himself so that shooting from this place is as comfortable as possible.

Duck hunting from a boat

An equally interesting way to catch a duck is to hunt from the approach or from the entrance by boat. You can hunt this way either with or without a dog. The essence of the hunt is to discover birds hiding in the supports and approach or swim as close as possible to them. This type of hunting is successful in the summer. At this time, old ducks that have not yet been shot allow the hunter to get close to them, as do young ducks who do not yet have experience.

Ducks are successfully hunted with spaniels. For such a hunt, the dog must be well trained and obey its owner. The dog's task is to raise the birds from the thickets, thereby exposing them to the hunter's shot. After a successful shot, the spaniel must bring and serve the killed duck. Despite the fact that the spaniel is considered the best breed of dog for duck hunting, any pointing dog, if available, can be used instead.

To hunt any ducks, the gun must have an accurate action. The universal shot for hunting these birds is No. 5, although the size of the shot may vary depending on the type of duck from No. 7 to No. 3. It must be remembered that the duck is a very cautious bird, so you should hunt it carefully. A patient person who follows all the rules of hunting can always count on good catch.

August is coming... For most hunters, this month is the beginning of the real summer-autumn hunting season. Duck dawns for a rifle hunter are not only the ability to accurately and accurately shoot in flight, but also the incredible beauty of sunsets and sunrises, a feeling of unity with nature, closeness and mutual understanding with a four-legged friend. In general, all the romance of a real hunt. And it’s no longer so important whether the duck gets into the game bag, although it’s better, of course, if it does. And how to do this - read on.

An important point on duck hunting

Duck hunting at dawn, despite its simplicity - sit by the lake and wait for the duck to fly in, shoot accurately - and your trophy, belongs to one of the most complex and unpredictable species. Firstly, because you have to shoot on the fly, unexpectedly and at dusk. That is, the hunter must have excellent shooting skills and a well-developed eye. And the second point is that not only a wounded duck, but also a completely beaten duck that has fallen into the water, reeds or grass can cause the hunter a lot of trouble finding it, especially when there is no good dog. Therefore, the main task of the shooter is not only to send the shot exactly to the target, but to correctly select the zone and moment of the shot so that the trophy falls on clean place. This means that a duck hunter needs to be able to control his excitement and shooting, which is sometimes more important than the ability to hit right in the eye.

And doing this is not easy even for an experienced hunter, especially taking into account the fact that you have to shoot at dusk and often have to deal with such a situation that the clearly visible silhouette of a bird is practically not perceived through the gun sight.

A technique that can help is the ability to shoot with both eyes open, which can be learned through simple training.

Home workouts before the season

You can develop shooting skills, when one eye looks into the sight and the other into the distance, with special exercises, and before opening it, you should repeat the memorized techniques with a gun (without shooting, of course).

Homework begins with determining which eye is your “dominant.” To do this, you need to take a pencil vertically, stand straight and, with outstretched arms, point its tip at a distant target. Next, you need to close your eyes one by one and watch when the pencil moves away from the target. If you close the left one and the tip does not move, then the leading eye is the right one and vice versa. Repeat the test 5-7 times with short breaks to accurately find the dominant eye. It may happen that both eyes are dominant. In this case, experienced hunters advise taking the left eye as the leading one.

Determination of the dominant eye

Then the algorithm of actions is as follows: if you are right-handed, and your dominant eye is left, aiming the gun at the target - upside down, you need to practice squinting your left eye. But just before jumping up, you need to look at the intended target with both eyes open. As you practice the technique, squint less and less. And in a couple of weeks you will be able to aim with both eyes open.

It is better to do training in the light with dark sunglasses, while for a right-handed person you need to remove the right glass (do the same when training on a stand). Similarly, you need to do the opposite for left-handed people and for the dominant right eye.

First, practice throwing up in a classic upward shooting stance. And then learn to apply this technique from various non-standard positions. Don't be lazy even while lying on your back.

By the way, this technique can be very effective both in duck and goose hunting, when an approaching bird is noticed, and there is no time to hide in cover. Then you need to lie on your back and shoot almost into the sky (just not vertically!!!).

When practicing shooting skills with both eyes open important point: You need to focus on the target through the front sight, and not with your free eye.

Where to look for duck spots

Before hunting, if you have time, you need to go to the grounds a few hours earlier before the evening dawn and walk along the shore. Before going out in the morning, you need to do this the day before. Duck sites are identified by the presence of fluff, droppings and paw prints in the sand or mud. This is where you need to put up a hut or find a suitable natural shelter. As a rule, the favorite roosting places for ducks are shallow bays, protected on two or three sides, lakes and stars. In hunting grounds, shelters are prepared in advance by rangers.

If you are going to dawn with a dog, you should definitely foresee in advance where you can securely fasten the leash. Holding it in your hands is a very stupid idea, which in 100% of cases leads to a miss.

