1. Seattle, Washington 

There's no doubt that waterfowlers living in the Emerald City hunt in extraordinary surroundings. Puget Sound is framed by the Olympic mountain range to the west and the Cascades to the east. Popular waterfowl hunting areas near Seattle include Skagit and Padilla bays and the Nisqually River Delta.

"The greater Puget Sound area is blessed with waterfowl hunting as varied as anywhere in the nation. Opportunities for light and dark geese, puddle ducks, divers, brant, and even sea ducks exist for those who put in the time to scout and get to know a specific area," says DU regional director John Tierney.

Seattle-based waterfowlers also have the unique opportunity to bag a harlequin duck, which is considered to be a bona fide trophy among local hunters. Gunning for Pacific brant is another unique hunting opportunity for waterfowlers living in western Washington. Padilla Bay holds the largest wintering population of these birds north of Mexico.

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