Hunting in duck blinds is vastly different than duck hunting in a boat. You’ll also have to take a boat to your blind, but the first step is finding a blind where you can hunt. Some people have a blind set up ahead and allow people to use it or they rent the use of it. But many duck hunting enthusiasts feel much better building their own duck blinds.

Sometimes a group of people will get together and build a duck blind and then share it. If you’re not familiar with the process of building a duck blind or you’re new to duck hunting, this will probably be the way for you to go. That way you have sort of a guide along the process. Maybe you can help someone build a duck blind which will help you learn how to do it.

If you want to build one on your own, start with some treated pieces of lumber 2×6, 4×4, and 2×4. You also need some galvanized screws and a piece of plywood, 5/8-inch is big enough, to place over your subfloor so you’ll have a flat surface. Use 2×6 planks to build the base of the floor with joists no more than 16 inches apart. Then take your plywood and make sure you have holes cut for the 4×4 posts in each corner, then screw it to your floor base.

You want your 4×4 posts to be different lengths in the front and back. The back will be much higher and probably around 50″ to 53″ tall. The roof will slope down toward the front where you want the post to be only around 48″ tall. Be sure that you cut the posts in the back at an angle so that the roof slopes forward. Use the 2×4 pieces to frame out the blind starting with the top of the front post to a back post and work from there. Continue around until you have level 2×4 posts around the outside with one side open to enter the blind.

Once you’ve built a few duck blinds the process is easier and faster. Once they’re built, you paint them with flat paint that’s dark and blends into the surrounding area like brown or dark green. Many people then use things like camouflage tarps or netting and even actual branches and natural greenery from the surrounding area to make it blend in even more.

Just be sure that you leave yourself a space to see out of so you can watch for ducks. You’ll also want to make sure that the opening in the front of your duck blinds is big enough for you to easily point the gun out without any sort of netting or shrubbery hanging down to get in your way. You want to be able to get a clear shot without jostling anything on the outside of the duck blinds and drawing the ducks’ attention. That can make them scatter and ruin your day’s hunting trip.

Photo Credits: finchlake2000

Originally posted 2010-04-05 09:54:25. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Too many people think the calling ducks is simply grabbing a duck call and blowing. If you do this, you probably drive more ducks away than you attract. The key is to sound like a duck not out-quack the duck. Volume and length of tone will not get more attention. In fact it will make the ducks aware that something’s wrong and they’ll probably avoid you and your entire area. There is a little bit of technique to calling ducks and it goes far beyond just buying a brand-new, expensive call and blaring at every bird within earshot.

First of all, you need to stop and listen to ducks to understand what sound you need to make. Compare the sounds coming from the actual birds to the sounds made by all the hunters around you and you’ll see why so few people actually get off a shot. You need to sound just like a duck which probably means that you need to make your call shorter and softer. It’s also important to know what kind of ducks you’re trying to attract. Different ducks have a different method of calling each other and knowing what ducks are in the area and which call to use can make you a much more successful duck hunter.

People calling ducks at competitions at state fairs probably wouldn’t be able to attract many ducks in a blind. Those calls are done more for the complexity and to impress listeners, even though the best way of calling ducks is actually just making soft quacks at random intervals. Complex patterns might win blue ribbons in competitions, but just learning to make the right kind of quack is the best way to get ducks to come near when you’re hunting.

When you’re actually in the blind or the boat, just make one soft quack in the best imitation of actual duck sound that you can. Then stop and watch and see what happens around you. If there’s absolutely no activity, you may need to adjust your tone or think about the types of ducks that you’re hunting.

Listen to the ducks that you can hear from where you are. Mimic that just one time to see if you can get into a conversation with a duck. If you’re doing it correctly you should be able to use the call and get a response back. Be very patient because sometimes this takes a little while.

If you’re hearing a duck make a series of short quacks, then softly do the same and stop and listen. See what kind of response you get in doing so. Wait a little while and try again and listen for the response. If the sounds change, then change the way you’re calling ducks, too. Just by being aware of your surroundings and understanding that all the animals are different and may be needing different things at the moment, you’ll be able to adjust the way you’re calling ducks and help make your hunt a success.

