Ask nonresident sportsmen about hunting opportunities in the Pine Tree State and you’re sure to hear about the best moose herd in the contiguous United States. Big-bodied bucks with heavy racks and plenty of burly black bear are two more popular big-game drawing cards. Even our dependable grouse gunning gets an honorable mention. Duck hunting seldom makes the list.

Truth be known, Maine isn’t even in the top half of the states considered prime waterfowling destinations. For those of us who are devout duck hunters, how good the gunning actually is throughout Maine is a secret better whispered than shouted. With the fabulous sea duck hunting for eiders and scoter from Kittery Point and northeast all along the coastline, to the ponds and pot holes full of puddle ducks at our northernmost tip in Escourt Station, great waterfowl gunning abounds.

Despite not being a prime route along the Atlantic Flyway, our state has a healthy population of native sea ducks, diving ducks, and puddle ducks, as well as a great many migrating birds stopping over as the fall progresses. Rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds inundate Maine like spots on a well-speckled trout, and each waterway offers accessible, dependable duck hunting until the water freezes or the season closes.

Tranquil tactics

There are a multitude of methods to hunt ducks, from jump shooting to setting out decoys to pass shooting, and each of these styles has dozens of variables dependent on the time of day, time of season, weather, number of hunters involved, personal preference, and on and on. It’s been my personal experience that one of the most rewarding duck hunting tactics, as far as providing consistent action and being aesthetically pleasing, is floating a local river or stream.

Of the thousands of autumn outings in search of a wide variety of game animals I’ve enjoyed over the years, many of my favorites have included drifting serenely along a stream. As the first embers of dawn ignite the kaleidoscope of vivid fall colors of streamside foliage, and the wood and water come to life for another day, for a sportsman it’s like seeing the world recreated.

Along with enjoying scenery and tranquility, the main goal of downing a few ducks intercedes often enough to keep things from getting dull. It’s not uncommon to spot partridge and woodcock along the bank, and occasionally a couple of these upland fowl end up in the game bag as well. Once in a while it’s possible to surprise a small gaggle of geese that are resting in a back eddy or cove. Having an unexpected shot at a hightailing honker always revs up a duck outing, especially when one or more ends up in the daily bag.

Occasionally a deer is spotted along the shore, and I always make a notation to float that section during deer season, but that hasn’t panned out yet. Moose are common sights, and on more than one occasion, the big brutes have actually blocked our path as they feed near midstream. I used to see how close we could float without being noticed, until it occurred to a pair of us one morning that being less than a canoe length from a surprised moose was poor planning.

We back-paddled vigorously and the big cow went flailing to shore, actually splashing us as she departed. We now stop well upstream from any moose, make noise, and wait for them to go ashore before floating past. Drifting a wood-lined waterway for ducks often turns into a much broader wildlife experience.

Boat selection

Many criteria must be considered when selecting a boat to use floating for ducks. Of prime importance are the depth, width and speed of the waterways to be floated. Some rivers can handle large boats, but such craft defeat the purpose of stealth and the need for a small, low silhouette. Since the watercraft of choice will be used on many streams during a wide variety of water conditions, its prime requisites must include stability, shallow draft, mobility, maneuverability, noiselessness, and comfort. It helps a lot if the boat is brown or dark green-colored to blend into the shoreline brush and reeds.

Jonboats are square at both ends, shallow running, and meet most of the other criteria, so they have become popular for duck drifting in Maine. Although available in many sizes, a 12- to 14-foot length, 4-foot beam, and 16-inch depth jonboat is great for two-man outings. Such boats are lightweight and easy to load, unload, and portage, float in six inches of water or less, have room for lots of gear and provide a comfortable, stable shooting platform.

On the downside, most jonboats are aluminum, which is always too cold or too hot, is noisy, and has an affinity to grab or scrape any rock it comes near. Due to their squareness, jonboats don’t feature the greatest ease of handling either.

Canoes are the best all- around choice for duck floats, but all canoes don’t fit the bill. Brightly colored craft are out, as are boats less than 16 feet and those with very rounded hulls. Any canoe that’s good for racing or whitewater work is probably a poor choice. Flatter bottoms with limited rocker, wide beams, and lengths of 17-18 feet will handle well and remain upright even after a barrage of 12-gauge shots.

