Mr pigeon Posted September 29, 2013 Report Share Posted September 29, 2013 Hi guys as title suggests, our ducks won't fly! Any ideas? Tried flags, but to no avail, don't wont to try anything else in case I make it even harder to get them to fly. We have 50 ducks, reared from 8 weeks on a pond that is 20yards by 20 yards. Surrounded by small ( 15ft ) willow whips. 20yards along from this is an 1 acre pond that they spend the night on. Someone says they aren't "flight fit"? What do I need to do? Cheers! Really confused! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontbeck Posted September 29, 2013 Report Share Posted September 29, 2013 My experience with reared duck on a single pond ,such as you describe , was a disaster.We couldn't get them to fly whatever we did. If we managed to get them to lift off the water they would only fly at head height to the other side to avoid the dogs, beaters in waders and even a boat. That was a good number of years ago and I've shot reared duck many times since on driven days. Those shoots all had multiple sources of water and the birds were flown from one area to another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted September 29, 2013 Report Share Posted September 29, 2013 We had the same problem a few years ago,me and a mate went down every day for two weeks and put both dogs into the water and eventualy they did start to fly,it is best to push them off the water then feed them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keeperchris Posted September 29, 2013 Report Share Posted September 29, 2013 Feed them away from the water, gradually leapfrog the feeders or trail of feed daily until they are at least 150 yards away. This will encourage them off the water and "wild" them up a bit. Works for me every year, ducks are nice and wild and so high! Seasons average ao far after 3 shoots is 6-1 but the guns don't shoot any floppy low ones they are nice and selective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filzee Posted September 30, 2013 Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 There was a thing with George Digweed on Field sports channel with him using an umbrella to train his ducks to fly. Think it took a while though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbjones01 Posted September 30, 2013 Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 Feed them away from the water, gradually leapfrog the feeders or trail of feed daily until they are at least 150 yards away. This will encourage them off the water and "wild" them up a bit. Works for me every year, ducks are nice and wild and so high! Seasons average ao far after 3 shoots is 6-1 but the guns don't shoot any floppy low ones they are nice and selective. Plus one to the above. weve walked ours daily 200 of them following a bucket of corn, and then scaring them so they fly back, building up the distance daily to about 300 yds now their over the top of the oaks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Essex Keeper Posted September 30, 2013 Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt7sUtYj1-8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIDES EDGE Posted September 30, 2013 Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 Feed them away from the water, gradually leapfrog the feeders or trail of feed daily until they are at least 150 yards away. This will encourage them off the water and "wild" them up a bit. Works for me every year, ducks are nice and wild and so high! Seasons average ao far after 3 shoots is 6-1 but the guns don't shoot any floppy low ones they are nice and selective. Plus 2 and dont feed them for 3/4 days before the shoot date so they are hungrey on the day then feed them at the end of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabe_keeper Posted September 30, 2013 Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 I agree with the above comments regarding feeding away as have worked on a large commercial duck shoot before. Also some tips for putting them up are to use colourful umbrellas as mentioned above, place some stones in a 5 gallon drum to use as a rattle to put them up, boats tend to work well to get the ducks onto the bank where they have no choice but to fly really, also suspend a rope or 2 across the pond which should be easily as your pond is small. Attach 2 or 3 feed bags along the rope to pull from one side to put them up. Feeding away from the pond gradually is the best way as they tend to fly back from the feeding point. What are you feeding them at the moment and where? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon 3 Posted September 30, 2013 Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 A rope across the pond and them drag it along should put them off, but they may well just buzz around at head height looking to land again. I would be there as often as possible and make them lift by putting the dogs in and by using something that makes a nice sharp sound, we use a metal dustbin lid and iron bar! Move all feeders away from the pond to encourage them to fly to feed. Best of luck it can be a nightmare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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