15 Great Places to Hunt Waterfowl
When it comes to planning a waterfowl hunting trip, location is everything
When it comes to planning a waterfowl hunting trip, location is everything
By Matt Young
While good waterfowl hunting can be found across this continent from the Arctic to the Everglades, there are certain locations that regularly attract extraordinary numbers of birds. These are the places that waterfowl hunters dream about during the off-season and where many of us hope to hunt at least once in our lives. Over the years, Ducks Unlimited has sent correspondents to many of the hottest waterfowl hunting areas in the United States and Canada. The following reviews of great waterfowl hunting destinations (in no particular order) are based on their reports.
By virtually any measure, Saskatchewan would rank high among North America's best places to hunt waterfowl. The province is not only the continent's most important breeding area for mallards, pintails, and other dabbling ducks but also a staging hub for Arctic geese and other waterfowl raised across the Far North. In certain areas of this province's vast prairie-parkland region, it's not uncommon to take large and small subspecies of Canada geese, white-fronted geese, light geese, mallards, and pintails in the same decoy spread. Public hunting is available on many large wetland projects conserved by Ducks Unlimited and its partners in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Freelance waterfowlers can also secure permission from farmers to hunt on private land.
When it's hot: late September-October
Abundant species: mallards, pintails, canvasbacks, redheads, Canada geese, white-fronted geese, light geese
Contact: Tourism Saskatchewan sasktourism.com
Whether you are pursuing Canada geese, light geese, dabbling ducks, or divers, you can find them in abundance somewhere in North Dakota. Located in the heart of the prairie Duck Factory, this state supported more than 8 million breeding ducks in 2009 and hosts even larger numbers of staging waterfowl during the fall migration. Hunting access is available on a variety of public lands in the eastern half of the state, including federal waterfowl production areas, state wildlife management areas, and properties enrolled in the state's Private Lands Open To Sportsmen (PLOTS) program.
When it's hot: October-early November
Abundant species: mallards, pintails, gadwalls, green-winged teal, lesser scaup, Canada geese, lesser snow geese
Contact: North Dakota Game and Fish Department gf.nd.gov
Acre for acre, the Central Valley of California supports more wintering waterfowl than anywhere else in North America. At peak times, this region hosts 5 to 7 million wintering waterfowl-more than 60 percent of the Pacific Flyway's ducks and geese. As you would expect, the high ratio of birds to habitat results in some superb waterfowl hunting. This is especially true on private duck clubs in places such as Butte Sink, Suisun Marsh, and the Grasslands. Good public hunting is also available on several intensively managed national wildlife refuges and state wildlife areas in the region, which also support large numbers of wintering waterfowl.
When it's hot: late November-January
Abundant species: pintails, mallards, wigeon, green-winged teal, Aleutian cackling geese, white-fronted geese, light geese
Contact: California Department of Fish and Game wildlife.ca.gov
Any survey of North America's top waterfowl hunting areas would have to include Louisiana. America's Wetland-as south Louisiana's coastal marshes are collectively known-supports upwards of 9 million migrating and wintering ducks on average. Some of the state's best duck hunting can be found on the Chenier Plain in southwest Louisiana. Freelancers equipped with shallow-running duck boats will find plenty of public hunting opportunities on the massive Sabine and Lacassine national wildlife refuges in Cameron Parish.
When it's hot: late November-January
Abundant species: gadwalls, green-winged teal, blue-winged teal, pintails, mottled ducks, white-fronted geese, lesser snow geese
Contact: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries wlf.louisiana.gov, Southwest Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge Complex fws.gov/swlarefugecomplex
As the northernmost major grain-producing region in North America, the Peace River Country of northwestern Alberta is a magnet for migrating waterfowl raised across the boreal forest and Arctic. In September, waves of Canada geese, white-fronted geese, lesser snows, Ross's geese, mallards, pintails, and other dabbling ducks descend on the region to gorge themselves on wheat, barley, lentils, and peas. As in other parts of Prairie Canada, visiting hunters can freelance by scouting the fields and asking permission from local landowners.
When it's hot: September-early October
Abundant species: mallards, pintails, wigeon, green-winged teal, Canada geese, white-fronted geese, light geese
Contact: Travel Alberta mywildalberta.com
The Texas Panhandle lies in the heart of what is known as the playa lakes region, also encompassing parts of New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. Much like the prairie potholes of the northern Great Plains, playas are dependent on seasonal precipitation, and in those special years when timely rainfall replenishes these unique wetlands, the Panhandle fills up with incredible numbers of waterfowl. Hunting pressure is light across much of this sparsely populated region. Freelance waterfowlers can often receive permission from landowners to hunt waterfowl on playas and private agricultural land.
When it's hot: late November-December
Abundant species: mallards, pintails, wigeon, green-winged teal, Canada geese
Known as the Duck Capital of the World, Stuttgart, Arkansas, has long been a favorite destination for waterfowl hunters from near and far-and for good reason. Extensive rice production, naturally flooded bottomland hardwoods, and intensively managed green-tree reservoirs make the broad alluvial plain surrounding Stuttgart a winter paradise for mallards-and duck hunters. For those willing to work for their birds, good public hunting is available on the nearly 34,000-acre Bayou Meto Wildlife Management Area in Jefferson and Arkansas counties and the 160,000-acre White River National Wildlife Refuge, spanning nearly 90 miles in four counties.
When it's hot: late November-January
Abundant species: mallards, pintails, wood ducks, green-winged teal, gadwalls, white-fronted geese, lesser snow geese
Contact: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission agfc.com
The Great Salt Lake is an oasis for breeding and migrating waterfowl in the heart of the arid Great Basin. This 70-mile-long lake and associated marshes are among the continent's most important staging areas for pintails and other dabbling ducks. Steeped in waterfowling tradition, Great Salt Lake is home to nearly 30 private hunting clubs, such as the Bear River Club-dating back to 1901-as well as the Chesapeake, North Point, Harrison, Rudy, Ambassador, and New State clubs. Public hunting is available on the lake itself and on several state waterfowl management areas along its shores.
When it's hot: early October-November
Abundant species: pintails, mallards, wigeon, gadwalls, shovelers, green-winged and cinnamon teal
Contact: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources wildlife.utah.gov
Encompassing the watersheds of South Carolina's Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto rivers, the ACE Basin is one of the most important waterfowl wintering areas in the south Atlantic Flyway. A mix of freshwater and brackish marsh, seasonally flooded bottomland hardwood forest, and intensively managed wetland impoundments draw large numbers of wintering dabbling ducks to the Palmetto State's Lowcountry every year. Some of the best waterfowl habitat-and duck hunting-are found on this region's historic rice plantations, which are privately owned and intensively managed for waterfowl and other wildlife. But the ACE Basin also has an abundance of public water open to hunting, and a small number of high-quality draw hunts are held on state wildlife management areas in the region.
When it's hot: December-January
Abundant species: green-winged teal, blue-winged teal, pintails, ring-necked ducks, wood ducks, gadwalls
Contact: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources dnr.sc.gov