Hunting the Best Spots for Winter Waterfowl

Waterfowl always migrate south in the fall and winter, right? Well, not necessarily. During milder winters, some ducks and geese simply elect to stay farther north. Instead of migrating, they’ll tough out a few months of snow and ice to remain closer to their breeding grounds. To survive in this scenario, waterfowl require two things: food and water. Luckily for them—and for those of us who enjoy hunting them—both can often be found in the same place.

FIND THE “X”

Many rivers, assuming sufficient flow, stay open or at least partially open through all but the most severe cold, offering waterfowl prime loafing areas. These same rivers also provide water for ranchers and farmers growing crops in adjacent fields, resulting in prolific yields of grains like barley, corn, oats and wheat, upon which waterfowl feast. Should snow cover the waste grain, puddle ducks and geese can survive on the aquatic vegetation and invertebrates found in those open rivers.

Diving ducks don’t feed on waste grain, but if open water exists and there’s enough aquatic vegetation to sustain them, they won’t go any farther south than is necessary. Hunters targeting massive river systems and reservoirs enjoy incredible action right to the bitter end most winters. Major rivers like the Missouri, Mississippi, Platte and Kansas contain open water all winter in all but the most extreme conditions, especially below dams and power plants. With a reliable water source to roost on, it’s just a matter of finding food.

Scouting is paramount in the late season, as the most popular food sources are almost constantly changing. Grain fields that attract puddle ducks and geese may become covered with snow, causing birds to shift elsewhere. Wind direction may also determine which way birds fly off the roost and the fields they head toward.

In short, solid scouting provides a better sense of where birds will go and when. A thousand diving ducks descending on a weed bed can quickly devastate a prime food source, so know where they’re headed next. Already being where birds want to go makes decoying late-season waterfowl relatively easy—if you properly handle the other details.

PUT IT TOGETHER

Once you know where to hunt, it’s crucial to set up right. Concealment is critical when dealing with wise, wary late-season birds that easily spot anything amiss. When hunting snowy fields out of layout blinds, snow covers work great and help ward off chilling winds. If using A-frame blinds, brush them in well with local natural vegetation. In general, portable A-frames and layouts let you adapt to changing late-season bird patterns better than other types of blinds.

On water, boat blinds rule. Grassed in to look like an island, boats let you set up anywhere based on wind, feed and migration patterns. Safety is a major consideration when hunting big water in, though, as icy fog, unforeseen blizzards and hurricane-force winds can quickly make the siutation dangerous. Take all necessary precautions, like: wearing life jackets when making runs or setting out decoys; ensuring your motor is in top condition and has ample fuel; being aware of ice buildup on equipment; using plugs with a hotter rating for cold weather; and adding non-slip surfaces to the boat’s floor. Also, pay attention to weather forecast, let someone know your plan for the day and store your cellphone in a water-tight container.

Late-season ducks and geese typically rest and feed in large groups, so use more decoys when possible. Birds are also in their most resplendent plumage. Ensure decoy paint jobs are bright and colorful to match.

On rivers, most seasoned guides feel 100 is a good number of decoys. Many deploy spreads that feature equal amounts of mallards and canvasbacks where mixed bags are possible. Mother lines are an easy way to deploy and handle big-water decoy spreads. Use slotted bags to protect decoy finishes, and use heavier lines to make them easier to handle while wearing decoy gloves. Attach decoys to the mainline with halibut clips on 2- or 3-foot leads, spacing each decoy about 5 feet apart at the end nearest the boat and 10 feet apart near the farthest end. Use weights—sash weights or river anchors—heavy enough to keep lines in place in strong winds and currents.

Ten- to 12-dozen decoys is ideal for field situations, but how many decoys you can transport, how many hunters are around to help deploy them and your overall budget may affect this number. With their low cost and space savings, silhouettes are a logical choice, but pushing stakes into frozen ground can be difficult or even impossible. Having full-body decoys or silhouettes that can be placed on either stakes or stands, like Hardcore Waterfowl’s Rugged Series Canada Goose and Mallard field decoys, can therefore be advantageous.

With any field spread, include various poses—alert sentries, feeders, resters and other active positions—and deploy more and more sleeper decoys as temperatures grow colder. Geese usually land, plop down to defrost the frozen ground, eat and take a nap, so having abundant sleeper decoys looks natural. To save space and make setup easier, consider using one-piece, stackable sleeper shells (Hardcore’s Rugged Series Canada Sleeper Shells are my favorite, though others work too).

