First Duck Shoot

[twitchynik]

Have been invited out for my first proper duck shoot and am looking for any tips and tricks you guys might have!

 

We're shooting over ponds and streams that the ducks have been landing on (we've been feeding them for a while now) so don't expect anything really high.

 

Am thinking 32gr 5s in steel should be ok? What chokes should I be using (thinking quite open as birds will be close?) and any technique tips - i.e. aim for the head etc?

 

Thanks!

[WGD]

I would go to 5's in steel, 32g's might be a bit heavy for a pond.

 

As far as shooting wild duck at a flight pond is concerned, be alert and know where any potential risks of dangers are (bear in the mind these duck will be dropping in and fast, the risk is you follow them down with no safe backstop, or worse, someone on the other side of the pond). It can get very hot, very quick.

 

You don't say what type of duck you expect? On our ponds we generally only get teal and mallard.

 

If it's mallard you'll be able to see them better for longer, pick your bird/s and make the shots count, you have more time than you think. If it's teal fire at everything and hope you drop a couple

 

Good luck, enjoy your outing

[twitchynik]

If it's teal fire at everything and hope you drop a couple

 

No worries with that approach, just limited with the two carts in my gun and how quickly I can reload!!

 

Mostly mallard, don't think we've seen any teal.

 

The land does have some obvious no shooting lines which I'm well aware of but that's a good point to make sure you really do know where you are in relation to them. Thanks for that.

[anser2]

Have been invited out for my first proper duck shoot and am looking for any tips and tricks you guys might have!

 

We're shooting over ponds and streams that the ducks have been landing on (we've been feeding them for a while now) so don't expect anything really high.

 

Am thinking 32gr 5s in steel should be ok? What chokes should I be using (thinking quite open as birds will be close?) and any technique tips - i.e. aim for the head etc?

 

Thanks!

 

If they are under 35 yards steel 5s will do the job , but I would get 4s as they will give you some versitility in range. Check your chokes are 1\2 or less for steel. Get into position in plenty of time , nothing worse than having the duck flight into a pond before you get there and nothing more exciting than the anticipation of waiting for them to come. Remember on a cloudy wet night they are likely to be early and could be late if its a clear sunset or if there is a moon.

 

Forget about aiming for the head , you may have a job seeing it in the dark. Just give them plenty of lead. let the birds come well in before shooting.

 

If you can take a dog , but if you have to wait for a keeper to pick up with his dog keep track of how many and where the shot duck fall. If you have the pond to yourself and its safe to do so , shoot any wounded birds on the water. Its surprising how many dissapear by the time of the pick up along a stream. If its your own shoot try and pick up and get away before the end of flight. This will keep the lead in of birds. I expect others will have other comments , but a torch might come in handy , but do not use unless you have to or during the flight.

 

Have a good flight.

Edited October 6, 2010 by anser2

[AlistairB]

Nik, i tend to use 4's but i think it's preference as much as anything. The one thing i do struggle with in the half light is judging range - as a result i try and let them get a bit closer than i would normally expect to take the shot at (if that makes sense!)

 

Also i completely agree with WGD's comments. You must know exactly where the other guns are, particularly on an evening flight, try and pick something close to them that you will still be able to see once the visibility drops.

 

I always take a face veil and gloves regardless of the weather otherwise everytime you look up the ducks get a nice shiny orb to look at! As well as the usual priest, torch etc etc.

 

Enjoy

 

AB

[WGD]

Meant to add in my first post, but as has been said by anser2 and blackla, our ponds are quite small so I use cylinder and improved cylinder. And I always wear a face veil and gloves.

 

I also tend to keep the dog back and sweep up when finished unless a bird is dropped around the pond and I am not confident it is dead in which case I'll send the dog straight away. If you have any injured land in the pond, shoot them in the water, they dive when the dog is put on them and can be a pain to get hold of.

 

It is also a good idea to have a stop shooting signal, be it a whistle, shout or whatever so your fellow guns know there may be dogs working and people moving around.

 

Again, best of luck.

[ollie]

All good advice so far. When we are shooting the flight pond we all shoot from the same side so that there is no danger with low birds. Also I usually do the pick up at the end as the flight can be fast and furious but as someone has said always shoot a bird which is wounded in the water as it is a pain when they start diving.

[twitchynik]

Thanks all, some good food for thought there!

[utectok]

It's cracking fun but hard to get a bead on the bird to start with like shooting moths least missed every duck last week spanner!!

[twitchynik]

[quote name='WGD' date='Oct 6 2010, 01:14 PM' post=

 

If it's mallard you'll be able to see them better for longer, pick your bird/s and make the shots count, you have more time than you think. If it's teal fire at everything and hope you drop a couple

 

Good luck, enjoy your outing

 

Just back home and happy to report a successful night out! Hardly anything was flying save the odd crow but then just as we're about to leave a flock of 5 birds loop round and present themselves nicely. One shot and the bird dropped! Took an age to find it, even with 2 keen jack russells but we found it. Surprisingly it was a teal. Dead chuffed!