Late Can Be Great for Waterfowl

Late Can Be Great for Waterfowl
By Freddie McKnight

Cold and snowy weather had finally arrived in my region. With that event, the fall flights of waterfowl pushed in ahead of the front, making for some of the best wingshooting action of the year.
While setting our decoys in the predawn light, we could hear the thousands of geese on a nearby bay of the lake starting to stir. Once we had our spread in place, we retired to the comfort of the blind to await shooting light and the anticipated action.

With the first rays of the sun the geese started coming off of the lake and searching out the fields of their new territory. Usually in small flocks, but occasionally in singles and pairs, they came. Being new to the area, they were quick to lock up and sail into our well-placed decoy setup. Shortly after it all began, we had our limit of birds for the day.

This is typical of what seems to be the norm in waterfowling these days. The event depicted was a hunt that occurred with only a handful of hunting days left in the season. Warm weather had kept the ducks and geese much farther north for nearly the entire season, with only a handful of them pitching into our region to wait out the winter.

This past Fall, cold weather arrived early on the northern grounds, as flight ducks were spotted on the bigger waters as early as mid-October, but then a warming trend across the region allowed them to push back north. Some hunters were speaking of action in the early months that is usually only seen during the later seasons, but that is the effect that one good cold snap can have.

Keeping tabs on the conditions and having a flexible schedule that allows you to hunt when the conditions are right can put you on some of the best waterfowling action of the entire year. With duck season usually running into early January and geese being in season until February or March, hunters can take advantage of the action when other hunting seasons have already closed.

I watch the national weather situation closely. When a cold front hits in the Great Plains or to the north, it usually pushes new birds into our region. If it is just a cold front that will freeze up the ground and water, it usually takes three to four days of this type of action in that region to push the birds to us. With their habitat frozen, the birds have no other option than to fly to other areas for food and open water where they can loaf or roost. If the front has precipitation in the form of heavy snow or ice, then the birds will often fly out to other areas about a day ahead of the storm.

It is not hard to determine if birds are coming into the area or not. I like to make a drive near sundown to the larger lakes in my home region and watch for flights coming in. I have seen the once-barren sky fill with these new arrivals, a sight that would put a smile on the face of any diehard duck hunter.

Once the new birds are in the area, you have a couple of great days of hunting ahead of you. These new arrivals, not familiar with all of the feeding areas as of yet, will key in on a decoy spread with little hesitation. Usually they have arrived ahead of the flight with little in the way of food, so they want to get their bellies full as soon as possible. After a couple of days in a new area, the new arrivals quickly become veterans again and will avoid those locations where they have been hunted. Having an abundance of new areas to hunt is a key to keeping this late season action fresh. By this time of the year, the birds have been getting decoyed and shot at for more than five months. Even the young-of-the-year birds have become veterans by this time, able to spot an out-of-place blind or decoy spread in the blink of an eye.

Once cold weather has penetrated our region and the flight birds have gone farther south, it is time to once again watch for fronts arriving. At this time, I am looking for warming trends to hit the region. If the warm weather lasts for more than a few days, it is possible that flight ducks and geese will move to the north of their current holding areas. It only takes a little bit of mud and open water to bring them in, and their numbers can increase by the thousands in just a couple hours. I have seen snow geese come into an area in huge waves during these warm spells, but just as quickly head back south once the cold weather settles back in.

Keep in mind that you need to be armed a bit heavier than normal for these late-season birds. They have all of their heavy feathers now and can be tough to bring down. Normally this time of the year will see longer shots as well, so shot sizes should be a bit larger than what you have used in the past. Make sure your gun patterns well with the ammo you have chosen, and know how it shoots with steel and some of the other non-toxic loads you need to use for waterfowl. You may need to adjust your lead distance on birds with these shotshells, especially on those longer range shots that are often the norm during the late season.

One of the most important aspects of this late season hunting is safety. Whether you are field hunting or along the water, hypothermia can set in. Be sure you are warm and dry. I always carry a spare set of clothing, just in case I take a plunge or get damp from sitting in a field blind during the cold weather. A heater is a great option, as are the many different types of heat packets available that you can stick in pockets, gloves and boots to ward off the cold.

If you are hunting from a boat, keep that life jacket on at all times. I know it can be a nuisance to shoot with, but one fall into the icy water could take you from this world. The shock of your body hitting the cold water can render you helpless and on your way to the bottom, so a life jacket will keep you afloat.
The late season can be a great season as far as waterfowl is concerned, so quit watching those hunting shows on TV. Get off of your easy chair and get out there to experience it for yourself. Though you won’t be successful on every outing, just one good hunt when the conditions are right will make the entire effort more than worth your while.