TEAL

[Big Mike]

Been duck hunting for a few years now but I have never hunted teal.  I have a few questions that maybe some of you may be able to answer. 

 

1.  will mallard decoys work or do I need to use just teal decoys.

2.  I will be hunting the backwaters of large lakes.  Do teal inhabit these areas?  From what I have watched and read most teal are shot from small ponds. 

3.  Is it true that teal come in early and then that's it. 

 

I look forward to trying this out this year.  I appreciate all of the good people on this site and have enjoyed reading all of the posts and learned a lot. 

[duckydoty]

Mallard decoys will work.  I hunt them on Table Rock lake. Usually find them in the feeder creeks.  If you are where they want to be, they will come in all day.

[tho1mas]

And be sure it is not a Wood Duck hen. It is easy to do - I know that for a fact!

Hey -DD. good to hear from you.

[duckydoty]

I'm trying to be more active on here. Just been busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest

[jdmidwest]

Hen mallard decoys make good magnum teal decoys. But you can find teal decoys pretty cheap. I use both. 

Open water is usually early morning hunt if passing thru on migration. If hunting refuge area, you may have all day or evening hunt. 

Usually you get early flocks, shoot them, and the keep moving south. Rarely do you find a good flight day where the last very long into morning. 

[Kayser]

Wait until you can see the powder blue on their "shoulders". Very obvious when they bank to set up and come in. Wait until sunrise (not the 30 min before, like regular season) and look for a white ring around the eye (don't shoot!) that tells you it's a wood duck. I think all teal hunters have pulled up on a woody only to panic and call it off at the last moment.

They're small, fast, and decoy well. I would suggest a 20ga with #6 steel and a mod choke. But definitely #6 steel shot. Mallard hen decoys work well. They like marshy areas with mud banks and food (picked wheat, smartweed, millet). They'll move early, then hide from the heat.

Actually, just read this, and take note of the picture at the head of the article- http://gunnhook.com/outdoor-journal/10-tips-for-a-better-early-season-blue-winged-teal-shoot/

[Big Mike]

Thanks everybody for the response.  Some good information here. 

[Fish Bork]

Good info I really want to find some holes and get some birds down this fall