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Administrative | Do it yourself pond duck hunts frequently in conjunction with field set hunts for both ducks and geese have grown in popularity amongst Association waterfowl hunters over the last couple of seasons. Along with this trend is the secondary dynamic the MAHA staff has become trainers for those that have heard of other hunters’ pond and field hunt success and seek information at how to achieve similar successful hunts. The impact on the staff has been for hunters to seek the staff as hunter trainers rather than hunt execution facilitators. This effect is contrary to the Association’s purpose. The more the staff remains focused on providing the resources for hunt execution the better for this self guided hunter organization. Hence, the purpose of this article is to provide those hunters that want a jump start on do it yourself pond duck hunts and field set hunts the formula to success that has worked best for our hunters over the last couple of seasons. The do it yourself aspect of pond duck and field set hunts is that our ponds and fields do not have blinds. We do not control water levels on ponds nor do we advertise specific ponds or fields as waterfowl hunt locations to setup on. The issue is that waterfowl use of any one pond or field is not consistent to regulate its use. If we did, it takes far less hunter pressure on a pond or single field than wetlands to drive off the ducks. The elements to a successful pond duck hunt or field set is to first locate the ponds and fields likely to attract ducks and geese, during season or while scouting. The first method of pond and field location is to review our online map library and find those that list ponds, typically for fishing. From this starting point, locate aerial maps for all lease land within close driving distance to known fishing ponds and seek out other water bodies and interdicting fields. The final step is to scout out additional ponds not listed on the map library and not seen on aerials. This requires foot scouting as well, since there are far more ponds on Association leases than can possibly be cataloged.
An alternative is to use current MAHA wetlands as a starting point, seek out near by ponds and crop fields thereby having wetlands and pond/field duck/goose hunt options within a small area. A further refinement would be the same as before relative to our private wetlands locations and that of nearby public refuge areas. Two prime regional locations for such reconnaissance have been north central Missouri around the Fountain Grove public wetlands and southeast Kansas near Neosho and La Cygne public lakes and wetlands areas. We list these two areas as examples since they have had less pressure than around the Holt County flooded cropland bracketed by Bob Brown and Squaw Creek and that of the most popular area around Clinton, Urich, and Blairstown in southwest Missouri. Each season hunter pressure concentrations and slack varies. This last identification of localities is more to remind folks that if one area is not working the Association has multiple options of where to hunt. During the hunt, scouting is the determine where to hunt and not preconceived decisions based on aerials of known pond and field locations. Successful scouting finds ducks or geese on water and/or a field. Call in a reservation and hunt the next morning or that afternoon. What is the difference? Apparently, at times a great difference from what the most successful hunters have told us of the difference when to pond or field hunt. A pond with ducks on it is left alone the day of discovery. If lucky, and observing where the ducks feed/fly relative to the pond, a field set that afternoon out of sight of the pond and in sight/hearing of their flight line is the right decision. Leave the field set decoys in place and reserve that pond for the next morning’s hunt. Hunt the pond the next morning or all day. The field set left the previous day is an alternative hunt dependent on limits and how the ducks/geese work. Hunt that pond and field until the ducks are pressured off or move on to another pond, lake or field. Pond ducks and field geese are fewer in total numbers than our managed wetlands, are not call or decoy shy and typically can be worked for a day or a couple of days and then it’s time to move on. Most often, pond and field hunts are not easy and quick. They are simply more enjoyable as a true duck and goose hunt since the birds are easier to call and decoy. To help put these hunts into perspective is the number of ponds in a relatively small area that may exceed 50 road miles and 6+ hours to scout. Most of these hunters have in excess of 8 known ponds identified that have good duck holding potential. These ponds were found over time on a trial and error basis taking more than a season to develop. At this point, the traveling duck hunter may rule out the pond and field duck and goose hunt option as too time consuming. That is true to an extent, however all who duck hunt have days of early limits or simply bad duck days of missed migration or weather not suited to peak duck movement. Those are the days to scout ponds and fields and develop further hunt options.
Have a look at our wetland aerials and water level blind pictures. |
