Scouting to early?

Duck_Slam123

So me and my buddy went out to a marsh to scout for places to duck hunt. Looking for hydrilla, **** tail, and other stuff. Is it to early to be doing this? Should I be looking for anything else. Or should I wait until ducks begin migrating? Either way plan to scout before I hunt too. What’s everyone opinions?
thank you Jay

ANUMBER1

wait for the buggies to push the ducks to you.

cracker4112

No such thing as too early, unless its a place you know intimately and it may not be necessary. Where i hunt I know where the ducks are gonna be if the water conditions are right, and I'll start looking a couple weeks before season.  I don't really hunt the early season anymore as the heat is almost unbearable and I'm just not that mad at them anymore. All year, we have Fl mallards, wood ducks, BBWDs and the blue wings are already arriving by the end of this month.  The migrators will also like the areas you find birds now, once they get here if the conditions are right.  If you are serious about it, scouting never ends...

Pinman

Never hurts especially to get the lay of the area. But depending on where you are we are just starting the rainy season and things will change.  We have also been getting rain dumps in later Sep and Oct the last few years. Keep in mind that what looks like great habitat to you, might not be great to the ducks and they dont show up. 

Duck_Slam123

Pinman said:

Never hurts especially to get the lay of the area. But depending on where you are we are just starting the rainy season and things will change.  We have also been getting rain dumps in later Sep and Oct the last few years. Keep in mind that what looks like great habitat to you, might not be great to the ducks and they dont show up. 

I understand but this marsh I hunt usually doesn’t get flooded out that much I don’t think I’m going to hunt early teal and probably won’t hunt until November maybe and for sure hunting December and January. I just wanted to get a lay out and find other places in the marsh instead of hunting the two little holes I know very well. 

Duck_Slam123

cracker4112 said:

No such thing as too early, unless its a place you know intimately and it may not be necessary. Where i hunt I know where the ducks are gonna be if the water conditions are right, and I'll start looking a couple weeks before season.  I don't really hunt the early season anymore as the heat is almost unbearable and I'm just not that mad at them anymore. All year, we have Fl mallards, wood ducks, BBWDs and the blue wings are already arriving by the end of this month.  The migrators will also like the areas you find birds now, once they get here if the conditions are right.  If you are serious about it, scouting never ends...

I agree last year we got skunked really bad with last year being my second season and I only shot two birds and my friend had zero under his until the veteran hunts. I go to school for environmental studies and it had me thinking of different plant matter the ducks eat specifically teal and I wanted to go out and see where this stuff was thick. Specifically hydrilla because I know it’s abundant and the birds eat it. Ended up finding where all the sedges were and **** tail. Plus a bunch of grass shrimp and tadpoles. I know by winter it probably won’t look like this but hoping that it all is so abundant that it won’t matter. Of course I’m going to scout all through out but I’m trying to put it to a science😂

Pinman

It doesnt have to be much of a water change to affect the ducks. 3-4 inches could change their habits. I got a chuckle out of you comment trying to make hunting a "science".   You could probably develop some "trends" but being able to predict where the ducks will be and when.......ehhhhh.....

Duck_Slam123

Pinman said:

It doesnt have to be much of a water change to affect the ducks. 3-4 inches could change their habits. I got a chuckle out of you comment trying to make hunting a "science".   You could probably develop some "trends" but being able to predict where the ducks will be and when.......ehhhhh.....

Can’t be mad at a guy for trying 😂😂

H20dad

Have you gone to the UWF forum?  They have a new one, should be a wealth of duck hunting knowledge. As long as you ignore the “ducks can only be shot over a corn feeder” you’ll be just fine. 

Duck_Slam123

H20dad said:

Have you gone to the UWF forum?  They have a new one, should be a wealth of duck hunting knowledge. As long as you ignore the “ducks can only be shot over a corn feeder” you’ll be just fine. 

I have not and I’ll go check it out!

Pinman

Nah, more power to ya Duck Slam. I always tell my kids they should keep a log for fishing. My friends Dad could tell you within 5 minutes of when the Snook would eat in Palm Beach Inlet.  I dont think you can do that with ducks because the habitat varies over years and even months. 

But if you figure it out, let me know 

Duck_Slam123

Pinman said:

Nah, more power to ya Duck Slam. I always tell my kids they should keep a log for fishing. My friends Dad could tell you within 5 minutes of when the Snook would eat in Palm Beach Inlet.  I dont think you can do that with ducks because the habitat varies over years and even months. 

But if you figure it out, let me know 

You know I got you brother 😂👌🏾

ivn

The better you know your land the easier you'll find the game when it is time, simply because you don't need to search for the desired resources.  Also take note of what is going on around your hunting area through the year.  If ag is near by, what are they planting and when are they harvesting, etc.  If there are tidal waters in your area, what do they look like at various stages during the season?