I had belly-crawled the last 20 feet through brush and high grass and over rocks and roots. I was hot, sweaty and my knees and elbows ached, but none of that mattered right then because I could finally see water through the reeds. Even better, I could hear the feeding chatter and occasional quack of the ducks I was attempting to sneak up on.

This shallow, rock-strewn section of stream always attracted late-morning ducks to rest, sun themselves on rocks, and dabble in the low, rippling runs. I had started my stalk upright, slowly silently sneaking through the woods, but as the foliage thinned I hunched over, then went to hands and knees and finally slithered along, pushing my shotgun in front of me. Somewhere upstream of the dozen or so mallards and black ducks, my hunting partner Donnie Anderson was doing the same thing.

We were 12 minutes into a 15- minute timed maneuver to sneak and jump-shoot this pothole. We weren’t even sure there were any ducks on hand when we began, but past experience told us there usually were. By splitting up, at least one of us should get a shot, perhaps both – IF! If the ducks were there; If we didn’t spook them sneaking in; If they were between us and not above or below.

Jump-shooting has a lot of IF factors, concluding with if the gunner can get to the water’s edge for a clean shot and then hit the fast-fleeing waterfowl when the jump happens.

As I lay prone getting my breath back and staring at the second hand of my wristwatch on its final sweep, I wondered if my beleaguered and partially numb legs would support me. Lack of circulation due to laying on a tree root might just hinder my two long steps up and through the brush to the open bank of the brook. Just as I was gathering myself to lumber upright, the sharp bark of Donnie’s 16-gauge pump jumpstarted my adrenaline.

A cacophony of quacking, flailing wings and splashing water sounded from the stream in front of me. Suddenly somehow I was in the open, standing on the shoreline watching ducks wing away downstream. Then my Browning 12 was up and swinging. Feathers flew and a bird wobbled on the first shot, and the second round tumbled the black duck into the water.

Donnie’s gun was empty, before my first shot, never ceasing to amaze me how he could work a pump so fast it sounded like a semi auto. Noisy mallards with afterburners on came whizzing six feet high over the stream. I swung on the closest greenhead, squeezed my last shot at the eye-level blur of feathers and watched in genuine surprise as it bounced bill over tail along the brook.

By the time I had waded out and retrieved my two ducks, Donnie was making the 50-yard, slipping, sliding jaunt downstream to me. His faithful old 16 hung in one hand and two full-colored males and a female mallard dangled by the feet from the other. A double on the first shot, a clean miss, and then a going away finale was his account. This time the sneak-and-jump plan had worked out in our favor.

Where and how

I enjoy every style of duck hunting from pass shooting to floating streams to setting out decoys and calling. But for the sheer excitement and consistent challenge, jump-shooting has always been a favorite tactic. From long years of experience I can relate that the odds are one in three of finally getting a shot. Location, stealth and timing are the prime ingredients of a successful sneak-and-shoot duck outing.

Although jump-shooting can be accomplished along the edges of lakes, ponds and bogs, the added time and effort of transporting and using a canoe to retrieve birds is somewhat limiting. Rivers, streams and brooks offer the best jump shooting opportunities. There are miles of forest-lined waterways with shallow runs for tip- up feeding and deeper pools for resting to lure ducks throughout Maine.

Shoreline woods that make ducks feel concealed and protected offer cover for stealthy, camo-clad sportsmen, too. Jump-shooting sites on flowing waterways should be selected for their narrowness as well, which helps keep most shots within comfortable range thanks to the duck’s propensity to follow along the stream for a ways during its initial escape flight. It’s also very important to jump-shoot runs where the water depth allows easy bird retrieval using hip boots or chest waders.

While a good water dog allows jump-shooting on any size or depth of water, there are some drawbacks. They are an extra body to try and sneak close, so more noise to deal with. Even well-trained retrievers don’t understand all the nuances of stop-and-go creeping and crawling through brush, then the waiting when they hear their quarry just ahead. If you have a top-rate retriever give him a try, but be warned it could be as much hindrance as help.

Once a good jump-shooting spot is found, generally it will continue to attract and hold ducks season after season. Never jumping a spot more than once or twice a week will keep it active, so it’s good to have a dozen or more locations on two or three nearby rivers and streams. After a while, waterfowlers will learn the best time of day to visit prime stretches of water to coincide with visiting ducks, and also the easiest and quietest route to sneak through for the most advantageous shooting spot.

I’ve discovered some of my best duck retreats while late-season fly fishing. Canoeing a waterway just prior to duck season is another method of pinpointing prime duck retreats. A final and very efficient method of locating regular waterfowl haunts is to drive streamside back roads and bridges, stopping to check thoroughly with binoculars. It’s amazing how many sports drive by great jump-shooting spots day after day and don’t realize it.

The technique of jump-shooting can certainly be accomplished by an individual hunter, but the odds at arriving at a perfect shooting location decline compared to having multiple gunners. A duck-jumping duo can arrive above and below the birds, generally offering at least one sport a good passing shot. For my money, three partners sneaking to the water’s edge, above, below and right beside the flock of floating ducks, is the most productive option. Half of these stalks will end in two of the three gunners being in position for good, open shots.

Dressed to jump

Like all waterfowl hunting, blending into the surroundings is key to consistent shooting opportunities. Camo from head to toe is the way to go, but for jump-shooting there are a few other concerns to be addressed. A full camouflage pattern facemask and cap, as well as gloves, are essential to conceal movement and white flashes from the body parts that move most during a stalk and are spotted quickest by sharp-eyed ducks.

Gloves for this kind of hunting need to be fairly thick, with leather or heavy Cordura palms to resist punctures. While crawling about through brush and brambles on hands and knees, the palms of the hands support a lot of weight. With every shift of position, thistles, thorns, sharp rocks and roots, and even discarded glass or metal are a problem for bare hands or thin gloves.

Protecting the knees is another problem altogether. Since quick retrieval of downed ducks before any current floats them away is vital, hip boots or chest waders are the normal attire. Unfortunately, regular thickness neoprene, composite rubber and canvas-lined rubber waders made for daily fishing won’t take the abuse of crawling about through the woods.

Sneaking among the abrasive, often pointy limbs and crawling over and under jagged stubs on blow-downs, let alone slithering over rocks and roots, is down-right detrimental to maintaining intact, dry boots. Crawling over uneven, debris- littered ground is sure to ruin the material over the knee area, more often sooner than later. A few understanding companies do manufacture heavy duty waders with extra layers of puncture-resistant material on the seat and knees for hunting situations. They’re not indestructible, but close to it. Research the inventory at your local sporting goods store where you can actually try the boots on, then choose carefully because proper fit, durability and appropriate padding are the only thing between you and wet, cold feet and possibly a ruined hunt.

Puddle ducks offer challenging gunning under any circumstances, and as the season wears on many have been shot at and become even more educated. Often it becomes more and more difficult to entice them into shotgun range over a decoy spread or even float close enough along a stream for a good shot. Sneaking within range of a regularly used resting and refuge spot on a waterway where the birds feel comfortable often works better than any other style of hunting during late October and throughout November. It’s not easy, but it’s often productive when done correctly. The trick is to get the jump on them before they get the jump on you!

Outdoor feature writer Bill Graves can be reached via e-mail at bgravesoutdoors@ainop.com