A good field setup is an arrangement of decoys in a big “C” with the wind at your back. Place goose decoys on the C’s “arms,” with most of the sleepers in small clusters toward the front of the spread. Drop the sentries and feeders in the arms no farther than 40 yards from the blind(s). If targeting ducks (or ducks and geese), put mallards in the middle with a couple of spinners on remotes (when larger Canada geese approach, turn the spinners off). The colder it gets, the more you should tighten the decoy spread. No setup works every day, but this is a good starting point.

CONQUER THE COLD

Staying warm can be challenging. I don’t much like beanies, but a thick fleece one can help keep the cold at bay. For footwear, opt for insulated boots with at least 1,200 grams of insulation. Strip off some layers when setting decoys so you’re chilly, then put on your heavy jacket and bibs as you cool down afterward. Bring extra gloves and a facemask. If hunting water, buy the warmest waders you can find (I like LaCrosse’s Alpha Agility Select Waders). Retrievers are a godsend for recovering downed and crippled birds. Just ensure they have thick insulated vests, keep them out of the wind as much as possible and up the protein content of their regular food and give them some additional high-energy treats while hunting.

Lastly, late-season birds sport heavy plumage, so don’t spare the steel. A 12-gauge, 3-inch load of No. 2 steel shot for ducks or BB or BBB shot with a modified choke for decoying geese is perfect for thickly plumed winter birds.If your budget allows it, invest in hard-hitting steel alternatives with denser pellets like bismuth and tungsten. While late-season weather can be brutal, with the right equipment, game plan and attention to safety, you can experience some of the year’s best hunts now. Birds flock to open water and nearby food sources. Find these places, gear up appropriately and get after it.

LATE LOADS

Six hard-hitting shotshells to stone winter ducks and geese.

Late-season ducks and geese are tough customers. They’ve seen a lot, making them more likely to skirt your spread or land near its farthest edge. And they have the thickest set of feathers they’ll have all year. For both reasons, it makes sense to use loads featuring either larger-sized shot or heavier pellets. Below are five options sure to seal the deal if you do your part.

APEX Ammunition Waterfowl TSS/S3 Steel Blend

APEX’s new 20-gauge 3-inch TSS/S3 Steel Waterfowl Blend load ($48.99/25 shells) combines 7/8 ounce of zinc-coated No. 2 S3 steel pellets with a 1/4 ounce of high-density Tungsten Super Shot (18.1 g/cc). The hand-crafted “duplex” loads utilize the same Tungsten-grade wad system found in APEX’s Turkey TSS shotshells to deliver lethal patterning, maximum barrel protection and incredible shot-to-shot consistency for close- and longer-range shots.

Fiocchi Golden Waterfowl Bismuth

This new Fiocchi offering ($22.99–$24.99/10 shells) propels denser-than-steel bismuth (9.75 g/cc) at high velocities to deliver lethal downrange performance. Shells also utilize moisture resistant, sealed hulls for increased reliability in wet environments. Available in three gauges and various shot sizes.

Federal Premium Ultra Steel

These loads ($37.99–$42.99/25 shells) pair Federal’s rear-opening FliteControl Flex Wad with premium zinc-plated steel for tight, deadly patterns. The new loads come in standard payloads, as well stacked payloads with two sizes of shot, and utilize reliable primers and clean-burning propellants. Available in 12- and 20-gauge loads.

HEVI-Shot Hevi-Metal Xtreme

These loads ($59.99/25 shells) contain a mixed payload of 30 percent 12 g/cc tungsten HEVI-Shot over standard steel shot. Tungsten pellets are 53.8 percent denser than steel, meaning more and smaller pellets are loaded into each shell. Time-tested FliteControl Flex wads yield consistent long-range patterns. Available in various 12- and 20-gauge loads.

Remington Nitro Steel Duplex

These stacked loads ($42.99/25 shells; remington.com) utilize two different shot sizes for dense, deadly patterns at all ranges and have listed velocities of 1,450 fps. The four-petal shot cup protects shotgun barrels and performs well through a wide variety of chokes. Available in several 12-gauge loads.

Winchester Last Call TSS

These shells ($59.99/10 shells; winchester.com) feature super dense TSS (85 percent heavier than bismuth and 125 percent heavier than steel) to take advantage of a larger number of smaller-sized pellets, yielding incredibly lethal payloads downrange. A sealed wad and primer keep components dry in wet conditions. Available in 12, 20 and 28 gauge and .410 bore.—Drew Warden