8 ways to fix a duck or goose hunt that’s going sideways

#5  YOU WAKE UP TO SNOW

Finding a skiff of snow on the ground in the morning is often a harbinger of a poor hunt. While setting up, it’s hard to avoid trampling and melting the snow, creating a black hole that tells the birds something’s amiss.

THE FIX

Small things can make the difference. Approach and park from the upwind side of where you plan to set up; that way, incoming birds will encounter less disturbed ground on their approach. And don’t idle your truck during set-up, as that will only melt more snow.

Use white covers for your layout blinds, and dress in white. Once you’re all set up, spray your blind and the surrounding area with fake decorative snow (don’t worry, it will easily wash off later). If snow continues to fall, periodically brush off your decoys, but don’t get caught out in the open by approaching birds.

On the downside, layout blinds tend to create slop as your body heat warms the ground below, and getting in and out of them invariably causes a further mess. As a result, many experienced waterfowlers opt for willow blinds instead.