Starting early

[FlatoutFishin]

I just started duck hunting this year and I'm pretty stoked about it. I need to start getting my gear together now before I'm caught off guard come season opening and then spending bucku bucks trying to round everything up. Can ya'll give me some suggestions on what gear is imperative to have. I'm thinking deco's...how many swimmers, feeders, and a mojo of course. Believe I need a coffin blind too. Also, who has the best prices for all this stuff? Can ya'll think of anything else?
Thanks

[Unclehandy]

You can find some really good deals on craigslist for decoys, blinds and other stuff. As far as your spread goes, its kind of personal preference. Everyone I hunt with puts out their spread just a little different than the other. Mojo's are definitely money though! Welcome to the sport.

[WestEndAngler]

Monte, I have a layout blind I never use that I will sell you for cheap! its waterproof up to 4" so you can put in on bank and layout like you would in a field...

Monte, since your hunting Coastal waters get a dozen mallards, 2-3 dozen teal, and then a few puddler packs gadwall, widgeon and pintails, maybe a few blue bills since you hunt Trinity area.

I'd get a get a teal mojo and a mallard and be done with it. Teal can sit over your pod of teal decoys and the mallard over the bigger ducks.

[Milkjug]

I'm in the same boat as you.

Gotta get dekes and calls for next season. How much do good duck calls run?

[Unclehandy]

I'm in the same boat as you.

Gotta get dekes and calls for next season. How much do good duck calls run?

You can get decent calls for as little at 15-20 bucks! You can also get crazy and spend a few hundred.

[majek_maniac]

I have a bunch of old calls that I never blow that yall can have if you want it. Let me know, I'll give you some instructions too. Let me look, I may have some older deeks that I dont use you can have too. PM me if interested.

M.M.

[majek_maniac]

Also everyone has their own opinions and tactics so it would vary from hunter to hunter. If you ask me and you are coastal hunting, dont waste money on mallards. I have lots of mallard deeks and have put them out, and HAVE shot mallards very near west bay, but not enough to use them. Just my $.02. In all honesty, mallard deeks wont stop non mallards from coming in, I just like to make my spread as realistic as possible with species that I am targeting.

[FlatoutFishin]

Coe...interested in the lay down blind.

[GHSmacker]

Take those mallard dekes and paint them black and white to look like bluebills...you don't need those mallards out there. Gonna be a rare deal the day you kill a fat boy(greenhead) out in the salt. If i was you i'd get some teal, grey ducks, bluebills, and redheads. Those divers are dumb though, and they don't need a whole lot of convincing. If they see black and white birds out there bobbing around in the water they'll come look. It may also be a good idea to get a few black duck decoys...to attract some of the local mottles.

Duck calls are an addiction to me. I spend more money on that stuff then i know i should. I got a few thousand dollars in calls. I can't help it...i'm ate up with it.

Layout blinds are the bomb. We started using them about 5 years ago, and we never went back to diggin pits again. You can dissappear out in the open with one of those, and the ducks will never have a clue you were there. I use Ground Forces, and i love them. A lot of people swear by Final Approach brand layout blinds too. Check them out and see which ones you like.

About the robos...they're a good/bad thing. Those things were gold the first few years they were out, but every year they lose their effectiveness a little more. We use a couple at the start of the season, but around Thanksgiving time we start to pull them. Those ducks will start to flare off of them like nobody's business. They see countless numbers of spreads on their migration south, and several of those have Mojo's in them. They quickly learn that those things are bad, and they will avoid them at all costs. Take this for instance....we hunted some public land down by the coast this year and everybody around us has a Mojo. We didn't use one and we killed more ducks than anybody else...we had three kicker geese as well. Just goes to show you that those things aren't a necessity.

If you're looking for some good warm gear stuff to use...i recommend Drake brand clothing. Their stuff is awesome...i have a closet full of it. Their stuff is extremely warm and isn't bulky at all.

Let me know if you need help with anything else....

[majek_maniac]

All I would recommend for now is:
1- Shotgun
2- Waders
3- 2-3 doz decoys (Personally I recommend teal, gadwall, and pintail and/or widgeon for now if you are hunting down around here)
4- A cheap call that you can start learning on.

Infact, I wouldnt get started calling becase like GHSmacker said, once you get into it, you get $$THOUSANDS$$ into it! My call lanyard is worth more than most of my friends shotguns.

Anyhow, get the basics and you can modify what you need from there when you get more experienced and decide what you think is necessary based on where you hunt and how you do it.
If you want, I will take you out this season and show you a little of my style and you can compare it to others and what you have seen. Like it has been said, everyone hunts a little different, but its all the same and most of it works. But you will find, whoever you hunt the most with, your style will mimick theirs. Good luck

P.S. Cabelas.com, mackspw.com, and wingssupply.com are great places to start looking at all the gear.

M.M.

[GHSmacker]

If you're lookin for a cheap call to start on...i'll recommend the Haydel's DR-85. One of the best, cheap duck calls on the market. Primo's Wench is a pretty good, cheap meat call as well.

If you want to up the anty a little bit, Tim Ground's Sweet Meet is great. Don't take my word for it though...it won the World Live Duck Contest back in 2006. If you can run it...it's nasty.

[WestEndAngler]

Also everyone has their own opinions and tactics so it would vary from hunter to hunter. If you ask me and you are coastal hunting, dont waste money on mallards. I have lots of mallard deeks and have put them out, and HAVE shot mallards very near west bay, but not enough to use them. Just my $.02. In all honesty, mallard deeks wont stop non mallards from coming in, I just like to make my spread as realistic as possible with species that I am targeting.

I'll agree with that statement.

[WestEndAngler]

If you're lookin for a cheap call to start on...i'll recommend the Haydel's DR-85. One of the best, cheap duck calls on the market. Primo's Wench is a pretty good, cheap meat call as well.

If you want to up the anty a little bit, Tim Ground's Sweet Meet is great. Don't take my word for it though...it won the World Live Duck Contest back in 2006. If you can run it...it's nasty.

What do you think about the Buck Gardner calls... "Hi Tech Redneck!" I love it!!

[majek_maniac]

I like BG calls, I own one and have blown a few. I personally am partial to RNT and Foiles calls, but his poly calls are great for the price.