Pa waterfowl

[honkerhuntin]

does anyone hunt waterfowl in pa? If you do what kind of ducks do you kill? and does anyone hunt the schuykill river for ducks or geese? IF you have hunted the schuykill river what species have you got there?

[Kevin Addy]

I'm more of a goose hunter than a duck hunter. If geese are in season, I'm chasin them. I killed some mallards and blacks in a cornfield over goose dekes this year.I've hunted the schuykill in Oct for woodies. The Schuykill holds mallards, black ducks, woodies, merganzers, and buffleheads. You may see a few others but the above is whats common. The geese will also roost on the river. I never shoot the roost but get birds to decoy while they are heading down the river to their roost location.

[honkerhuntin]

In october for the woodies, how do you hunt them?
with decoys,calls,floating? how is the location set up and do you ever decoy other ducks in the early season(october)?

[Kevin Addy]

I hunt the woodies over decoys. Woodie decoys downstream with a few mallards upstream and a pocket in the middle where the blind / hide is. I usually scout the river before the season to see where they want to be. Usually its around a food source, acorns or weeds. I do use a call but its more of a confidence thing for the woodies. I've never had great luck working woodies with a call. Mallards will be taken over the setup also and respond to a call well in the early season. Let the ducks tell you what they want. ex. don't call to them unless you have to and start soft and increase the volume and intensity if needed. The new GHG decoys will help out. They look real and ride good in the river current.