In many areas mid-September to mid-October is a time of transition, for both the deer and the habitat. As summer rains decrease some food sources become dry and unpalatable to deer, and other food sources (such as nuts berries and agricultural crops) start to ripen, making them more palatable. October is also when temperatures may begin to drop and the wind speed increases, which means the deer may begin to look for core areas more suitable to colder, windier weather.

The result of these seasonal forage availability and weather pattern changes is that the deer may have from one to four seasonal home ranges; spring summer, fall, and winter. In many areas the deer begin to shift from their summer home ranges to their fall home ranges from early September and late October. Sometimes the deer (both bucks and does) will use the same core areas for different seasonal home ranges, but they use different portions of their home ranges for different seasons.

To be successful as a deer hunter you need to find out where the core areas of the deer are during the time frame you are hunting them, what the deer are eating at that time, and determine when and where the preferred foods become available. Since the weather affects both the suitability of daytime core/bedding areas and the availability of preferred forage, you need to scout regularly to determine where the deer spend the day, where they forage at night, and which travel routes they use between those two areas, in both the morning, and in the evening. Then setup accordingly.

The Dispersal Phase
October is also the time when the deer are preparing for the rut. During late August and early September bucks often hang out in bachelor groups. Shortly before and after the bucks shed their velvet you may see them traveling or feeding together, and participating in sparring matches in preparation for the rut. But, within weeks of shedding their velvet the buck's testosterone levels rise to the point where they will no longer put up with each other.
Once this occurs the older bucks will start to become solitary, and begin moving to and/or establishing their fall breeding ranges. Depending on forage availability, whether or not deer use the same core areas in late summer as they use in the fall, and the distance between summer home ranges and fall home ranges, it may take a week or more for the bucks to move onto and establish their fall breeding ranges. When the bucks do move to different areas, be prepared to go looking for them.
If the deer in your area regularly breed from early to late November, the buck groups often begin to breakup between mid-September and mid-October. In many areas above the 40th parallel the bucks will be on their fall breeding ranges two to three weeks before the peak of the rut. If you want to know when peak breeding occurs in the area you hunt check the Rut Dates Chart on my web site at www.TRMichels.com.
You can usually tell when the bucks have moved onto their fall breeding ranges by the appearance of new or fresh rubs and scrapes, in areas where they have not previously occurred that year. Once you start seeing new rubs and scrapes after mid-October you can begin watching the area to see which bucks have moved into the area, which bucks are traveling near the rubs and scrapes you've found, and what time of day they are near them.

Pre-Primary Breeding / Scraping Phase
In the northern and mid-latitude states the first does may come into estrous as early as the middle of October, and scraping may peak from late October to early November, depending on the latitude and the age structure of the bucks in the herd. All of the deer should be on their Fall Home Ranges by this time, and the bucks should be on their Breeding Ranges. During the Pre-Primary Breeding / Scraping Phase the bucks may semi-regularly travel their rub routes and visit rubs and scrapes, and doe use, feeding, and staging areas.

Pre-Primary Breeding / Scraping Phase Hunting Techniques
This is when you should setup along a rub route or near a scrape in a wooded area that the bucks use during the day. When I am hunting a previously patterned buck during this phase of the rut, near a rub or scrape, I am confident of the trail the deer uses and I don't need numerous scent dispensers. Because I have patterned the buck, and I am hunting before the breeding period, I'm fairly sure the buck will come by me sometime within a 3-5 day period, unless it meets an estrous doe first, or is spooked by another hunter.
I am basically using the scent to position the buck for a clear shot. The scent also gives me a chance to bring in any other bucks in the area. I hang up one or two felt pads with buck urine or doe estrous scent, but I don't leave them out when I'm not there. If a buck comes to doe scent and doesn't find a doe it probably won't fall for it again. By taking the scent out every day you don't educate the buck.

This article is based on The Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual ($30 for computer readable CD) and Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases ($9.95), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2006 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2006 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual.

If you are interested in more deer hunting tips, or more deer biology and behavior, log on to Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions about deer, elk, turkey or waterfowl log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board. To find out when the rut begins, peaks and ends in your area click on Whitetail Rut Dates Chart. For a catalog of books and other hunting products; or for information on a wide variety of Natural History Eco-Tours, viewing and photographing regional and national scenic areas, birding, big game animal, elk bugling, wolf howling, sandhill crane, swan, prairie chicken, sharp-tailed grouse, wildflower or other tours contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com, Web Site: www.TRMichels.com.

