Duck season is approaching all over the country, and us sportsmen are getting ready to put our eyes to the sky. If your gear locker needs some love this hunting season, you’ll be thrilled to read through our list of the best duck hunting gear.
Whether you’re pursuing ducks in a soggy wetland or on agricultural land from boat, blind, or boot we’ve put together a great list of gear and apparel that will support you from the beginning to end of the season.
Be prepared for the hunt this season and put more birds down than ever with the support of our top duck hunting gear list!
If you know you’re bound to get wet during your duck hunting outings, then bringing along a few dry bags for your sensitive gear is a wise move. A super simple and impressively effective design, the modern PVC dry bag is perfect for storing and securing gear during wet weather hunts and for when you’re chasing ducks on foot or by boat out in the wetland.
This dry bag by Leader Accessories is perfect for keeping your sensitive hunting items away from the wetness and it comes at a very reasonable cost. Available in seven different colors and sizes from 5 liter to 55 liter there is a Leader Accessories dry bag that’s tailored to your duck hunting style.
This style of dry storage should not be overlooked as equally effective for shielding your sensitive electronics and other equipment from fine dust or sand as well. Leader Accessories even includes an adjustable shoulder strap with this dry bag so it can be used as a sort of day-pack if you want to tote it along with you when you leave your boat or blind.
When you’re hunting hard out in your favorite swamp, field, boat or assembled duck blind, stashing your equipment in a couple of PVC dry bags will allow you and your pals to forget about the safety of your gear and keep your mind on the hunt!
A nice hunting cushion is both a luxury and a necessity depending on the style duck hunter you are. When temps drop and things get chilly it’s important to separate yourself from the ground. Long sits in certain style blinds also call for a cushion. Alternatively, if getting to your hunting grounds involves a long bumpy boat ride in your duck boat then you’re going to need something soft to sit on.
This three layered cushion is highly reviewed by hunters for ensuring warmth and comfortable support. It’s waterproof and won’t get stiff in the cold when temps drop so it’s a great cushion for wetland hunting as well. This cushion will also clip to your person so you can take it from your boat to your blind with ease.
All in all a solid piece of duck hunting gear that will come in handy for all sorts of applications.
Here’s a hand warmer for the cold weather, wetland hunter. This neoprene muff by Mossy Oak Hunting Systems is both affordable and effective. If you enjoy hunting in wet or damp environments, the material of this hand warmer is what you’re looking for. It won’t handle a full submersion well so don’t go wading with it below the waterline, but it’s excellent in the rain and on the water.
There’s ten external shotgun shell holders built into this unit for convenience reloading in the field — definitely catered towards waterfowl hunters.
The fleece-like liner of this muff will keep your hands warm while waiting for birds in your blind or while trudging through the swamp or marsh. This hand warmer will likely do the trick just fine on its own, but there’s space for adding some hand warmers for those particularly wet and chilly days.
The snap on clips and adjustable carry strap give you a few different options for mounting so you can make sure it’s both out of the way and there when you need it.
There’s even a zippered pocket and an internal pouch for carrying three different choke tubes — pretty neat. All in all, this is a very versatile and practical hand warmer for duck hunting yet totally suitable for a range of different hunting styles.
If a blind is not part of your duck hunting gear than you’re missing out on some serious fun. Alternatively, if you employ a hunting blind each season and you’re ready for an upgrade you’re going to want to check out this great value unit from Delta Waterfowl.
I love the design and function of this lie-down, terrestrial blind. This unit employs a zero-gravity chair that keeps you off the ground rather than a bottom that’s waterproof. It’s a unique design that’s meant to significantly reduce the weight of the blind overall. At just 23.5 pounds, it carries with ease once collapsed and even includes strapping to conveniently wear as a backpack.
There is virtually no assembly required — you just unfold the blind once you reach your hunting spot.
The flared sides have an awesome look that blends naturally into the landscape and also allow for a lot more gear storage within the blind than traditional coffin style blinds. Having the option to consolidate and conceal all your duck hunting gear effectively is without a doubt a beautiful thing!
The included stakes for securing this blind to the ground are particularly heavy duty and are even threaded for staying put in frozen ground. If you decide to add some extra camouflage to this unit there’s countless stubble straps built in throughout the design for incorporating whatever the landscape has to offer.
You can truly disappear in this bad boy with the proper attention to environmental detail. Tons of space, a high degree of comfort and excellent concealment, this lie-down blind really has it going on.
