Teal like very shallow water, and the more difficult a site is for a hunter to get into it, the better the little ducks seem to like it; at least, that's the way it seems. Successful hunters concentrate on shallow bays that have flats right off feeder channels. Boat blinds are positioned on the edge of the channels so that falling tides won't leave them stranded.

Early teal are looking for nourishment with which to sustain themselves in their long migration; decoys simulate birds that have located a source of that nourishment. By placing your decoys out on the nearby flats, you can lure the teal into lethal gun range.

The type of decoys doesn't seem to matter to early teal -- you can use teal or regular duck decoys. If you opt for big duck decoys, try to limit your spread to hens only. Teal aren't in full plumage in September, so the drab hen decoys are more realistic. Nor is the number of decoys critical; a spread of two dozen will suffice to get the birds' attention.

Calling can help in getting early teal either to notice your decoys or, at least, to give them a fly-by. Short quacks on a call can get the attention of teal that are just passing through. You can also take the calling process a little further with a specialized teal call such as the very convincing blue-winged teal model made by Haydel's Game Calls. Its higher-pitched quacks can pay dividends when you're hunting early teal.

Blue-winged teal won't be the only waterfowl you'll encounter during early teal season. Green-winged teal normally migrate later but are sometimes are present during the early season and can legally be taken. Not legal game at the time, however, are the other early migrants such as pintails and shovelers; other birds to be avoided are the hundreds of mottled ducks that live year 'round in the Delta. Shoot nothing but teal during the early season, or you can earn yourself a hefty fine.

Teal seem to do most of their moving in early morning, and once they find a place to feed unmolested, they're set for the day. Afternoons are good for scouting the locations of these sneaky flocks. With the aid of binoculars you can ascertain the teal's whereabouts without disturbing the birds, and then return to the same spot the next morning; this can pay off in hot shooting.

In South Bama outside the Mobile Delta, teal can also be found on farm ponds and in beaver swamps. These diminutive ducks are particularly fond of areas containing smartweed, and cattle ponds are likely sites for finding both smartweed and huntable numbers of teal during September.

While blue-winged teal prefer freshwater marsh areas, they also frequent coastal salt marshes, which can provide high-percentage opportunities.

SOUTH BAMA DOVES
Dove hunting has long been a tradition in South Bama. Dove shoots are probably the form of hunting that most thoroughly blends the camaraderie of the field and general good-fellowship. Large groups gather for the hunt, which is usually followed by a cookout or bull session immediately afterwards.