You can also hunt near a scrape, or make your own scrape. I make a mock a scrape with the heel of my boot, rattling racks, or a stick, under an overhanging branch. I pour forehead scent on the branch and tarsal scent in the scrape. Then I hang an Ultimate Scrape Dripper with Golden Estrus or Active Scrape from Wildlife Research Center over the scrape, or near my stand in a shooting lane. This combination of buck infringement scents and doe in heat attract the buck out of the urge to exert dominance or to breed.
If you don't know exactly where the buck's bedding area is you can setup on the rub route at the first scrape the buck makes as it comes out of its core bedding area by using this same techniques. If you don't know where the core area is you can setup near a staging area or food source that the does are using. When I am not setup along on a rub route or near a scrape I use several film canisters spread about 10 yard apart to attract the buck over a wider area. If you know the buck is traveling after sunrise in the morning you can use this same technique on the rub route back to his bedding area.

Bucks may be traveling, scraping and looking for does during this time; so long loud rattling may attract these wide-ranging bucks.

Posted by T.R. Michels at 10:01 AM | Permalink

An understanding of deer behavior and travel patterns can help you choose a hunting site. Because deer feed primarily during low light conditions they have two primary rest periods, late at night and during mid-day. Generally they leave their daytime bedding areas in heavy cover late in the afternoon and move toward night time food sources. They intermittently feed, travel and rest during the night before returning to their daytime bedding areas.

Because the amount of light is a Security Factor, deer in forested areas (where there is shade) get up and begin to feed and move a couple of hours before sundown. As the amount of light becomes less they move into more open areas of low brush or sparse forest and feed, moving toward open fields and meadows. Shortly before sundown they move into the shadows at the edges of tall grass and swamps before going into open meadows or agricultural fields where they feel secure and feed during darkness.
In the early morning this pattern is reversed. As the sky begins to brighten the deer move from the open areas back into tall grass fields, then to brushy areas just before daylight and into heavy cover or woods again once the sun is up. Bucks are generally more wary than does and move about a half hour later in the evening and head back to their beds about a half hour earlier in the morning.

Evening Stands
If you are hunting late in the afternoon, when the deer are just getting out of their beds in heavy cover, setup along travel lanes leading from the bedding areas to daytime food sources; near small openings in woods, fallen mast sites, swamp or creek edges near heavy cover. Close to sundown hunt the transition zones of tall grass, heavy brush, swamps and gullies. trails leading to staging areas, downwind of open food sources are excellent at sundown, especially for bucks.
If you are hunting at or after sundown and the deer are feeding in the open your stand should be along trails leading to the fields. Bucks move later than does and often come into the transition zones after sundown, preferring to stay in cover until sundown when they feel secure. If you don't see bucks in open feeding areas move farther into the woods along buck travel routes in heavy cover and forested areas. Because the deer move late in the evening you have plenty of time to get to staging areas and transition zones before they arrive.

Morning Stands
In the early morning, when the deer are still feeding in the open, don't hunt from stands near open night food sources unless you are sure there are no deer near your stand or you can approach it undetected. Because of the darkness you won't know if there are deer in the area until it's too late and if you spook a deer it will alert all the others in the area. Hunt transition zones, heavy cover where deer feed in search of food, or trails leading to bedding areas. Be at your stand before the deer and ambush them on their return.
Before the breeding phase bucks usually return to cover well before daylight. Hunt rub routes back to the buck bedroom early in the morning, getting there before the buck. Once the rut begins the bucks may return later because they are either chasing or looking for does. Early in the morning you may catch the buck along his rub route near transition zones on the way back to the bedding area. If the buck is not in his bedding area hunt near it from first light until noon. I have seen bucks drag themselves home at 11:00 in the morning. If you previously observed or patterned a buck you know when and where the best setup is.

If you are interested in more whitetail hunting tips, or more whitetail biology and behavior, click on Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions about whitetails log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board. To find out when the rut starts, peaks and ends in your area click on Whitetail Rut Dates Chart.

This article is an excerpt from the Whitetail Addict's Manual ($19.95 + $5.00 S&H), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are the 2003 Revised Edition of the Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2003 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2003 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual. For a catalog of books and other hunting products contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com , Web Site: www.TRMichels.com

Futher Discussion in the Bowhunting Forums

Posted by T.R. Michels at 10:02 AM | Permalink

As a guide, researcher, speaker and writer, I have always been interested in learning about the animals I hunt: how they react to the weather, which calls they use and why, and when and how they mate; so that I could use the information to become a better hunter. Even though I'd cut my eye teeth on a duck call, and I'd been hunting ducks for over thirty years I knew I didn't know it all. So, when I met well known waterfowl biologist and goose researcher Dr. Jim Cooper a few years ago I decided to pick his brain. I specifically asked him what calls were best for hunting. He told me that if I really wanted to learn about duck behavior I should read the book Handbook Of Waterfowl Behavior by Dr. Paul Johnsgard. He also suggested the book Ducks, Geese and Swans of North America. What I learned from my conversations with Jim, and from those two books, has dramatically changed the way I hunt ducks and geese.

