A Ducks Unlimited Guide to Hunting Dabblers

I'd give this book to anyone looking to start hunting ducks who has little or no prior experience. In fact, if someone asked what was the minimum amount of gear one needed to buy such as waders, a shotgun, etc., I'd include this book in the list. This is a concise, easy to read manual that gives the novice an intro into all the aspects of hunting ducks. This book is geared toward inland hunting of dabbling ducks (mallards, wood ducks, etc.). Chapters include a general overview of hunting dabblers, tactics, decoys, blinds, calling, pre-hunt scouting, shotguns, and planning a hunt. Each chapter is about 20 pages long, with some nice figures and a few sidebars containing tips and ideas by some of the author's friends. If you are a novice, this book will not replace the knowledge of an experienced duck hunter to guide/assist you the first few times out, but this book does a nice job of explaining the whys and wherefores of many of the things you'll be doing out in the blind. This book should best be viewed as a companion or aid to supplement your field learning. One thing that would have been a useful addition to this book is a list or summary of basic gear. There are some obvious things that are necessary to hunt ducks (waders, shotgun, etc.), but lots of other gear that is often very useful but not so obvious that one picks up experience. I'd be interested to know what non-standard items Bourne carries in his blind bag. I've only been hunting a few years and I'm still tweaking my gear each time out (although I may well be doing this the rest of my life). I'm not sure how interesting or useful this book will be to a veteran duck hunter. He/she may pick up a few useful bits of information, but the info is rather basic, and in any case, most of the advanced learning about duck hunting is done by doing it, not reading it in a book. Definitely worth the $20 for someone at the start of their journey/addiction.

I bought Wade Bourne's Decoy book two years ago and it changed the way I hunt ducks...and geese. I've been able to lure more birds within shooting range, and have been able to pull out a few new tricks when conditions change, or when my favorite methods fail. This new book is just as good as his first...and even a veteran duck hunter like myself will learn newer and better ways to hunt puddle ducks.If you're just getting into the sport, or if you'd like to improve your hunting, buy this book!