Don't let a lack of gear stop you from waterfowl hunting

Public land hunters may have to work a little harder to set themselves up for success when hunting over decoys, including dedicating time for scouting, and being willing to put in extra effort to get away from most of the hunting pressure.

But for those who are willing to make the commitment, there are many walk-in public hunting spots scattered throughout the state that can produce good waterfowl hunting - and it doesn't take hundreds of decoys. Idaho waterfowlers can put together a successful hunt with nothing more than what they carry in on their backs, including:

· A shotgun
· Idaho hunting license
· Migratory bird (HIP) permit
· Nontoxic shotgun shells
· Federal migratory bird stamp
· Six to 12 decoys
· Waders
· Camouflage clothing
· Duck call(s)

Hot Tip: Alternatively, if you don't feel like shelling out (pun intended) hundreds of dollars on new decoys, you can always scour your local Craigslist or pawn shops for well-seasoned, used decoys. With a little elbow grease, you can give them the "old ultra-flat Rustoleum rattlecan renovation." That's the Brian Pearson way.

Eye in the sky, boots on the ground

By finding and setting decoys in a place where ducks already want to be, hunters can eliminate the need for a large decoy spread that might be needed to attract birds from far away.

With a smartphone or a computer, you have everything you need to start looking for a potential waterfowl spot. The first step is finding water, and when walking in with decoys, it pays to think small. Using Fish and Game's Hunt Planner or some sort of GPS mapping tool, hunters should scour smaller rivers and streams for public access points, and search for potentially overlooked pockets of water - creeks, sloughs, ponds, etc. - on all different kinds public property, including those that are more traditionally associated with upland game hunting.