Stillsy Posted October 19, 2010 Report Share Posted October 19, 2010 What time of day do you find best for shooting duck? I swear they come in late late now, like after dark? I cant get to grips with my pond, when i get to the pond in the evening i always put up half a dozen, at like 5oclock before a flight and then nothing will come back so i leave at like 7.30 when its pitch black.. yet in the morning the corn will be gone. When i get to the pond at 11am to feed i always put up 20 or so! Whens best to shoot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted October 20, 2010 Report Share Posted October 20, 2010 They are obviously coming in late and sitting there all night feeding, You seem to be caught between a rock and a hard place. I would try breaking up the feeding times so they don't get acustomed to you being there. I feed my pond at random times and days during the week, I never feed it on a sunday as we shoot it on a sunday evening. I don't know anyone who shoots a pond in the morning. It looks like you need to persevere and do some reconaisance. The best time to shoot it is the evenings, without doubt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight32 Posted October 20, 2010 Report Share Posted October 20, 2010 (edited) They are obviously coming in late and sitting there all night feeding, You seem to be caught between a rock and a hard place. I would try breaking up the feeding times so they don't get acustomed to you being there. I feed my pond at random times and days during the week, I never feed it on a sunday as we shoot it on a sunday evening. I don't know anyone who shoots a pond in the morning. It looks like you need to persevere and do some reconaisance. The best time to shoot it is the evenings, without doubt. Some of the best ponds around my way are shot in the morning, mainly the ones situated alongside the main riverways and coastline. The birds spend all night on the river and then come to feed during the day. Traditionally though, ponds are shot in the evening. Wait for a rough day and then shoot it, you will find that never fails as the birds are looking to shelter and you normally find you will get more visitors than normal as their mates tag along. I would take MC's advice and break up the routine, but then again not knowing your location, what is your main species which visits your pond? Mallard? Wigeon? Teal? Normally, mallard will always come first, and then it can be quite dark before the wigeon and Teal arrive. Moon phases can also effect the pattern as well, more so in some areas than others. I have some places where the ducks appear late the last quarter and normally through to full, and vice versa in other areas. Edited October 20, 2010 by starlight32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted October 20, 2010 Report Share Posted October 20, 2010 Oh well, I stand corrected, I do know someone who shoots a pond in the morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 20, 2010 Report Share Posted October 20, 2010 two actually as ours usually gets done first thing before they get disturbed, but is a release pond in the middle of the shoot. Big difference to if they fly in and you don't put any down though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted October 21, 2010 Report Share Posted October 21, 2010 ...........Moon phases can also effect the pattern as well, more so in some areas than others....... I would put money on the above if what you were saying has been happening recently as we are fast approaching a full moon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 21, 2010 Report Share Posted October 21, 2010 We shoot the rivers in the morning and ponds in the evening.It doesn't seem to matter when we feed our pond,there's always ducks on it,which take off obviously,but return in the evening. It may sound like we overshoot them from the above post,but we don't.Maybe twice a month on each. The fattest ducks we've had so far came from stubbles;the first pond we shot this season produced skinny ducks so we haven't shot it since but continue to feed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodcock1 Posted October 23, 2010 Report Share Posted October 23, 2010 There are four duck ponds on a shoot local to me. Three of them, there are no duck on during the day and they shoot really well at dusk. The fourth pond is full of duck during the day which fly out in the evening and disperse to the other three and elsewhere all to return at first light to roost during the day. All the ducks are wild and a good mix of mallard and teal. Try watching your pond at first light, maybe they're just using it as a daytime roost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted October 23, 2010 Report Share Posted October 23, 2010 another good tip feed the pond later in the day so you don;t disturb to many and when you turn up to shoot take some grain with you and put it the pond after you have shot. also they tend to come in later with a full moon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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