Duck hunting questions???

[Gman]

Watched some vids on youtube concerning duck hunting, some of them said you have to find droppings or feather zones & others said just the opposite that if you just set up decoys and call for the mallards that they'll still come in even tho there is no zones in that particular area??? Could someone clarify this plz.

[PESCADOU]

Originally posted by Gman:

Watched some vids on youtube concerning duck hunting, some of them said you have to find droppings or feather zones & others said just the opposite that if you just set up decoys and call for the mallards that they'll still come in even tho there is no zones in that particular area??? Could someone clarify this plz.

If you don't get into a needy area (feather, food, excrement) you will wait hours without seeing anything.
The appellant (for me) doesn't serve too much, I hunt in Yukon only in areas of need and it's very good.

[von Driesen]

Yukon is top for me as well. Harlequin ducks seem to populate needs zones very well, with or without decoys. Can get two with first 20ga shot, then one each shot as they take off with next two shots, providing there is that many
Mallards seem to me to have own rules. A lot of the time decoys and callers in correct time need zones do not work. Or you get one squadron, then no more at that spot.

[Geronimo]

A Need Zone can be unlocked by finding disturbed vegetation-feeding-resting sign, as with other animals in CoTW. But unlike other animals, with waterfowl simply clicking on a flock or individual bird, either flying overhead, or having landed, will also unlock a Need Zone in that immediate area.

Once unlocked, that NZ becomes written into their programmed pathway, which means that they can now use it, and will continue to use it until it becomes deleted, at which point that flock will return to its original programmed pathway.

Regarding waterfowl, access to an area requires it to be either naturally programmed into their pathway, or added by unlocking a NZ, which is why in order to place decoys it must be in one of these designated areas where the birds can actually find a landing point in that zone. And if there is not enough landing area, the birds will simply continue to fly on.

So to summarize, in order to hunt waterfowl you must create the opportunity for them to be lured into a decoy setup, which requires unlocking a NZ which can be added to their flightpath, and connecting those particular birds to that pathway, which in turn also enables the hunter to be able to place his decoys.

[von Driesen]

I run around the shore line looking for feathers, not the droppings. The droppings do help in finding the feathers some times. The feathers are the need zone though. You can also spot for ducks on the water to find zones, but thats at the right time, right location.

Duck needs zones behave differently to other need zones, massacres do not effect need zones of ducks or any other animals. You can turn an area bright pink and still not loose that zone or other animale need zones inside of it. They will though reduce hunting pressure else where in the reserve. Same is true of geese and associated need zones.
Mallards seem to be broken and rarely obey assumed laws of need zones.consequently seem less reliable to hunt.On the other hand Cinnamon teal and Harlequin ducks happily populate same area's with out the need of you activating needs zones or laying out decoys. Cinnamon Teal seem to be the middle ground for me in hunting terms. Easier than mallard, not as easy as harlequin ducks.

In all the ducks in general seem a bit of a loose cannon in obeying commonly assumed "rules" of need zones. I still enjoy hunting mallards, and my first diamond was one. Harlequins are the easiest way of getting gold rated harvests and a quick way of gaining cash if your low. Most males are gold for me. Do not be afraid to use spot them, I find this is better than randomly shooting first male I see. I always try to take the best rated one with first shot. Geese seem to be easy to call to decoys, then to harvest, another quick way of getting cash.

[jimco]

Originally posted by Geronimo:

A Need Zone can be unlocked by finding disturbed vegetation-feeding-resting sign, as with other animals in CoTW. But unlike other animals, with waterfowl simply clicking on a flock or individual bird, either flying overhead, or having landed, will also unlock a Need Zone in that immediate area.

Once unlocked, that NZ becomes written into their programmed pathway, which means that they can now use it, and will continue to use it until it becomes deleted, at which point that flock will return to its original programmed pathway.

Regarding waterfowl, access to an area requires it to be either naturally programmed into their pathway, or added by unlocking a NZ, which is why in order to place decoys it must be in one of these designated areas where the birds can actually find a landing point in that zone. And if there is not enough landing area, the birds will simply continue to fly on.

So to summarize, in order to hunt waterfowl you must create the opportunity for them to be lured into a decoy setup, which requires unlocking a NZ which can be added to their flightpath, and connecting those particular birds to that pathway, which in turn also enables the hunter to be able to place his decoys.

Perfect explanation for the new players.

[Vasious]

Anyone having the issue of need zones for Mallards in Layton not being "located" when spotting them or their feeding-resting signs or poo or feathers?

Ever since the NZ reset I cant get any NZ for Mallards
So I can spot them feeding or resting, but they never travel

[dogshocker]

Originally posted by Vasious:

Anyone having the issue of need zones for Mallards in Layton not being "located" when spotting them or their feeding-resting signs or poo or feathers?

Ever since the NZ reset I cant get any NZ for Mallards
So I can spot them feeding or resting, but they never travel

I have need zones for mallards on my Layton map.....must be there somewhere !