What gun is best for duck hunting? (2023)

What gauge is best for duck hunting?

What gauge shotgun do you prefer while duck hunting? The vast majority of those who responded to the survey preferred using a 12 gauge rather than a 20 gauge. In pattern density and shot stringing, the 12 gauge offers a slight advantage over the 20 gauge, especially with larger steel pellet sizes.

Mallard - The drake mallard is the most sought-after duck in North America. He's simple, yet elegant. The heft of a limit of greenheads hanging from a game tote is a great feeling on a cold morning. Pintail - The sprig on a mature bull pintail is so easy to spot even newbies can pick out this duck flying.

“A 20-gauge gun will kill ducks as well as a 12,” Morgan said. “The only difference is the number of pellets. The velocity of a 12 and 20 gauge, there's not enough difference to talk about.

With the right loads and chokes, the increasingly popular 20-gauge is a viable option for waterfowlers, within limits. The 20-gauge duck gun is trending.

Because a 12 gauge shotgun shell has more volume than a 20 gauge shotgun shell, it fits more powder and bigger projectiles. This means you will get a harder-hitting shot at a greater effective distance with a 12 gauge than you will with a 20 gauge.

Although duck hunters do kill birds at 60 or 65 yards, longdistance shooting is something to avoid. I tell all who ask me for advice on this to shoot at nothing beyond 45 yards. The worst result of long-distance shooting, or ''sky busting,'' is that many birds hit with a few pellets go away to die.

Bluewings and greenwings share many maddening characteristics, including twisting, turning flight patterns. But greenwings get the puddler trophy because they seem to have an extra burst, and their habit of skyrocketing straight up when spooked or shot at makes them the tougher target.

Aim slightly below the bird, raise the gun up into its flight path, and pull the trigger when the gun barrel blots out the bird. Or, if the duck is descending to land, aim at its feet and shoot. By the time the shot charge gets on target, the duck will have dropped into the middle of the pattern.

A modified choke tube (0.020”) is the best choke size for duck hunting. It allows for all-around performance for both decoying and passing shots. All types of shot and shot sizes can be put through a modified choke tube with no issues. Full chokes are specialized chokes for long distance shots only.

Size #4 shot is the best load for shooting ducks up to 35 yards away. Of all the shot sizes that have enough power to be effective at this range, 4's have the highest pellet density within a 30” circle. For ducks further than 35 yards, a larger shot size is required.

What state is known for ducks?

Eastern Arkansas

Known as the Duck Capital of the World, Stuttgart, Arkansas, has long been a favorite destination for waterfowl hunters from near and far-and for good reason.

The answer is yes, you can use a . 410 on ducks. But you have many more options if you switch to a 20-gauge, in guns and ammo. You get the reduced recoil and benefits of a lightweight shotgun, but you're still wielding an effective tool for knocking down ducks.

What's the Difference Between 12-Gauge and 14-Gauge Wire? 12-gauge wire is thicker than 14-gauge wire, which means it can safely handle higher amperages without overheating and risking a fire. The thicker wire in 12-gauge also allows long runs of wire to deliver power with less risk of a voltage drop.

In this article, I'll talk about the science behind how far to lead a duck, and how much margin for error there is. A shooter needs to lead a duck by . 24-5.16 feet to make a clean shot.

Shotguns must be "plugged" to prevent them from firing more than three rounds before reloading. Removing the plug from a semiautomatic or pump gun's magazine to enable it to hold more than three shells (one in the chamber, two in the magazine) is a blatant violation of the law.

Within reasonable range, the 20-gauge can be a good waterfowl gun, particularly with some of the premium nontoxic pellets such as Bismuth, Federal Tungsten Iron, Kent Impact, and Remington Hevi-Shot. With steel pellets, the 20-gauge is more range-restricted, but with a beginner, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The . 22 long rifle round is choice for shooting flying ducks beyond the shotgun range. Otherwise stick with the shotgun as it will allow you to get two or more birds in one shot if you have the right pattern of birds.

12 Gauge - Roughly 50% of shotgun sales in the United States are 12 gauge. It's the most versatile of all the gauges with a large variety of ammunition choices. The 12 gauge is powerful enough to hunt most types of game, yet it's not as heavy as a 10 gauge.

Twenty-gauge lead loads can take toms inside 40 yards, and do it in a lighter, slimmer shotgun while delivering a much softer kick to the shooter.

20-gauge shotguns are especially suitable for hunting game birds such as quail, grouse, turkey, and other game when using shot shells. A 20-gauge can also shoot slugs and buckshot and thereby become an effective deer-hunting gun.

What should you not do while duck hunting?

It is better by far to hang for just a day or two and then pluck. If you want a bird more fully flavoured then, once plucked and gutted, store in the fridge with a dry tea towel over the carcase for a further three or four days.

How Many Duck Calls Do You Need? John Stephens recommends having at least two or three calls on your lanyard for a given hunting environment. When hunting mallards, he'll typically run two or three calls specifically for mallards and a whistle for his dog and pintails, widgeon, and teals.

