Duck hunting sloughs vs fields

[ColinBarbour]

Hey all, currently going through duck depression until spring snow goose fires up again. Just curious what everyones opinions are on duck hunting in fields vs sloughs or ponds. Personally I've always field hunted ducks and only ever hunt water when I go back east to visit family over christmas, but I'm thinking about trying out slough hunting here next season. Looking forward to everyone's opinion!

[Smoky buck]

It works and can add some different species to the mix. I like to hunt bigger water for diver puddle duck combo shoots

As you experienced out east it’s just different

[SouthWestRanger]

I only have pointing dogs but they are strong water retrievers so I try and take advantage of warm September weather with a few pond and water hunts which they love. As a result almost 100% of my duck hunting is over water, Alberta gets a lot of attention for field ducks but our water hunts are underrated. Especially when it’s hard to find good water. It’s nice as well because I can carry way less and focus on 2-3 dozen floaters (usually 2/3 mallards and 1/3 teal or wigeon depending on time of year) and then I’ll run a pair of Mojos. These fit in two decoy bags and if I’m alone I can carry both(1 on front 1 on back) and focus on being mobile and picking the best spot. Give it a shot, it’s a whole lot of fun.

[Drewski Canuck]

If you are setting out on a water shoot, do you have a small boat or kayak?

Thing about a field shoot is you do not sink into mud up to your leg on each step. If you have not experienced Alberta's gumbo, you soon will agree as alot of our slough bottoms will kill the average hunter in a set of boots or waders. Now each set of decoys to be tossed and retrieved, will multiply your pain considerably.

Then there are muskrat and beaver runs to step in which will drop you a couple of feet, flood your waders, and maybe make you drop something like your gun.

If you can avoid wading, you will be far better off on water shoots.

However, with guides tying up more and more fields in choice areas, slough and lake shoots are a viable option for the hunter who has limited time for scouting, and no permission tied up. Less equipment, and the ability to move around easily to different spots on the pond or lake where the birds are coming in is a big advantage.

Nothing worse than setting up in a field before first light only to watch the flights head to a different field or worse not come off the water at all. Then sit all day hoping for an evening shoot that does not materialize.

Been there, done that.

Drewski

[elkhunter11]

I still prefer field shoots, easier to set up and clean up, and staying dry. Then again, I prefer a goose hunt over a duck hunt, until late season, when the greenheads arrive.

[catnthehat]

I love water shoots !
I used a small canoe for many years , but also dogs .
Small ponds are great , and it doesn't take much to set up a small water spread.
Cat

[waldedw]

Nope no water for me anymore, I sold my waders 25 years ago and I don't have a dog plus Frank said if you knock one down over the water you swim out and get it

[calgarychef]

I love hunting sloughs but haven’t done it for a long time. Last time I was out I used my calf sled with a couple pool noodles strapped to the edges for more flotation. I could carry a dozen decoys and everything I needed. It worked!
I remember the crazy exertion I went through though getting in and out of the spot with chest waders on. Be prepared for a hell of a work out.

In the old days when I was young and broke and didn’t have decoys I’d use a canoe to get to a likely spot and just nose into the weeds. I’ve shot a lot of ducks like that.

Watch the bigger sloughs and you’ll see what side they’re flying from and set up there. Even just standing in the weeds on the edge will worked especially if there’s a few sloughs in the area and they’re moving back and forth.

[Big Grey Wolf]

The downside of pond shooting is loon poop wading to retreive your ducks. Also you will have much larger mallards fattened up on grain and just need to pick them up off a field.

[whitetail Junkie]

Water for ducks is the best...geese I like the fields.

[elkhunter11]

Although I have only experienced it once, the best duck hunt that I have been on, was in December, in a corn field. The greenheads were fat and we had our limit of 56, in under 40 minutes.

[SouthWestRanger]

Pond and slough hunts are also fun for number of different species. I’ve had days where my 8 bird limit is 8 different species. If I remember right I had a mallard, gadwall, widge, blue wing, greenie, pintail, ruddy, scaup, and bufflehead a couple years ago.

[2 Tollers]

Pond hunts can be a lot of fun, especially with a dog. Bags vary on species in the area and the patience you have or not. I shoot with one fellow that cannot leave teal and shovellers alone.

