Any Advice?

[Deer Monger]

Any advice guys? This will be my first seaon hunting migratory birds. Reading the Maine laws it doesn't appear that I can start until about Oct 4th. Going after ducks and geese. I always see tons of them, hopefully dumb luck will land me a few to try.

[bear baiter]

andrew where in maine are you located ,  get some decoys and set them up and a call and let them come in if they are geese and you are seeing them in a field go back the next morning and try to blend in with a spot close to where you think they will land and feed and hope u get lucky. i do alot of of puddle duck hunting which is sneaking in to some small ponds or bogs and shooting them as they fly from the water then have thew dog go get them it fast and fun. i dont do alot of goose hunting becuase i dont see many here in my area (farmington,maine) but sometimes i catch them in the small streams and ponds that that i hunt. hope maybe i helped u a little on how to hunt them

[bear baiter]

andrew forgot to mention that goose season has started here in maine we have an early goose season which goes to th 24 of sept

[Deer Monger]

Thanks!
I'm in Sanford Maine area.
Guess I better go over those regulations again. I don't recalling reading anything but hunting in October.

[Bobman]

The best advice I can give is to find someone who hunts waterfowl and see if you can go along.  There's nothing like learning from someone that already has expertise in hunting your area. 

[BuckShotJon]

Gun: I would recomend at the very least a 12 gauge 2 3/4 inch chamber. 3 inch is universal and if you really want to knock them dead 3 1/2 inch chamber.

Shot: Non-toxic is required. Hevi-shot is the best but most expensive. With Hevi-shot you need a modern gun, choke tube in the gun rated for hevi-shot and shot size could be anywhere from 2's to 6's. Steel is the most economical and a all around shot size for geese and ducks would be 2's. I prefer BB for Goose and even sometimes for duck. 2's for duck are ok. I like Kent FastSteel the best for steel.

Decoys. If you are hunting local birds in the September season 2 dozen is for sure enough decoys. 1 dozen could work. Put out small family flocks 4 decoys per flock to make a diamond. Leave enough area at least 30-50 yards in the middle for the geese to land. I highly advise getting a goose flag.

Tapes: Buy a tape on how to hunt ducks and geese.  Try to get one with flaging so you learn this.

Call: Not all calls are the same, you will have to buy a few to see what you personally like. As a rule of thumb I prefer quaker boy products.

Camo: you need to be 100% camo.

Terrain: Early season find cut wheat or alphafa fields. As soon as corn comes down for silage hunt there.
Try to never shoot geese directly from there water spot commonly called "roost" as they will possibly leave it for good.

There is alot more but that could get you started.

Jon

[Dogman]

Andrew,since I live next door in Alfred I might be in a position to be of some service.Early goose season has come and gone,most waterfowlers in the area,including myself,tend to let it go by without going out after geese.Later when the migrators come through its a different story.Resident geese are well situated where they are(golf courses,parks,turf farms and such)and unless you have access your not likely to get any action.Migrators tend to spread out and give you better opportunities.As for ducks,southern Maine can be pretty good.Coastal marshes and inland ponds and rivers can get very productive.What kind of shotgun do you have?If it is steel shot compatible you are all set if not you need to look into a newer one or stick with bismith shot(which is a lot more expensive than steel).If you are looking for a decent shotgun Mossberg 500's or 835's are good reliable waterfowl guns.If you have a boat that is a big plus,a canoe or small jon boat will be useful for small water as well.You can  get by with a couple dozen decoys but most guys wind up with a lot more than that,myself included.Blackducks and mallard dekes will more than suffice for this area,a few goose dekes thrown in tends to help.Calls are numerous and selection is based on personal prefference,lots of good ones to choose from.I recommend starting with a double reed,more forgiving.You can stick with it or try other types but they are a good place to start.I still use double reeds myself,easier,and sounds fine.Once you have a call,practice all the time.Get a tape recorder and take it out with you and record you calling practice,that way you can listen to and critique yourself.Camo flage clothes are a must,face coverage is a big help,ducks and geese have very good vision and the better you are covered the more likey you will pull them in.Waterfowl identification is extremely important,especially when it comes to black duck and mallard hens,they look very similar and you don't want to get them confused.Two mallard hens are legal but only one black duck is,one mistake and you could be over the black limit. Theres plenty more and we could cover most of it sometime if your willing,drop me a line and we'll set something up.

[Deer Monger]

Hadn't checked the site in a while, but thanks for the info!
I have a "beater" canoe that I intend on using and a 12' aluminum boat as well. I intended on using the same camo from Turkey season. I am lacking in the shotgun area though, single shot 12 gauge. I don't mind spending the money on a box of bismith just to see if this is something I'm interested in. I need to know that I'll eat these, never had one before, or I'll loose interest. I would be content with a single duck the first time out just to experience the whole thing.
I was thinking of either taking the canoe down Little River or maybe just wading it. I saw many Mallards this summer while I fly fished the river. Think they would still be around?
I wouldn't mind trying after a goose either, but I have the impression like to what you said. Everywhere I ever see them has no access.
As far as calls and decoys, I know little to nothing about them. Guess I've got some homework and experimenting to do!
Thanks.

[Dogman]

If the river is easy to wade I'd go with that,shooting from a canoe isn't recommended unless you have practiced it.You could paddle up or down stream and get out where you think you have the best chance to jump ducks.Look for oak trees along the bank,ducks love acorns.Those mallards may have moved on but more may  come in to take the place of the others.Also don't forget to get a Fed and State duck stamp,don't want to get busted on your first duck hunt!

[Deer Monger]

Nope I've already purchased both Federal and State Migratory Bird Stamps. I knew I needed those.
I'll get my first opportunity this coming Saturday to get out there and roam the river.

[Dogman]

Good luck on Sat,supposed to get some rough weather which is good for duck hunting.