Preparing Yourself for Waterfowl Hunting Season
As the leaves turn golden, the familiar smell of pumpkin spice dominates your local coffee joint, and you start craving roast duck with orange sauce, you know what time it is — waterfowl hunting season!
Armed with your license and your shotgun, you’re ready to experience the thrill of the hunt in all its glory. Or are you?
We’ll level with you — our blog is already filled with waterfowl hunting tips for first-timers, and we want to do something a little different here. Let’s skip the basics and zoom in on more advanced preparatory steps that can make all waterfowl duck hunting trips more successful.
1. Physical Preparedness Tips for Your Waterfowl Hunting Trips
Waterfowl hunting is a sport of extremes. As you trudge through flooded timber with heavy gear, the challenges you’ll face go beyond hand-eye coordination. The long stationary periods you can expect also push you physically, however, and sitting or squatting in a blind can get uncomfortable.
The bottom line? Whether you’re preparing for guided waterfowl duck hunting or solo hunts, get fit. Work your legs, back, shoulders, and core to keep up with the physical demands of waterfowl hunting, and do stretches to increase your flexibility. Time spent working on your fitness is never wasted!
Besides that, spend time kneeling and squatting to build stamina. Your future self will thank you.
2. Investing in Waterfowl Hunting Gear: Beyond the Basics
You already know you need waders, blinds, decoys, waterfowl calls, a good shotgun, and ammo. You probably have that part covered. Feeling spendy? More advanced gear that can set you up for a better hunting experience includes motion-sensitive decoys, a waterproof action camera like a GoPro to capture your best moments, and heater insoles and hand warmers.
Also consider working with a waterfowl duck hunting guide. Guided hunts aren’t just a good bet if you’re new to hunting, but also if you’re new to the area.
3. Practice Hand Signals for Waterfowl Hunting
Ducks and geese get spooked quickly, and mastering basic hunting hand signals instantly takes your waterfowl hunting trips to the next level. Hand signals make communicating with your party or duck hunting guide easier, quieter, and more successful.
4. App Up Before Your Waterfowl Hunt
It took solid local knowledge to enjoy a fruitful waterfowl hunting trip until very recently. Now, there’s an app for that. GPS, weather apps, and wind-pattern apps can all help you prepare for your hunt.
5. Some Obligatory Health and Safety PSAs
We’ll assume you know a nicely-stocked first-aid kit, a rock-solid flashlight (with extra batteries!), fire starters, and a whistle can always come in handy. You might also need a personal flotation device during your duck hunting trips.
It’s the things you’ll need that aren’t specific to hunting that trip most first-time hunters up, so remember to take:
- At least one extra pair of socks to switch to if your socks get wet.
- A decent-sized water bottle to stay hydrated.
- Prescription medications, if you take them.
- A good bug repellent, like DEET.
Need a Waterfowl Duck Hunting Guide?
Don’t brave the flooded timber alone if you’re new to waterfowl hunting — get yourself an experienced guide! If you’re thrilled to try your luck in Tennessee or Arkansas, our flooded timber waterfowl hunting guides will show you a great time and set you up with everything you need for a successful hunt.
Although you can never outsource preparedness, getting yourself a hunting guide comes pretty close. Take full advantage of our experience and local know-how, and enjoy one hell of a waterfowl hunting trip!
