Duck

Biologists say up to 25 percent of the Atlantic Flyway duck population winters in Florida: somewhere between 2 million and 4 million birds.

But unlike many other top waterfowl states, much of Florida’s best duck hunting is open to the public.

In fact, I’ve rarely hunted on private land in Florida, simply because there is such outstanding waterfowling on public property.

Terrific Florida duck shooting is available on federal wildlife refuges, on state-operated areas and on hundreds of large, weedy, marsh-lined lakes, rivers and big coastal areas as well.

Aside from a shotgun and nontoxic shot, waders are the most important tool in a waterfowler’s arsenal. Decoy setup, retrieving downed birds, crossing sloughs on the way to your honeyhole and hunting in cattails or timber are just a few scenarios in which you'll need a pair of waders.

We were hunting woodcock and ruffed grouse when we stumbled onto two dozen mallards loafing away the day in a beaver pond.

As the hens and drakes lifted off we watched in amazement. The property, a good-sized parcel of public land in central Wisconsin, was not unfamiliar ground to us.

We’d hunted it many times for grouse, but never wandered close enough to a tiny creek that flows along the western boundary.

Some days, ducks are suckers for a call … almost any call. On other days, even world champion duck callers can’t get them to even turn their heads. Yet calling is an important and intriguing part of waterfowl hunting. It’s a skill that takes a hunting lifetime to master. And if you ask the best, they’ll all say, “I could always be better.”

After enduring months of hunting pressure on sprawling lakes, bays and sounds, there’s nothing a late-season duck wants more than a quiet, secluded spot to hide out. Small, neglected potholes and ponds are magnets for January ducks and hotspots for the hunter who takes the time to locate these gems.

Many of the people who buy a federal Duck Stamp probably don’t realize how important this conservation program has been to the healthy duck and goose populations we now enjoy across the United States and Canada.

With duck populations at the peak of long-term averages, expectations for every hunt are always high. The reality is, even when ducks are plentiful, hunts can fall short of expectations. And it may be due to the fact that hunters are making one of the four mistakes outlined below. However, the good news is, these blunders can be easily fixed.

For the first time in the northern hunting region history, Wisconsin decided to hold an experimental early teal season. This early season was slated for seven days and hunters were only able to shoot blue-winged or green-winged teal.

Blue-winged teal are very early migrators.