Photo Credits: icathing

Originally posted 2010-04-06 03:57:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

If you dream of that trophy hunt where you’ll bag a prize-winning animal, you might consider investing in a GPS system. If that feels like cheating to you, take heart in knowing that many people hunt this way today. You can buy GPS systems with built-in compasses, which actually seem redundant considering that it’s a GPS but that really aren’t, and camouflage casings to make them perfect for hunting. The compass can certainly come in handy in helping you feel your way and learn to navigate on your own. You’ll need to use your locations to help set up the GPS to work best for you.

Just like the GPS system in a vehicle is designed to point out the restaurants and other attractions in an area, a hunting GPS may contain information about hunting seasons, animal habits and other interesting information that can help you have a successful trophy hunt.

Hunting GPS systems let you store a number of points to help you navigate through that same area at a later date. You can store entire paths that you’ve used to hunt and let the GPS lead you along those another time. A very handy feature for hunters is how a GPS system can give you exact times for sunsets, sunrise and distance and speed information.

Something to keep in mind if you do use a GPS, however, is not to let it make you lazy. Don’t rely on it as your sole method of navigation. While marking your points and paths on a GPS is a great way to not get lost and be able to follow your footsteps at a later date, be familiar with the area and confident that you could find your way out on your own if you had to. If the GPS unit should stop working for some reason, you don’t want to be far out in an area that you couldn’t navigate with a compass and your own instincts.

Anyone incapable of finding his or her way by following the sun and other markings as well as using a compass should not go into the woods alone. Decide to trophy hunt with a friend to be on the safe side. Many people who overestimate their ability to find a path soon realize that one tree looks the same as the next and that they have no idea where they are. It’s easy to panic in that situation, and panic will usually do nothing but get you further lost. Be sure you can navigate with the compass and find your way out before you venture out even with the most sophisticated GPS system.

Something that’s a great feature for people who hunt with dogs is the ability to track those dogs with the GPS. You put a unit on a dog’s collar and you can track its movements with the device. You can even do this if you have multiple dogs. This is a great feature for the hunter who takes dogs out and often has a hard time corralling them back in at the end of the hunt. Some GPS units even let you download certain hunting maps for your area, making them even more useful on that trophy hunt.

Photo Credits: drmama

Originally posted 2010-03-29 09:17:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Throughout the world there are different duck populations and different water bird populations, and just as these will vary, so will your luck as a duck hunter. Duck hunting gear is constantly improving, however, making it simpler and straighter forward for you to go hunting and come back successful. The improvements in duck hunting gear are easily encompassing all areas of duck hunting that are going to concern you, including but not limited to clothing, blinds, ammunition, methods for dog training, decoys and all other hunting gear that you may require.

Many hunters are of the believe that modern duck hunting ammunition and shells are far advanced in comparison to the lead shot that was used several years ago. There are many serious improvements that have been made, including for example higher velocity loads which are capable of providing greater distance for shooting as well as a non toxic shot, which means that consuming the bird will be more palatable in the end. With these improvements in equipment, hunters are capable of bagging their prey from even further away than before

Camouflage wear for hunting has also certainly improved the success of duck hunting. The garments that are worn today are extremely lightweight and also happen to be waterproof, and so they allow for great comfort and they also allow the hunter to remain dry for a longer period of time. Duck hunting jackets have been tailored to be wind proof, and this keeps the hunter warmer for longer, and they are also lightweight meaning that freedom of movement is capable of being provided.

Duck boats are also now much more advanced in nature. Today’s duck boats are much more specialized today than they were a few years ago. Duck boats are a necessary part of the duck hunting gear that is necessary for navigating streams, rivers, swamps, sloughs and lakes for prey. The manufacturers making these watercraft are responding to the importance of boats among hunters of water fowl like ducks.

Another improvement has been made in the way of duck blinds both on land and in boats as well as they have undergone a variety of design changes. Now they offer superior construction, greater designs and better materials as well. When it comes to having all of the right gear, these brand new duck blinds tend to be portable, easy to install, compact, light weight, affordable and also quite capable of hiding hunters. Boat blinds are made from rugged nylon and the frames are study, easy to set up, easy to attach and also just as easy to take down as well. The same is true for land blinds, which are just as easy to set up, and attach and take down, for easy hunting and great results.

There are plenty of new innovations in duck hunting that are making the sport more enjoyable and more successful than ever.