Our typical bags have scaup, canvas backs, mallards, gadwal, green & blue wing teal, shovellers, pintails, snow / spec & canada geese.

[sns2]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Although I have only experienced it once, the best duck hunt that I have been on, was in December, in a corn field. The greenheads were fat and we had our limit of 56, in under 40 minutes.

I have never been a part of something like this before. The whirring of thousands upon thousands of mallards, all swirling in a vortex above the blinds, on a crisp December morning was something I will remember until my dying day.

Fellas, at one point there were so many birds, no one even shot, we just watched and took in the moment.

And yet, I also hunted this December on open water with a tiny little lab who broke ice for some dang long retrieves. That too is a great day to be alive.

I honestly have no preference. A great hunt is a great hunt.

[outofbounds]

Hunting chubby mallards on wild rice is a great hunt. We get out to my grandfather's trapline to get after it. It is a great way to mix it up some versus field shoots.. We have 2 high drive Chessies that will pull ducks and geese from cold water all day long. We typically hunt mornings and evenings, and pull in limits of walleye in the afternoons.
There are also plenty of river mouths that we set up on where we can get hidden with the dogs in amongst the cat tails and tall grass. Having great dogs is a game changer for water hunts. Some years when the rice is thick, the sky is black with mallards.
More than one option in the big bay if the rice is not in.

[sns2]

As long as this guy is with me, I’m good. My best friend.






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[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by sns2

As long as this guy is with me, I’m good. My best friend.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That dog is a beast! No doubt about it.

My 2 retrievers are now nearly 5' tall and are finally starting to listen to commands.

[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by 2 Tollers

Pond hunts can be a lot of fun, especially with a dog. Bags vary on species in the area and the patience you have or not. I shoot with one fellow that cannot leave teal and shovellers alone.

Our typical bags have scaup, canvas backs, mallards, gadwal, green & blue wing teal, shovellers, pintails, snow / spec & canada geese.

Those are awesome pictures.

I've hunted over water a couple times but without a good dog, they are nowhere near as much fun.

[threeforthree]

Love the water.

[BuckCuller]

I love both field and pond hunts for ducks, the pond hunts usually last a little longer. Plus I love eating teal and you don’t shoot many of those in a field hunt.
Before I got a dog I would take a fishing pole and a live target frog with the hooks flipped around to cut down on the wading or if the pond was too deep. I also had a kayak that I took on bigger ponds. Most of the small pond I used to hunt have dried up now so I’ve been thinking about trying some big water hunts with the boat.
There is just something I love about sitting on a swamp chair drinking a coffee, the smell of the pond listening to the duck chatter waiting for go time.

Always take a walking pole, nothing worse than dunking your gun or filling your waders.

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by BuckCuller

I love both field and pond hunts for ducks, the pond hunts usually last a little longer. Plus I love eating teal and you don’t shoot many of those in a field hunt.
Before I got a dog I would take a fishing pole and a live target frog with the hooks flipped around to cut down on the wading or if the pond was too deep. I also had a kayak that I took on bigger ponds. Most of the small pond I used to hunt have dried up now so I’ve been thinking about trying some big water hunts with the boat.
There is just something I love about sitting on a swamp chair drinking a coffee, the smell of the pond listening to the duck chatter waiting for go time.

Always take a walking pole, nothing worse than dunking your gun or filling your waders.

You’re right about the smells, I love it.

[BuckCuller]

Puppies first duck hunt.



All grown up.

[Frank_NK28]

If it's anything deeper than sheetwater above my ankles in a field then I'm out. If there a less than zero number for interest in hunting water then I'm picking that number. Used to hunt it lots and was well equipped for it. The moment I decided to leave Northern Ontario and move to AB I posted my duck boat for sale and never looked back...

[Twisted Canuck]

Originally Posted by sns2

As long as this guy is with me, I’m good. My best friend.






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That's beautiful. As long as I'm still in the top 10 friends, I can't be jealous.

[slough shark]

Love hunting sloughs and potholes for ducks as long as I have my lab with me, without I’d feel different. This was the first year in a long time when I didn’t take him out on a water hunt and stuck to a few walks for grouse because he’s getting close to 14 and just doesn’t have the legs for it now and I don’t want to send him on a retrieve and have to go rescue him because his heart is a lot stronger than his body now.