The duck hunt is something that you must plan for and something that’s very hard to do spontaneously. That’s because there is a certain amount of equipment that you need to do a proper hunt. You can’t just wake up one day and decide you’re going to go duck hunting at night. Of course you need the proper duck hunting license and a permit for your gun. But even if you have those, you still need to do some preparation work before you go on the duck hunt.
Duck hunting gear seems to improve with each passing year. Take, for instance, the type of ammunition used. Duck hunters used to use lead shot. Today it’s common to simply use shotgun shells. While some purists still insist on using the old methods, shells will travel farther at a faster speed. So you can be farther away from the bird and still get the shot.
An important advantage of shell ammunition over lead shot is that there is no lead in the shells. Lead shot would actually leak a small amount of lead into the flesh. When you use shells, you don’t have to worry about eating lead when you enjoy your duck dinner.
When you’re planning for the duck hunt you also want to make sure you have proper camouflage. Unlike the type of camouflage hunters wore 20 or 30 years ago, today’s camouflage hunting outfits are lightweight and moisture absorbing. They’re also waterproof on the outside. This serves a few purposes. Being light weight means that if you need to wear thermal underwear beneath them you won’t feel like you’re wearing 10 layers of clothing. And if it’s warm out, you’ll stay cooler.
The fabrics absorb your sweat and pull it away from you so that you’re more comfortable while the waterproof outside keeps the rain out and keeps your sweat in. Camouflage gear like this is ideal for hunting deer and other mammals because it can help suppress your scent. This is less of a concern with duck hunting but you still want the waterproof camouflage gear to keep you comfortable.
You’ll need decoys for the duck hunt. You can get very expensive decoys that are practically photorealistic or you can get inexpensive decoys. As long as they resemble ducks and float, you should be fine.
Next comes the choice of the hunting boat or a duck blind. Duck boats are designed a little bit differently than other types of boats. They’re very flat and low to the water to give the hunter a low profile and draw less attention. Some people choose duck boats that have been painted in a camouflage manner and have all the amenities aboard like a box for gun storage, a cooler for sandwiches and beverages, and even special places to store duck decoys. Others are very basic and cost considerably less.
If you opted for a blind instead, you can find someone who already has a blind and is willing to rent or loan you time in it or you can simply get some wood and build your own.
Photo Credits: peteSwede
Originally posted 2010-04-10 09:41:31. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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