Practice. Find a call you’re comfortable with, then keep it with you and practice every chance you’ve got. Do not leave it in your vehicle, though.

Use confidence decoys. Adding a single coot or crane decoy to the shoreline near your decoy spread can help convince wary ducks to settle in. Other confidence decoys include a few doves placed on shoreline treelimbs, a pair of floating Canada geese or a single snow goose floater.

Try flagging where spinning wings are illegal. Just because you can’t use the spinner doesn’t mean you can’t add motion. Try flagging the ducks while they’re still a long ways out. Stop when they’ve turned and are incoming.

Read the ducks. Overcalling is the No. 1 mistake most waterfowlers make. Less is more. Guide ducks, don’t try to talk them into the decoys.

Concealment is key. You don’t need an elaborate blind, but you do need to remain hidden from waterfowl. Use a facemask to cover your shiny face.

Listen and learn. You can improve your calling by listening to live ducks and to experienced callers. Mimicking the sounds they make will improve your hunting.

Keep your call warm. During hunts in extreme temperatures, keep your lanyard under your coat to keep the calls from freezing. 

Find a mentor. Whether it’s calling, decoy spreads or shooting, a mentor can help you become the hunter you want to be.

Break from the norm. Hunting a public area where every blind overlooks 8-dozen mallard decoys and three spinning wings? Try just a dozen, and mix in a few coots or teal and no spinning wings.

Bring a crowd. Waterfowling can be the best way to introduce nonhunters and new hunters to the pleasures of hunting. It’s social as you pass the Thermos around in the blind, and who could watch a sunrise over the water without appreciating what we’ve got?