Home Forums Birds & Dogs Waterfowl Any duck hunters here?

Just wondering.<P>------------------<BR> <A HREF="http://TheSouthernOutdoorsman.com" TARGET=_blank>TheSouthernOutdoorsman.com</A>

You betcha. I currently shoot on a buddy's property in what's known as the Sutter Basin of Kalifornia. Didn't have a good season at all last year. Warm, indian summer weather, and lots of property closed to hunting. The birds just weren't moving. Lot's of them, however. E.

I love hunting migratory fowl.I just aquired a bunch of magnum goose decoys,ladies husband died and she sold all his gear at a garage sale 100 bucks took them all.We set up on the Hutterite colony about 15 miles from my place,they are more than willing to let us on to shoot.<P>I'm not set up to reload steel and quality shells are expensive.It has driven some of my shooting partners away from the sport.<P>I shoot a Rem.870 and 1100 wingmaster chambered in 3 inch.

Maybe my handle might suggest that I like wing shooting, and love duck hunting most of all, although a hot dove spot is pretty tempting.<P>Almost every year for the last 20 or so I and some friends have gone to southern Saskatchewan for ducks, geese, and upland. It is undoubtedly a bird hunting mecca. I have gotten to where about all I shoot is greenheads. I sure don't get one all the time, but a limit of greenheads is a pretty site. <P>Like Erimicus last year was very poor for up there, had a dry winter--little snow, which is main source of water--and very bluebird weather while we were there, even in late October. I managed to have a few decent hunts, but had to range and hunt on my own with a pirogue in some remote DU projects that had enough water, reeds, and ducks. Missed my first and only shot at a Sandhill Crane, and he was a gimme. GRRRRRRR.<P>I've got an excellent mallard hole on my ranch, if we have a decent fall wet season, but year before last you could have plowed the middle of it until the last day of duck season and last year it was wet enough but the summer was bad enough that I had my hands full taking care of cattle and deer hunting and did not hunt it much.<P>But yes, I like to hunt ducks. Would much rather go on a good duck hunt than on a good deer hunt, guess I am crazy, but that is how it is with me.

Thats the same with me. I hunt just about everything theres a season for, but ducks are my favorites.<P>Thank God I was lucky enough to be born and raised in Arkansas! <P>Ive never hunted Canada though, but Ive sure some stories about the hunting up there.<P>------------------<BR> <A HREF="http://TheSouthernOutdoorsman.com" TARGET=_blank>TheSouthernOutdoorsman.com</A>

I'm another one! Our season opens Sept. 8th for both ducks and geese and I'm looking forward to getting out with my 2 1/2 year old YLF. She's even more crazy about hunting than I am.

Count me in! I am making plans to get a new 16' Express duck hunting boat. That way if the ducks won't come to me . . . I can go to the ducks!

Great white north checking in.... Our season is short but just as fun! I hope this forum gets bigger when season starts... [img]images/icons/crazy.gif" border="0[/img]

Alaskanassasan<BR>Yeah, the season is short, starts sept 1 and ends in the middle of january! Down in Kodiak we get great shooting right to the end! Does get cold though!<P>Funny thing about our tide-water greenheads though, they aren't fit to eat from all the dead salmon they munch (I'm guessing) and the usual fishy birds are OK.<P>The goldeneyes are plenty tasty to make up for the mallards. And the beautiful little oddball birds most folks never see are a kick in the pants.<BR>art

Hi Sitka,<P>We have a similar situation with our "beaver pond mallards" in northern Minnesota and northern Ontario. No agriculture to speak of in the area, and the mallards feed on snails and other insects. Really strong taste!<P>Our best-tasting ducks are canvasback and redhead, both species in decline... So we end up usually with scaup and ring-necked ducks... Any of the above to be preferred over the mallards.<P>The corn fields begin a few hundred miles south, and then the mallards become a preferred bird...<P>Good hunting.