Tips & Tactics

Make Scouting Work for You

Over the years I've found that the single most important tactic for success when hunting any type of game is scouting. Scouting can differ depending on your quarry but in order to be successful at scouting in any way you must put the 3 basic components into place. The first component is AREA. Before you can hunt an area you must understand it. Find out what locations within an area are easily accessible and what locations are not. Accessible areas will provide hunting opportunities for you as well as other hunters, so it is a good idea to have a back-up plan for those crowded situations. This is when the less accessible areas come into play. These are the toughest places to get to but they often provide great hunting with less company.

Once you've located these areas, find out what types of feeding opportunities are provided within them. Certain types of waterfowl eat certain types of food so it is important to know what to look for when trying to pinpoint feeding areas, which of course continue to change throughout the course of the season. The next thing you must look for are opportunities for concealment. Brush piles, tree lines, and high reeds are examples of things to look for when trying to locate natural cover within a given area. Stationary blinds are ok if applicable but are not legal in some areas. It's important to refer to state hunting regulations when looking into hunting a particular area. Actually, regulations should probably be your first step in scouting. In addition, it is very important to understand the lay of the land and the consistency of water levels. Learn whether water levels will be increasing or decreasing depending on the weather, time of year, or even time of day, if your dealing with tides. Know where you can and can't go within the law and safety of yourself and other hunters.  

The next scouting component is POPULATION. Once you've learned a particular area, it's time to look into the numbers and species of the waterfowl population within that area. Knowing what species you will be after will make it easier to pinpoint an exact hunting location. It's also not a bad idea to pick up a waterfowl book and learn a little something about what attracts certain species to a given area. Once you've done that, look into waterfowl numbers within a given area. Of course waterfowl are migratory so scouting for this information must be continued throughout the season as populations fluctuate. This is when you discover the best times to be in the blind and the best times to stay in bed.

Some other ways to get valuable information about populations is by word of mouth and by records taken by State or Refuge Management. Often, you can log onto your state wildlife division's webpage to get updates on populations for major wetlands within that state. Take advantage. It's free information right at you fingertips. The problem with website populations is that it's impossible for them to be completely current at all times, which leads me to the third component which is weather. 

WEATHER can change populations over night. A big storm or a strong cold front can mean more ducks or less ducks in your area. Become accustomed to migrating and feeding patterns when weather is part of the equation (which is always). The best bet for scouting fluctuating populations in a given area is to keep a close eye on the weather channel. Meteorologists are usually in the ballpark so it's safe to plan your hunting trips accordingly.                                   

Once you've established what population is in a given area you can determine when and where to hunt. Ducks and geese will feed heavily when it's cold and these are the best times to hunt. Depending on the time of year, you may have large migrating flocks coming into your area after or right before a cold front or storm. Ducks and geese will not pattern themselves to that area for a couple of days so hitting them when they're fresh is your best bet.

It is also critical to pay attention to the moon. In areas of agriculture, moon stages are more important. Goose populations are more affected by the moon than duck populations but it is important to pay attention regardless of which one you hunt. The moon will cause birds to move, feed, and rest at different times throughout the day and will change as the moon changes. Watch the weather for cloud movement as well. Clouds can move in overnight during a full moon and throw a monkey wrench in your plans.

In conclusion, scouting is very helpful and is a must if you want to be consistent and successful on your trips to the blind. Be aware of the three key components and be persistent throughout the season. Another important factor to mention is to have a good idea where other hunters are hunting in your area. This can help you determine where and when to go. Remember, "hunter etiquette" is one the most important things you can bring to the blind and is a genuine quality to pass onto the next generation. Respect other hunters and respect your game!