Check out our list of the best hunting blinds for some alternative options that might be more geared towards your hunting grounds.
Having your eyes on the sky is of course a huge part of duck hunting. Spotting groups of birds, identifying species as they line up for a fly by and surveying the landscape in general all requires a nice pair of binoculars.
This rugged pair of 7x marine binoculars by Hooway are a great option for adding to your duck hunting gear. They are completely waterproof and will even float so you don’t have to worry about water damage if you’re a wetland hunter. This pair is furthermore built with a porro prism system to provide a particularly wide angle of view, great for scouting the horizon line in an effective manner.
The non slip rubber housing of these binoculars makes them easy to grip in the wet and cold and also pretty dam tough and shock absorbent. There’s even a tripod adapter included with this unit for mounting them for increased stability.
These are ideal for both marine navigation and regular purposes — if your duck season involves some boating then you’ll really love these. I find the most righteous feature of these binoculars to be the internal compass and rangefinder — you can really accurately determine distance, size and direction of objects with this pair.
All in all, this is a pretty killer pair of binoculars at an excellent cost to have on board for an array of uses.
Some of us duck hunter require a little extra space to store gear while in the field. Here’s a top reviewed, high capacity day pack from Alps OutdoorZ that just might be the perfect unit for your needs.
This is a lightweight bag at just two pounds but it provides a whopping 37 liters of space. That’s a spacious pack for day use but if you’re like me than you’ll appreciate having the extra room for gear.
Because this bag has a high capacity there’s an adjustable sternum strap and padded waist belt to help carry heavier loads. There’s not a ton of spaces to stash duck hunting gear externally, so you’ll have to rely mostly on the main internal pocket.
This is a sporty pack that’s a great companion for those duck hunters that do some rugged trekking through gnarly terrain. Alternatively, if you spend your days hunting in a duck blind this is a great pack to load up with some extra layers, lunch, duck calls and other bulkier items due to its size.
The price is definitely right on this one — for around $40 this is a pretty righteous deal for such an effective backpack. Make sure to check out our list of the best hunting backpacks if you like the idea of using one this duck season but the Dark Timber just isn’t right for you.
A reliable flashlight is a must have on any hunting trip where you’re out in the field or wetland before first light or after sunset.
I have always preferred headlamps over traditional flashlights for hunting because they keep your hands free — because if you need a flashlight while setting decoys or operating your boat you’re probably using your hands right!? Furthermore, I always choose rechargeable headlamps over battery powered lamps because packing batteries is no fun.
This unit by Icefox is a top reviewed, high quality headlamp that comes at a super reasonable cost. With four different working modes of brightness and a 90 degree rotatable lamp this headlamp has it going on. Although it may be a bit on the clunky side the long battery life (up to eight hours) and high brightness (6000 lumens) of this headlamp makes it more worth its weight.
No doubt a solid unit for all sorts of duck hunting tasks that you’ll end up using for a lot more than just chasing waterfowl.
This headlamp will likely outlive your friend’s and save you the cost and trouble of purchasing batteries. At this price the cost of this headlamp is totally comparable to the inferior competitor lights — why settle for a junky flashlight or headlamp that costs around the same?
Rummaging around your duck boat for whatever you might need and more importantly navigating potential hazards in the dark requires a powerful and reliable light source. If you would prefer to own a spotlight specifically for your duck boat, then take a look at this waterproof, floating unit by Stanley — it’s perfect for the job.
Here’s a serious duck blind set up for the serious aquatic duck hunter. If you need to get out on the water while waterfowl hunting, then this is perhaps the ultimate approach.
This portable pit blind is designed to be both a coffin blind on land, and a mobile coffin blind on the water making it an exceptionally versatile piece of duck hunting gear.
There’s great stability when floating so you don’t have to worry about capsizing in rough water — it’s even stable enough to stand up comfortably for most hunters. You can paddle this mobile blind, or even attach a trolling motor if you want to really minimize noise and energy output. It’s perfect for sneaking out to those hard to reach, less pressured hunting spots.
You’re going to need to conceal this blind a bit more to be truly low profile on land or on the water — one option is the full concealment cover designed specifically for this model. At over $200 I find the cover for this unit to be outrageously priced — you could buy another blind for that money. I would recommend building or designing your own camouflage for much less — the design of the base blind makes it inherently simple to modify your own concealment.
One accessory that is worth purchasing is the padded backrest designed for use with this unit. Once you’ve figured out your concealment and comfort the versatility of this blind is endless!
