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Rookie Wingshooting

griffinohara

griffinohara

New member
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
13
Location
RMNP and Littleton, CO
Hi guys, I'm an adult-onset hunter. Last year I went on my first elk, deer and antelope hunts. Spent a bunch of time with a .22 in the woods for snowshoe hates and pine squirrel. Right now I'm interested in extending this season, and looking into waterfowl. I'd like a good shot at limiting out and putting meat in the freezer.

Currently I live in Dolores, CO, but I will likely be wintering in the Denver area. Any recommendations on guides, etc? Would be open to DIY trips of course.
 
Or basically any kind of waterfowl hunts in CO a rookie could reasonably approach with a minimum of gear (read: 12 ga, a pair of boots).

The reason why I instinctively think about a guided waterfowl hunt is because I don't have decoys, my dog fetches sticks, not feathered critters, and it would be a good way to shorten the learning curve before I start investing in specialty equipment.
 
When I lived in Washington State, some duck hunters would walk the creeks and small lakes and jump shoot the ducks. Retrieving was done with a fishing pole and lure loaded with treble hooks.
 
If you are new to wingshooting, spend some time with sporting clays - bird hunting is completely different than rifle hunting. I've seen guys who have done one, really struggle with the other (either way) until they understand the differences.
 
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I actually went to the range and did a little skeet shooting the other day. It was a blast. I definitely will spend more time with clays.

Jump shooting them sounds good. Basically any body of water, then? I remember reading about people floating down a river in a canoe and jump shooting ducks.
 
Majority of the managed sites require advance reservations and a couple of helpful brochures are: Colorado State Recreation Lands and Walk-in lands. A Google search will unearth a number of informative links for the beginner.
 
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Colorado manages a number of waterfowl impoundments, mostly out in the plains, which offer good opportunities to wet your feet on ducking. They probably have all that info on their websites and/or brochures. When a resident I hunted everything from potholes, creeks, ponds, S.Platte river, reservoirs, pay hunts for geese; it's all out there so try to find someone to share a blind with you and get a few cheap decoys off Craigslist and a couple of duck calls and go get them.
 
griffinohara said:
Or basically any kind of waterfowl hunts in CO a rookie could reasonably approach with a minimum of gear (read: 12 ga, a pair of boots).

The reason why I instinctively think about a guided waterfowl hunt is because I don't have decoys, my dog fetches sticks, not feathered critters, and it would be a good way to shorten the learning curve before I start investing in specialty equipment.
Click to expand...

Little story about a dog that fetched bumper's rather than birds. Belonged to a friend of mine in Montana. Took it out duck hunting it's first time out on the Swan River near Big Fork. He shot a duck that landed on a small island in the river. He sent his dog out and the dog did a gret job taking direction and going to the island. even found the bird pretty quick but wouldn't pick it up! Searched all over that island looking for a bumper. We finally gave up and went back to my place and got my lab. Took hin out and sent him and he got the duck for us. Then we took the duck and had my friend's dog fetch it a few time's. It did retrieve the next duck shot for it! Go get a few pigeons some where to shoot for yout dog before sending it n game birds. Might make a huge difference!
 
tarheel said:
Colorado manages a number of waterfowl impoundments, mostly out in the plains, which offer good opportunities to wet your feet on ducking. They probably have all that info on their websites and/or brochures. When a resident I hunted everything from potholes, creeks, ponds, S.Platte river, reservoirs, pay hunts for geese; it's all out there so try to find someone to share a blind with you and get a few cheap decoys off Craigslist and a couple of duck calls and go get them.
Click to expand...

That sounds good. Do those waterfowl impoundments already have blinds? What do you think about jump-shooting waterfowl?
 
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