Topos will also help you eliminate some areas from your scouting. When I see dwellings and other buildings identified, I eliminate these areas out of hand. The maps also define what types of roads connect to bodies of water. If access looks easy, I usually pass by these waters as well.

Also, you should ignore sections of streams where the contour lines are tight together, indicating steep watercourses. Canyons are seldom good waterfowling areas.

But on a map, I once discovered a section of a low-gradient desert creek. You could put in at a road crossing on state wildlife department land, float an entire eight miles through public land and then take out at the next bridge.

Once you discover a promising area, drive out to it well before the season opens. At this stage, you want to get a lay of the land, because some of the older maps are out of date.

During the 1980s, I hunted a large beaver pond along a creek that flowed through timber company land. When I returned to it several years later, there was an elaborate stone fence at the gate, and I could see the green metal roofs of mini-mansions in the distance.

No more duck hunting there!

LOCAL INFORMATION
Finally, if you are at all gregarious, stop by a sporting-goods store or general store and ask about locations that seem promising.

I've lived most of my life in the countryside, and its residents can be as taciturn as their reputations. But if you're friendly and display some local knowledge, you may be surprised at how much information you obtain.

In digging for information, much of your success depends upon on how you ask.

This approach probably won't do you much good: "The place my buddies and I hunt back near the city is real crowded now. We're looking for a new place to hunt ducks. Any good places around here?"

On the other hand, this may get you surprising results: "I've been coming up here for years to fish, and I always thought that those ponds along the North Fork might pull in some ducks in the fall. Have you ever gone up there?"

BUSHWHACKING
Finally, get out and buck the brush.

I'm always amazed how few hunters seem to have much taste for bushwhacking, but it's often the only way to locate genuine, unpressured small-water duck habitat. Moreover, it isn't always as hard as it sounds.

In recent years, many timber companies and state and national forests have gated their roads, while others allow vehicle access only during big-game seasons.

However, those roads into lakes and ponds still exist, and you can often scout lakes easily on a mountain bike. A summertime exploratory trip down a remote reach of creek in a canoe can be part of a fishing trip or family adventure.

If you see ducks, especially those with chicks, during summer on a lake or stream, you can be pretty confident it will hold birds -- probably more of them -- during the hunting season.

When it comes to beaver ponds, if you stay in touch with local game wardens, they might tell you their general locations.

Fishing books sometimes mention beaver pond locations. But eventually, you'll have to pull on a pair of waterproof boots or waders and take a hike.

SMALL-WATER TACTICS
You can usually hunt small lakes and beaver ponds similarly, although the scale of your hunt may be different. Because ducks roost on or near these areas, you won't usually encounter morning flights. You usually jump resting birds in the morning.