Ruddy Ducks are very aggressive toward each other and toward other species, especially during the breeding season. They are even known to chase rabbits feeding on the shore. Though Ruddy Ducks are native to the Americas, one population became established in England after captive ducks escaped in 1952.

Pekin duck is the most popular duck to eat. Pekin duck meat is known for its mild, satisfying flavor that easily adapts to a number of cuisines. It has lighter flesh and milder flavor than either Moulard or Muscovy duck, and is considered perfect for whole roasting.

“Chickenhawks” are the most commonly referred to on farms and homesteads and are perhaps the most deadly duck predator. While a hawk is not large enough and strong enough to carry off a large mature breed of duck, they can easily shred their back with the sharp nails on their feet and attempt to fly away with them.

Waterfowl — Ducks and other birds can easily see colors. This makes wearing camouflage essential! Make sure you wear a camo that blends well into the tall and lightly colored grass, cattails, and reeds. Wearing hunter orange or blaze orange or pink is not required when hunting waterfowl.

Shooting at a 45-degree angle up is the same as shooting at a 45-degree angle down—it's still 45 degrees. And regardless of shooting up or down at a steep angle or over a long distance, you always compensate by aiming low.

"Generally, most waterfowl arrive just behind a front," Gauthreaux says. "Powerful fronts are huge wedges of cold air, and they tend to travel fast.

Size 2 shot is a versatile load for situations in which you might encounter geese as well as ducks; otherwise 3 shot is a good all-purpose duck pellet. At ranges inside 40 yards, BB, 1, or 2 shot are good for geese; 2 or 3 shot works well on ducks.

Is 2 shot or 4 shot better for ducks?

Common shot sizes used for waterfowl (from smallest to largest) are No. 4, 3, 2, 1, BB, BBB and T shot. Naturally, smaller shot sizes are best suited for ducks, while the larger shot is better for geese and swans.

Steel shot spreads less and has denser shot patterns, resulting in less margin for error in gun handling and trigger timing. Compensate by using a more open choke like an improved cylinder or modified choke rather than a full choke. This is especially true for shots within 50 yards.

In the Pacific Flyway, 164,900 waterfowlers bagged more than 2.5 million ducks and 594,600 geese — all representing substantial increases over the 2019-2020 season. California had the most waterfowl hunters at 52,300, and they topped the million mark in duck harvest at 1.1 million — a 12 percent increase. California ...

San Francisco, California

Nearby Suisun Marsh, with 52,000 acres of managed wetlands in both private and public ownership, is one of the most important breeding and wintering areas in California for mallards.

October. This is the best month, period. October weather is usually sparkling, the leaves are changing, and you can hunt ducks and geese from Canada south to about the middle of the United States.

Minnesota annually leads the nation in ringneck harvest numbers with an average of more than 82,000 birds. The marshes and open water of Lake Winnibigoshish and Leech Lake are popular spots for hunters to take these early divers. Rice Lake NWR annually holds over 160,000 ringnecks in mid-October.

Despite the likelihood of lower duck population numbers, the state of Utah again recommended one of the longest waterfowl hunting seasons in the Unites States, a full, continuous 107-day duck season lasting most of the winter.

It is also known throughout Louisiana (and especially among hunters and other wildlife enthusiasts) as the Duck Capital of America. This quirky nickname was bestowed upon Gueydan in 1977 when the local women's club petitioned the state, to honor the region's ties to the land and its feathered friends.

Common shot sizes used for waterfowl (from smallest to largest) are No. 4, 3, 2, 1, BB, BBB and T shot. Naturally, smaller shot sizes are best suited for ducks, while the larger shot is better for geese and swans.

Although it is legal to use a bow to take migratory waterfowl in many areas, most hunters prefer taking migratory birds with a shotgun because of the great difficulty of striking a moving bird with an arrow.

How far should you aim in front of a duck?

A shooter needs to lead a duck by . 24-5.16 feet to make a clean shot. The two distinct variables that determine how far each duck should be led by are: How far away the duck is, and how fast the duck is flying.

And then there are federal regulations requiring a maximum three-shot capacity in shotguns when hunting migratory birds such as doves, snipe, ducks and geese. These are spelled out in Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, part 20.

Because a 12 gauge shotgun shell has more volume than a 20 gauge shotgun shell, it fits more powder and bigger projectiles. This means you will get a harder-hitting shot at a greater effective distance with a 12 gauge than you will with a 20 gauge.

In other words, a fancy blind or pit is a wonderful amenity but not a requirement for duck hunting success.

To wrap it all up, duck hunting without a call is totally possible. Pay attention to where ducks feel safe, and where they like to land when they are not being worked. Then, set up in that location and be patient. You could also consider letting small groups land and do all the calling for you.

The Ethics of Shooting Ducks on the Water

Although the practice is widely frowned-upon, shooting ducks on the water is perfectly legal throughout much of Canada and the United States.