June 16, 2023 Best Waterfowl Hunting Locations Across the U.S.: Ultimate Guide for Hunters Waterfowl hunting is a time-honored tradition in the United States, with enthusiasts flocking to prime hunting locations to take part in this challenging and exciting outdoor pursuit. The U.S. is blessed with several major flyways that attract an incredible diversity of ducks, geese, and other waterfowl species, making it a veritable paradise for hunters who enjoy the sport. A variety of factors, from geography and climate to local regulations and resources, make some regions particularly renowned for their waterfowl hunting opportunities. The vast landscapes and pristine wetlands found across the country provide hunters with plenty of options to choose from. Many of the best hunting locations share key features, such as abundant food sources, reliable water supplies, and expansive wetland habitat, which make them irresistible to migrating waterfowl. Some of the top destinations span from Southern Saskatchewan in Canada to various states within the Central Flyway, such as Kansas, Montana, Oklahoma, and Texas. As hunters prepare their gear and plan their next waterfowl hunting adventure, it’s important to consider the many locations across the United States that offer exceptional opportunities for unforgettable hunting experiences. From coastal marshes to sprawling prairies, there’s a wealth of options to explore for both novice and experienced hunters alike, allowing for the creation of lasting memories and unique stories to share for years to come. Best Waterfowl Hunting Locations by Flyway Atlantic Flyway The Atlantic Flyway offers a diverse range of waterfowl habitats and species to hunt, including eider off the Maine coast and redheads in the shallows of the Gulf of Mexico. One of the most popular hunting spots in this flyway is Chesapeake Bay, located in Maryland. The bay provides a wide variety of public hunting areas for dabblers, divers, and geese. In addition to the Chesapeake Bay region, North Carolina’s Outer Banks is another renowned waterfowl hunting destination in the Atlantic Flyway. These barrier islands host a diverse array of duck and goose species, making it an excellent choice for hunters seeking variety. Mississippi Flyway Stretching from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi Delta, the Mississippi Flyway boasts some of the most abundant waterfowl populations in America. Stuttgart, Arkansas, is well-known as the “ Duck Capital of the World” due to its vast rice fields, flooded timber, and prime duck habitat. Many hunters flock to this area to enjoy exceptional waterfowl hunting experiences. Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas also offer remarkable hunting opportunities in the Mississippi Flyway. From the “Duck Factory” of North Dakota’s Prairie Pothole Region to Louisiana’s coastal marshes, waterfowl hunters can find an assortment of species and habitats in this diverse flyway. Central Flyway The Central Flyway, which includes parts of Kansas and North Dakota, is home to numerous public hunting opportunities for duck hunters, such as the Ducks Unlimited projects in Saskatchewan. These destinations feature fantastic diving duck hunting on areas open to public access and are ideal starting points for hunters searching for high-quality hunting spots. Another noteworthy location in the Central Flyway is North Dakota’s Devils Lake, which provides excellent opportunities for hunting diver ducks and puddle ducks. With its vast shoreline and numerous marshes, this location is a desirable choice for avid waterfowl hunters. Pacific Flyway Spanning from Alaska down to California, the Pacific Flyway has an abundance of waterfowl hunting locations. In Washington, the Columbia Basin attracts hundreds of thousands of puddlers and divers during the migration season. The year-round open water and cropland in this region provide ideal conditions for both ducks and hunters. California, on the other hand, boasts the legendary Sacramento Valley—a hotspot for waterfowl hunting enthusiasts. The numerous wildlife refuges and state-operated wildlife areas in the valley make it a popular destination for duck and goose hunters across the Pacific Flyway. In summary, each flyway offers unique and exceptional waterfowl hunting locations across the U.S. From the Atlantic to the Pacific, hunters will find an array of species, habitats, and unforgettable experiences in these destinations. Prime Waterfowl Hunting Destinations National Wildlife Refuges National Wildlife Refuges offer unbeatable opportunities for waterfowlers seeking both high-quality hunting grounds and a vast diversity of waterfowl species. Arguably the most famous refuge is the Columbia River in Washington and Oregon. This bountiful waterway serves as an essential stop on many migratory