By Tom Roth,Special to the Sun Journal
Much to the delight of local hunters, the fall brings dozens of waterfowl breeds to Maine.

I would argue that there is, perhaps, no sport more romantic than waterfowling.

Countless artists have captured that magical period just before sunrise, where hunter and dog wait pensively in a blind, fog settling just above the surface of the water. There is a chill in the air, and the leaves have turned their crimson shades.

Hunters set out decoys that have possibly been handed down through the generations, and cradle guns that were once held by fathers or grandfathers. Dogs, with their regrettably short lives, come and go, each one holding a special spot in their owner’s heart.

I could go on, but it’s time to set aside sentimentality and get down to business – we have some duck hunting to do.

While bird hunters can place their bead on grouse, woodcock or perhaps pheasants, waterfowl hunters have a virtual cornucopia of targets. We have all seen mallards, those are the ones with green heads (the male of the species, anyway) or the black ducks where both sexes have a mottled brown appearance. But there are dozens of other waterfowl breeds, and many make their way to Maine in the fall. Those of us who hunt around this region have come to expect several of these duck varieties, depending on time of month and hunting location.

Teal we meet again

During the past several seasons that I can recall, the beautiful and diminutive green-winged teal has visited this region frequently, especially in the early part of the month. Aside from its vibrant plumage, the green-winged teal is revered for its fast-flying antics and the difficulty it presents to the shooter. In years past, when Maine had a special September teal season, hordes of these ducks passed through the state during their fall migration. Now, hunters rejoice when a brace of teal lands amongst their decoy spread. I have found most of my teal in small flowages and marshes that can provide plenty of cover for these shy ducks.

A few years ago, a group of my friends set up shop along the shoreline of The Basin in Auburn on opening day. They were intent on the abundant wood ducks and mallards that they had seen during frequent September scouting missions. Among the group were three recruits to the sport on their first duck hunt. After setting up decoys for wood ducks and mallards, a pair of teal paid an early-morning visit to their spread. Once the sun came up and the ducks saw where they were, it was too late, as one of the neophyte hunters bagged his first trophy, a plump hen green-winged teal.

Teal are commonly sighted on The Basin, a series of three ponds that flow from Wilson Pond in Turner to Lake Auburn. Teal are also seen quite frequently along the banks of the Androscoggin River in Turner, Auburn and Durham.

Treasured memory

Another equally pretty and even more abundant early-season visitor to the region is the wood duck. This small, colorful duck inhabits bodies of water that are near its favorite food, acorns. In years when acorns are plentiful, the wood duck seems to fill the early October sky. My first duck was a drake (male) “woodie” taken while hunting along the Pushaw Stream in Old Town. I downed him with a 16-gauge Remington Wingmaster pump shotgun that belonged to my grandfather. I saved a black-and-white striped flank feather from that duck and still have it among my hunting and fishing treasures.

Several seasons ago, during a bountiful acorn crop, I took my daily limit of two birds on almost every outing. No matter where I hunted, I saw woodies. There were so many acorns that year that when they fell from the trees surrounding water, it sounded like it was raining.

The Lewiston-Auburn area has dozens of great spots that provide the perfect combination for wood ducks, secluded cover and abundant oak trees. The Basin is also a top wood duck spot. This marshy pond, complete with secluded coves and hidden backwaters, is ringed with ancient, massive oak trees.

Early-season scouting will provide the hunter with an idea of the best spot to ambush these fast-flying birds, but almost any spot along the shore will pay off.

Location, location, location

Another top wood duck spot, thanks to the efforts of those who install and maintain wood duck nesting boxes, is the Nezinscot River in Turner, which also sports the oak-lined shores that woodies adore. Several seasons past, a friend and I planned a mini float-trip down the Nezinscot to hunt ducks. We put in near Buckfield and floated down toward Turner. During the three-mile voyage, we flushed dozens of wood ducks, as well as mallards, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery along the way. By paddling slowly and probing each cove, we got in quite a bit of gunning during our four-hour journey. One word of caution, however, is that there are several camps alongside the river, and hunters should use care if they are not familiar with the area.

Waterfowlers after the traditional mallards and black ducks will do well to visit the Androscoggin River, as it plays host to thousands of visiting waterfowl each season. The Androscoggin River runs through this region from Livermore to Topsham, and with all its tiny islands and back coves, there are several places for the early morning waterfowler to set up. The river also has a wide variety of cover and food sources.

Some of the slower-moving sections in Auburn along the North River Road are lined with oak trees and draw wood ducks in by the dozens. Hunters in East Auburn and Turner will find abundant cattail growth that draws feeding ducks and provides ample concealment for a canoe or makeshift blind. The islands also provide hundreds of quiet backwaters that resting black ducks utilize, especially during the latter part of the season when they migrate through Maine.

Access to the Androscoggin is simple if you own a canoe. By carrying into the water’s edge, the canoe hunter can explore all of the river’s meandering shoreline. With all these nooks and crannies, the Androscoggin River is a great place to practice the age-old art of jump-shooting ducks, and the skilled paddler can put themselves right on top of resting ducks, with a little patience and practice.

Boat hunters can launch their craft at several places along the river. Hunters wishing to concentrate on the South Auburn and Durham portion of the river can launch at the town line on Route 136. Hunters wanting access to the northern portion of the river can obtain access in Turner on the Center Bridge Road.

Bagging Canadian goose

For hunters after waterfowling’s biggest thrill, the regular season for Canadian goose begins Oct. 3 and continues through December (depending on which zone you hunt). Geese spend time in corn fields and grassy spots to feed and then retreat to the water. Hunters can set up in fields or on the water with decoys. Geese are extremely wary, and thorough concealment is a must. The early season, which concluded last month, was established as a way to control nuisance geese that were turning up on lawns and golf courses, eating the grass and producing tons of waste. Geese in some states have caused public beach closures.

While other hunters may journey north for grouse hunting or to the coastal rivers and marshes to do their waterfowling, I prefer to stay close to home and enjoy the surprise of the variety of waterfowl available on local lakes, ponds and rivers.

The waterfowl regulations are complex with a variety of season dates and zones. You can visit the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Web site (www.state.me.us/ifw/homepage.htm) for full season dates and bag limit information.