I enjoyed great success with a 19-foot square stern aluminum canoe for years, until I got tired of the cold, noisy metal. It was a sturdy, but lightweight canoe that I camo painted inside and out. It would float in 3 inches of water, but, oh, the noise. Cedar or fiberglass canoes are dependable, albeit a bit heavy in and out of the water. One of the synthetic, lightweight plastic polymer materials that’s nearly indestructible is a prime choice. They’re quiet, quick handling, and shallow running in the water, stable to shoot from, and no strain to car-top. Several companies make a canoe with just this type of hunting in mind. I currently use an Old Town 16-foot Camper made of Royalex that weighs 59 pounds.

Planning and packing

Selecting a waterway is the first step in any duck hunting float. If there are several likely choices nearby, why not try a different one each weekend, or at least until one or two streams prove to be standout options. Step two is to decide on the length of time available for the float. Have you got a full day, a half day, or is this to be a two-hour prework outing? Once time limitations are set, it’s then possible to select the launch and take out sites that will have the correct float time between the two spots.

Most brooks and streams have dozens of access points to choose from, but remember that a vehicle will be needed at each end of the float to make things work. It’s possible to have a friend drop you off, and then pick you up at a set time, but that’s asking a lot of someone who’s not enjoying the trip. Since these floats usually start before dawn and since all plans can have glitches, providing your own transportation is best.

If only one good waterway is available in your proximity, drift different sections on consecutive trips. Some stretches will hold more waterfowl, and even a different variety. Geese, wood ducks, and diving ducks prefer different water and shoreline conditions than puddle ducks. Avoid sections of streams with nearby housing or roads alongside if possible, or at least refrain from shooting near such spots when floating past.

Your float boat should be equipped with a well-fitted paddle for both hunters, plus a spare lashed to the thwart. Despite how shallow the water level is along most sections of streams, flotation cushions and life vests are a must. There are always some deep spots or rough stretches, and fall water is cold. Don’t forget your rain gear. Even if it doesn’t rain, this waterproof outfit will protect from cold winds and also serve as an extra set of clothes if someone gets dunked. A flashlight or headlamp, matches, binoculars, small folding saw, and multitool are often assets.

Knee-high rubber boots or hip waders rolled down will assure your feet stay dry when launching the boat or retrieving ducks from the shoreline reeds. Camo clothing hides your outline, and be sure to wear a facemask and gloves. Hunters heads and hands move the most during a float, and on sunny days the motion of white skin alerts birds at long distances that something’s amiss. Take a lot of shells and a soft gun case to protect the shotgun from banging around in the boat.

Float tactics

The bowman is the shooter, and sits quietly scanning the water ahead with shotgun ready. Maneuvering the boat is up to the stern man alone, unless fast water or a very rocky stretch requires two paddlers for a short while. Each time a duck is downed and retrieved, the two sportsmen switch positions and the float continues. For safety’s sake, the hunter in the back of the boat refrains from shooting, no matter what position the boat is in. Two men shooting broadside in an unsecured canoe is never a good idea anytime, stability wise.

Ducks love to sun themselves and rest on rocks and logs along the stream. Feeding out of the current in eddies, coves, and backwaters is common practice as well. For the best shooting opportunities, the paddler hugs the shoreline and keeps the boat on the inside of each turn. A good sternman can quickly position the bow to face likely holding spots so the shooter has the best line of sight for rising ducks. The trick is to let the water current provide the momentum while the boatman steers with as little motion as possible.

Other hunters can be involved by positioning themselves at various distances downstream along the float route. Often ducks will get up far ahead of the boat, providing no shot for the bow gunner, and these birds will fly downstream right along the water course. These passing ducks will often provide shots for a couple of sportsmen on their way downstream. During longer floats, everyone can take a turn in the boat as the others use a vehicle to hopscotch their way down the float route. Generally, everyone gets consistent shooting during this method of drifting for ducks.

Jump shooting, setting decoys on ponds or in fields, and pass shooting all have their followers, but once the combination of floating and shooting action are experienced, a new favorite pastime may evolve. Gear is modest, boat tactics and floating techniques improve each hunt, and regional streams flush with ducks are prevalent.

Popular fields and ponds with easy access can experience overgunning during the two- month season, but other hunters will seldom be encountered during a float trip along remote sections of rivers and streams. Experience a different style of duck hunting this season; instead of trying to entice the wary waterfowl closer to you, you quietly go to them. Floating enhances every day and every duck hunt.

Outdoor feature writer Bill Graves can be reached at graves@umpi.maine.edu