Via Michael Cogswell
Via Michael Cogswell

Waterfowl Woes: 6 Ways Your Waterfowl Hunt Can Go Wrong—and How To Adjust Your Tactics

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#1 The Wind Changes Direction

Mike Hungle
Mike Hungle

Setting up your blinds and decoys is all about understanding wind direction, since ducks and geese will invariably approach and land from downwind. Set up incorrectly, and the birds will slide off to the side, land short or simply not commit to your spread. But the wind direction can also change unexpectedly, so you must be prepared to react accordingly.

In those rare instances when the wind shifts a full 180 degrees, leave your blind where it is and move some or all of your blocks to the backside of your blind. Of course, you’ll also have to reverse the direction you’re facing in the blind. Alternatively, you can leave your decoys where they are, turn in the blind and shoot the birds as they pass overhead. Keeping low and still is more critical than ever in this circumstance, as the birds will have to fly directly over your blind before landing.

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More often, though, the wind will veer off less than 90 degrees; this is especially true in the afternoon, when the breeze commonly shifts counter-clockwise. Astute hunters often set up anticipating this shift. If you haven’t, simply move the wings of your set-up into a standard J- or U-shaped spread to accommodate the change, pivoting your blind accordingly. Make sure the open side of your J-spread faces the direction from which you expect birds to arrive.

Salvaging your hunt in this case will depend on your willingness to adjust to the wind; approaching birds will tell you how comfortable they are by how they react. At all costs, avoid letting birds, especially Canada geese, fly directly over your decoys—that’s a recipe for disaster. You want to ensure they can get into the hole without having flown over one of your wings.