Learning curves follow a similar pattern across most disciplines. A novice to a sport, field, or other endeavour usually starts with learning the basics, then gradually making their way to higher levels. Waterfowling is no exception.
For example, a duck call with video instructions can accelerate the learning curve for a novice through constant practice. Learning how to call ducks leads to the need to recognize different species and their calls when the birds are in flight. Early beginners emerge as competent participants, before moving on to become proficient players. Proficient players intent on learning become “students of the game,” focusing on strategy, tactics, and how the game is played, and what they can do to improve it. These high flyers in the duck world may become leaders in our waterfowling culture and experts in our field.
Most waterfowl hunters learned their craft at the knee of a parent, relative, or friend. Few young or even older hunters start out entirely on their own. Nowadays, organizations like the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters among others, offer shooting skills instruction, and actual mentored hunts, along with safety training.
Three goals of your development
Recognizing patterns: Discovering patterns in nature is a first step in the learning process. For example, experienced waterfowlers are constantly watching for changes in bird behaviour. Once the birds set up a pattern of use in say, fields or on the water, hunters will target that pattern. Recognizing patterns and shaping intuition through experience is how humans learn.
Intuition patterns: Intuition is about assimilating patterns of prey vulnerability in your memory bank. Through intuition, hunters can recall lessons learned over decades of hunting, and incorporate the most likely course of action for a successful hunt.
Situational awareness: being aware of your position in space and time. The hunter with a high sense of situational awareness becomes part of the landscape and fully aware of what is happening around them. These are focused individuals, taking information and assimilating it with their current knowledge to make better decisions.
1. Novice
The stage one waterfowler looks to the advice and support of others for their first opportunities to hunt waterfowl. Usually, these are people they know. The novice seeks advice and does not question it, as their sources of information are often people of influence among their families, and friends. Novices pitch in to help wherever they can and ask endless questions about all aspects of the hunt. Traditionally, many young novices sat on the sidelines for years before being allowed to pick up a shotgun. Early days spent hunting without a firearm is a great way to learn by observation. These early hunts became just as memorable as those employing shooting skills.
2. Early beginner
The stage two hunter has participated in enough hunts to realize that they have a keen and growing affinity for hunting ducks and geese. Younger beginners pursue waterfowling lore and culture wherever they can find it, online, in electronic and print media, and most importantly, by word of mouth. Ever available to assist, fledgling duck hunters are eager to learn how to contribute to the hunt. They may not be identifying every duck in flight, and their calling may be rough around the edges, but that will quickly change as they move onward and upward on the waterfowling learning curve. Once a few waterfowling experiences are gathered, the novice will begin to recognize patterns in the bird’s (and also the hunter’s) behaviour and start to become more cognizant of their situational awareness, and how it may impact strategies and tactics.
3. Competent
With dedication and an open mind, the beginner morphs into a fully competent waterfowler. Stage three hunters have learned the basics of waterfowling and gained an appreciation of what it takes to hunt in a variety of situations. Competent hunters can choose a good location to set up, position a blind in relation to wind direction and velocity, while selecting and using a wide array of decoys and other equipment.
Competent hunters can visualize the experience, using pattern recognition and situational awareness. While early beginners are eager to please and be helpful, competent waterfowlers want to be known for what they contribute to the hunt, in addition to being helpful.
4. Proficient
The stage four waterfowler has a solid foundation of knowledge gleaned from several sources, in addition to a deep well of basic experience. For example, proficient hunters recognize patterns that can shape or guide the outcome of a hunt in almost any situation. This experience is most effective as it shapes intuition at conscious and sub-conscious levels.
5. Expert
The season never closes for expert waterfowlers. In spring and summer, stage five waterfowlers are often out watching ducks and geese and listening to their calls. They understand the birds well and note the aspects of their knowledge that might pay real dividends in the duck blind. Pattern recognition, intuition and situational awareness are the three cornerstones of the expert waterfowler that hunters can weave into their hunting strategies in any season, and at any level of the game.
Pattern recognition is perhaps the ultimate hunting strategy in nature. Prey species become more vulnerable when and where they use predictable patterns of behaviour, like returning frequently to a favoured feeding location or roosting site.
Stages of the waterfowler show how waterfowlers may improve their skills incrementally, over a lifetime of observation and study. At the same time, waterfowl continually scan their environment for clues to the presence of hunters and other predators. In this way, the learning curve continues to expand at the individual level for waterfowl and waterfowlers alike.
Originally published in the Jan.-Feb. 2024 issue of Ontario OUT of DOORS
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