While I was reading Johnsgard's book I was amazed to find out that ducks don't use the chuckle to signify that they are feeding, or to entice other ducks to join them while they are feeding. I had grown up thinking that ducks used the chuckle as a feeding call, that they used the hail or high ball to get other ducks to come and join them, and that they used the comeback to get ducks that were flying the other way to turn around. And that is the problem with most game calling. Many hunters don't understand the meaning of the calls they use.

Duck Social Behavior
In order to properly understand why ducks and geese use the calls they use, you have to understand their social behavior; especially mating behavior. Waterfowl biologists refer to the mating behavior (courtship behavior as opposed to actual breeding) of ducks, geese and swans as pair bonding. Most waterfowlers know that geese mate, or pair bond, for life. After they pair bond the male and female stay together during nesting, and the young stay with the parents through the fall and winter. The young geese don't usually leave their parents or begin to pair bond until they are on the wintering grounds during their fist or second year. This means that, during the hunting season, most geese are still in family groups consisting of the male, the female, and their young.
Ducks, on the other hand, do not mate for life, they regularly form a pair bond with a new partner each year. But, the male and female don't stay together to raise the young, and the young don't stay with the females very long. The drakes of most duck species leave the hens as soon as they start to nest, or shortly after. The hens then raise the ducklings by themselves. During the summer the hens molt (which leaves them flightless); and the young ducks grow their first flight feathers and begin to fly. After the young ducks learn to fly they may no longer associate with the hen, and they are generally on their own.
The young ducks then begin forming loose pair bonds from late summer through early winter. (Pair bonding by Mallards may begin as early as mid-August. Pair bonding by other puddle duck species occurs from mid-October through winter, and by divers from mid-winter through early spring.) This pair bonding is often accompanied by aerial courtship flights and displays, and by calls that are associated with pair bonding behavior. As a result of this social behavior, ducks are not normally in family groups during the hunting season; they are usually in groups consisting of unrelated individuals and newly bonded pairs.

Tempo, Pitch, Length of Note and Volume
According to Dr. Cooper, when you are calling waterfowl there are four main things to think about, tempo, pitch, length of the notes and volume. The difference in meaning between similar calls is portrayed by how loud and how fast the duck performs the call. The tempo, or speed, of the call is related to the movement of the duck. The calling of a duck on land or water is related to how fast it is moves. The calling of a duck in the air is related to the downbeat of the wing stroke, which is when the duck contracts its chest muscles and exhales. The down beat of the wing stroke is related to the size of the duck; the smaller the duck the faster the wing stroke, and the faster the duck calls and the shorter it's notes are.
The pitch of the call is also generally related to the size of the duck, the larger the species of duck, the deeper the pitch of the call. Generally speaking, the larger the species of duck; the slower, lower and longer its notes are. Although Teal and Mallards use the same basic decrescendo call, the Mallard decrescendo is slower, it lower in pitch, and the individual notes are longer, than the decrescendo call of the Teal. In order to create the calling of each species correctly listen carefully to the calls of the different species of ducks, or listen to a good calling tape.
The volume, or loudness, of the call is related to the mood of the duck. The more anxious the duck is, the louder the call is; taking off, landing, threatening and attacking are situations that may cause a duck to become anxious, which causes loud calling. When a hen uses a quack to keep the family together while she's feeding the call is usually soft and slow. When the quack is used to keep the family together while flying the call is faster. When the quack is used to get the family back together after it has been separated, or by a lone duck trying to locate its family or a flock in the air, the call is louder. When the quack is used as a hen jumps into the air after being alarmed it is loud and fast. When a hen uses a chuckle on the water the call is loud and slow, because the duck is not moving fast. When a hen uses the chuckle in the air the call is faster, because the duck is beating its wings rapidly. Remember this when you are calling; loud calls can be the sign of a lost duck or an alarmed duck, depending on the speed of the call; fast calls are the sign of a fast moving duck, which usually means the duck is in the air.