Evening dawn

It’s quite easy to find a place to hunt ducks and teal in the evening – look along the shore and where there are a lot of tracks, stand there. Success is usually guaranteed, even if it is not a very large puddle. The most important thing is that the bird does not notice the hunter before it approaches the distance of a sure shot. Also, if you don’t have a dog, it’s worth foreseeing in advance how you can get the bird if it falls into the water (make a long hook, look around where you can safely enter the pond, etc.).

If you don't have a dog...

Morning dawn

You need to prepare more carefully and thoroughly for hunting at dawn. After all, morning dawn can often last up to 5 hours. Therefore, not only good camouflage is important, but also the convenience of the hut where the hunter will have to spend so much time. It is best to make the hide in advance, a few days before the hunt, so that the ducks get used to it. It is optimal to arrange a shelter on some natural elevation - near a bush, in a thicket of reeds, near a kuga. The seat must be made higher so that the legs do not become numb and so that the view can be maintained without standing up, and the height of the walls and the area of the shelter do not interfere with in-flight shooting, while hiding all the movements of the hunter.

When approaching ducks are noticed from a distance, you need to take a shooting position and continue to remain motionless until they are in the guaranteed hit zone.

Duck gun

There is a popular opinion among hunters that it is better to have a gun with a strong and accurate action for ducks. Maybe earlier, when there were a great many ducks and one shot could take several birds sitting on the water, this was true. Now that shooting is mostly done in flight, the requirements for weapons have changed. The fight should be strong, but more crumbly.

Today, it is best to use guns with muzzle constrictions of no more than 0.5 mm for summer duck hunting at dawn. It is best to have removable chokes. But if you have a right (or lower) barrel, and a left (upper) choke, or the only self-loading barrel is a choke, then you need to work on the cartridge. If you load the cartridges yourself, then you need to increase the powder weight by 10%, and it is better not to use a wad container - a felt wad placed on the gunpowder is enough.

If you prefer ready-made cartridges, then choose those with a larger shot weight (about 35 g). Then the peripheral zone of the shot scree will be wider and more saturated with hits.

It is best to take a medium-sized shot - No. 6 or 7. In August, the duck is not yet dressed in hard winter feathers, so such a shot is enough for killing power, and the carcass will be less broken.

Duck shooting - nuances

Of course, if a hunter’s feet are stuck in the mud or he is standing unsteadily, then one can only dream of a trophy. Therefore, when organizing a hideout, be sure to cover the foot area with branches and lay down a board. Then the practiced quick raise of the gun will not disturb the position of the body and the shot will not go anywhere.

Particular attention must be paid to the correct movement during the throw-up. Placing the gun on your shoulder should be quick, firm and monotonous - there will be no time to search for a comfortable position. Often a hunter is hampered by improperly selected clothing: with large pockets, shoulder straps, protruding stripes that touch the butt. Also, the shot is greatly delayed by inappropriately sized clothing - both narrow at the shoulders and loose.

Even very slowly flying ducks are in the shooting range for only a couple of seconds. During this time, the hunter, whose movements have been brought to automaticity, manages to fire 2 shots with a double-barreled shotgun or up to 5 aimed shots with an automatic weapon.

By the way. Helpful advice"machine gunners" It is necessary to master two very effective shooting techniques in advance. The first is to learn to shoot with both eyes open, one aiming, and the other controlling the movement of ducks in a flock. And the second is to learn how to shoot while overtaking, because the third and subsequent shots will have to be made exactly this way.

Posting and lead

The main element of aimed shooting is proper wiring. It can be performed in different techniques: at the speed of the bird’s movement, with anticipation, simultaneously with a jump. Many people constantly make the same mistakes - they shoot from a stationary gun (and this is only effective strictly at theft) or vice versa - with sharp throws, that is, the hunter simply does not control his actions. Another one possible reason– incorrectly fitted stock. If your shoulder hurts after shooting, you need to work hard on the butt.

In the literature they write everywhere that lead should be measured in game bodies. Some advise that it is more accurate to focus on the projection of the trunks. Now on sale there are special devices for installation on the barrel to calculate lead.

In fact, everything is much simpler. If you learn to correctly determine the distance to a duck by eye, then the amount of lead for a side shot at calmly flying ducks, taking into account the average speed of the retrieve at a distance of 30/35 meters, will be within 1 meter. It should be automatically increased or decreased by 10 cm for every 5 meters of distance.

A couple more points

Experienced hunters already know how ducks circle the area before landing on the water, and they do this in circles. Therefore, they will not frighten a flock flying at a long distance, but will wait for its next approach. Long-range shooting is simply scaring away game from yourself and other hunters, as well as guaranteed wounded animals that will not be found.

The place where the duck fell must be accurately recorded, and in the evening it is advisable to immediately pick up the downed game. But at dawn you can leave it (if there is no danger that it will be carried away by the current or the wind). A beaten bird, oddly enough, attracts its relatives, and they, having noticed it from above, will definitely fly closer out of curiosity.