Photo Credits: Lord Str8stroke

Originally posted 2009-07-30 05:52:58. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

A hunting magazine certainly isn’t a necessity for today’s hunter especially with the Internet where information on almost anything can be found. But hunting magazines offer just one more way for you to enjoy your support, read about other experiences and learn tips and tricks. You can find a hunting magazine just for white-tailed deer, one just for ducks and geese and other waterfowl, one for quail, grouse and partridge and hunting magazines that cover just about everything you can think of.

Buy: Field & Stream (1-year)

Some magazines are just focused on outdoor hunting and may contain information and stories about all different types of the sport. Know what you’re getting before you pay for it so you’re not disappointed. If you like to fish also you may invest in a hunting magazine that simply covers hunting and fishing and all of its different manifestations.

Buy: North American Whitetail

There are a number of magazines dedicated to deer hunting. Most of these really only focus on deer with a very occasional article about some other similar hunting like elk or moose. The people who write for these magazines are typically deer hunters who also work as journalists or simply have a way with words. And some of the stories that they publish aren’t by people with much writing skill at all but they are interesting because of the stories themselves.

Buy: Hunting

These deer hunting magazines have tips and tricks, and sections that are designed to help you become a better hunter. They have columns that focus on a different aspect of hunting each month. One month might talk about tree stand safety while another month might focus on the importance of masking your scent. And of course they have feature articles that give an overview of the sport and focus on a few key points. Some deer hunting magazines are very specialized like a magazine specifically for whitetail deer.

Buy: Bowhunting

One of the most popular outdoor magazines in history, Field & Stream, is example of a magazine that covers all different types of hunting as well as fishing. Someone who only deer hunts may be disappointed at the broad coverage in a magazine like this unless they really enjoy reading about other types of outdoor activities too. But it’s ideal for the outdoor sportsman who appreciates a variety of different experiences. Someone who enjoys fishing for a variety of different species as well as someone who hunts throughout several seasons of the year will really enjoy this type of magazine.

Buy: Deer & Deer Hunting (1-year)

A hunting magazine that focuses on just one type of game typically offers more in-depth information than a magazine that covers several different types of game and/or fishing. You’re more likely to find specific tips for scouting out a white-tailed deer in a magazine just dedicated to deer hunting than you will in a broad-based magazine. So if you’re looking for specific information, you may want to subscribe to a very specialized magazine. Choose a hunting magazine that focuses on your sport for information but don’t discount those broad-based magazines for entertainment, too.

Photo Credits: Sedanman

Originally posted 2010-03-26 03:49:54. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Hunting is a sport that can be both risky and dangerous in nature if you take it on without the right practice and know how. Hunting requires practice as well as courage in order for you to perfect it by achieving ease in shooting your targets. As an outdoor sport, hunting definitely demands suitable equipment and suitable clothing that will help you face all of the different types of weather conditions that you may come upon. Taking the right safety precautions while out on a hunting mission will make all the difference. The hunting gear that you choose is going to vary greatly based on what hunting season you are hunting in, and where you are hunting as well.

Your basic hunting gear is going to consist of underwear, shirts, caps, pants, gloves, jackets, boots, socks and your gaiters. Yes, there are underwear specific for hunting and they are designed to keep you warm or cool depending on the climate and weather conditions. Some hunting gear will help to camouflage you, helping to keep you hidden in the brush while you are stalking prey.

Most hunting gear is water proof, which means that it is custom tailored to suit the climate and the tough and rough terrain and conditions that come naturally as a result of hunting adventures. Having the right gear is vitally important to your success or your failure while you are out hunting, because each and every piece of hunting gear was specifically designed to serve a purpose as well as to help you in some way. By bringing the right basic hunting gear to your hunting adventure, you will be basically ensuring that you are safer and that you hunt better at the same time.

You need to keep warm, meaning that you need hunting gloves, a hunting cap, a hunting jacket, and other protective gear. You also need gear that will protect you from the sun or other elements that you may be exposed to while on your trip. A lot of the basic hunting gear that you will need can be found online, and there are a variety of different types, sizes, colors, styles and brand names for you to choose from when it comes to finding the right basic hunting gear for your needs. Going the cheap route may be okay when you are just starting out, but having all the right gear and all the best gear is the best way to make sure that you are safe, sound and successful next time you go out hunting. The more you know about having the right gear, the better off you will be because then you can ensure that you have the right gear and that you are properly protected at all times, which is what having the right types of hunting gear is really all about in the grand scheme of things.