There’s wheels on the back of this unit and a few spaces to secure a tow rope so you can even slide and roll this duck slaying machine across terrain with ease!
This is no doubt an expensive blind option, but considering you can hunt virtually anywhere that there’s waterfowl and reach the spots other hunters can’t, it’s still a good value!
Here’s a pair of gloves from Sitka Gear that are meant to keep your hands bone dry no matter the conditions. If staying warm and dry are top concerns on your duck hunts then you ought to have these on your radar. The Stormfront Waterproof Insulated Gloves are a top quality pair of hunting gloves that are essentially bomb proof.
These gloves are built with a Gore-tex membrane and elastic cuffs and are furthermore treated with a DWR finish. They’re designed to be exceptionally waterproof in order to take on any amount of snow, rain or landscape wetness that you might encounter.
The Stormfronts come included with conveniently removable midpile liner gloves. The outerwear paired with the liners will keep your hands toasty well below freezing. If you want to brave some ridiculously cold conditions then I would suggest pairing these with a particularly warm liner of your chosing. Sitka’s Merino Liner Gloves could be another great liner option for enduring the extreme cold in the Stormfronts — but you’ll likely find the included liners to be more than adequate as is.
The Stormfronts do run a bit large so you can comfortably fit a liner underneath the shells. If you plan on removing the liners and not pairing these with any added warmth it might be wise to buy a size small.
The all leather palms built into these gloves make for a great grip and silent use of your hands. The leather also adds some ruggedness to this already tough hunting option. Some elastic around the wrist and a drawstring at the cuff make sure the wetness stays out and also allow you to lock these gloves down under or over the cuffs of your hunting jacket.
The Optifade camo pattern is a versatile print that should blend nicely with most environments including snowy landscapes. These are a great option for cold hunts from your blind as well as more active hunts because of the removable liners and therefore ability to choose between super toasty or highly breathable.
These are built bulky for both durability and insulating reasons so don’t expect to necessarily be able to fire your gun in these (some hunter reviews claim compatibility with their weapon). The emphasis here is on remaining bone dry, so if you’re in the market for a glove that will truly keep your hands from getting wet, look no further.
Here’s a seriously bad ass pair of waders by LaCrosse that’s specifically designed for swamp, marsh or wetland hunts. If you’re looking for chest waders that can keep up with your duck hunting endeavors these cannot be stopped. Definitely the ideal upgrade or perfect first pair of waterfowl waders.
LaCrosse has built the Swamp Tuffs with “Armor Weld” construction — the double stitched seams are bonded and taped internally and also coated with abrasion resistant liquid rubber on the outside. You could go to war in these waders they’re so tough.
The neoprene is a whopping 5mm thick and the boots have 1200G thinsulate insulation, so this is an exceptionally warm wading system as well.
The mossy oak bottomland camo pattern is wonderfully suited for hunting waterfowl in wetlands during the fall and winter seasons. The buckle and Velcro straps on this pair conveniently convert to a belt if you want to fold these waders down making them even a bit more versatile.
There’s some well thought out chest pockets built into this model as well as a spacious and removable shot shell pouch. These waders are surprisingly not any more expensive than the other options offered by LaCrosse — pretty awesome considering the heavy duty construction and materials employed here.
If you have plans to conquer the wetland this duck season and trek where most waterfowl hunters cannot, give this suit of insulated swamp armor a look.
Every style hunter needs nice wool socks. Wool is outright the superior material for insulating in every weather condition and is preferred by sportsmen everywhere. There’s really nothing worse than cold toes while trying to focus on the hunt and nothing better than a pair of fresh socks so set yourself up for comfort and success this season by taking care of your feet.
These scent locked, merino wool socks are made in the USA in Vermont and designed to last you many seasons of heavy hunting. Hunter reviews rave about the comfort and quality of these socks and claim compatibility with any hunting boot. No doubt a necessity for those hunters that put comfort first.
If I could only own one pair of hunting boots this would be it. The insulation, waterproofing, support and price of these boots make them awesome for any style hunter and particularly great for hunting ducks in all sorts of contexts. These are lightweight knee boots that are built for trekking as well as wet conditions.
The Alphaburlys are built from hand-laid premium rubber over a 3.5mm neoprene core — it combines the ruggedness of rubber with the insulating effect of neoprene for a tough as nails and toasty boot. The heel and toe are even multi-layered for some further durability.
There’s an embossed liner for maintaining good air flow inside the boot as well as for effectively wicking moisture so it doesn’t get too muggy in there. The Alphaburlys are boots that you can hunt all four seasons in.
