Outdoor tips with Jack Morris
BY JACK MORRIS
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Listen to Jack Morris online Listen to a conversation about duck season with Jack Morris.
With the new year comes the last month of
duck season and a lot of hope that it can only
get better in the next 30 days.
I’ve said it before and it counts ten-fold this
season: Scouting is the prime element in duck
hunting this fall. There are birds around. Fairsized
concentrations have been reported on
lakes like Kaw and Fort Cobb. Smaller groups
can be found around most lakes.
What it takes is scouting, being mindful of
the weather and putting yourself in the right
place to get some birds.
On public areas it might not be about getting
there in the dark and being set up. You
might want to ease out onto the lake at daylight,
sit quietly and watch the birds move until
you can pick out some of the points or coves
honed-in on by the local birds. Sometimes you
may be set up and see birds regularly working
another area and you may want to move or
plan to be set up in that spot the next day.
With fewer birds and fewer hot-spots,
duck hunters are going to have to work a little
harder and sometimes be a little more creative,
especially on public areas where there is
competition for the “obvious” honey holes.
If we get into a good stretch of winter cold,
field hunts on soybean fields could become
a great option. Again, that will be a matter
of scouting and figuring out when, and if, the
birds get themselves into a pattern.
Always keep in mind that with wise lateseason
ducks, total concealment becomes
more and more important. I just can’t emphasize
that enough.
Bottom line, it’s just going to take a little
more time and effort than in years past to find
good shooting, but there are plenty of ducks
and good hunts to be had. Don’t give up, and
with the new year, here’s wishing for a better,
and wetter, season to come in 2013-2014.
Jack Morris is a professional guide and host of
Outdoor Trails at 6 p.m. Thursday nights on KTBZ
am1430. Contact him at 918-691-3840, jackswildlife@
cox.net or see tulsaworld.com/jackmorris.
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