Photo Credits: Kankie

Originally posted 2009-07-27 05:43:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Hunting decals are one of the little perks of hunting that don’t really serve a purpose but can be a great deal of fun. We’ve all seen trucks going down the road that have more decals on them than paint. While you may not want to go to that extreme, displaying a few hunting decals that reflect your interest and enjoyment of the sport can be a fun way to start a conversation or just show people how enthusiastic you are for hunting.

In rural areas, hunting decals are common. From things like bumper stickers to removable window decals, most hunters display something on their vehicles. Hunting is very popular because it’s so inclusive. Both men and women can hunt, and age or physical ability is much less of a consideration than it is for sports like football or jogging. While most hunters need to be able to walk long distances and be on their feet for a while, that may be the only physical requirement. And that makes the sport of hunting one of the most popular in the country. It should be no surprise when, particularly in rural areas, you see a variety of different types of hunting decals displayed.

If you’re interested including one or two hunting decals on your vehicle, decide whether you want something permanent like a bumper sticker or a window decal. Some window decals aren’t removable and reusable somewhere else, and some are. The ones that aren’t removable won’t fall off or slide off the glass. They have to be scraped off like a bumper sticker.

If you’d like hunting decals that are a bit different from what everyone else in your area has, look online. There are so many different hunting stores as well as stores that sell decals and bumper stickers that will have a different assortment of hunting related decals. You’re sure to be able to find something unique. If everyone has a similar decal that’s sold locally, for instance, you can find one online that you’ve never seen in your area and that will draw people’s attention.

Hunting decals are also often used by groups of friends who hunt together. They may all have the same decal on their trucks to signify their kind of informal hunting group membership. You may also want to consider custom hunting decals. If you do have a group of people you hunt with regularly, you can order decals and bumper stickers that say what you want with your choice of logos. This is a great way to have decals that other people don’t have.

Don’t neglect to look on eBay for hunting decals that other people have made that are original, as well as discounted, popular decals. And don’t discount the possibility of someone approaching you in a parking lot after seeing the hunting decals on your vehicle. It’s often an icebreaker for people to discuss the sport they love with a complete stranger who could end up being a friend.

Photo Credits: cote

Originally posted 2010-03-23 10:08:22. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Here are some important considerations to make when it comes to hunting safety:

• First and foremost, you should always assume that every gun that you come in contact with is loaded.
• Second, you are always going to want to control the muzzle. The way that you can achieve this is by pointing your gun in a direction that is safe.
• Now, you are going to want to keep your finger completely away from the trigger until the point where you are ready to actually fire the gun.
• You are always going to want to be sure of your intended target and everything that is around your target.
• Wearing hunter orange makes you a lot safer than wearing any other color. You will not stand out to the deer that you are hunting as they cannot perceive the color the way that we do. However, the bright orange color can be spotted from far away and you will never be mistaken for a target.

Deer are lacking the red-sensitive cone cells that are required in their eyes for them to determine the differences between red and orange and green and brown. Having this type of blindness mean that deer will not be able to pick you out in the trees, but other hunters certainly will be able to. Using fluorescent types of colors like hunter orange is going to look brighter to a human with a gun, while deer will have difficulty seeing the colors and will mistake you for the foliage in the woods. This means that you are safe when you wear hunter orange, and yet it will have no negative impact on your ability to go hunting successfully.

Simply put, wearing the hunter orange color is capable of saving lives. Fluorescent orange varieties of safety clothing are quite effectiveness. Big game hunters that wear hunter orange can go hunting without having to worry about being mistakenly shot by a hunter that is also out in the woods enjoying the deer season. So if you are serious about going hunting and you want to be safe and protected without hampering your ability to sneak up on a good target, wearing hunter orange is a great way to go.

In the past, wearing camouflage colors was the way to enjoy a good day of hunting because the deer could not see you in the brush. Unfortunately, hunters cannot see you either, and they will sooner perceive you to be a deer or other animal than a person when you are running around in the colors of the trees. This is why wearing hunter orange is so vitally important – It may even save your life someday.

