As the seasons change, so do the habits and habitats of wildlife. Deer will be heading toward the shelter of softwoods. Grouse will move toward mature stands of birch and aspen, where they can feed on catkins and buds. Waterfowl too will shift their range, and it’s helpful for hunters to know where they go.

The generic term applied to web-footed fowl provides the first clue about where to seek them out. For the most part, ducks and geese roost, feed and loaf on the water. As marshes, ponds, lakes and eventually rivers freeze over, that habitat becomes harder to find. Like tourists in summer, they head for the coast.

Unless and until we get a deep freeze, tidal fluctuations provide a fresh influx of open water each day to coastal marshes. Jump-shooting the salt ditches and creeks is best done around mid tide, when there’s still enough water to attract the birds but they can’t see you coming. Smaller ones can be reached on foot while kayaks or canoes are a better option for larger, deeper portions. Here you’ll find mostly mallards and black ducks, and an occasional tardy teal.

As you move downstream toward the creek mouths, estuaries and bays the water gets deeper and bigger. Boats and dogs become more important and setting out a spread of decoys in front of a makeshift blind might be a better option. Tidal cycles also become more important and you’ll want to target periods of high water, for obvious reasons. Don’t fret if you don’t have high water at dawn and dusk. The action will be a bit slower but the birds will come in as the water rises most any time of day. In addition, you might find divers like buffleheads, goldeneyes and mergansers.

If you intend to target mergansers, rocky coastal ledges provide a better option. Because they feed under the water, divers might be more inclined toward deeper areas. If you can access areas by foot, you’ll definitely want a good retriever. Boats provide virtually unlimited access because Maine law allows access for hunting and fishing to all intertidal areas.

All waterfowl migrate to a certain degree. Many dabblers move south, first to the coast, then on to the south Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico and even South America. Sea ducks also move south, from their high arctic nesting grounds to southern wintering areas from New England to the Chesapeake. Scoters typically pass through in October and November, but the hardier eiders and oldsquaw will remain in our waters through the winter.

With very few exceptions, you’ll need a boat to access their feeding and roosting areas around tidal ledges, island points and shallow shellfish beds. Speaking of shellfish, the booming aquaculture industry has provided a ready-made food source for sea ducks, much to the chagrin of aquaculturists and the delight of waterfowlers. The ducks target these areas and you should, too.

With roughly three weeks left in the season, there’s still plenty of time for coastal waterfowl hunting, whether it be hiking the salt marshes, paddling the creeks or sitting on a stony offshore ledge. Get out and take advantage of it now because it’s a long wait until next October.

Bob Humphrey is a freelance writer and Registered Maine Guide who lives in Pownal. He can be reached at: bob@bobhumphrey.com