I don't know what the land and water situation is around the upstate NY, but out in the Midwest, with lots of picked small grain and corn fields in the fall, we love to field hunt ducks and geese from earliest light, until they have settled down back on water again and sometimes the last couple hours in the evening.
It's a whole different experience that requires scouting and finding where geese and ducks are fields feeding the last hours or so before dark the evening before. Geese and often ducks (e.g Mallards, Widgeons, Pintails)that are grouped up during migration will often be feeding in picked grain the last of theevening light, go to water at night for safety and come back out early the next morning to the same spot they fed the evening before.
So, if you see either geese and/or ducks of numbers field feeding in the evening, with a plat book you can probably buyfrom your county offices you can call the landowner and explain who you are and ask if it would be alright to set up decoys in the field for the next day's hunting. If you get permission, you've got to get up and out there at least 1 1/2 before shooting time, set up your decoys with your headlights if necessary or lamp of some sort. Figure out which way they'll be coming from (as stated earlier they always land into the wind). We set up a couple dozen of Canadan Goose silhouttes you can get pretty reasonably, a dozen goose shells and Mallard shell decoys off to the side or in back a bit away from the goose decoys. Leave enough openings where you'd want them to come into land in range for you. Get and learn to use both goose and duck calls. Some calling to them to give then confidence, but not so much as to make them nervous.
Ducks will almost always be flying first. You'll often hear wings overhead even before you can shoot. Just enjoy that. Be sure you're covered well with whatever is in the field around and if need be put a few goose silhouettes right aroung you to help cover you. Wear either camo mask or camo stuff made to put on your face to break up that. If you're white, Ducks/geese can spot the white face from hundreds of yds. away. Keep you movement to a minimum. When the birds are well within range and hopefully setting their wings, have a designated person to call out loud when to shoot and watch that you're not crossing over each other's lines of fires. Safety first.
Your Remington Nitro 3" are just fine for ducks and geese. I'd only use those #4 on closer shots over decoys and probably only early part of the season. As weather turns cold and both ducks and geese add heavier down, I generally go no lighter than #2's and all time favorite for later season are BB's. BB's will penatrate through the feather and bodies and break goose wings even out to 40-45 yds, if hit solidly.
Also, be sure you get out and practice as often as you can with clay targets different types of shots you'll likely see in the slough, lake or field. You have to be able to hit them once you get them in range.
Anyway, whatever way you end up hunting waterfowl, if you do your hard work and preparation beforehand and each day you out, you should have a great time. I didn't see you mention if you have a retrieving dog. But a good water retrieving (e.g Yellow/Black Lab) you've training adds so much to the experience along with someone else you can enjoy the experiences with.
Good luck. Let us know how it works out for you.
Newbie needs help.
