27 replies to this topic

[Jeff]

So, more and more posts about duck hunting...Who is hunting the refuges this year and where did you put in for ressies?I put in for Gray Lodge, Delevan, Yolo and LDC. Who else is getting excited besides Buzzard?????

[Gunorea]

Oh me over here. I am. Since I live in the southland I put in for San Jacinto & Wister. I would love to give Delevan a shot one day. I mean that all you see on the 5 when you drive by it is ducks & geese.

[meatgetter]

I can't wait.San Jacinto, Wister, Kern, Los Banos, and Merced.... Hopefully I'll pull a few cards!

[clampdaddy]

I've been blowing my duck calls in my pick-up on the way to and from work every day and at home whenever the wife isn't around for the last two months so yeah, I guess you could say I'm going nuckin futs waiting for the opener.

[Moe]

I drew the first Saturday of the second half of the goose season at Umatilla. I've always done well on the second half opener. Since my lab died I haven't been duck hunting and have only been out once. This willprobably be my only trip this year. Considering selling all of my gear. Already sold my jon boat and boat blind.

[Pogo]

I live next to the Tulelake/Lower Klamath NWR. Despite that, I just can't get into hunting the refuges. We did a lot of waterfowl hunting here and in the outlying areas while growing up here. It has changed a bunch, with many of the birds bypassing this area as there are so many other areas with good habitat and food. I also just don't enjoy the whole refuge hunting experience, too crowded to me. Besides, OR has the spring goose depredation hunt now. It doesn't take many days of that to stock the freezer full of goose I haven't hunted it either since the first year they opened it (07 I think). Get more than enough from guys as a 'thank you' for crop land to hunt on.

[Jeff]

I am not a fan of the refuge way of life, but at this point - it's hunt the refuges or don't hunt. I've been lucky enough over the last few years to start meeting some friends and family with clubs that let me come hunt with them a few times a season, but other than that - I'm on the refuges. Nearly every Saturday, Sunday and most Wednesdays. I just don't have that kind of cash to be at a nice club, unfortunately.I do not like the overcrowding, and on most popular refuges, birds don't "work" and people say they do, which is a total hangup for me. One area I've fallen in love with is Vic Fazio, I just love hunting there for a variety of reasons.Hey Clamp - I was out in my garage this weekend and my son decided he wanted to blow on my calls so I let him blow on one and I started blowin' back with another one. I thought I heard a duck call coming from somewhere else in the neighborhood, so I did a loud hail call...I ended up calling in a neighbor a number of houses down that I hadn't met before. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Haha.

[clampdaddy]

Hey Clamp - I was out in my garage this weekend and my son decided he wanted to blow on my calls so I let him blow on one and I started blowin' back with another one. I thought I heard a duck call coming from somewhere else in the neighborhood, so I did a loud hail call...I ended up calling in a neighbor a number of houses down that I hadn't met before. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Haha.

That's to funny!

[ShooterJohn]

That's the way to meet your hunting neighbors. Even if they shoot back you know they are gun owners and there is hope for them.

[lvr]

I've been waiting since the end of turkey season. Its been a long time coming. Im not a fan of the refuges, but with a little hard work you can do just as well or better on the type C areas. It just comes down to a lot scouting and doing what ever it takes whether its hunting all day or going farther than anyone else. Theres plenty of public land ducks, you just cant see em from the road. best of luck to you boys

[Yateswell]

If someone ever needs a company in wister or kern, please let me know...

[Gunorea]

Did you put in for any Ressie's at Wister? Is so and you get a number and need a hunting buddy with a duck retrieving dog let me know.

[Yodel Dog]

...a hunting buddy with a duck retrieving duck let me know.

..and them's hard to find!

[Braz]

Yea, and when you send your duck out to retrieve the duck you killed it's awful hard to keep the other hunters from shooting him.

[Gunorea]

Okay I fixed it.

[Braz]

Fixed it? Heck, that's no fun!

[ShooterJohn]

[Gunorea]

I'll just say I had duck on my mind.

[Yateswell]

Did you put in for any Ressie's at Wister? Is so and you get a number and need a hunting buddy with a duck retrieving dog let me know.

I did not. But Wister takes walk-in hunters as well. I'm pretty sure I can get in there on Wednesday. I was there once on Saturday and there were so many guys just waiting to be assigned. If you don't mind I tag along, I'm available.

[Gunorea]

That's the thing about Wister, location is everything. Getting a ressie with a low number really really helps with the morning shoot. Keep me updated on what days you would like to go hunting on. I usually like to hit Wister on Saturday's & Sunday's and San Jacinto on Wednesday's.

[Yateswell]

I can go either Wednesday (take a day off from work to hunt is very well worth it in my book) or Saturday, Wister or San Jacinto. Let's connect once the season is open. Thanks.

[CRITTRGITTR]

I can't wait for duck season! I'm more pumped up about this upcoming season than my first! During the last weekend of the season last year, some how my lanyard with all my bands and hundreds of dollars worth of duck calls and my the tags from my awesome Lab Jessi, who I had to put down a few years ago disappeared. Lots of sentimental stuff on that braided lanyard lost forever. So I bought a new JJ Lares Hybrid. Been doin a lot of practicin drivin people crazy. For the opener I am putting in for Sacramento, Little Dry Creek, Merced, Kesterson, San Luis, Salt Slough, Gadwall, and of course good ol' Mendota. I am prayin that someone in my duck huntin crew pulls a Sacramento for the opener. I would love to get in on some Speck shootin up there since they are going to allow you to hunt them on the opener finally. But If we dont draw we will be in line at Mendota on either Wednesday or Thursday like we normally do. We normally have 7 or 8 guys that hunt in our group for the opener so someone always gets one resy for mendota at least. Good Luck to everyone this duck season. Bryan

[timmy]

We're fairly new to waterfowling; this will be our third season. We usually hunt off the boat in the delta. Right now it's in the shop.Broken welds, new fog lights, new rear light, new seat bases, posts seat mounts & cammo seats, a whole BUNCH of stuff. I can't wait.Opener morning will be in one of the ponds Patrick found (no dope, I hope....) in the delta. Afternoon may be at Grizzly Island, depending on how we do in the morning.I'll post pics of the boat when it is finished, with the new blind kit from Cabelas.

[Gunorea]

I heard the DFG website put up the ressies already for you guys up north.

[Hipshot Percussion]

You all should get on your knee's and pray for some weather here in N CAL or you won't see any ducks. I've been out scouting and there is nothing here except for local birds and after a few shots good luck. We need a good storm that will drop a couple of inches of rain and get the birds moving from the north.

[Braz]

It would sure help the deer hunting as well. I've been out the last two weekends and the roads are so dusty you can't drive down them and the woods are so dry you can't walk in them. We need a big storm.

[meatgetter]

I can't wait for the season to begin!!!!If anyone gets a low ressie and needs a great retriever (me)... let me know!!

[Jeff]

You all should get on your knee's and pray for some weather here in N CAL or you won't see any ducks. I've been out scouting and there is nothing here except for local birds and after a few shots good luck. We need a good storm that will drop a couple of inches of rain and get the birds moving from the north.

While a storm would be nothing short of hugely beneficial...there's birds already on the move. And especially geese. Specs are already moving East and they are down South already (which is a great sign). Sacramento and Delevan have LOADS of geese and ducks already too, migraters, not just local ducks. If this weather sticks, we should have rain before opener. Let's hope.