I love turkey and deer hunting, and would love to expand into hunting duck. I just moved to TN and I live about 5 minutes from Old Hickory lake where the fishing is great and the duck hunting is supposed to be just as good. I have a boat which will get me to the duck blinds all over the lake, but I don't know where to start?!?  Duck or goose hunting??

Man, Arch, Love "the talk".. Glad you have an interest and hope you will follow through. If you enjoy the challenge of turkey hunting, you'll love matching wits with ducks and geese!

If you have a boat and water, even YOU can become a waterfowler.... just kidding friend,  that just came to me

 Not knowing anything about your state and it's laws governing it's waterfowl, I suggest you get a copy of your migatory game laws, just so you will be legal. While the migartory birds are under federal guidelines, each state is a little bit different with it's laws.

If you have been fishing the lake, hopefully in the fall, you will need to "watch the ducks/geese". Be looking for what type of ducks you have ,where they like to hang out, (and why) and as you study the ducks, notice how they are sitting on the water, that's how you will be sitting you deks out ....

Also, get you a middle of the road call, if you continue with the sport, you will have a million of them... Like turkey hunting we now have lots of duck/goose hunting DVDs and tapes out. They will help you with the calling and also give you a lot of info about calls ,decoys and the like.

As far as deks, a few doz mallards and a doz floater goose decoys should get you up and running. I'd suggest e bay or "greenhead gear" Hot buys, the are a good decoy for the money.

Good Luck and I'll be willing to help any way I can, so much so, COME ON OVER TO VA, We 'll do a hunt

Got to thinking today Arch, bet you have a few beaver ponds on some of that property you hunt. A great way to get into some pretty easy duckin is to slip into a "woodie hole" an hour  or two before dark. They roost  in the back waters of the pond and if you can find where they roost, you can NOT keep the out of there. All you need is a good pair of hip boots/waders and plenty of shells, as it can get pretty wild. They are a great looking duck for the wall and they really taste good too

So the basics are waders, a few deks and a mid-grade call?  Anything else that one would need for a basic set-up?

Fowling is much like turkey hunting, their are so many different ways to "go duck hunting"   You can hunt big water, swamps or jump shoot rivers. Each is a bit different that the other. It's only my opinion but my advice would be to find a spot that is easy to get too, holds a few birds and then figure how to hunt "those birds". If it takes a boat, waders, that's what you start with.  Jump shooting a river does not require any calling. 

I'd start out small, much like turkey hunting, as you get better, so will the equipment you will take to the field,er water.

You are right, most guides are willing to share their knowledge and experience. Too, you may want to check with any orgs. in your area. All will be more than willing to help a newcomer out and point you in the right direction!

Great replies fellas, thank you for the duck hunting information.

My lake, Old Hickory, has many duck blinds but I am unsure how they regulate them?? I wonder who owns them and gets to use them. They make great cover for bass in the summer.

I will take the advice and get a state duck regulations guide.

Not sure how your state operates but in our state of Va. we have to buy a blind tag, which has an asigned number, we can call the game comm and they will look it up and tell us the owner of any blinds they have on file.   Sometimes, the guy will even let you hunt it.... BUT not often.  Good Luck!