Duck on the river

[blackstairs boy 0]

Hi lads,

I ve just got some new permission to shoot on a farm that is bordered by a middle size river. The river is about 15 metres wide and 1 to 2 metres deep. My shooting land that borders it is lowlying grassland that always floods. There is not an abundance of duck on the river but there is a large wildfowling club 3 miles away that releases alot of duck. I wonder what are the best tactics i should employ to maximise my shooting. When the pasture has flooded should i set up a few decoys in a likely pool and sit in for an evening or would I be best walking the duck up at first light.

Any Tips will be much appreciated.

cheers , boy

[bell 3,606]

Feed the flooded pasture with barley mate, if its grassland there will probably be wigeon. Feed it for a couple of weeks and then have a look at dusk and see what you have coming in. You should be able to see if its worth doing by how quickly the feed is being taken.

[blackstairs boy 0]

it is usually a big flood for 3 days or so and the retreats leaving a few pools... could i just go down the evening of a big flood and see whats happening then? will duck move along the river in the evening of a flood?

[wag 13]

if there is enough natural food there you have no need too feed it, it would be hard to feed it also with the water level keep going up and down because it would wash the feed away and make the water to deep for the ducks to dabble for the food . wigeon love flooded grassland also teal there would be floating grass seed already about wich ducks love ..

 

my advice would be just sit and watch from a good advantage point not just once but a few times. see were the wildfowl flight from and wich part of the flooded area they prefer .. watch how they feed so you can set your decoys out, then pick the right morning or night to have a flight ..................

[blackstairs boy 0]

Thanks lads

What i m really wondering is when the big river about a couple of miles away floods will this drive ducks to the flooded splashes and meadows along my little river. When rivers flood what way do ducks react do they move of the river and on to little splashes or do they make for big lakes and other sheltered areas.

The reason I am wondering is a book i read told stories of how when there river flooded the fowlers would get shooting that evening without feeding or prior reconnicence. I am wondering how they knew what spots to go to. Did they learn from experience or is there certain places duck will make for in times of flooding

cheers

boy