How to Duck Hunt by Yourself
It's come that time again for you to wander out into the back of your neighbor's swamp by yourself and bag your limit of waterfowl. The best way to approach this is being organized and well prepared. It is not necessarily a bad thing that you are alone; you just have to pay strict attention to detail. To do this right, you need a few key items and a good night's sleep.
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Instructions
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Find your location. A good spot to duck hunt is in the back of a swamp. Find a place in your area that has a swamp and get permission to hunt there.
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Get camouflage gear to cover you from head to toe. The best option is getting a pair of coveralls, a hat, boots and gloves. You want to have the least amount of flesh showing as possible.
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Get your gun. Use a 12-gauge shotgun with steel shot shells, which are the only type you are allowed to use because they are nontoxic. Get a box of shells to take with you so you have plenty on hand.
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Scope out your location. Go to your hunting location a day or two before you plan on hunting. A good spot is a stump in the back of the swamp or a boat mixed in among the trees and swamp weeds. Take a mental note of where your spot is and also the easiest way to get there. This will make your trek in a lot easier when you come back to hunt.
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Get up early and get to your spot when it is still dark. This means you will have to get up probably around 4:30 a.m. to be on the safe side.
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Set up your spot. If you are using a boat to get to the back of the swamp, then you must camouflage it. Lay cornstalks inside it. This hides any color and anything that might look suspicious to ducks flying overhead. You can also use camo duck tape to hide any shiny spots that are exposed (see Resources link for camo duck tape).
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Get out your flashlight and make your way down to your boat or spot. Quietly row to your location and set up. If you will be sitting on a stump, make sure it is comfortable, since you will be there a while. You can also bring a recliner seat to sit on (see Resources).
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Set up some decoys. Decoys come in drakes and hens. Drakes are males, and hens are females. Set up a few of each next to your spot.
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Tips & Warnings
Dock your boat in the water the night before you go hunting. That way you will be totally prepared the next morning when you come to hunt. Unless you feel like falling asleep during down time while you are hunting, go to bed early the night before you go out hunting.
When you are hunting, never shoot at a bird in the water. This is not only illegal, but it is also very dangerous. Make sure to check with your local ordinances as to what time you are allowed to start shooting and also to how many birds you are allowed to shoot in a day.
