What time do you guys like to hunt at?

[240droptop]

Bit of a rookie question, from a rookie bird hunter, what time of day do most of you guys like to hunt for birds, duck, geese etc. Does it matter so much? are they feeding or searching for water at any time of day, or around dawn or dusk kind of thing.


Thanks guys

[Steeleco]

In my very limited experience I've only hunted at dusk, it's been a hoot. I've yet to try dawn, but like other hunting, I think it's right place right time kinda stuff!

[Crazy_Farmer]

Depends where and what you're hunting. But tides can play a factor not just time of day. But to make a general statement, there are two flights a day. Morning and night. They sit on a roost all night either a lake, or on or near a body of water. If the moons right they'll even sit and eat in a field overnight. But the birds will get off the roost in the morning and head to another spot, field, marsh what ever be it to get food. So that first couple hours around sunrise are very productive.

And the opposite is the night flight. Birds are either heading back to the roost or looking to get some last minute food in a close by feed as they make their way to the roost.

This is why you'll see a lull in action or birds flying from say 9-noon. The birds have already flown and are in the fields eating and havent left yet during midday to go back and get a drink of water which they need. Unless you got flooded fields they'll sit all day. They got everything they need.

[NitwiT]

Being new to it, I generally try sit in boundary bay from 1/2 hour before sunrise, to 1/2 hour after..

[M.Dean]

I find 12 midnight to just before first light, less hunters and a lot more game roaming around!

[Tanya]

240, it really varies depending on where, weather. If you are hunting near the ocean at all the birds tend to move as the tide is coming towards high. If the weather is windy and rainy it is usually pretty steady most of the day. Cold still mornings are often slow. Also, if there is a lot of ice/snow coverage if you can find a place with accessible and open water you could have steady action for hours. ( see my Snuck out mid-week post).

Generally we will be set up and ready for 1/2 before sunrise as there is usually action early, then another burst of action as the sun actually shows. We don't often hunt evenings ourselves.

[Gunner]

I'm not an evening hunter,without a good dog(and even sometimes with one),the opportunity for lost birds is much higher at dusk.There is almost always a good flight into the LM fields at dusk,but a lot of birds move later because the ambient light from the city allows them to fly all night.Many times while working late on my boat in Ladner I have heard large flocks of mallards and widgeon moving after midnight. Gunner

[240droptop]

Thanks for all the help guys, i went out early saturday morning stayed out for most the day I didnt have to much luck, but I am still new to bird hunting and learn new things everytime i get out. most of the water is frozen around here at this time of year. there is a river near by still moving, I have been working the edges of farmer fields since I tend to see the geese coming in for food I assume. Do you guys ever see them near the edges of running water? worth checking out ?

[rifleman]

dawn till dusk

[240droptop]

I was also wondering I have no clue what i'm doing when it comes to calling, but I still like to set up some decoys, am I better off using the decoys and not calling at all rather than, calling incorrectly. with decoys.