There’s lug soles built into these knee-highs so they don’t feel like any old pair of rubber boots. These are constructed to handle some gnarly terrain and won’t betray you when navigating whatever the great outdoors throws your way.
The adjustable neoprene gusset is what so many hunters rave about with these boots. It makes putting them on and pulling them off easy and it also provides plenty of added calf space for hunters with thicker than average legs.
For a boot in this price range I’m not sure the Alphaburlys can be beat. Check out our list of the best hunting boots if you want to consider some alternatively designed and priced options for duck season.
Here’s a quality hunting jacket by Scent-Lok. The Cold Blooded hunting jacket is one of the best for a cold weather odor controlled outer layer. This is a seriously warm jacket for cold weather hunting designed for both stalking and waiting for game. The Cold Blooded jacket is geared towards deer hunts but you’ll find it’s perfectly tailored for hunting ducks as well.
The superior insulation of this jacket makes it a great layer for hunting in snowy, frozen landscapes — no matter how cold the conditions get the Cold Blooded Jacket should be up for the task.
This is a waterproof and windproof jacket, so if you can expect some wet and windy days in the field this duck season this could be a great piece of gear for your wardrobe. The polyester material is crafted to be essentially noiseless creating a nearly silent garment when stalking through the wilderness. An elastic waist and cuffs further ensures your heat and scent are trapped, and allows for a more low profile fit while moving through the landscape.
A lot of the warmth from this jacket is derived from the removable, berber fleece lined internal camouflaged vest. If you want to wear this jacket on warmer days, just slip out the liner for some enhanced breathability. This is one of the best quality jackets to buy for frigid hunting conditions and conveniently adapts for warm weather hunts making it impressively versatile. If you want a quiet and comfortable jacket that will effectively trap your heat (and scent), then look no further.
By employing carbon alloy into the design, Scent-Lok has combined the power of treated carbon, activated carbon and zeolite to create hunting apparel that makes you truly invisible in the wilderness. For duck hunters that also pursue highly scent sensitive game like deer, definitely consider the benefits of an odor blocking jacket like this so you can use it for both contexts. There’s even safety harness access built into this jacket for tree stand hunters.
Four pockets provide some pretty solid storage, but you’ll likely still want to pack a hunting backpack for those more intensive and longer duration duck hunts.
All things considered, this is a top choice for a later season hunting jacket that is almost unmatched in stealth stats.
Thermal hunting pants are overlooked and underrated. Having a warm lower half is as important as keeping your torso and head warm when you’re trying to remain comfortable in the cold while traversing the landscape or when laying still. If you’re not wearing a pair of tough duck hunting waders then you ought to consider a garment like this.
You need full coverage when going up against freezing temperatures if you want to focus on the hunt at hand and not your freezing body. The Recon thermal pants by Scent-Lok are a great choice for the cold season duck hunter.
The odor containment technology built into these pants are not really relevant for waterfowl hunting, yet none the less give it an edge over other comparable hunting pants. If you decide to bring these pants deer hunting than you’ll appreciate this feature.
A micro tricot outer shell coupled with softshell panels surrounding the knees furthermore make for some seriously stealthy pants. If you’re a stalker who enjoys the thrill of moving up on ducks and flushing them rather than a blind hunter then you need to own a pair of pants like this.
The Sherpa inner fleece lining is what insulates these pants so effectively and gives them such high warmth stats. The polyester exterior furthermore breaks wind and light rain nicely so a little added weather to the already freezing temps you are used to won’t cramp your style.
The most pivotal feature of these pants in my opinion is the high rise back that provides kidney coverage. It’s a simple feature that covers your essential organs making all the difference in how your biology deals with the cold. The 21 inch zippered leg openings are there when you need them to offload heat so don’t worry about becoming too warm.
The Recon Pants are also built with six pockets for stashing all sorts of gear on your person.
The inherent quality of construction and materials used for these pants will ensure they last through lot of duck hunting seasons in their lifetime. Without a doubt a great addition to any hunter’s duck hunting gear.
A duck call is a very personal item. I won’t pretend that I know the best option for your hunting grounds, but I will suggest this crowd favorite for all you mallard hunters out there.
This is an acrylic option that should hold up nicely in the long run if you’re hard on your gear. It imitates a hen mallard and should bring in a fair amount of species as you gain experience with it.
There’s a bundle option available through the same link so consider snagging a few different calls and experimenting — you never know what you might be missing out on until you try it!
