2008 Ducks  2008

Duck is the common name for a number of species between the Anatidae (*Latin expression). The Anatidae are remarkable for being one of the few families of birds that possess a penis. Is the biological family that includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swan.These are birds that are modified for swimming, floating on the water surface, and in some cases diving in at least shallow water. Photo- One genus in Arg: Argentina Recent revision has resulted in the inclusion of 10 extant species from the Southern Hemisphere.Exploit a variety of food sources such as grasses, grains, aquatic plants, insects and fish.They seek out protected habitat with good food!

                 INFORMATION FOR HUNTERS:In many areas of Argentina (For example in Tandil), wild ducks of various species are hunted for sport, -by decoys-. From this came the expression "Sitting Duck" to mean "an easy target". The wild ducks have many economic uses, for their meat, eggs, feathers and down feathers ("Duvé", in Spanish).Use effective camouflage that matches the terrain you hunt. With good camouflage ... successful always!.Ducks can pinpoint where a call is coming from and will get suspicious if they don't see the ducks making the sound. Place decoys so that the ducks last pass before landing places them where you want to shoot. When giving a dog hand signals try wearing a white glove or sock on your hand so that he can see the signals clearly. Remember that they are color blind and a camo hand against a wooded background is very difficult for them to see.

Remember to respect ducks eye sight. In addition to wearing full camouflage, stay close to a tree or clump of grass. Also let one man lead the hunt and call the shots. Then he will be the only one looking up and moving. Everyone else should keep their heads down and stay still. Also never forget the importance of gloves and a headnet.

When working ducks to decoys, don't call while the ducks are coming. Instead let them look at the decoys and call as they pass to bring them back. But most importantly remember to be patient. They like to circle and come in slow. Give them time and don't try to rush them down and you will be successful. f you have enough property, give your ducks a rest area or sanctuary from hunting. Pick out one or two of you prime feeding or roosting areas and simply don't allow any hunting in those areas. You will be amazed at how many ducks you will draw and hold in these areas and how much it will help the hunting on the rest of your property. Keep decoys clean and in good working condition. Goose decoys often become dirty and loose their effectiveness. Also take the time to repaint old decoys to keep them realistic looking. They will be much more effective. All ducks don't sound the same and neither should your duck calls. Vary the type of calls you carry from high to low pitch and raspy to smooth. Then if a particular call isn't working you can throw something different their direction. It just might make the difference in whether or not you limit out on those tough mornings.

Natural Magnet. One effective tip practiced by veteran shallow-water hunters is to keep the water muddy. These hunters wade around in their decoys and kick up mud to appear as though ducks have been feeding. A muddy zone in an area of clear water is easy for ducks flying overhead to spot, and it acts as a natural magnet to pull them down for a meal. Brown or Black. One good way to impart movement to a lifeless decoy spread is to rig a "shake line". Take a 6-foot bungee cord, and tie one end at the waterline to a stationary object on the far side of your decoy spread (tree, bush, stake driven into the mud, etc.) Next, tie a heavy nylon string (brown or black) to the other end of the bungee cord, and run it back to the blind. Then, attach several decoys at intervals along the line. When ducks are working, pull and release the line from inside the blind to make the decoys shake and turn like real ducks on the water.On calm days, this movement may mean the difference between having good shooting and getting no shots at all.