It’s early spring, and for the vast majority of us, waterfowl season is over. Months of anticipation and preparation led up to those sixty days, and as quickly as they came, they were gone. Many of us chased wigeon on the west coast and greenheads in the central flyway, while others braved the tide to shoot sea ducks in the Atlantic or lit up flock after flock of Lessers over red Texas dirt. Regardless of the species being chased, we all have one thing in common once we call it a wrap: Duck Depression.
It hits us hard. Settling back into the everyday routine. The feeling that the next season is lightyears away. The realization that you won’t be shouldering your shotgun and settling the bead on a fowl again for another nine months. Almost rear-ending that car in front of you because you were so fixated on the town pond full of birds making their spring journey back to breeding grounds. Our friends and significant others tell us we’re being “over dramatic,” and our whitetail buddies call us crazy. Walt Gabbard might say it best in his song, when he sings, “The quacks and the cadences fill my haunted dreams, and visions of a cloud of mallards, with heads of green; my friends look at me and my sanity they question, but they don’t know the pains of trying to tame this duck depression.”
Thankfully, we have options to help us cope in our time of need, and here are a few:
Deep Clean
Run through all your gear and make sure that it’s cleaned, oiled, and lubricated. We waterfowl obsessionists spend a lot of our hard-earned money on our equipment, and it only makes sense to keep it in great shape. Complete a thorough breakdown of your gun and get all shot residue, dirt, and moisture out of it. Not only does this keep it in pristine operating condition, but it prevents rust buildup and malfunctions from occurring in the future. Hose down decoys to remove anything that might deteriorate the finish and store them away in the proper location, keeping them out of the sun. Maybe even consider flocking them. If you have a boat and blinds, take care of any brush or grass that might mold up during the course of the off-season. You’re going to need fresh green stuff for the early season, anyway!
Dog Training
For those of us with loyal companions, there should be no such thing as a true off-season. Every day, week, and month is an opportunity to fine-tune our pup’s skills or teach them new ones. You’d be surprised at how many training grounds might be in your area. Contact them and see what’s needed to run your dog at their facility or what they offer for training programs. Both you and your dog will benefit from this when the next season finally comes around.
Practice Your Aim
Training doesn’t only apply to our four-legged friends. Find a gun club in the area and set up time to go shoot. Guns can’t aim themselves, and the more we practice in the off-season, the better we’ll be when the shot counts the most. A trip to the range with some hunting buddies can make for a great afternoon and some friendly competition. Try to make it a regular thing, whether it be once a week, month, or quarter. Focus on other aspects of the hunt that require practice as well, like tuning and practicing on your calls. Reach out to a local calling pro in your area to see if they’ll mentor you or teach you some new techniques. Calling is a huge factor in success, and practice makes perfect.
Spring Return
Follow the spring migration when birds start returning to the area. If you own photography equipment, drag that along. You might not be able to shoot them with steel, but you can shoot them through the lens. Depending on where you’re at in the country, spring is also often the only time you get to see certain birds or fully plumed out drakes. For those in the northern Mississippi Flyway, we rarely (if ever) see Teal plumed out during season. Additionally, paying attention to where the birds hang out in the spring can pay off for scouting in the fall, as it often gives you a good idea of where the birds in your area like to be and feel safe. Plus, there’s always that chance you spot a Black Duck or banded Mallard hanging around town.
Keep Hunting
Best for last. Duh, it’s the most obvious answer. In the northern states of the Mississippi Flyway, local seasons are done after the first few days of December. This doesn’t mean the season has to be over for good. Provided you can swing it, try exploring new areas of the country to hunt each year. Sandhill cranes can be shot down in Oklahoma or Texas, among other states, and ducks can be shot in southern states, such as Louisiana, through the end of January. Even once the southern state duck seasons close, the spring light goose conservation season fires up. If a hunter really wanted to, they could find hunting opportunities all the way into May by chasing Snow Geese into North Dakota. By that time, it’s a short three months until the start of early-season Honker hunting.