Newbie fixing to purchase some gear need advice...

[leeinmemphis]

Hey everyone,

I am going to try my hand at duck hunting this season and am needing to purchase a few items to get started. What I know that I need this year are the following:

Waders: can someone recommend what I need to look for in a pair of waders?

Choke tubes: I was told that I need to purchase a modified and improved cylinder. I have a mossberg 835 shotgun and was wondering what brand chokes everyone is using.

Call: I don't really need one but I am wanting to purchase a call to start playing with to try to learn how to use. Can someone recommend a "good" call to start learning how to call? I am planning on getting a couple of cd's and videos to learn how to get started.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


-lee-

[Blackduck]

You're at the right place. Advice is abundant. So many people have their 2cents that there must be close to a million dollars floating around here

Waders: If you need a really good pair get some that are neoprene with some type of cordura or brush proof outer covering. Itasca has some for about 150. DONT get waders with a zipper
If you aren't sure what type of hunting you will be doing or if you are going to stick with it or just don't have mucho cash the canvas waders are pretty solid. You can layer long johns or wading pants under them and be extremely warm.

Choke: Modified.

Call: Get one with a CD or tape that comes with it. Hadyel DR85 double reed mallard is a great beginner call. Hard to tear up and almost impossible to get stuck unless you jam a whole leaf of Levi in it. Primos makes a call with a tape/CD but I've never been as impress with their waterfowl calls as I have with turkey yelpers.

Other fundemental things are two pair of good gloves or mitten-gloves, warm cap (90%heat loss is form the ole melon), warm socks, and a sling for the gun.
Good luck.
Watch out for Byron Barnett.

[Blackduck]

You're at the right place. Advice is abundant. So many people have their 2cents that there must be close to a million dollars floating around here

Waders: If you need a really good pair get some that are neoprene with some type of cordura or brush proof outer covering. Itasca has some for about 150. DONT get waders with a zipper
If you aren't sure what type of hunting you will be doing or if you are going to stick with it or just don't have mucho cash the canvas waders are pretty solid. You can layer long johns or wading pants under them and be extremely warm.

Choke: Modified.

Call: Get one with a CD or tape that comes with it. Hadyel DR85 double reed mallard is a great beginner call. Hard to tear up and almost impossible to get stuck unless you jam a whole leaf of Levi in it. Primos makes a call with a tape/CD but I've never been as impressed with their waterfowl calls as I have with turkey yelpers.

Other fundemental things are two pair of good gloves or mitten-gloves, warm cap (90%heat loss is form the ole melon), warm socks, and a sling for the gun.
Good luck.
Watch out for Byron Barnett.

[quack fiend]

good advice, Blackduck--i'd just add one more call and instructional tape for about $20, in case a louder single reed call is needed for open water--the carlson equalizer available at http://www.carlsoncalls.com--awesome call for the money

[Glen Livet]

Go out and buy the Duckmen video series (7 video's in all). They really know how to do it and you can pick up a lot from them. I like to think of it as watching a game film before playing a football game.

Waders: 5mm neoprene with cordura. If you want something cheaper go with a canvas or heavy rubber.

Choke: I use an improved cylinder in the woods and an improved modified (almost a full) in the open water or fields.

Calls: I love an Echo timber call and a Haydel Cajun Squell. Find somebody that is a good caller and practice with them. The blind is not a place to practice. Do it in the truck or at home.

[leeinmemphis]

thanks for the replies everyone.

I went over to macks prarie wings on saturday and purchased the following:

A pair of hodgen(not sure about spelling) 5 mil waders with cordura exterior and 1200grams thinsulate.

I got a sling with two clips that attaches to the d-rings that holds some extra shells.

For a call I picked up a RNT call that came with a cd. All the way home I was trying to imitate the cd....boy that was a hoot

are there any other "necessities" that I need to pick up before I go?


thanks again.

-lee-

[quack fiend]

some "duck" tape or either a pair of gaiters to hold your pants legs down when you put on waders--trust me, this is a necessity!!

[MemphisStockBroker]

lee,
duck hunters have the ability to gadget themselves to death, and sometimes it gets in the way of enjoying the experience. you will hear statements like 'you have to have....' whatever. yeah, right...
(don't notice that I will do the same thing later here...)

yep. you will need waders. getting wet is no fun after the third or
fourth time. sounds like you got a good pair. just make sure the boots stay dry on the inside. nothing like being at your hole at 5am and not being able to get those suckers on your feet. hint: a good hairdryer
works wonders.

practice your duck call. if you get it to 'quack' stop there, and learn to quack over and over. that's all you really need. don't over do it. turn the call around backwards and blow into it the wrong way, and listen to the sound you are putting through it. no sound = no good. you almost grunt into it. you got a good one.
get a double reed as a back-up, because your main call WILL stick while
you are hunting this year. Echo open water poly call $29 will do it all.
'timber' calls are a little harder to blow for someone starting out.

an improved cylinder choke will work for 75% of your shots. don't go fancy to start out. if you have a factory tube, it will be fine.

