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Harrisburg Area

4K views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  Lowduk1 
#1 ·
Hello everyone, I was born on the swamps of Louisiana. I recently retired from the Marine Corps and moved to Enola. Looking for some advice on good places to duck hunt around the area. Is this mostly a water hunting area or fields? Appreciate any information you guys can provide.
 
#4 ·
caineo0700 said:
WOW......sure hoping all PA hunters aren't like you.....Thanks for the intelligent class
You are going to find a lot of PA hunters are going to give you similar answers. We PA hunters have spent countless hours and countless $ finding good spots. Good spots in PA don't come in abundance so when we do find one, we tend to keep it pretty tight lipped. You said you are retired, that would mean, to me, that you should have plenty of time to get out there and scout. You are in a good area, go find something.
 
#6 ·
Hey, just happened by this post. I'm in the military right now stationed in New Jersey. I just PCS'd to the northeast two years ago and it has taken me quite a while to find spots. I understand what it's like. There are less spots to hunt up here and people aren't really gonna post up on a public forum because once you do that, it's game over. My advice to you is to join a local waterfowl organization and meet other area hunters. They will be more responsive. I understand that retiring from the military at 40 doesn't mean you don't have a full time job! I'm considering settling in PA when I retire, so I might be in your shoes in the future. Good luck and if your ever further east on the Delaware shoot me a PM. Thanks for your faithful service.

To all you PA guys: Help this guy out by PM. Most of you locals have had your whole lives to scout and find those spots. Us Military guys have to move every 3 years and start from scratch. Just my .02, take it for what it's worth.
 
#8 ·
Thanks Dgram....You are absolutely correct....move every three years, just moved to PA, and ive been sitting in Afghanistan for the last 6 months....And a big part of that moving around and hunting is trying to figure out the local customs so you don't become "that guy" while out hunting with the "locals" who have spent their entire lives in that area. Trying to be respectful of fellow hunters

Stuck up is the last thing I am Tam. Did you get similar responses to the one you posted when you asked about deer hunting in Ohio?

I am not looking for anyone's honeyhole here....Just some ideas. but a response like susquehana=water is just a little degrading to me.

Anyway, I tried....i'll just do my own thing. and if I get it anyone's way, deal with it.

to those of you who have replied thanks.
 
#10 ·
I have found that people get better responses on here when they ask to tag along for a hunt with someone. Let them know what you can bring to the table...decoys boats dog ect. Asking for places to hunt is not a good way to learn "local customs" in my opinion.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2
 
#11 ·
That's a high pressure area with guys building blinds on public land and expecting them to be private. There are classy guys out there and some real jerks with a sense of entitlement. You're going tp piss people off no matter what.

Start scouting the river. When you find a spot that looks good, investigate it. You'll find there is a blind there. Don't you dare hunt their blind either, if they're not there, you're still not allowed. That's how many guys out there think.

Ducks on the water, geese in the fields. Go knock on doors of some amish farmers and join the crowds. If you want the spot, plan on going early, very very early. You'll still deal with 'my great grand pappy hunter this spot 60 years ago, then my grand pa, then my dad and now me. You're not allowed on this public land!' Types. Pay them no mind.

I'd plan on traveling a lot. Look to the NJ coast, Delware, Maryland and NY to fill some dead spots in the season. The duck hunting isn't that awesome out that way.

Good luck, thanks for your service.
 
#12 ·
I will be really honest. I get denied permission a lot around my area for ducks(Hershey/Harrisburg). I normally travel for ducks.

I have some good luck with geese, but I put on MANY miles to find the good spots. I imagine you will have good luck if you ask farmers in Lancaster county as long as the land isn't leased, and some of it is.
 
#15 ·
Boy we susky guys get a bad rap....harrisburg has a bunch of ducks but also a bunch of hunters....especially when the birds are here. that stretch of the river is nasty with rock ledges and hidden surprises and the couple times I hunted down that way there were a pile of guys. The further north you go on the river it seems to thin out with hunters especially during the work week. It is a lot nicer to navigate too. There is a culture here of blinds on public land. These really aren't the best places to hunt. Usually just a bunch of old timers out to shoot the bull, drink coffee, and clog their arteries. I easily find myself alone covered up in ducks. Just gotta put the gas in the boat and drive! That river is huge. the late goose season is amazing.
 
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