Think While Your Calling
When you are calling ducks think about what you are trying to do. Initially you try to get their attention, to let them know there are other ducks in the area, and where they are. If the ducks aren't coming toward you, you try to get them to change their course and come closer. As the ducks get closer you try to convince them that there are other ducks on the water, that it is safe to land, and that the area is a good place to rest and feed in safety. But, the calls you are performing are not used by the ducks for those purposes. They are used to announce a willingness to mate, during courtship behavior, and as a threat. So, what you have to do, is use the calls the ducks use, but, use them in a way that will get the ducks to do what you want them to do.
You can use a loud decrescendo as a hail call to initially get the ducks attention. Even though the decrescendo is a pair bonding call, it can be used to attract ducks because they are accustomed to hearing it in the fall. You can also use the decrescendo as a comeback call to turn the ducks, and as a pleading call to entice the birds to land. But, when you are calling, remember that ducks are not very big, and they have small lungs, they can't possibly call as loud as I hear some hunters blow their calls. The closer the ducks get, the softer you should call.
You can use a series of quacks and chuckles to convince the birds that your decoys are real, and that everything is all right. Even though the incitement call is a threat and not a feeding call; it is used by ducks in a feeding situation. You can use the chuckle or a diver growl to convince the in coming ducks that there are one or more drakes harassing the hens in your spread. To add more realism to your calling you can use the social contact calls of the drakes, and the sounds of any other duck or goose species that might be in the area.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized outdoor writer and speaker, who has been researching big game for several years. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Turkey and Goose Addict's Manuals. His latest products are the 2002 Revised Edition of the Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2002 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and Whitetail Notes & Activity Factors. For a catalog of books and other hunting aids contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, PO Box 284, Wanamingo, MN 55983. Phone: 507-824-3296. E-mail: trmichels@yahoo.com Website: www.trmichels.com

Posted by T.R. Michels at 10:01 AM | Permalink

The two most important aspects of goose calling are tempo (frequency) and volume (intensity). The tempo of a call is related to the action of the goose. The faster the movement of the goose, the faster the call. When a goose is calling on the ground to keep the family in contact it’s calling is slow. When a gander is chasing an intruding goose it’s calling is fast. When a goose is flying the calling is directly related to the downbeat of the wing stroke, which is when the goose contracts it’s chest muscles and exhales. When a goose is flying in formation its call is a slow, measured honk. When a goose is pumping its wings rapidly during takeoff or landing it’s calling is fast.

The volume of the call is related to the mood of the goose. The more excited, irritated or nervous a goose becomes the louder the calling gets. If a goose is attacking another goose it’s calling is louder than if it is just threatening. Mating, attacking, landing and taking off are all intense times for geese and the calling is louder than normal at these times. The calls of Geese can be divided into six different categories: Contact, Intent, Agonistic, Mating, Social Status, and Parental/Neonatal.

Contact Calls
The contact calls are referred to by goose researcher Dr. Jim Cooper as the “Here I am, where are you?” calls. While they are in the air geese call to each other to keep the family, and especially the juveniles, together. When the family flies it forms a line or a “V” and the birds call to each other to keep in contact, usually with the gander in the lead. When the family joins other families in a subflock, they usually fliy in a straight line with the dominant gander of the flock at the front of each family.
The calling of a goose in the air is directly related to the downbeat of the wing stroke, which is when the goose contracts it’s chest muscles and exhales. While a goose is flying in formation the tempo of its call is a slow herr-onk...herr-onk...herr-onk. When a goose begins to land, its wing beat gets faster as it backpedals, and the calling is a short, loud, fast clucking sound; cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, that slows after the birds have landed and regrouped. They may start to gabble after they land. I have also heard geese make a quiet, drawn out herr-onk when gliding in to land.
When geese feed they use a contact call hunters refer to as the feeding gabble, it is referred to as “singing” by wildlife biologists. The call is a deep guttural herr-onk-onk-onk-onk-onk. It occurs while the goose’s head is down and it may not be able to see. This call lets geese know where the other geese are and helps to keep the geese spread out while feeding. When young goslings use this call it is a soft peep, peep, peep.

Intent Calls
The preflight call is usually performed by the male while signaling its intention to take to the air to the rest of the family. The call starts out as a loud slow honk while the bird’s chin is lifted and it shakes its head as a visual signal to the other birds. The calling becomes faster as the goose prepares to take flight and continues as the goose rises into the air, the calling in time with the wing stroke. Once the birds are in the air the calling slows with the wing stroke and may stop altogether. Although the fast clucking of landing geese (mentioned above) is not used by geese to signal an intention to land, it sounds much like the preflight call except in reverse.

Agonistic Calls
Agonistic or threat calls are intense and therefore loud; starting out slow and becoming faster. These calls are often performed by both the male and the female at the same time, with the male’s calls usually lower in pitch than the female’s. The call is fast and may contain two different notes; herr-onk onk, herr-onk onk, or cluck-uck, cluck-uck. There are three different levels of aggression in geese, each level using the same basic call but defined by different body posture and action.
The first level of aggression is often performed as flying geese approach a flock on a roosting area or feeding field. The call is performed by the geese on the ground while the goose’s neck is extended upward and the head erect, with the mouth open and tongue out. If the geese in the air do not land in the area occupied by other geese there is usually no further action. If the flying flock lands too close to a flock already on the water or ground the geese on the ground or water may begin to use the second level of aggression.
In the second level of aggression the goose calls with the neck extended skyward, the head bent toward the ground, while the head is pumped up and down. The action is directed toward an intruder or a subdominant, usually on the ground or water, and the intruder or subdominant usually moves away from the threatening bird.
In the highest level of aggression the neck is extended forward along the ground or water and the head is tilted slightly upward. If the intruder or subdominant goose does not move it is usually attacked, either by being bitten or slapped with a wing. During all three levels of aggression the mouth is open and the tongue is out. When a predator or human approaches too close to a goose, especially when eggs or young are present, the goose will warn the intruder with a hiss while the mouth is open and the tongue out.

