Duck and goose seasons are winding down around the country, yet late can be great. Yesterday, three hunters floated a local creek and had great action when they were not dodging ice flows. “It was a little hairy at times, but we got six birds, three Canada geese and three mallards,” said Greg Wilson. “We had plenty of shooting, lots of adventure, and really had fun.”
“Fun” is exactly what late season duck and goose hunting should be. The lower end of the Eastern flyway has experienced a very mild winter and many ponds and lakes in the Mid-Atlantic region are still ice-free. Such conditions tend to keep birds in the area and many won’t go farther south until “real winter” sets in.
Vary Your Tactics
Resident Canada geese are still in record numbers across the East, so don’t overlook this great hunting opportunity. Although these majestic birds are thrilling to watch, they can wear out a welcome, especially as winter progresses, food becomes more scarce, and flock escalate in size. Farmers and owners of small properties my welcome the birds in early season, yet as the hordes return day after day, don’t be surprise if these property owners suddenly become “hunter friendly.”
You may only get one or two chances at a feeding zone, so go about it methodically. First, watch the feeding area carefully. Learn the time that geese come to feed and pinpoint 
their exact location. In large fields, you may want to scout the corn stubble to look for an abundance of goose droppings to assure you are in the right spot. Next, use lay-out blinds or other means of concealment and take extra care to do it right. Finally, count on geese landing into the wind and arrange your decoys with an empty spot that will become an alluring landing zone for honkers.
The folks at Realtree.com have four tips to make the most of late season duck hunting. Add these to the above tips and get out there!
After the holidays zip past and February nears, we typically arrive at a realization: Another duck season is almost finished. To be fair, many Northern hunters have had their shotguns cleaned and decoys stacked for several weeks. But even die-hard Southern waterfowlers can see the end, and with only a few weeks remaining, it’s time to push the throttle down and finish strong. Here are some thoughts on how to end your season with flair.
