Quack Apps: Top 6 Must-Have Mobile Apps for Waterfowlers

Unless you’ve been holed up at duck camp on your flip phone or Blackberry, you’ve likely integrated some degree of modern digital devices to make your hunting experience more enjoyable and successful. The world wide web and the motherlode of mobile apps are now at our fingertips designed to help us scout and hunt with ease.

Here are our top 6 mobile apps in high download demand with diehard waterfowlers this season.

Basemap

Some software, like Basemap, can make planning your hunt easier than ever. Going onto the app and turning on a layer gives you detailed season dates and past season harvest data for whatever state and species you are interested in. The Habitat Range layers will show you exactly where your quarry lives in the unit you are hunting, so you can cut down on windshield time in unfamiliar areas. There are even layers for wildfires so you can avoid recently burned sections when scouting. Basemap also provides valuable information about property lines, showing you where private land stops and public land begins.

Basic: Free; Hunt Research: $10/year; Pro: $30/year | basemap.com

Goose Tech

Put your best foot forward by not only walking the walk, but by talking the talk. Knowing when and how to call geese is one of the undisputed keys to success. Join goose guru Nick Johnson to learn the goose alphabet and all the notes and sounds you need to give a little sweet talk to some big honkers. Your one-time purchase gets you access to a large collection of training videos that outline everything from properly holding a goose call to understanding goose language to advanced calling techniques like using voice inflection and building a pressure range. Record yourself and playback your runs comparing to live bird sounds and expert calling tracks. If you’ve gone goofy trying to find a one-stop shop for learning how to begin or advance your goose calling, get your gander graduate degree with the Goose Tech mobile app. For your quack fix, be sure to check out Duck Tech app, with three-time world champion caller Barnie Calef.

$19.99 | gotgametech.com

HuntWise

Although not a newcomer to the hunting app scene, HuntWise has recently invested heavily into delivering more useful functionality for waterfowl hunters. Now with over 350 layers including a new drought monitor layer, hunters can properly prepare for their out-of-state outings and quickly pivot their plans as conditions change or unforeseen challenges are encountered. Another exciting evolution is the HuntCast feature, which uses a propriety algorithm to predict your peak hunting times based upon the wind, weather, moon phase, and other environmental conditions. Setup custom controls to get notified when the north winds roar and don’t miss the chance to hunt the next front! Create and share your secret spots with entrusted allies in real-time using the HuntAreas feature. Elite members will delight in accessing a discount of up to 50% with top brands in the outdoor industry—duck yeah!

Elite Membership $119 per year | huntwise.com

onX Hunt

No waterfowler’s digital scouting strategy would be complete without onX Hunt as a mainstay download on their ‘mob. Whether you’re scouring the aerials for the next honey hole, tracking down a farmer’s contact info on a hot feed, or sharing pins with your best blind buds, onX Maps provides an impressive set of features to make your preparation easier and your hunting better. As one of the leading mapping services on the market, onX has done the hard work for you in displaying exactly who owns what and where the private and public land boundaries are. This service also offers software to sync with your tablet and desktop devices and the ability to download off-line maps for when you’re a longways away from cellular reception. Elite members are given access to all 50 states for those hell-bent on chasing the migration across the flyways.

Elite Membership $100 per year | onxmaps.com 

Duckr

If you like keeping your ducks in a row, Duckr might be your next favorite quack app. Duckr has everything you’ve come to expect in a waterfowl hunting app and so much more. Log hunt info, share maps, view sun stats and wind and weather forecasts are standard, but this ducky download sets itself apart from the flock by including a bird identification database complete with sound samples, flyway reports, community chatroom, and direct links to state-specific regulations, seasons, and bag limits—oh, and a list of professional guide services, just to name a few features. Aside from shooting for you, there’s not much Duckr doesn’t do to put you on the path to success.

$14.99 per year | duckr.app

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Primos Wind

If you’re a little more cerebral in your waterfowl wanderings and try to hunt without the assistance of apps, but double checking the wind before the decoys are set isn’t considered cheating in your book, the Primos Wind app is a simple solution. Displaying wind direction and wind speed, the app presents a satellite view of your location or turn the map off for a digital compass, both of which respond in real time to the direction you are facing. Tap the weather icon for a quick peek at the current conditions in your area and get your eyes back to the skies and free of screens.

$0.99 | Primos Wind