Buck & bass had Flambeau decoys this weekend for $19 a dozen. you will need a dozen or two. the tangle-free line (looks like a old clothes line) works wonders. tie loops on one end and loop it through the decoy hole. tie a VERY LIGHT weight on the bottom of the cord. more weights = a real pain to carry in and out of your duck hole. buy the Avery square bottom greey decoy bag. it will feel almost like a hard plastic bag. ($29) every other bag I have ever used will rot. this one lasts.

If you need more info, stop by the office and I will be glad to help you
out....

[dulaney22]

Good choice with the waders. I have Lacrosse, but Hodgman is just as good.

Most everything else is already covered, but:

Get something else to hold your shells - a belt or wader vest - both will be much more secure and hold more shells. If you use steel shot, you'll need them.

You're off to a good start with the RNT call, but it's a single, so don't blow it this year. Get a DR85, Echo double or any Duck Commander if you must call now.

Buy Keith Allen's cd - http://www.pureduck.com. Keith is also in Memphis, so give him a call and I'm sure he will be glad to help with your calling and fix you up with a call.

Buy a good hand warmer to go with the gloves (they will get wet), like the one Avery sells, that straps around your waste.

Invest in some of these new moisture wicking socks. Grandest thing I've ever seen and beats the heck out of wool.

Get a good strap to hold your game (i.e. http://www.theduckstrap.com).

Get something to cover your face and ears.

Don't spend any money on an aftermarket choke just yet. As already recommended, use a modified. The one that came with your 835 will be fine.

Get some decoys and a bag, unless your buddies are taking care of that. Also, find a stake and some bungie cord to make a pull string. You'll need the movement.

Make sure you take a change of clothes in something that will stay dry.

Sure I forgot a lot, but Good Luck anyway. Don't get too addicted!

[Wingman]

Wha??? Nobody mentioned a Robo?



Get a face mask. It will hide you and keep you warm.

Then just go out and watch ducks for many, many hours. A good roost hole will teach you more about calling than any video or tape.

Wingman

[crow]

There are many layers to duck hunting. Get started with the basics that have already been mentioned. Do yourself a favor...unless you are very talented naturally, you will probably be very frustrated with the single reed RNT. Get you a solid double reed (I, too, would recommend the DR85). It is so much easier to avoid the most common mistakes and sound like a duck. You can get them at Walmart usually. I run through my checklist every night before I hunt...my checklist is in the order of things that I have to have to hunt...license, wallet, truck keys, gun, shells, pants, shirt, socks, waders, coat, hat, gloves,(necessities stop here, nicities begin now) good insulated underwear (poly), minimag flashlight, calls, decoys, compass (you'll never believe how easy it is to get turned around in flooded timber), facemask, thermos (for coffee or hot chocolate), snack, over the shoulder bag (for thermos, snack), extra shells, extra batteries, extra socks, extra gloves, lighter, knife, extra ziplock bags (I keep my wallet, license, extra socks and gloves in ziplocks because I tend to fall down some!) Now, depending if you have to walk, have an atv, how far you have to walk, hunt in a boat, etc., adjust how much of the extras you want to carry. In my youth, I was a minimalist...mostly because I had to walk everywhere and usually a long way. Now, I have a few more of the creature comforts and I like to have more stuff with me. Always start a list with what you have to have to hunt and add based on the circumstances. Good luck and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have through the years. Getting the stuff ready is a big part of the fun.

[mottlet]

Maybe this is so obvious that nobody has mentioned it. But before you just roar out with guns blazing, you need to make sure you can do all of the things that just about everybody here (I hope!!) takes for granted. Study up on the regulations governing duck hunting in your area, MS, TN, AR, or wherever. I'm assuming you know you have to have a federal and state duck stamp.

Find out what kinds of waterfowl are present in the area you're most likely to hunt. Then make sure you can ID all of those birds. I doubt you'll be able to start off telling the difference between a gadwall and a hen pintail at dawn. It makes a difference. Pintails are illegal for the first half of the season. This is just an example. Best thing to do is to go with someone who can tell you, "Shoot that duck...don't shoot that duck..." etc. If you can't find anyone...take your time and make sure you know what you're shooting before you shoot. There are lots of different duck ID sites on the internet. But they don't really help you identify birds in poor light conditions. Best thing may be to find a tape that identifies the sounds that different birds make.

I know this is just scratching the surface...but keep at it. We all learn something new everytime we go out, no matter how long we've been at this. The main thing is be safe, ethical, and to have fun.

mottlet

[gadwall2]

Best "bang for the buck" item I have for duck hunting is my fleece neck gaiter.

I killed more ducks when all the duck hunting equipment I owned was a pair of plastic waders(I had to wear my brown carhart overalls over them), an old funky sounding call(lost it), and a dozen decoys. I got sophisticated and dudded up with all the bells and whistles and hate my return on investment.

[coonman]

Take one of those zip lock bags that crow was talking about and put you a role of toilet paper in it. It never fails you get your waders on start wading out to put the dekes out and it hits you like a ton of bricks.

[crow]

Amen, Coonman, Amen! That is such a staple, I flat forgot!