THE ROOST
 

I've heard, never do it, don't hunt the roost. Well, I did it. Out back theres a small patch of willow sapplings that have been flooded for most of the season. About 2 or 3 weeks ago I discovered that the woodies were just piling in there at night, right around closing time. So I had been going back there and brought a friend a few times. The thing is, we could shoot at them coming in, shoot at incoming ducks while others were already sitting on the water, and walk around the weeds on the outside without scaring the ducks up at night. Then about a week ago the ducks didn't work right, and we jumped some of them up to shoot. After that day, they havent been back. They still fly over the spot at about 20 yards off the ground, but they want no part of the saplings. They continueondown the propertyto an overgrown pond in the neighbors front yard. My question is, could that day they were kicked off of the roost ruined that spot? Or given the apparent safety they felt they had leading up to that point, could they have just picked a new place to roost?

RE: THE ROOST
 

Dont bust the roost,, gauranteed you shooting at them in there sanctuary scared them out of there for the year... They are woodies though,, they dont stick around with a cold snap.. We bust a woodduck roost every year,, we just try and figure out when they will be heading out of town, and we get in there a day or 2 prior.

RE: THE ROOST
 

It seems with Woodducks by us that they just come in later when you shoot at the roost...They don't seem to leave if their is a good number but simply come in about 10 mins. or so after shooting hours when they were coming in 10 mins. before. With Mallards it's something I will never do. They are most likely to get up and go elsewhere. Which they could change their feeind area as well...I've had that happen a couple times when I first got into hunting.