routes, providing the perfect habitat for a variety of duck species. Another excellent refuge for waterfowl hunting is the southern region of Saskatchewan, which boasts North America’s most important breeding area for mallards, pintails, and other dabbling ducks. It’s not only a vital breeding ground, but this Canadian province also acts as a staging hub for Arctic geese and other waterfowl raised further north. Wildlife Management Areas Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) provide public hunting opportunities and often host large numbers of waterfowl. The Columbia Basin in Washington, with its year-round open water and diverse cropland, holds hundreds of thousands of puddlers and divers during migration season. Additionally, the onX Hunt article lists numerous WMAs across the United States, each offering unique waterfowl hunting experiences. Waterfowlers should invest time in scouting these areas and familiarizing themselves with local regulations to maximize their hunting success. Top Private Land Locations Access to prime private land for waterfowl hunting often comes at a premium. However, many hunters find it worthwhile to pay for expert guide services or join private hunting clubs to gain access to these exclusive locations. For instance, some dedicated waterfowl outfitters in the United States offer all-inclusive waterfowl hunting packages that provide clients with guided hunts on prime private land. These packages usually include lodging, meals, and access to hunting blinds. Hunting on private land requires extra preparation and research, but the payoff can be significant. Beyond ensuring compliance with local regulations and establishing relationships with property owners, hunters who invest in private land access will often enjoy a less pressured environment, leading to increased waterfowl activity and success. Overall, by exploring National Wildlife Refuges, Wildlife Management Areas, and private land locations, waterfowlers will enjoy diverse hunting experiences and a greater abundance of waterfowl species. Factors to Consider in Choosing a Hunting Location Diversity of Waterfowl Species When selecting a waterfowl hunting location, it’s important to consider the diversity of species available. Areas like the prairie potholes in Alberta and Saskatchewan offer significant dabbling duck populations, including mallards, pintails, and green-winged teals. In contrast, Alaska provides hunters with an opportunity to target sea ducks like long-tailed ducks and scoters. Hunting Pressure Hunting pressure can greatly impact the behavior of waterfowl and the quality of a hunting experience. States such as Arkansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois are known for their high mallard harvest numbers, but the sheer number of waterfowl hunters can lead to greater pressure on public lands. Scenery and Natural Beauty The setting of a hunting location is another factor to consider. From the natural timber marshes in Nebraska to the picturesque potholes of the prairie provinces in Canada, each area offers unique scenery. For example, hunting in the rice fields of California’s Butte Sink provides beautiful landscapes and plentiful waterfowl resources. Ease of Access When evaluating a hunting location, consider the ease of access to the hunting grounds. Some premier waterfowl hunting destinations, like the Susquehanna Flats in Maryland or the Mississippi River in states such as Missouri, provide easy access due to their proximity to rivers. Alternatively, more remote locations like Alaska may require special permits and transportation arrangements. Public vs. Private Land Different states offer varying opportunities for public and private waterfowl hunting. South Carolina, for example, provides limited public hunting opportunities, while other states like New York and Ontario are known for their ample public lands available for waterfowl hunters. Recognizing the differences in these opportunities can be crucial in determining the best hunting destination for your needs. Availability of Guide Services For those who may be inexperienced or looking for a more guided experience, the availability of guide services can be an important factor to consider. Many bucket-list hunting destinations, such as the flooded timber areas in Arkansas or the prairie potholes of Alberta, offer professional guiding services to help hunters maximize their success in the field. By considering these six factors, waterfowl hunters can better evaluate the best hunting locations to create a memorable and successful hunting experience.
