Diver ducks, also known as diving ducks, are capable of diving beneath the water’s surface in order to feed. They are generally associated with larger and deeper waterways than puddle ducks.
Due to the fact that they have proportionately smaller wings than puddle ducks, they are incapable of lifting directly into the air from a standstill and must run across the water’s surface in order to take flight. When flying, they have much shorter and...

Camouflage clothing is essential for waterfowl hunting unless you’ve got a good blind that keeps you entirely hidden.
Wear clothes and waders that match the vegetation or ground cover where you hunt. But camouflage can’t work miracles, you also need to use employ some tactics of stealth when trying to get wary ducks or geese into shotgun range. Use a backdrop when you can, such as a large tree trunk. Keep a low profile at all times, except when...

Unlike most game animals, which are managed on the state level, waterfowl is managed both on the state and federal levels. As a waterfowl hunter, it is your responsibility to know and follow all the laws that pertain to the activity. These rules change every year, so check them thoroughly each season before you hunt.
Federally, all of the nation’s ducks and geese are regarded as belonging to one of four flyways, based on their particular...

Words by Sam Terrell
The first difficult word I ever learned was gregarious. It’s an adjective with two definitions. The first is in reference to people being fond of company, and the second is in relation to animals living in flocks or loosely organized communities. As a duck hunter coming from a family out of New Orleans, the second meaning has vital importance.
Ducks are as sociable as people, they seek connections with others and communicate...

Regarded by most hunters as the most beautiful species of North American waterfowl, wood duck males, or drakes, are colorful enough to be mistaken for some exotic jungle species.
The places that wood ducks call home are equally pretty. They prefer small, heavily wooded bodies of water such as beaver ponds, creeks, marshes, and small lakes. Wood ducks are one of North America’s great conservation stories.
The duck’s nest in tree cavities, and the...

Duck hunting in North America usually means that mallards are the target species.  A big flock of greenheads flying into a decoy spread instills excitement into the hearts of even the most seasoned duck hunters.
Mallards are the most common North American duck species, and the most commonly hunted. They can be found in most every state and are widely available through Canada and Mexico as well. Besides the ready availability of mallards, they are...