If you slog through just one frustrating morning of hunting off the “X,” you’ll learn the biggest spreads and best calling this time of year won’t do a thing to pull ducks toward you.
Few experiences in a hunter’s life compare with acquiring an over-the-counter tag for an emperor goose, or hunting a flock of 80,000 brant or any other of the myriad waterfowl that live on the Alaska Peninsula. And the fishing here—fuggedaboutit. This is a wingshooting and fishing paradise.
As anticipated, the first family flock of Canada geese lifted off their nearby river roost, nearly skimmed the big-leafed cottonwoods and set their wings. I called once, letting the half-dozen full-body decoys do the rest. Five birds came in, three left.
In the final days of duck season, don’t be afraid to change the look of your decoy spreads. Be it a simple alteration or a bold move, a different presentation can be all it takes to provide a strong finish to the season.