February 3, 2023 Whistlers- Hunting Golden Eyes By: T.J. Rademacher Golden Eyes are great shooting often from the shore Goldeneye are typically a bonus bird for most diver hunters. They are typically more drawn to their own kind and are not as likely to fully commit to a spread of mixed blocks. Many shots are taken at passing ranges for folks more interested in the other diving duck varieties. For the Last few years I have ended up on waterways chasing divers on both the Mississippi and Central flyways. Out of necessity I was forced to figure out the goldeneye game because the other birds were stale or not moving as much. Here is what I know now after spending some time targeting these birds specifically. When scouting a hunt for these birds you are looking for where they are headed to eat just like any other diver. The process is really the same as anything you might encounter looking for bluebills or redheads. The difference is in my experience is you are looking closer to rocky shores or open water bordering this type of area. In my experience you encounter goldeneye in rafts smaller in size than other divers. They seem to end up strung out loosely in areas they are feeding or loafing in. they are primarily feeding on mussels, clams, snails, crustaceans and sometimes small fish from the birds ta hive inspected while cleaning them. Once you find a concentration you can either push them out gently and set up for their return or you can traffic them. The main thing is covering water and finding a few different spots to try out or make a strategy for future hunts Use any means necessary to get to the X Getting on the X is tough. The X is usually a place where the birds can’t be targeted in most of the places I hunted. Most if these waterways include large areas that are off limits and are waterfowl refuges. So you instead find yourself looking for the soft X. This is usually less predictable and changes daily. Most of the times I did find a concentration of birds it was a mid-day loaf spot. We would leave them be and come back later the next morning and set up after having a go at the more un cooperative rafts of other divers. Pushing them out seemed to do more harm than good on this type of spot because they were not actively using it as a feeding spot so the pressure of gently bumping them usually had them picking the next least pressured spot and not many coming back. We would typically set a spread of 8 or so oversized GE decoys and nothing else. This typically did the trick for birds returning to the area. For trafficking we would pick the best spot to get in their way. If shore hunting, we would try and get one point the they swing close to. The use a layout boat to get in their way in spots where they were moving to and from spots to eat and loaf has become the main way to consistently kill these birds. We also used up to 3 dozen GE decoys to get birds to decoy. We had very mixed results with having comb spread with the most success coming from GE only spreads. It’s a lot of work in general to layout hunt diving ducks but this technique paid off big time when the going got tough. We a were able to scratch out enough birds to fill in with our bluebills to make the effort more worthwhile. Here’s another thing I learned about Goldeneyes. They are not trash ducks. They are excellent table fare. I’m not talking about plucking the and preparing them with the skin on like puddle duck. We all know this is probably a silly idea given their diet. However, the typical breasting method turned out great poppers and stir-fry’s. I was careful to remove all fat and silver skin from the meat. I also typically brine the breasts as well. It seems help with the taste of the finished product. Another way to prepare them is by braising them down in a crock pot. The final product to a tender pulled pork type of protein that goes great on sandwiches and my personal favorite Korean barbeque sliders. Whoever tells you can’t eat goldeneyes or says they are not edible probably got ahold of some that were not prepared well. Prep is king with wild game meat especially with animals that have a specific diet. Scratching out birds in places you wouldn’t typically think of Learning to nail down a measurable amount of success taking goldeneye consistently was a very rewarding experience. Sometimes the adaptations we make to figure out a path to success when the conditions aren’t exactly ideal are what we look back on the most fondly. I remember being very frustrated at times during their navigation of this learning curve. As is the case with most types of water fowling staying persistent and making the best decision you can based on the info you are receiving from the environment around is what will typically make you a little more successful. Now go and get after the whistlers.
