Ducks Archives - Page 6 of 9 - Carolina Sportsman

June 3, 2026

The decreasing amount of daylight in a 24-hour period, aka, the photoperiod, has a big impact on the timing of waterfowl migration, even among homebodies like wood ducks.

Know what affects duck migrations

Duck season that come in before December are often overlooked by many hunters because of other hunt seasons, warm weather or just waiting for the big push of migratory ducks after Christmas. […]

Wood ducks lead the field of waterfowl making their presence felt in the Carolinas in November.

Don’t wait for December ducks

Jeff Burleson

Fall is a difficult seasons for outdoorsmen because of all the available options, including hungry speckled trout, hormone-crazed bucks, speedy doves and smoking king mackerel. […]

Hunters with access to kayaks or canoes can float rivers or streams during the Oct. 5-8 season, and they’ll often wind up with a mixed bag of wood ducks and green-winged teal.

North Carolina’s early duck particulars

Dusty Wilson

• The first general duck season in North Carolina runs from Oct. 5-8, statewide. The daily bag limit is six, but only three may be wood ducks. Teal are commonly taken during the short, October season, and all six ducks in your daily limit can be teal, or teal can be combined with woodies. […]

A lot of late-season ducks are killed later in the day by hunters who locate big, open-water areas where ducks are resting after finishing their early morning feeding periods.

South Carolina duck particulars

Jeff Burleson

The second and longest segment of South Carolina’s duck season began Dec. 12 and runs through Jan. 31. Hunting is legal between 30 minutes before sunrise and sunset. […]

Don’t wait for a perfect shot as duck season wanes; if you get birds in range, let fly.

Take all reasonable shots for South Carolina ducks

Jeff Burleson

As the season wears on, ducks become more and more skeptical of any place they might want to drop their feet. […]

January duck hunting proves it’s better late than never across South Carolina.

Ducks: Never too late – South Carolina duck hunters shouldn’t give up until January and the season come to a close

Jeff Burleson

With nearly half of the 60-day duck season remaining, there couldn’t be a better time to hunker down in a bush-covered blind to get a limit of mallards, wood ducks and green-winged teal. […]

Big water not only means big decoy spreads, it means possible danger if bad weather rears its ugly power.

Hunt ducks safely on the Pamlico Sound

Jeff Burleson

Each year, thousands of migrating waterfowl show up in eastern North Carolina, which has plenty of beaver swamps, impounded grain fields, creeks, lakes and sprawling sounds where a duck can find a place to rest and eat. […]

Spinning-wing decoys are an effective use of motion to help convince ducks to make decision to drop into a spread of decoys.

Kill more ducks by adding motion to decoy spreads

Jeff Burleson

You’ll kill more ducks if you add some type of movement to your decoy spreads. […]

A jerk cord tied to a line of decoys is a simple and effective way to give your decoy spread some life.

Old-school tactics still produce

Phillip Gentry

There’s no disputing that a life-like decoy spread is often the difference between a limit of ducks and going home wanting. […]

For late-season South Carolina ducks, make changes or go home empty-handed.

Up the ante on late-season ducks

Phillip Gentry

When South Carolina duck hunters take to the water for the short opening segment of the season around Thanksgiving, if the ducks are around, the hunting is relatively easy. […]