For years, rains have been associated with successful duck hunting. Many duck hunters swear success to having the right rain and winds. They say they had the “ducky weather”. But is duck hunting good in the rain? Or is it just a myth?
Well, yes, it is.
We all know that ducks love water but it should not be strange that they would even fly in rain or wind or even fog. It might surprise you that in rainy weather, ducks fly lower because they think no one would be out hunting for them.
Light rain accompanied by little wind makes for an exciting duck hunting expedition. This combination of rain and wind gives rise to the expression “ducky weather”, an ideal condition for duck hunting. Except the rain is heavy, the ducks do not need shelter from it, providing an exciting hunting experience as they run to seek shelter in vain.
Having cleared that rain is not a barrier to a successful duck hunt, note that your success on any rainy day depends on several factors.
Tips to having a good duck hunt in the rain
Duck hunting in the rain is one of the easiest ways to kill many ducks for the advantage that many people would be at home and you have fewer competitors. Also, this weather condition reduces the visibility of the birds making hunting easy.
Having the right rain and winds is not enough to guarantee the best duck hunting expedition. You would also have to be prepared to use this weather correctly. It is then paramount to have a few tricks up your hat to harness this weather to your advantage.
Weather
Weather conditions affect everything here so you would want to be abreast of what the weatherman says. Rains are good for duck hunting but it is clear you are not going to have a thunderstorm. Hunting in a thunderstorm is not so much fun, bearing in mind that you could end up sick besides ducks do not fly in a thunderstorm.
Usually, ducks would fly into the wind so expect to see ducks move with the wind. Knowing this, it is important to measure out the wind direction. Also, the direction of the wind would determine where the ducks would rest. If the wind is moving from east to west, it is more likely that you would see ducks resting on the east side of the water.
With a good knowledge of where the wind is facing, you would be able to set up your blind effectively as well. It is also advisable that you place yourself where you would be able to shoot birds flying up or down the river.
Learn about the birds
Your hunting location is very important. As with several animals, ducks migrate depending on what time of the year and what conditions are favorable. Taking this behavior into account, the species and number of ducks that would be available for hunting could vary at different times of the year.
Once you have noted where you want to hunt, it is also necessary to learn about the behavior of birds there. You would want to identify their migration patterns, where they fly to when it is raining and where they stay after the rain.
Expect to look for ducks in small water bodies like little ponds, rivers, or lakes during rain. It is very unlikely that they would fly over bigger bodies like large lakes at this period. Despite that they like the rain, ducks would still choose areas where they are not so exposed. So focus on places where there are shelters or covers they could hide.
Hunting times
To get more ducks, it is important to begin hunting at the time you would be able to get many of them. Most ducks move early in the day and when it begins to get dark. At night, they stop feeding and go to rest.
Even if you are hunting in the rain, chances of making many shots in the afternoon are lower than if you go hunting in the early hours of the day.
This could however change in extremely cold conditions. To compensate for the drop in temperature, they double their eating times. This puts them out even in the afternoon.
Camouflages and duck hunting gears
A well-camouflaged duck boat is vital if you are hunting near the water; you do not want to give yourself away easily. If you would be hunting in the rain, you should invest in gears that would prevent you from getting wet and ultimately catching a cold.
Things like a rain jacket, waterproof long boots, rubber gloves, waterproof chest waders are essential must-haves. You could also need a pair of binoculars if you would be a couple of distance away.
It would be wise to put your gun in a polymer casing so it does not get wet. You might need an extra change of clothes in case you get wet.
Choose a ground blind
You are under the rain so hunting from a ground blind would help keep you warm and dry. Your blind should also be installed in a way that the rain is at your back and not on your face. This does not replace wearing protective gear but it does add extra warmth. The location for siting your ground blind should be one that would give you the best hunting advantage.
Ducks are waterfowls and can fly in both the rain and the wind. As much as possible, avoid heavy rains as ducks would seek shelter themselves instead of flying around. While it is important to understand the pattern of the ducks before commencing hunting, from experiences, many duck hunters have shown that duck hunting is good in the rain.