John’s Note: There are several tactics you can use to stalk hunt ducks successfully.

My brother had another stalking tactic that worked well for him. He located a feeding area along a small creek with a hill and a large overhang behind the creek. While fishing in the fall in the creek, he noticed that ducks often fed under the overhang. When waterfowl season started, Archie mapped out a game plan. By belly-crawling up to the edge of the overhang, he lay right above the ducks when they jumped. They would have to come out from under the ledge to escape. Then he would have an easy 10-yard shot. Each Wednesday and Saturday evening, he crawled the 30 yards to the overhang. Before dark each day, he climbed down the hill and picked up his limit of ducks.

Creek Quacks:

Many hunters have a difficult time stalking creek quacks. For some reason, the ducks on small creeks seem much spookier than flooded-timber ducks. Late in the season when you’ll find much of the big water covered with ice, the small, free-flowing streams may home loads of ducks.  But you can hardly slip up on them successfully. Unless a sportsman can find cane or briars along the bank to mask his stalk, he rarely will have success taking creek quacks from the bank by himself.

However, by cooperating with a good friend, you can remedy this problem. If you and your buddy know that waterfowl have invaded running water, then one hunter can start stalking down the creek while the other hunter stalks up the creek 1 to 3 miles. If the birds do get up wild, both hunters have a chance at some productive pass shooting on both ends.

To take creek quacks, you also can float. When ice-ups occur, the ducks have to find open, non-iced water. The free-flowing creeks remain their best bets. One- or two-man lightweight boats or a canoe make float hunting rewarding. A meandering creek with plenty of bends and coves works best. Often you’ll hear the ducks before you get to them. As you float in front of a slough or a pocket, you only may float within 10 yards of waterfowl as your boat comes to the mouth of a pocket.  This quick shooting is a snap shooter’s dream.

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Next: Essentials for Jump Shooting Ducks