Mating Call
The mating or triumph call is used by the male goose in the spring, when it has claimed a territory. The call is a loud series of honks; performed with the head erect. This excited call starts out fast and loud then slows and gets quieter as the mood of the goose returns to normal. During the call the neck and head of the goose are extended upward.

Social Status Call
The social status or greeting call occurs between two family members after they have been separated, usually when the female returns to the nest, or after a male has driven off a predator or another goose that has invaded it’s territory. The call starts out as a loud, slow honk that becomes faster and quieter as the goose runs out of air. During the call the neck and head of the goose are extended upward.

Parental/Neonatal Calls
There has been little research on parental and neonatal calls of geese, but Dr. Cooper says that both parents respond to the soft peep, peep, peep of the young goslings shortly after they hatch. I have heard adults perform a soft, nasal “onk” while they were with the young, or as the family fed. I suspect that both these calls are a form of contact call used between parents and young.

Alarm Signal
Geese do not have an alarm call, but they do have an alarm signal. During alarm the head of a goose goes up into the sentry position so that it can see better, and it becomes silent. As other geese become alarmed by the action of the first goose, or spot the cause of danger, they raise their heads in the sentry position and also become silent.

Don’t Call To Geese to Come Down and Feed
One of the biggest problems goose hunters have is that they try to call to a flock of geese in the air to come down and feed with the decoys on the ground. Based on his years of research Dr. Cooper says geese do not call to other geese to come down and feed. This doesn’t mean that calling will not attract geese, but it is not what the calling of the geese on the ground is meant to do.
When geese are in a large flock on land there is a lot of squabbling among families, accompanied by loud threatening honks and attacks. At the same time the geese that are feeding are performing the gabble. Family members that have been separated are calling back and forth to each other, using the “Here I am. Where Are You?” in an effort to get back together. These individual calls make up the sound of a feeding flock of geese. There is not one single call being performed, it is a combination of different calls.
Geese on the ground or water do not pay much attention to geese in the air until it appears that the flying flock may land in the area occupied by the resting flock. When this happens the resting or feeding geese begin using the double cluck threat call, telling the approaching geese to stay away and not land near them. This aggressive, threatening double cluck is what the flying geese expect to hear, because it is what they hear from other flocks every time they land. In fact, Dr. Cooper says that the louder, more aggressive the calling is, the more the geese in the air want to land. But, remember when performing the double cluck, you are not asking the geese to come and feed with you, you are telling them to go away or they will be attacked. Your calling should be loud and aggressive, not friendly, pleading or begging.
While landing the geese are backpedaling to slow their descent they call rapidly in a “fast cluck,“ cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck. Many call manufacturers and professional callers refer to this as the “hut, hut.” When approaching geese hear the fast cluck landing call along with the double cluck threat call it signals that geese are landing and being threatened by geese already on the ground, which means this must be a good place to eat. In this sense these calls are like security calls.
Large flocks in the air do not call to locate other flocks, they are only calling to other family members within the flock so they can stay in contact with each other. But, there are times when geese in the air (usually juveniles) have been separated from the flock. When this happens the geese use a long, drawn out, pleading honk in an effort to locate their family; cluck-aaah, cluck-aaah. This is another form of the “Here I am. Where are you?” referred to as the “comeback call”.
The best way to understand geese and goose calling is to know what each call sounds like and what it means. Find someplace to watch and listen to geese. An excellent reference is the book Handbook Of Waterfowl Behavior, by Dr. Paul Johnsgard. Although this book is out of print it can be found in larger libraries.

This article is an excerpt form the book Goose Addicts’ Manual by T.R. Michels, $5.95

If you are interested in more waterfowl hunting tips, or more waterfowl biology and behavior, click on Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions about ducks and geese log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2005 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2005 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual. For a catalog of books and other hunting products contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com , Web Site: www.TRMichels.com

Posted by T.R. Michels at 10:00 AM | Permalink

Normal duck hunting techniques work well during the first part of the season on the "locals" and early season migrants. But the local ducks usually learn that the season is open in a very short time. They know where they'll get shot at, what decoys spreads to avoid, and which calls to stay away from. Shiny gun barrels, thermos bottles, shell casings, glasses, or white shiny faces are enough to send even the youngsters downwind in a hurry. This is when it's time to try something different.

