Waterfowl Hunting-What Really Matters

The alarm clock goes off but this time its different. It's 2:30 am and you can't wait to get out of bed. You have a big day ahead of you. You have decoys to set up just perfectly which is no easy task, an excited retriever to provide direction to, and if all goes well, ducks and geese to clean. Needless to say, you have a challenging day ahead of you both mentally and physically.

You’ve done your homework and believe you found the perfect location. You arrive and the work begins. You set up your decoys, apply your all natural hunting camo face paint, settle in your ground blind and wait.  There's a certain calm to the sunrise, different than the peaceful solitude of the deer stand. The rest is yet to be told.

So how can you best prepare for your waterfowl hunt to get the most out of it?

1. Scout. The most important factor when it comes to the success of your waterfowl hunt is location. Use your previous experiences to determine which hunting spots produce under which weather conditions. If you haven't, start a journal to use next hunting season it will come in handy as you scout.
2. Practice calling ahead of time. This is pretty self explanatory. The old saying holds true, practice makes perfect, or at least good enough to invite the ducks and geese to land.
3. Gather your crew. Waterfowl hunting is a social event. It's an opportunity to spend time with the guys or gals and do something you enjoy. Its also a plus to have some help setting up and taking down decoys.
4. Shoot a few clays. Once your shotgun is clean and ready to go shoot a few clays. This will get you on target and ready to go. Bonus, bring your waterfowl crew with you and make a fun day out of it.
5. Make sure your concealment is on point. Ducks and geese have an incredible sense of sight. You will need to be sure you are fully concealed and disappear with nature.
   1. Blind: It's all about perspective when building or sprucing up your blind. Think about a duck or goose in flight and what that bird will see.
   2. Clothing: Make sure you are fitted in camo that will help blend you with your surroundings from head to toe. A nice pair of waders, a heavy waterproof jacket, a nice pair of gloves and a beanie are sure you keep you warm while you wait.
   3. All Natural Hunting Face paint: An all natural hunting face paint is a must when waterfowl hunting. There is no sense in spending time on your blind and clothing if you are going to skip the paint. A natural hunting face paint like Nature’s Paint will keep you concealed and free of irritation and breakouts.

We recommend using the waterfowl blackout pattern (pictured above). You want to be sure to cover your most highlighted features: your nose and cheekbones. Nature’s Paint ash black works perfect for this. Check out Women’s Outdoor News: Four Ways to Wear Face Paint When Hunting for details on how to apply this pattern.

The day comes to an end. You are exhausted and full of life at the same time. Lessons were learned and memories were made.

When it comes down to it, waterfowl hunting is about the experience. As our friends at Mountain Lodge Outdoors say, “At the end of the day it doesn't really matter if you made the shot or how many dropped. The only thing that matters is that you were all there when it happened.”

Tags: Waterfowl, Waterfowl Hunting, Mountain Lodge Outdoors, Waterfowl Hunting Face Paint, Natural Hunting Face Paint