Hey guys!
I'm looking at getting into birds for next year. Both Geese and Ducks (I'm in Ontario, will be posted near Ottawa). I grew up in a hunting familly, with my step dad and my dad being influences. I did alot of deer hunting (archery) but very little waterfowl... (once time for geese in a corn field with my dad) but man it got me hooked! I enjoyed it better than deer for sure, it was right up there with rabbits.
The thing is... I no longer talk to either of my mentors and I have been out of the hunting thing for a few years (I'm 24, my last hunt was 4 years ago) so I will be starting this on my own, in a place where I do not know the land or any owners at all. Home for me is Simcoe ontario so I was close to long point and I had lots of land owners I could hunt from. And I also do not know anyone to go with.
I'll be picking up an aluminum boat this spring, hopefully a 16 footer and a 12 gauge semi-auto. I've always kind of done things on my own and figured them out as I go (self education works for me). Wondering how to start on my waterfowling...

This was a great place for you to start! The library would be another good spot to get some books and videos. And just turning on the tube and watching some waterfowl shows is another place to learn. Out of every where I turned to learn waterfowling, hunting with good hunters was the best. Hunters that are really good, love to teach their ways to new hunters. Good luck!

the first and most important thing you need to do is start getting to know local land owners. without getting to know the locals, you will greatly reduce your chance to gain access to private land. you also need to start scouting (probably not till later this spring when the birds start coming back). scouting, scouting, and more scouting is how you really get ahead of the game in waterfowling. after you get permission for some money spots, everything else is easy!

Invest in a set of decoys and a good call. I couldn't believe how much of a difference it made to have decoys the first time I used mine.

Talk to a local with some good fields/ wetlands... Get some decoys. Get some calls, Get up early and load your gun! You will learn a lot your first time out. Youll learn what you did right and what you did wrong. you will learn how to waterfowl, just like you learned how to drive, trial and error.