Hitting the Fields for Dabblers & Geese!

Hitting the Fields for Dabblers & Geese!
By Capt. Bill Saiff

The 2005' season for ducks and geese was an anomaly in waterfowl circles. My records show that it rained 17 of the first 20 days of duck season. When I say it rained, I'm talking about steady downpours that tested the mettle of the hardiest duck hunters. The soaking was so bad that many duck hunters gunned for a day or two and then took several days off just to recover. To make matters worse, ducks were not holding in the traditional areas they're found in early October. Complaints of low duck number were running rampant throughout the north east. The low numbers seemed unusual because all scouting missions (before season) had yielded good concentrated numbers of ducks. Where did the ducks go? Could we find them? How would we hunt them? All questions that needed sorting out.
Ducks love to dabble in submergent vegetation so finding backwaters with less than 1 ½ feet of water can be a key to successful hunting. Fortunately, northern New York is known for these types of key duck hunting locations. Scouting in August and September found plenty of ducks using these key areas and veteran hunters were hopeful for a good season. When the season began these areas flooded and concentrated ducks dispersed in search of new food sources and shallow water. When heavy amounts of water are present, ducks can and do spread out. This requires hunters to spend more time in the field identifying new hunting locations. Last year this change allowed ducks to access wet areas in recently harvested corn fields. The birds had everything they wanted, water, food and the ability to see approaching danger. It was time to break out the field rig and modify what we normally do to take advantage of ducks in the field.
Small puddles of standing sheet water can be a magnet to ducks using feed fields. These small puddles are usually the first stop for dabblers as they circle feed fields in the gray light of dawn. Ducks associate water with safety and security so it's not surprising that they key on these areas first. Waterfowl will use these small sheet water ponds as staging areas before moving into the corn stubble to feed. Ducks will also use these puddles as watering holes throughout the day. Ducks engaged in the heavy intake of dry grain sources will usually seek water hourly providing trickle action throughout the morning hours. Hunting these sheet water puddles is simple. Since ducks and geese will both use these wet holes, gunners can set a standard goose rig with low profile blinds near the waters edge. When the wind is placed at the hunters back, ducks will approach across the water and into the rig. The cover can be low around these small puddles so low profile blinds such as the Stealth, Finisher or Eliminator can be employed. A rig of goose decoys intermixed throughout the blinds will help to break the profile of blinds allowing gunners to hide more effectively. When conditions are wet the movement of huge decoy rigs can become impractical. This is a great time to utilize silhouette goose and duck decoys to make your set come alive. Under wet conditions, we use 4-wheeled ATV's and swamp donkey trailers to move rigs into the field. If farmers are opposed to motorized transport then we use old fashioned shoe leather and get there early enough to get the job done. Here is how the typical wet-field rig is set!