Once the birds get call shy, and decoy sour, I usually change calls, call less and change my decoy spread. I start using only drakes in my setup because the brighter colors and contrast are seen farther away. I may use more teal, pintails and gadwalls than mallards. Whichever species I see most often I put out in my decoys spread. Sometimes I use only one or two decoys, and choose small sloughs to hunt. When every other hunter is using more decoys, hard hunted birds are are more willing to come to a smaller spread, especially in more secluded waters.

Movement
One of the things many decoy spreads lack is movement, and movement attracts ducks. Ducks are constantly swimming, bobbing for food and stretching their wings. When there is no wind and no decoy movement I flag the ducks. When I first see them I wave a square of dark cloth on a broom handle to get their attention. Once they come my way I lower the flag and use it less frequently. If they veer off I start flagging again. Once I can see their colors I quit flagging and rely mostly on the call.
For more movement I attach a string to an eye hook on the bill of one of my decoys, run it through an eye hook on a heavy anchor below the decoy and back to the blind. I pull on the string whenever I need movement. This works well on duck butt decoys too. If you want continuous movement you can use one of the motorized decoys in the Herter's or Cabela's catalog. To add the realism of landing ducks I use 3 or 4 flying decoys attached to a conduit or PVC pipe painted dull gray or tan. Incoming ducks seeing other ducks landing feel more secure coming to your decoys.

Calling
I have to wonder how many of you are not going to believe me, and how many of you are going to think I'm nuts when I go against traditional calling techniques. But, that's part of what I do as a wildlife researcher and guide, try to understand animal behavior, in this case what duck calls really mean and how they are used. So here goes.
There is no feeding call in ducks! Now stay with me. I didn't say you couldn't use the mallard feeding "chuckle" to call ducks, all I am saying is that ducks don't use it to call other ducks to come and feed. It does however occur in a feeding situation. I've heard hen mallards use the "chuckle" many times when there are lots of ducks feeding. I've also heard it used in the spring, while a pair of mallards was being pursued by one or more drakes. I've heard it in North Dakota as huge flocks swarmed over a corn field while I lay there waiting. In neither of the last two cases were the ducks feeding. So what was the call used for.
The first time I really began to understand what the "chuckle" meant was while I was sitting at the small lake near my home feeding geese with my kids a few years ago. I heard the call and saw a hen mallard feeding with the geese. But, she wasn't feeding, she was chasing away a drake mallard. I had just been reading a book entitled Handbook Of Waterfowl Behavior by Dr. Paul Johnsgard. It was recommended to me by my good friend and world famous goose researcher Dr. Jim Cooper. Johnsgard is an animal behaviorist. He studies animal behavior and interprets it for a better understanding of the behavior.
While reading the book to learn more about geese I checked up on mallards, teal, and bluebills. I learned that the "chuckle" is termed an inciting call. It is used by mallard, black duck, gadwall hens to get their mated to drive another duck away. In this case the is actually inciting a riot. It is almost a threat call, with the hen telling the other duck that if it doesn't leave her alone her mate will attack, and he usually does. But, this call often occurs in feeding situations where there are lots of ducks; and lone drakes are near hens. In order for the hen to keep from being harassed she performs the "chuckle" to keep drakes away so she can feed or swim in peace. The "chuckle" is not used to call other ducks to come and feed, but it does occur in feeding situations, and therefore it works to attract‚ ducks. You can use it to bring in ducks, but you should blow it like it is meant, not like a welcome or pleading call. It should sound like a threat; aggressive and insistent.
The "hail call" is referred to as the Decrescendo Call. It starts loud and gets quieter. This call is used to announce an intent to mate or as general conversation. It usually consists of six notes, with the second note being the loudest, and each successive note being softer. I have heard a hen do seventeen quacks in a row. This is the call I use when I first spot ducks. On windy days, when the ducks are far away or when I am hunting flooded river bottoms where sound doesn't carry I blow it as loud as I can. The closer the ducks get, the softer I blow. Too much volume can easily spook the ducks. Remember mallards are not very big and they have small lungs, they can't possibly call as loud as I hear some hunters blow their calls.
Try to sound like a contented duck when the birds get close. I use slow, loud quacks. Most hunters have heard the early morning quacks of a hen across the slough. That's the sound you should imitate. Don't blow loud and fast, that's the sound of an alarmed duck that often jumps into the air.
The other call I use so I don't sound like every hunter on the marsh is the drake mallard call. It sounds like a deep pitched, reedy "raeb." Herter's offers a couple of different brands of calls that make this sound. One of the best drake mallard calls I've used is Eli and Rod Haydel's DR-85 Double Reed mallard call. To get the proper sound I blow softly while cupping my hand around the barrel of the call, and opening my fingers slowly while I blow.
I always carry more than one duck call, in case one gets wet or won't blow. I also carry a goose call, a teal call, a wood duck call and pintail whistle. I include decoys of these species in my decoy spread just in case some of them show up. When the mallards get call shy I use the sounds of the other species. Sometimes sounding like a wood duck, wigeon or pintail is all it takes to get the ducks in close. For divers; scaup, ringbills, redheads and canvasbacks I use the soft "errr" inciting call. Divers also coo, mew, whew and whine. Next time the ducks won't come to your calls don't be afraid to try something new. What have you got to lose?

