Lile Outdoors: Duck hunting tips, strategy

  • Published
  • By Airman Daniel Lile
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  (Editor's note: This is the eighth article in a series about hunting.)

One of the unique advantages to being stationed at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, is the abundance of hunting and outdoor recreation opportunities.
One popular type of hunting around Columbus is duck hunting. However being this far south it can be challenging.

"If you're duck hunting in Mississippi it's your best bet to not take more than six decoys," said Airman 1st Class Cory Scribner, 14th Operations Support Squadron Air Traffic Control Apprentice and avid hunter. "The reason for that is because by the time the northern ducks get here they have seen every decoy spread and heard every duck call. They have been shot at a bunch of times and we are so far south the ducks are going to be shy."

Duck hunters can try to hide their decoys by throwing them underneath timber or near tree branches where ducks can see them but they are not too visible, Scribner said.

Decoy layouts are always a huge topic of conversation for duck hunters; having the ability to adjust hunting styles to the local area is key for success while hunting.

"You have to adjust to where you're duck hunting, and being this far south, it gets complicated," Scribner said. "If you just have a big pile of duck decoys sitting out there in the open, they're going to know it's not real and flare away (not land)."
A hunter also wants lots of motion with the decoy, Scribner added. They can use jerk strings and kick the water around.

Duck hunters take whatever means possible to conceal themselves so the ducks do not see them.

"Always keep your eyes on the water and never look up at the ducks circling," Scribner said. "Ducks can see the whites of your eyes when they're flying over. Make sure your face is covered, use face paint or a mask, but everything needs to be camouflaged."

"I go to the extent to [even] paint my hands," he continued. "I go all out; you cannot see me while I'm duck hunting."

Duck hunters construct hunting blinds as another way to camouflage themselves from ducks flying over-head.

"I like just grabbing a bunch of weeds, tall grass and cattails and building a blind," said Staff Sgt. Cody Howk, 14th OSS Weather Forecaster and avid hunter. "It looks more natural and ducks are going to think it's just a normal patch of grass."

Duck hunting blinds are usually constructed tall so hunters can sit comfortably and be able to shoot from inside them.

Scouting to find where ducks land before the season starts can be the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful hunt.

"Scout before the season opens, and remember where you hunted last year," Howk said. "Before the season opens, just go out and sit by ponds or where you want to hunt and just watch to see where ducks are landing. You have to go where the ducks want to go; not where you want them to go."

Watching ducks come down to land and fall is a sight that can bring adrenaline and excitement to most waterfowl hunters.

"I will always be a deer hunter, but there is just something about duck hunting that gets your blood pumping," Howk said. "I love watching them cuff their wings and fly into land. It's just a blast, figuratively and literally."