quetions because I’m new to waterfowl.

I have hunted ducks with some of my buddies a few times within the last two years, never really got anything and now I’ve realized we were doing everything wrong. when I go out to public ponds like Carlos and Avery I notice that it is over croweded and every duck gets shot no matter how far away or high they are from the hunters. with that said I think its time to learn from the pro like you guys.

I dont have a dog, so pond hunting is no longer an option, I noticed too many birds are shot and lost. And I dont like that idea at all. so I’ve thought about it and decided to try field hunting next year.

heres the question, being that I can only hunt public land(fields), do you think it’s a good idea? has anyone here tried hunting geese on public fields and found success.

I want to know this before I get too excited and buy all tons of decoy. any advice would be greatly appreciated so I can properly prepare for the next coming year.

Hunting public ground is always going to be tough. My suggestion would be to find a farmer now. Offer to help with chores over the winter, spring and summer in exchange for hunting rights. As far as gear a good half dozen or so full body goose decoys will beat 3 dozen shells. Good luck and keep at it, waterfowling is something very special!

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Field hunting on public land is probably a waste of time unless you can find public land that the state allows someone to farm so you have a grain field to hunt in.

Now is a good time to be looking for opportunities for next year. Drive around and try to find areas where there are concentrations of birds and then wait until spring to approach the land owners if you are going to offer up working there for permission to hunt.

If they are in an area with a lot of birds they have probably been asked numerous times already by other hunters so they may be sick of it. Hitting them up in spring will give you good separation from hunting season and it is typically the time of year when an extra set of hands on the farm would be more than welcome.

As for dekes, I would let your budget dictate what you can get, lots of used older dekes on craigslist. Some TLC and fresh paint can make old dekes look really good again. Don’t be afraid to hunt over shells….I started hunting over shells and still mix 3 doz shells in with the full bodies I have accumulated. Almost everyone is running ALL full bodies now, having all shells or at least some shells mixed in provides a different look and sometimes that can give you an edge because your spread doesn’t look like everyone else’s where geese have been shot at over and over.

I agree with everyone that finding good field hunting on public land is going to be almost impossible.

Are you set on just goose hunting the field? While I was in high school, we hunted ducks all the time without a dog. One guy had a robo duck and we would set it up on the edge of a shallow river or creek. Most of the time we dropped the birds on land, but we had waders and hip boots incase we needed to get in the river. Another set up we used was to set up on public land and pass shoot as the birds flew between the bodies of water. We would also use the robo duck here because birds would come to check it out and slow down enough to get a good shot.

I’m not a fan of pass shooting and don’t do it anymore, but for your situation it will be more effective then dropping them in a slough and losing them.

Don’t get discouraged!! Here is an idea for you that is generally productive, a lot of fun and doesn’t require a ton of expensive gear.

Often times smaller drainage ditches that hold a little water are overlooked by many hunters. Stalking down these can be very exciting. These areas can hold a lot of local ducks early and may hold pressured ducks later in the season. Generally you can retrieve the fowl on foot as the water is either shallow or narrow. Besides you may stand a good chance at running across a rooster as well for a mix bag. If nothing you’ll get some good excercise.

You can find some drainage ditches or small creeks on public lands such as PF land, etc. Also don’t be shy to ask a landowner about walking down a drainage ditch either. These areas aren’t generally as highly regarded hunting grounds, but often produce.

I hope this helps.