Official 2017-2018 Waterfowl Thread!

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • pbharvey

    Habitual Testifier
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    30,157
    Got a couple, missed a couple, caught a decent smallmouth afterwards.
     

    boltster08

    Active Member
    Feb 7, 2015
    342
    Belair
    Went out this morning for a hour. Saw 3 and dropped 2. Going again Wednesday and have some more time so hopefully better results.
     

    Derwood

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 2, 2011
    1,075
    DC area
    I had a fairly typical opening day at a popular public land spot on Saturday morning. The last three years I have just listened to the action from nearby fields out of curiosity as much as anything. That yielded one bird in a passing shot and lots of entertainment at what really sounds like a military skirmish going on. This year I decided to go to the water after seeing lots of successful hunters with ducks last year. I got in position 3 hours before shooting time, knowing that it was a popular spot and accepting that I could be overrun. I didn't have a better alternative location, so I just decided to go for it and see what happens. Like clockwork, 15 minutes before shooting time, a guy set up 30 yards from me (I signaled to him with my flashlight and whistled but he didn't seem to care).

    Many birds flew right at first light/first shot. I didn't have a good shot on a flock that flew by, but my neighbor did. He dropped one and then spent the next hour walking around the pond directly in front of me (literally walking through my 10 decoy spread), talking and carrying on, as he looked for his shot duck. I saw four more flocks come and flail away at the site of this guy walking around in the water. He eventually found it after literally an hour of searching. I decided to pack it up at that point and immediately went and gathered my decoys to get out of there. Within ten minutes, I was walking back to the parking lot. Then someone jumped out of his blind and told me to look out as he literally shot over my head wildly at a bird that must have been 150 feet in the air. That's when I started walking a little faster! I knew it'd be nutty going out there on opening day and I knew I'd run into some inconsiderate people. And I did! I won't go out there again on opening day. No thanks! But I will go out one morning this week I hope!
     

    boltster08

    Active Member
    Feb 7, 2015
    342
    Belair
    I had a fairly typical opening day at a popular public land spot on Saturday morning. The last three years I have just listened to the action from nearby fields out of curiosity as much as anything. That yielded one bird in a passing shot and lots of entertainment at what really sounds like a military skirmish going on. This year I decided to go to the water after seeing lots of successful hunters with ducks last year. I got in position 3 hours before shooting time, knowing that it was a popular spot and accepting that I could be overrun. I didn't have a better alternative location, so I just decided to go for it and see what happens. Like clockwork, 15 minutes before shooting time, a guy set up 30 yards from me (I signaled to him with my flashlight and whistled but he didn't seem to care).

    Many birds flew right at first light/first shot. I didn't have a good shot on a flock that flew by, but my neighbor did. He dropped one and then spent the next hour walking around the pond directly in front of me (literally walking through my 10 decoy spread), talking and carrying on, as he looked for his shot duck. I saw four more flocks come and flail away at the site of this guy walking around in the water. He eventually found it after literally an hour of searching. I decided to pack it up at that point and immediately went and gathered my decoys to get out of there. Within ten minutes, I was walking back to the parking lot. Then someone jumped out of his blind and told me to look out as he literally shot over my head wildly at a bird that must have been 150 feet in the air. That's when I started walking a little faster! I knew it'd be nutty going out there on opening day and I knew I'd run into some inconsiderate people. And I did! I won't go out there again on opening day. No thanks! But I will go out one morning this week I hope!

    That is ridiculous! I was actually really surprised by how few people I saw out on opening day.
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    Call the DNR poacher hotline. It is illegal to setup within 250 yards of another blind on the floating blind system, like the Potomac. My buddy just told me they just bought 3 new inboard jet boats to get around better and I am sure they had them all manned Saturday. They hired a lot of new, younger ambitious wardens also in the past couple years.

    The 250 yard rule is a safety thing and if they are going to F up your hunt you might as well return the favor. If they can't follow those rules I would bet the warden can find other things to drop paying papers on them. If you don't call you are letting the ignorant hunter win and not teaching them.

    I've also had other guys tie their boat to mine and made new friends. If that doesn't work and they don;t listen, have the DNR app on your phone like reporting deer and the number to call is right there and I think it even dials for you. :)

    The DNR wants to fix these things and you also have the MDWFA for political issues. We have our e-mail on our website. Just saying, posting on a website forum maybe feel like its off your chest, but isn't really fixing the problem.
     

    kstone803

    Official Meat Getter
    Feb 25, 2009
    3,923
    Ltown in the SMC
    Pretty good year so far.
     