If you are interested in more waterfowl hunting tips, or more waterfowl biology and behavior, click on Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions about waterfowl or waterfowl hunting log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board.

This article is an excerpt from the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual ($14.95 + $5.00 S&H), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2005 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2005 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual. For a catalog of books and other hunting products contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com , Web Site: www.TRMichels.com

Posted by T.R. Michels at 09:00 AM | Permalink

When you are hunting geese decoys provide the visual stimulus needed to attract birds to a particular location. The more visible the decoys are, the more effective they are at attracting geese. There are five different ways to make a decoy spread highly visible; size, numbers, color, movement and location.

S i z e
Big decoys work because the eyes of the geese are located on the sides of their head, which gives them a wide range of vision. However, because of these widely spaced eyes geese have poor binocular vision and depth perception, they see very little in front with both eyes at the same time. It would be the same if you held a hand over one eye. You, and the geese, then have difficulty judging distance and size. Bigger decoys are seen farther away, and because geese have poor depth perception, they can't tell that the decoys are larger than life.

N u m b e r s
According to goose researcher Dr. Jim Cooper the size of the decoys is not as important as the number of decoys. He says that the more geese (or decoys) there are on the ground the more willing High Tech Goose the geese are to land. If you put out only a few decoys use the larger sizes, but, if you can put out more decoys do so. When you are after canada geese that are lightly hunted one to four dozen decoys may be sufficient. If the birds come off a refuge and are heavily hunted, and where several other hunters have decoys nearby, you may have to use a hundred decoys or more to convince the geese to land in your field. Because snow and white-fronted geese generally migrate and roost in large flocks you may have to use two to three hundred shells or goose rags. I have put out as many as a thousand shells and rags when hunting snow geese in the Dakota's.

C o l o r

A large number of decoys is easily seen because they present a large mass of shape and color at a distance. However, dark colored decoys don't show up well in a plowed field, or in stubble. This is when color contrast must be taken into account. The contrast of a couple dozen snow goose decoys placed to one side of the canada goose decoys in a plowed field helps draw attention to your spread.
You can also create a contrast in color on your canada goose decoys by enlarging the white patch on the rump. The contrast between the black body and white rump makes the canada goose decoys more visible when they are placed in dark surroundings. You can do the same thing with snow goose decoys by painting black tips on th wings.

M o v e m e n t

There have been a number of advances in goose decoys in the past few years. Manufacturers now offer flags, kites, flying decoys, electric decoys and wind activated decoys. These products all employ movement to attract geese because a moving object is more visible at a distance than a non-moving object is.
Once I realized how visible movement was I began to work on ways to create a lifelike moving decoy. After several designs I finally settled on a weather vane style that would allow the decoy to face into the wind while moving with the slightest breeze. However, I found that most decoys were too heavy to move in the wind. What I needed was a light weight decoy. I had been using Feather Flex turkey decoys for several years and realized that a hollow goose decoy using the same foam plastic was just what was needed.
I called Dave Berkley at Feather Flex, shared my idea, and told him to put the stake at the front of the decoy, so it would face into the wind. The result was the Upwind Goose Decoy which weighs about six ounces and moves with the slightest breeze. It is also flexible enough to collapse, so that you can easily carry a hundred decoys. One or two of these moving decoys in each family unit adds realism to any decoys spread. Northwind windsock decoys are even more lightweight and compact, and can be mixed in with shell or full body decoys to fill out a spread.
The several varities of moveable flying decoys help attract birds because they create the impression of landing geese. However, there are problems when using some of these decoys. The goose kites and flying wind socks need wind to keep them aloft, and therefore should only be used in windy conditions. When there is no wind the flying/landing decoys from Herter's, Flambeau and Carrylite work well.

F l a g g i n g

To help attract geese and postion them for shooting I use the Lander Kite from Flag Man. This kite can be attached to an extendable fishing pole to get it up well into the air. The Lander has an advantage over other flags because it has a white crescent on the tail. Although I had seen this white crescent on canada geese I hadn't really thought about it until I noticed how visible it was while videoing one of our goose hunts.
Being curious I called Dr. Cooper and asked him if it was a visual signal. He told me that the white crescent on the tail of a dark geese, and the black tips on the wings of white geese, serves the same purpose as the speculum on a ducks wing, it causes an involuntary nervous system response to flock. Not voluntary, involuntary. When flying geese see the white crescent or black wingtips they want to join the geese (or kite) below them. After Randy "Flag Man" Bartz heard me mention this in a seminar he added the white crescent to his canada goose and white wingtips to his snow goose Lander Kites.

T h e R e v o l u t i o n

The information I had gotten from Dr. Cooper revolutionized goose hunting. The combination of the white crescent or black wing tips on a goose flag or flying decoy, and the fast cluck landing call, is both a visual and auditory signal that other geese are landing, which makes approaching geese feel secure while wanting to join the flock below them. The sight, and sound, of landing geese has become one of the most effective goose hunting techniques ever.
The Lander Kite can also be used on a short pole, or two or more kites can be attached to the fishing pole to simulate a small flock. It can also be attached to a gun barrel. When used in this manner the hunter can flag with the gun while remaining concealed by the flag. Any movment the hunter makes will go unnoticed because the flag is in front of the hunter. When the hunter is ready to shoot he simply shoulders the gun and fires.

L o c a t i o n

There are three things to consider when placing your decoys. The first consideration is a location that the geese want to use. On land this means a field of grass, hay, corn, barley, beans or other forage. Secondly, the field must offer some sort of security. It should be large enough so the geese don't have to land near fences, ditches, rockpiles, or brush.

T.R.'s Tip

Do not set your decoys near available cover. Geese don't usually land near any cover that is large enough to conceal a predator, especially a hunter. I have seen geese walk near brush, tall grass and trees but only after they have landed. Security to a goose on the ground is a clear field of vision.

The third consideration is visibility. If you can place your decoys on a hill it makes them more visible than if they were in a lowlying area, especially if the downwind side of the hill is the same side the geese are coming from. If the geese come from the upwind side of the hill place some of the decoys on top of the hill, or on the side from which the geese approach, so the decoys can be easily seen by flying geese.
When you are setting up your decoys keep in mind that geese land into the wind, most of your decoys should face into the wind and the point of the should be into the wind, with an open area, or hole, on the down wind side of the decoys where the gese can land.
On cold, windy days geese prefer to stay out of the wind, and they often land below the crest of a hill. When you are hunting on cold or windy days place some of your decoys near the top of the hill and the rest a third of the way down the hill, where there is less wind. Make sure the decoys are well away from any natural cover.

D e c o y L a y o u t

I use an inverted V or crescent design when laying out the decoys with the point of the V pointing into the wind. I then position the hunters along the side of the V within shooting range of the landing zone. I have never seen a flock of geese positioned this way, but if the geese see an open area where they can land they often use it. The main reason for the hole is to position the geese for a good shooting opportunity.
I use a variety of decoys in my spread. On the upwind side of the decoy spread I use silhouettes. Canada Geese often come in low and are accustomed to seeing the side profile of a goose as they apporach. Silhouettes like Outlaws aand Real Geese provide this side profile, take up little space and are easily transported and set up. However, silhouettes don't work well on high flying Snow Geese because they are accustomed to seeing the top of the goose. Goose rags and top view silhouettes work best when you are hunting Snow and White-fronted Geese.
In the main body of my spread I use shells and windsocks because they require very little space, and they allow me to put out dozens, or hundreds, of decoys easily. I place the decoys in family units of from five to nine, and separate each family unit by a yard or more from the next family. The decoys in each family are placed one to two feet apart. I mix one or two windsocks in with each family unit or attach Flapperz goose wings to some of the decoys to create movement and add realism to the spread.
I like to keep the less realistic decoys away from the prying eyes of wary geese, and I don't like to mix different size decoys. So, I place the largest of my shells upwind, near the silhouettes, then use progressively smaller shells, with the smallest at the bottom or sides of the V. On windy days, when geese often swing short and land downwind of the decoys, I place the fortytwo inch shell decoys well downwind from the rest of the decoys and sit among them. Then, when the geese swing short of the decoys I have a close overhead shot.
When it's not windy I place my Big Foot or other full bodied decoys downwind of the shell decoys, near the area where I expect the geese to land. As the geese approach they will be looking right at the landing area, and the decoys they see should look like live geese. I leave a large open area downwind of the main body of decoys and place two or three Feather Flex Wingers or other flying decoys in the open area to show the geese it is sae to land.

If you are interested in more duck hunting tips, or more duck biology and behavior, click on Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions about ducks and duck hunting log on to the T.R.'s Tips message board.

This article is an excerpt from the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual ($14.95 + $5.00 S&H), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain Outdoor Products catalog.

T.R. Michels is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist, outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals. His latest products are Hunting the Whitetail Rut Phases, the Complete Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2005 Revised Edition of the Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2005 Revised Edition of the Duck & Goose Addict's Manual. For a catalog of books and other hunting products contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain Outdoors, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com , Web Site: www.TRMichels.com

Posted by T.R. Michels at 10:05 AM | Permalink