With waterfowl seasons starting to kick off across the country, now’s the time to get your gear dialed in. While duck and goose hunting accessories aren’t as important as your gun or decoys, they can make a major difference in the effectiveness and personal comfort of your hunt. Over the last year, I’ve had the pleasure of using some nifty new waterfowl hunting accessories. These are my favorites.
RL35R Headlamp
The Coast RL35R is not well known in the waterfowl hunting community—but it should be. This product is the only voice-controlled headlamp on the market. When I first got my hands on one of these at the 2024 Outdoor Media Summit, I was admittedly skeptical. Would it actually work? The answer is yes. I’ve used the Coast RL35R in the field over the past year and found it easy to manipulate the settings with my voice alone, keeping my hands free for the numerous early-morning tasks involved in waterfowl hunting. This is more convenient than I realized it would be. Plus, the 1100 lumens light is plenty strong. Importantly, the headlamp has a red-light mode, a rear safety light, and is water-resistant.
Homestead Dog Bed
This summer, Gunner Kennels released a standalone dog bed. While you won’t lug this into the field, it’s a nifty product for anyone bringing home a muddy duck dog this hunting season. The Homestead has a cooling, joint-supportive core foam to help your dog recover. The bed’s water-repellent, antimicrobial, durable cover is easy to remove and machine wash when it inevitably gets dirty. My dog loves lounging on it—and it’s a good thing, too, because my girlfriend rarely lets him on the couch during the season.
Back40 Boot
The Sitka Back40 is a boot I keep a pair of in my truck throughout bird season. It’s a comfortable muck boat that comes in four camo and three solid color options. The 800g Thinsulate insulation will keep your feet warm no matter how cold it is. I particularly appreciate the rubber outsole, which features a proprietary tread system. It’s seriously grippy in both mud and on smooth river bottoms, making these boots my go-to option for jump shooting and shallow water hunting.
Sharptailed Knife
Montana Knife Company’s Sharptailed is hands-down my favorite blade to process birds with. While the company touts it as being ideal for upland birds, it will break down a mallard or teal just as well. Trust me. The slender blade is made with premium Magnacut Stainless Steel that’s touted for its hardness. In hand, the blade feels light and nimble—exactly what you want for processing waterfowl.
Jackson Blind Bag
The RW Coolidge Jackson Blind Bag is the only product on this list that I haven’t tested personally—but I’m dying to get my hands on one of these after the Split Reed team flagged them at DUX 2025. The 18oz canvas twill is water-resistant and just gives this bag a really classic look, accented nicely by bridle leather and brass hardware. The bag has a carrying strap and two loops to hang this in your blind or on a tree—one loop is for when you need to keep the bag closed because of rain or snow, and the other is for when it’s nice out. There are also specific holders for choke tubes and licenses. What more would you want out of a premium blind bag?