The Ultimate Duck Season Checklist
Get ready for the season with our Ultimate Duck Season Checklist!
✓ Set a strategy, make a plan, and choose a location
Your goal should be maximising this year's hunting season opportunities. Last season is the best starting point for planning this season. Review last duck season objectively and determine which hunting spots performed best. If the weather has changed, determinate an alternative spot.
✓ Make sure your vehicle is serviced and reliable
Since the last thing you need is your wheels falling apart or smoke coming out of the engine in the middle of the season, service your vehicle on time and make sure it’s reliable. And don't forget to have a spare tyre with you. Even a quick check of oil, filters, and air pressure reduces the risk.
✓ Check your gun and hunting license
Make sure your gun licence is not expired.
✓ Get your shotgun ready for the season
Make sure your shotgun is well cleaned and ready for the season by following these steps: Unload ⇒ Clean ⇒ Lubricate ⇒ Wipe down ⇒ Reassemble ⇒ Final check
✓ Get cartridges, ammo bag and gunslip ready
Check out our range of cartridges, bags and gunslips.
✓ Get your outdoor clothing ready and add extra pair of socks into your bag
Having waterproof and windproof clothing during the season is extremely important under constantly changing Irish weather conditions. Investing in a high quality outdoor jacket, trousers and boots is worth it as it will protect your health in the long run.
Prepare for the worst conditions throughout the season and make sure you have some extra clothes with you. An insulated jacket with a hood will keep you dry and warm. We recommend waterproof, windproof and breathable Deerhunter Gamekeeper jackets in turf or timber camo.
Don't forget to take an extra pair of socks with you. Even though wool stays warm when wet, having an extra pair of socks with you might be a better option.
✓ Be ready with camouflage, head to toe!
As the eyesight of ducks is more powerful than human's eyesight, a well-camouflaged hunter has more chance not to spook out the ducks. Keep in mind that ducks will not land if they know you're there!
Jackets | Trousers | Gloves | Beanie, Cap | Facemasks & Neck Tubes
We also recommend that you have your Deerhunter Camo Hide with you, as the leaf blind materials feature die-cut leaves which helps the net blend into natural environments.
✓ Have your first aid kit and safety equipment ready
First aid kit is a must-have item and it needs to be easily accessible. As hunting involves close contact with knives, grass, sharp rocks, and slippery surfaces, the potential for injury is always present.
Use repellants and head nets to keep all of the bothersome midges and other insects away. Good shooting glasses will protect your eyes, and if you wish to protect your hearing, even disposable foam earplugs are better than nothing. If you wish to go to a pro level, check out 3M hunter headset or Champion electronic hearing protection with microphone and speakers.
✓ Make sure you have enough energy snacks, food & drink
Always have enough food and water with you, and a bit extra, just in case.
Keep it well wrapped and "quiet". Plastic wraps or crunch sounds might not sound too loud for your ears, but that might be a warning signal for ducks. Quality energy bars are handy for not taking too much space. For your dog, we recommend Engage Replenish power bars to re-energise and reward your dog.
Single-use plastic water bottles can be noisy and are not environmentally friendly, so we suggest that you go for reusable water bottles. Stanley vacuum bottles might be a good option. With this in mind, the Stanley cooler is great for a long stay in the wilderness.
✓ Binoculars
Scouting is essential for being successful in duck hunting. Whether you're a beginner or a pro at duck hunting, binoculars always come in handy.
✓ Flashlight/Headlight
Hunting in darkness is difficult and not recommended, so make sure you have a flashlight with you. A good flashlight has a great tactical function as well.
Ansmann rechargeable professional headlight is comfortable to wear and its LED is surrounded by an optical reflector system that optimally concentrates the light to ensure a long range.
✓ Mobile phone & battery
You don't need us to tell you to be sure that your phone should be charged and put on silent mode. It's always good to have power bank with you if you're away from a power supply for longer than a day. Most smartphones these days have compass and GPS built in.
✓ Decoys
✓ Duck calls
Practice and master your calls. Calling ducks effectively is a talent that many hunters fail to master, so tweak your abilities and fine-tune the skills you'll need this Autumn.
✓ Dog food and accessories
- Dog food and energy bars
- Dog collar, leash and vest
- Dog food and water bowls
- Travel kennel
- Dog whistles
✓ Other useful items you should consider taking with you:
- Game bag
- Game carrier
- Knives and sharpener
- Plastic bags
- Lighter
- Tape
- Sun cream