Photo Credits: J. Kraemer

Originally posted 2009-10-26 03:57:52. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

If you’re serious about hunting, you’re going to end up out in the woods before dawn more often that most people care to think about! And you’ll be out there scouting for deer in weather that would send most of us running into our dens with fuzzy slippers and hot cocoa, wishing for a roaring fire. You need to keep certain things in mind when hunting in cold weather, and you’ll want to be sure you have the right hunting equipment and hunting clothes to make it a more enjoyable experience, and to keep yourself safe from the elements.

Wear wool.

Wool hunting clothing provides excellent insulation against the cold. You won’t want to wear it against your skin, of course, but make one of your layers wool. And you should have at least 2 or 3 layers of clothing on, including long underwear. You won’t want to trek out into the woods wearing the clothing of 4 men, and getting your innermost layer wet with sweat—that defeats the purpose of trying to stay warm. But do take the heaviest layers of your hunting clothes with you. Then once you’re in the deer stand, you can put them on and stay warm. (Make sure your outermost layer is orange and reflective or whatever type of hunting clothing is required in your area.)

Cover your head.

Most of our body heat leaves us though the soles of our feet and the tops of our heads. Just wear a regular cap while you’re exerting yourself getting there and getting set up, then wear a thermal cap. If it’s really cold, you might want a thermal face mask to protect your nose and keep your skin from getting chapped. Be sure your ears are covered, and make sure you’ve got a decent seal around the neck opening of your hunting clothes (as well as at the wrists and ankles) to keep the cold air out as much as possible.

If it’s a wise choice in your particular area, get waterproof hunting gear like waterproof gloves and outerwear. And don’t scrimp on hunting boots. You might want to carry these, too, until you get in place rather than risk getting the insides wet where they will keep your feet cold, and you miserable. Rubber soled and rubber-outer-wear boots do an excellent job of keeping your feet dry. Be sure they’re insulated or the cold will seep right through your hunting boots and drive you to leave before you’ve spotted that trophy deer. Invest in the small heat producing packs that can go in mittens and boots as needed. These can make all the difference between an enjoyable day of winter-time hunting, and coming home stiff and frozen and wondering why you went hunting in the first place.

Finally, be sure your family or friends know where you’ll be, and carry a cell phone or other means of communication. While this is a good rule to follow all the time, it’s especially important when hunting in the winter.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2008-12-08 19:29:46. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

If you are planning on going hunting and you want to be able to see your chosen target from far away, then one of the most useful tools that you can have on you is a good pair of binoculars. Any hunter that has spent a significant amount of time in a deer stand is going to tell you that having a good pair of binoculars can work wonders when it comes to improving your odds of success at hunting. Here are some things that you are going to want to consider when it comes to buying hunting binoculars and getting the most use out of them.

Price and Value of Binoculars

Some of the best types of values for hunters today are going to come in the mid-priced prism binoculars for hunters. These are binoculars that are going to do some of the best jobs when it comes to most hunting enthusiasts. Waterproofing is going to be a must have when it comes to your hunting binoculars, and many of the mid-priced prism binoculars are going to offer this feature to you.

Keep in mind: While you can certainly buy sharper binoculars in similarly priced binoculars, they are often fragile and bulky, and unfortunately many of them also lack the waterproofing that you need for a good pair of hunting binoculars.

Features

Binoculars that have top of the line features such as phase correction and heavy rubber armor or nitrogen purging and rugged assembly tend only to be available in the most high priced optics from Europe, but finally these types of binoculars are becoming available elsewhere as well. Make sure that you fully understand a specific feature before you spend a lot of money on it though, because some of these features are not worth what the manufacturers are asking for them.

Compact Binoculars

Many hunters are going to be well served when they purchase a pair of full sized or mid sized binoculars, so the small compact style binoculars are not going to be the best option for you to choose. There is nothing wrong with choosing such a small compact style binocular, but they only have 20 mm to 25 mm objective lenses and you may decide that you want to go with something better instead.

Some Porro style prism binoculars that are on the market are available with individual focus mechanisms for the eyepiece where each of the eyepieces is actually focused separately. Keep in mind that this style of binoculars is not actually as versatile in comparison to center focus styles of binoculars, but if you do most of your hunting viewing from a single distance then they should work just fine for you.

Shopping around and comparing different brands and styles is going to be the best way for you to figure out which binoculars are best going to suit your needs.

Photo Credits: jlcwalker

Originally posted 2009-10-01 03:08:44. Republished by Blog Post Promoter