January 6, 2023 Retay’s Top 5 Youtube Channels for Waterfowl By: Justin Hunold It is no secret that we love the written word here at Retay USA. It has been a focus, real concerted effort to deliver valuable content in our Straight Shootin Blog over the past nine months or so. A little content baby if you will. We actually love art of all kinds. Whether it’s music or multi media, photography or video it’s in our wheelhouse. So, we thought it might be helpful for our readers to check out some Youtube channels that we have found so valuable that Retay USA has made an investment in their success and art. Dennis Loosier Dr. Duck – Dennis Loosier and Billy Campbell top our list. They speak to what is really at the heart of Retay USA. Performance, Boldly Redefined. Dennis and Billy spent years crashing around public waters in Texas and more recently a broader base of states. They show us that a hunter doesn’t need a piece of inherited or purchased property or even a lease with an ever increasing cost to kill ducks. These two show us where there’s a will there’s a way. Whether it’s scouting for hours, long boat rides or letting other hunters in on the fun these guys get it all done. That is exactly the sort of thing we love. Hard work, passion, education, generosity and fun. Success in the Timber Lost Brake– Now we go to the opposite end of the spectrum and we love that too. Brooks Tinsley, Harrison Gregory, Murray Shows and their crew started out on public water, just like the Dr. Duck guys. When the Arkansas’ non resident rules started to make some shifts they decided to go all in and went on to purchase an island on the Mississippi. Lost Brake shows how much can go into building a camp, a culture and a heritage in one spot. The videography is amazing and the storytelling is second to none. B role on B role on B role and we are better off for seeing all of it. If you were to build a forever camp for you and your hunting buddies you’d want it to be just like this one. Custom fire pit and all. Brian’s eye is second to none DCC West– Now this isn’t just a waterfowl channel, and you won’t see the guys behind the camera, but what you will see is swirls upon swirls of birds and totally unique hunts. Our buddy Brian May , not of guitar god fame, is no less a virtuoso behind a camera. His eye for editing and picking the right action at the right time is just so on point. DCC West has hosted some of our hunters on Sandhill Crane hunts and shoots up and down the Pacific Flyway. If the Timber Hunts of Lost Brake and Dr. Duck aren’t your thing, check out the DCC West channel to see what the left coast has to offer. Go for the Pintails and Wigeon and stay for the Steelhead. Honesty at it’s best Nick Strba – This is our dark horse pick . Nick’s channel isn’t some big fancy, huge cost, high production value glamor show. It’s a no nonsense hunting gear review channel. Nick get’s it done in the field but his channel isn’t some self aggrandizing effort. What Nick does really well is give you the straight talk on stuff hunters use in the field. And from our point of view his reviews of our guns are as informative but non infomercial-like as anyone might actually need. With some decoy and gear talk mixed in he is a great resource for someone thinking about getting a Retay or just getting into waterfowl hunting. Modern Day Renaissance Jeff Coats, Pitboss Waterfowl– Last but certainly not least the man the myth the legend. The Worlds Largest Duck Boat, Hand Carved Decoys, Wawa Coffee, Brown Ale, Barn-dominium and Sea Ducks. If these videos don’t get you all fired up Jeff’s personality for sure will. When we talk about a renaissance man we don’t often think about a visor and a beard down to his sternum, but in Jeff’s case it’s the truth. Whether it’s “lead em lead em lead em” for sea ducks or “thinking of you we are” and a camera hit we love Jeff’s messaging, style and content. We left a lot of our friends and family off of this list, so I’m sure there will be a part two. For now we leave you with the totally unique perspectives from the members of the Retay USA family. There should be a little something in here for everyone. Jump over to YouTube and give these guys a watch, and while you’re at it check out our channel as well. We love bringing you guys value on a regular basis, whether that’s written word, a good video, or the best shotguns on the market.
August 19, 2022 Limiting out on Small Water: How to Duck Hunt Secondary Creeks By: Justin Hunold When I started duck hunting I always had pictures of standing timber, flooded food fields and prairie potholes in my mind’s eye. The locations I ended up taking a lot of my ducks from looked nothing like these “dream” spots. I ended up shooting a majority of all of my waterfowl from a small, untapped and often duck choked feature, Secondary Creeks. Let’s look at how you can build a system for secondary creeks that can get you into ducks no one else is pursuing. Look at google maps of any big river. As you look at the layout of this river a few apparent areas will hit you in the face. You’ll see a good point, island, broken