The exception to the rule is the Wabash River bottoms section when the area is flooding. Backed-up water moves out over the fields and brings in plenty of ducks and hunters who are in the right place at the right time to enjoy some of the best shooting Hovey has to offer.

Pochon has noticed a new trend in duck activity over the last four or five years. The late-morning hunts have been the best, which isn't the way it used to be. He's not sure of the reason but feels it has something to do with local sources of food and how the birds are reacting to them. The best shooting now can be from 8 to 11 a.m.

Flooded crop fields are magnets for migratory birds, but they can be tough to access. Unless you're boating, getting into the wetter areas will be tricky.

Hovey is near the confluence of the Ohio and Wabash rivers. These two river systems converge on the area and provide natural corridors for birds as they make progress on their annual migration.

For additional information, contact the Hovey Lake office at (812) 838-2927.

PATOKA RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
The Patoka River NWR is another of Phelps' top picks for early-season ducks. About 5,587 acres of land and water make for a great day afield.

Aaron Vogler is a dedicated waterfowler with plenty of public-land experience. One of the hunts he enjoys is on the refuge, and what helps make it enjoyable is his calling.

"I use nothing but acrylics and wood calls," Vogler said. "These calls are my preference, but the important thing to remember is that you're calling to the ducks, not to people who want to see how fast you can blow a feed call. Conditions dictate the calling and I think that a lot of hunters forget what a duck sounds like when they're in the field."

Vogler uses a wood to soften his calling when there are trees around or if there isn't any wind or other ambient noise. On the windy days or in open fields, he uses a single reed acrylic to make the call easier to hear by distant ducks. Calling is what a hunter and the ducks he's hunting make of it.

Be versatile, willing to learn and take scouting seriously, Vogler said. Look for water in the sloughs on the old Patoka riverbed, flooded timber and water on fields of milo, corn and beans. These are the spots you'll want to set up on during the opener and on into the week. There isn't any substitute for learning the property and scouting for the locations ducks are using.

Throughout the season, just about every species of duck in the state will make an appearance on the refuge. Both dabblers and divers alike will arrive in good numbers.

The goal is to continue to add acreage to the refuge as time goes on. If all goes well, the refuge will eventually encompass over 22,000 acres of federally-owned national refuge and wildlife management lands. This huge development will stretch for 20 miles along the Patoka River and provide excellent fall waterfowl opportunities.

The Buck Marsh off Snakey Point and the McClure Marsh, located north of SR 64 on Line Road, are top spots for wood ducks. The Snakey Point Marsh northeast of Oakland City on the South Fork of the Patoka River can be a hotspot for several species, but the hunting pressure can be high.