Setting the Rig
Approach the hole on the upwind side and spread the low profile blinds along the edge of the water. We like to place these blinds 5 to 10 yards from the water's edge. Once these are spaced out we backstop behind the blinds with a grouping of 4 dozen Real Geese silhouette decoys. Silhouettes provide greater attraction at long distance than any other style of decoy. These decoys are lightweight (easily transported) and the non-reflective nature of the Real-Geese silhouettes, keep the glare off the decoys on sunny mornings. Another 4 dozen goose silhouettes can then be placed between the blinds and in front of the firing line. Silhouettes should be placed about 4 feet apart and at 90 degrees to one another. We do this so the rig appears to move as approaching birds circle into the wind. A few decoys should be placed tight to the back and front of the blinds. This will help hide the blind and any calling movements originating from the blinds. 4 dozen duck decoys will be used to handle the water portion of the set-up. ½ dozen floaters should line the windward edge of the hole. Set these decoys in a basic U-shape with the heaviest concentration next to the waters edge. The pocket behind the decoys should be large enough for incoming flocks to land comfortably. The remaining 1 ½ dozen puddle duck decoys should consist of some type of full body stand-up or silhouette decoy. I personally gun with Hard Core full bodies and have found them to be excellent at finishing ducks as they commit to the rig. The Hard Core's are placed in water that is too shallow to float a decoy and they are extended up into the field (on dry ground) between the water and the blind. This gives the appearance of ducks feeding up and out of the water. The entire rig is finished with a single spinning wing decoy placed directly in front of the blinds on a 6 foot pole. The pole is placed amidst the floating decoys at the leading edge of the rig. It's imperative to have the spinning wing decoy on a remote control. This control will allow the hunt master to operate the wing on flocks of incoming ducks but shut it off if geese approach the hole. Canada geese will finish to a spinning wing (duck decoy) on occasion but as a rule, they will flare just outside your pattern. All types of waterfowl will use wet holes in grain fields so the combination of goose and duck decoys is realistic and natural. Some type of goose flag is one addition that gunners should take into the field when hunting water. When Canada's are approaching, the spinning wing can be shut down and black T-flags can be used to guide geese in front of the guns.
The above set-up was used over and over in the fall of 2005' but can work well in any field that has standing water under normal conditions. Sportsmen should also look to this type of rig to gun ducks and geese in dry field conditions. Canada geese will come to grain fields anytime after sun-up depending on weather and temperature but ducks will always hit the grain fields at first light. When ducks are feeding in grain a couple dozen duck shells or full bodies can be used to build enough eye attraction to position incoming birds. When fields are totally dry, the spinning wing is crucial. Ducks are notorious for looping a field and never finishing to ground decoys. The strobing white of a spinning wing will concentrate these early birds directly in front of the guns. Dry conditions can dictate a larger rig for more eye appeal. Full bodied Canada goose decoys can be added to the rig for additional size. When fields are dry, large numbers of dekes can be transported by 4-wheel drive and enclosed trailers.

Thanksgiving Day 2005'
Water remained in fields for much of the 2005' season. Daytime temperatures were unusually warm and Canada geese staged heavily in both Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties. The plan for Thanksgiving Day was to pursue a mix of dabbling and diving ducks that had been scouted on the open waters of Lake Ontario. When I woke at 3:30 a.m., I could feel the gale force winds pounding against the house. I knew a day floating on the big lake was out of the question. I checked the weather on-line and started some quick planning for a more manageable field hunt. The ground had frosted over during the night as temperatures plummeted. As I hooked up the enclosed trailer the first snow flurries began to fall. At 5 a.m. I swung the headlights into the field and could already see the snow blanketing the corn stubble. The sheet water pond was freshly skimmed over and half our team set out breaking ice as the rest unloaded decoys. Duck and Goose feathers adorned the edge of the hole and I cautiously allowed myself to get excited about the day.
The trucks and trailers were quickly stowed and the rules of the hunt were spoken and acknowledged by all in attendance. We sunk into our stealth blinds and covered down in the approaching dawn. A camo net was pulled over my lab as she instinctively lay out next to my blind. "Venus" is no stranger to the field and her eyes quickly began scanning the sky for incoming birds. The ripping sound of air through wings caught us all by surprise as the first flock of dabblers rocketed in from behind. The howling winds carried them down wind as they made the slow arc back towards our decoys. We all knew that the birds would need to be overly committed before calling the shot. When they were just 5 feet off the water, we flipped lids, slapped triggers and collected the first three Mallards of the day. The high winds carried the remaining birds quickly out of range and towards some other unseen watercourse. Steady to wing and shot, "Venus" was released and made short order of the three retrieves. Throughout the morning, winds steadily increased and we worked birds doggedly. We would call continuously as the ducks took several minutes to enter the decoys from just 150 yards downwind. Doubles on birds were rare on this day but the constant flow of incoming waterfowl provided a fast paced hunt. Mallards and Blacks were added to the creel and after sun-up, no less than 1500 Canada's flew this field looking for the open water they had become accustomed to. Number #2 shot was exchanged for 3-inch BB's and some rapid clucking on the short-reeds finished all the geese that our group was allowed. All in all a fabulous hunt by pursuing our quarry in the field!
Hunting waterfowl in fields can provide great action throughout the entirety of the season but strange weather conditions can escalate field activity. Whenever mother-nature throws you a curve ball this season consider hitting the fields for duck and goose hunting action.

Capt. Bill Saiff III owns and operates Seaway Waterfowl Professionals and Saiff's Fishing Charters. Bill's duck and goose hunting trips are based out of Bill Saiff's Westview Lodge and Marina. He can be reached at 315-782-4665 or on-line at www.BillSaiffOutdoors.com