shoreline, or maybe a flat in the back of a cove. It hit you and everyone else in the face. Now , from that same view take a look and see if you can find some small creeks that spurt off the main river. These are secondary creeks and these are your mission. Scouting From my canoe I slipped under a small culvert bridge and into the creek that fed from the river to a gigantic swamp a few miles away. While I know the birds on the river get shot up and the swamp gets a lot of pressure the creek that runs between the two is tough to get into and takes some forethought. This quick detour during a smallmouth fishing trip showed me quickly where all the ducks would end up when the shooting starts. This creek was choked with ducks, geese, natural food and had cover up both sides in the form of trees. Best case scenario is you get to scout these areas by water or foot, worst case you escout them. What I like to look for is a simple pool or bend in the creek, outside bends will have fast water so for my money I prefer an inside bend with its slower current. If you can find a point or oxbow even better but remember we are working on a micro habitat so they won’t be hugely apparent. These areas will likely hold natural food for puddlers. If you have to go in completely blind, use these as a good bet for a set up. If you get to scout ahead of time, this is where I would start and expect to see ducks. Gear Paddling my canoe under the culvert before daylight I was careful not to make too much paddling noise. My headlamp shined off of the dozen decoys , spinner and shotgun case I had with me. If this spot held ducks like it had in the late summer I wouldn’t have to worry about a huge set up. This style of hunting is a game for a minimalist set up. These are small spots, the draw is the isolation, cover, food, and lack of pressure. Pack accordingly. A Canoe or Kayak are probably the best ways to access these small creeks. I like to carry a dozen high quality mallard decoys, although these can be tailored to your regions and species, one or two spinning wing decoys and maybe a quiver decoy of some sort. There will be natural movement imparted by the moving water, which is really awesome. I will carry a few Canada silhouettes from time to time depending on how the seasons crossover or overlap. I have put these to use even in this small area. This is a great scenario to try out a 20 gauge, with the generally tight shooting and decoying birds. I like a light gun with an fairly open choke. Small creeks mean close birds, and if you’re setting up in the right spot they will be lighting into your small spread. A 12 gauge will work by all means just keep in mind the shots will probably be right in your face. Choose your choke and your load accordingly. The basic waterfowl load out will work, blind bag, head lamp, clothing and waders. I really like carrying a marsh stool or dove stool. Normally building a brush blind is a pretty easy task in these locations. Their isolation leads to ample brush build up of all sorts Set Up Brushed into a small impromptu blind made of a few branches and some grass my watch let me know it was legal shooting, and not five minutes later I head the whistling wings bombing overhead and after one pass and a turn two Wood Ducks arched through the trees and tried to touch down. My gun went off and a beautiful Drake hit the water. This was the beginning but it would be repeated throughout this hunt with Mallards and Woodies both. Using natural barriers and cover is the way to go in these situations. I love making a nice easy blind by brushing in a deadfall if possible. Otherwise I will just tuck myself into whatever cover is available. From there I use a small scattered spread of decoys. I leave the J’s and U’s for the big water. I normally set the dekes out by hand but in smaller pairs or triples. I put the spinners on staked on the edge of the opposite bank. This simple spread has accounted for more puddle ducks than any other set up I have ever hunted them with. Small Water Big limits After stowing all of my gear I paddled out of the little stream just a few short hours later than I had entered, I was lighter on shells and heavier on Ducks. Having killed my one man limit that morning I chuckled as I loaded up within sight of a big river boat blind, knowing I hadn’t heard a shot from them all morning. For once I got it right and the slim and trim was where it was at. I have moved around the eastern seaboard, and when it comes to finding new waterfowl hunting this is my go to technique. You can walk into these spots a lot of the time, I always have a kayak or canoe, and when you don’t know anyone keeping it simple can make all the difference. These secondary creeks are my secret spot to kill limits of ducks when I feel like I don’t know what I am doing. Now it’s your secret too.
