Advice on hunting fields

Hey guys,

I've been hunting ducks for two years now and I'm working on expanding knowledge, skill and hunting areas. I've spent all of my time hunting in marshes (which I've enjoyed) but when we have cold snaps like this I have a hard time getting the canoe through the ice. I just got permission to hunt on a field in Abbotsford. I still have to go take a look at it but they tell me that when it's not covered in snow a large part of the field is flooded and they often see ducks in it.

My questions is...what is the right time/conditions to hunt fields as opposed to the marsh - where it seems they would be almost all the time? What do I need to be looking for? And what differences do you find hunting a field as opposed to a marsh?

Any advice or thought are really helpful! Thanks a lot

Hunting fields in a freeze up is usually fruitless. However, hunting fields right after a freeze up during a thaw can be the best duck hunting of the year.

In most cases the ducks will not stay on the field, even if its flooded all day/night. Your best bet is to go to the field at first light and watch them for a few hours one morning and set up the next day where you seen them landing.

Lorne

If the water is not frozen, go watch the field from the warmth of your vehicle. If waterfowl are using the water it will most likely be for food source, drinking water or toilet facility.

If you feel there is sufficient activity, drop a few decoys in the water or on land, if birds have been observed on land, and use adjacent vegetation etc.as a blind.

Most activity will be first and/or last light. Good luck.

Although Lorne is obviously one of the most experienced bird hunters around..I will hunt a frozen feild any day of the week they still have to eat...if the ice isn't to thick bust it up and you have a landing pad...

Lots of good shoots over frozen fields this time of year...I haven't hunted the coast for a couple years but the Pintail and widgeon alway came late when it froze in mission and abbey...watch your Pintail limit.

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Originally Posted by walks with deer

Although Lorne is obviously one of the most experienced bird hunters around..I will hunt a frozen feild any day of the week they still have to eat...if the ice isn't to thick bust it up and you have a landing pad...

Lots of good shoots over frozen fields this time of year...I haven't hunted the coast for a couple years but the Pintail and widgeon alway came late when it froze in mission and abbey...watch your Pintail limit.

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I certainly don't claim to know every thing and I agree they do have to eat... However they can't root up any food if its frozen. So they will usually do one of a few things. Come mid day IF there is a bit of a thaw or not at all if it doesn't. You can observe birds coming to fields mid morning during a big freeze up, do one lap of the field and take off. To frozen, not coming. If it doesn't thaw they stay in the estuaries eating or on the rivers eating whatever they can find. The issue waiting for the mid day thaw is it makes them unpredictable. Again, the thaw might not happen at all and then you get a full skunk. If you get a inversion or even overcast, thaw is very unlikely with over night temps -3 or better. If you get full sun during the day and those kind of night temps, the field will usually thaw enough for a bit of mid day action. And that action can be REALLY GOOD.

But how do you handle that mid day action? do you go at first light and wait hours potentially till you fire your gun? Or do you take a chance and set up mid morning in hopes they aren't already in there? its a toughy!

I am lucky enough to be able to choose my days and I d personally rather hunt the ocean on a freeze up and wait for a low pressure system to come in and bring the warm/rain and pound on them during normal duck hunting hours ( early to mid morning) when they hit the fields like they haven't eaten in months.

Lorne