    Attachments

    • 20170925_105049.jpg
      20170925_105049.jpg
      109.4 KB · Views: 149
    • IMG952925.jpg
      IMG952925.jpg
      218.9 KB · Views: 157

    Derwood

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 2, 2011
    1,075
    DC area
    Call the DNR poacher hotline. It is illegal to setup within 250 yards of another blind on the floating blind system, like the Potomac. My buddy just told me they just bought 3 new inboard jet boats to get around better and I am sure they had them all manned Saturday. They hired a lot of new, younger ambitious wardens also in the past couple years.

    The 250 yard rule is a safety thing and if they are going to F up your hunt you might as well return the favor. If they can't follow those rules I would bet the warden can find other things to drop paying papers on them. If you don't call you are letting the ignorant hunter win and not teaching them.

    I've also had other guys tie their boat to mine and made new friends. If that doesn't work and they don;t listen, have the DNR app on your phone like reporting deer and the number to call is right there and I think it even dials for you. :)

    The DNR wants to fix these things and you also have the MDWFA for political issues. We have our e-mail on our website. Just saying, posting on a website forum maybe feel like its off your chest, but isn't really fixing the problem.

    Thanks. I agree completely. I actually looked for the DNR in the parking lot but couldn't find the guy. I saw the officer earlier in the morning hauling ass (literally running) for some reason. I'll call it in if something like that happens again. I was on an inland pond--not on the Potomac. So I'm not sure if the 250 yard rule applies. But either way, the one guy was disruptive and the guy who fired over me was clearly violating multiple rules. I should have made a quick call.
     

    boltster08

    Active Member
    Feb 7, 2015
    342
    Belair
    Went out again this morning and got a few more birds. One mallard and one woodie. First split has been pretty good to us and I hope the cold weather just bring in more birds.
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    We hunted a corn field with a roost behind us. The ducks wouldn't even get up off that roost. Only saw two ducks flying and they full committed to that roost. Only saw two small flocks of geese fly also, something is making them sit in one spot and eat and not move.
     

    pbharvey

    Habitual Testifier
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    30,157
    Nice hunt this morning. One of those days when you stand in the water to keep your feet warm.
     

    Attachments

    • IMG_0337.jpg
      IMG_0337.jpg
      70.6 KB · Views: 198

    Derwood

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 2, 2011
    1,075
    DC area
    My crew had a great hunt on Saturday morning in the Lower Potomac from a shore blind. We came away with 2 mallards, a bluebill and 7 buffleheads. Interestingly, all of the ducks swam into our decoy spread--none of them flew and landed. Most of the ducks we got surprised us--like, "wait a minute... that decoy is alive!" I don't know why people turn their nose up at buffleheads. They're fun to hunt and we cooked them up with some butter, white wine, pepper and veggies. Absolutely delicious.

    As usual, 100 or more geese left a nearby cut corn field where we can't hunt and flew into our zone about 5 minutes after the end of legal shooting time. I bet they saw us getting into our boat and picking up for the day. Smart birds.

    How did everyone else do? It seems like there are more ducks around than last year. This cold weather must be helping to push them down earlier.
     

    boltster08

    Active Member
    Feb 7, 2015
    342
    Belair
    We shot 6 this morning, 4 Mallards and 2 Black ducks. Buddy went out on Tuesday and they shot 8 mallards in an hour. One of them was banded also!
     

    Chris

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Jun 21, 2005
    2,128
    Cecil Co, Maryland
    Went out and sat on a pond this morning, we almost limited out (four in the blind). Killed 5 out of a group of 7, hoping the other two would circle back didn't happen. Not a bad first day had lots of fun plus we got some shooting in. Everybody went home happy. Even the dog was happy to get out and swim for birds (geese). All were younger birds. Chris
     
    Last edited:

    boltster08

    Active Member
    Feb 7, 2015
    342
    Belair
    I was able to get out again this morning with 2 other buddies. Walked away with 9 birds as a group so another good day in the books. Looks like a few cold days last weekend really helped move some of the birds.
     

    MunkMaster

    Active Member
    Aug 9, 2013
    219
    Eastern Shore
    Got out the day after Thanksgiving, came home with a bufflehead. Better than nothing. Ducks and geese were flying just not close enough.
     

    Attachments

    • IMG_20171124_061357349.jpg
      IMG_20171124_061357349.jpg
      46.7 KB · Views: 85
    • IMG_20171124_093628787.jpg
      IMG_20171124_093628787.jpg
      57.7 KB · Views: 85

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,921
    Messages
    7,259,069
    Members
    33,349
    Latest member
    christian04

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom