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SEA DUCK- hunting questions

6K views 34 replies 11 participants last post by  riesx040 
#1 ·
I'm thinking about making the drive from spokane over to the coast to try and cross off killing a Harlequin off of my bucket list sometime in the middle of January. I've got a 1655 Lowe roughneck so i can handle some waves. Does anyone have any advice on areas to go? I've got layout blinds, and a marsh grass blind for my boat, mallard, ringbill,redhead,golden eye,bufflehead, goose,wigeon decoys. Thanks for any advice your willing to share i'm a seassoned duck hunter but have never went out after these sea ducks.
 
#3 ·
If you drive out to the NW end you can see Harlequin ducks and Scoter right at the ferry ramp in Port Angeles. You can't hunt them there though. There are tons of places to hunt sea ducks. It is all big water and can be very rough at times. Seas ducks live all over the north Puget Sound and in the San Juan Islands all winter. I would do a good search for state parks with boat ramps and other public ramps for access. Have a variety of options for various weather conditions and wind directions. Bring longlines and be ready with fairly long anchor lines for them and the boat.

The nice thing with parks and ramps is you can glass at the ramp or walk the beach to check the area for birds, then launch the boat and hunt if you see plenty of them. Google Earth likely areas and do some research on the birds online. Feeding areas and preffered water depths. There is plenty of information if you spend the time to find it. You can find out enough info to have a successful trip. Be very careful and stay safe.
 
#5 ·
: I did that trip with CBL and we both bagged Harli's .. Probably one of the MOST memorable hunts of my life. Now, keeping that in mind, NO WAY IN HELL I'd go on a "wing-it" trip ... First off, I'm a diver guy, I know about long lines, divers, spacing ... But what I saw there in a "weak/soft tide" was out of this world! Nope ... Not me, ... I'll stick to the river, no tides!

I'm already planning / saving for next years hunt ... but if I'm putting my life, time, and family/friends on the salt .... I'm banging on someone's door, or calling a guide.

Good luck either way brother, ... just my two cents.
 
#8 ·
ScaupHunter- Thank you for the advice and the previous emails they are appreciated.

BigBlondBirdDog- Thanks for the advice is CBL the name of another forum member or a guide? I'm a diver guy myself I'm use to hunting bigger water like the Columbia or POR- I know that both of these are puddles compared to the Puget Sound.

Blacktail135- I'm off the 16-21s I've got a great hunting lab but I'm not sure how he'd handle the salt and given the fact that there is likely going to be a considerable amount of window time I may actually leave him behind for the first time since hes been 6 months- Also I've got two friends from Wisconsin (I moved out west from there 5 years ago) who fly out every year and hunt divers with me on the eastside. This year the river froze up a few weeks ago (thawed out now) but the hunting has been subpar so they mentioned the idea of Sea Duck hunting which has always been something I wanted to try. To be honest I know the odds may not be the best but even if one of us gets one wall hanger it will be one hell of a conversation piece on one of our walls.
 
#9 ·
If you make the run to Port Angeles Sekiu area it is an open straight. In calm weather it is a mill pond. Wind of any kind can churn it up something fierce. Hunted in the right areas you can hunt close to the ramp and in calm weather with no winds or very low winds predicted you can travel to find the birds and then set up. If you get around the San Juans, Everret, or any of the inland parts of Puget Sound you need to pay close attention to private property and no hunting areas.

If your hunting is slow, and you guys are going to make a run of it you should have a great time. Relax and enjoy the trip. Enjoy the drive, the scenery, etc.... You don't have to be up pre-dawn. Then launching and running in the dark. It is not recommended! Sleep in until daylight, go get some breakfast, then head out and hunt. There will be plenty of daylight to safely hunt and get birds into your decoys.

If you take a week or so and persist in your looking around and hunting, I bet you get a lot more than one trophy duck. Bring a bunch of shells and expect to have to chase some down if you don't get an instant kill. I bring a bunch of 3 inch #4 shells for water swatting cripples. Tearing up a trophy duck you want to mount doesn't make a lot of sense once you put it on the water.
 
#10 ·
Thanks everyone for the advice. I've still got another week and half of online research and pre scouting before the trip. Does anyone know any names of guides in that area? i'm not against getting a little help if its not to $$$ but i bet its to late of notice anyway.
Dan
 
#12 ·
I didn't read all the posts but make sure you get your sea duck card. There will also be a Brant season if you are interested in shooting at a pretty screwy goose which also requires a card. You need to go online and register for it then it will take about 10 days for them to get it in the system then you can pick it up at a local dealer think it's $13.00. You need the sea duck card to shoot Scooters, Long Tails (Oldsquaw), and Harlequin.
 
#13 ·
washingtonmuley- I haven't ruled any locations out yet- just going to head over to the any area that I hear rumors of birds. I'm driving over from the Spokane area so no area is really any closer than the other.

WetlandWarrior- thanks for the tip about the Brant season and the licenses.
 
#15 ·
riesx040 said:
Any tips on places to stay near Padilla bay?
There are several options. The one right on the bay is the Swinomish Casino and Lodge. Otherwise you would want to look in Anacortes, Mount Vernon or Burlington. You have several options.
Only problem with Padilla right now is brant season opened, so it will be a zoo on Sat. Sun & Wed's until the end of the season. Lots of hunting pressure will shift the birds and make it more of a challenge. Only three types of sea ducks that you will probably shoot in the bay depending on where you set up. Surf Scoters, Old Squaw which may be a challenge and buffleheads.

You will see puddle ducks along the east and south side of Padilla. South side has a large reserve along with private hunt clubs. It's a matter of knowing where your at as the leo's will be out checking boats, gear and licenses. You may also get a brant depending on where you set up.
You may do better going further south away from all the traffic around Camano Is., Whidbey area or further north. Research the spots where and where you can't hunt. Even seasoned local hunters can be challenged with all the regs and changing hunting / shooting zones. Once you get it dialed in, you can have a lot of fun. Just remember the salt will throw rust on a gun in about 2 hours. It is rough on all your equipment. Best of luck to you.
 
#16 ·
h2ofowlr said:
riesx040 said:
Any tips on places to stay near Padilla bay?
There are several options. The one right on the bay is the Swinomish Casino and Lodge. Otherwise you would want to look in Anacortes, Mount Vernon or Burlington. You have several options.
Only problem with Padilla right now is brant season opened, so it will be a zoo on Sat. Sun & Wed's until the end of the season. Lots of hunting pressure will shift the birds and make it more of a challenge. Only three types of sea ducks that you will probably shoot in the bay depending on where you set up. Surf Scoters, Old Squaw which may be a challenge and buffleheads.

You will see puddle ducks along the east and south side of Padilla. South side has a large reserve along with private hunt clubs. It's a matter of knowing where your at as the leo's will be out checking boats, gear and licenses. You may also get a brant depending on where you set up.
You may do better going further south away from all the traffic around Camano Is., Whidbey area or further north. Research the spots where and where you can't hunt. Even seasoned local hunters can be challenged with all the regs and changing hunting / shooting zones. Once you get it dialed in, you can have a lot of fun. Just remember the salt will throw rust on a gun in about 2 hours. It is rough on all your equipment. Best of luck to you.
Another big thing H20 didn't mention is the weather. Keep a close eye on it and check for updates regularly. After I tried to sink my boat earlier this year, I'm borderline neurotic about weather conditions. When in doubt, err on the side of caution. If the fecal matter hits the cooling apparatus on the river or lake odds of getting to the bank are pretty good. If it happens in the bay or out in the open water, your in for an unpleasant time.
 
#17 ·
Thanks guys,
I'm hoping to we get lucky and get a crack at a Harly- It's been a life long goal to put one of those on my wall! Picking the buds up at the airport at 8 tonight then burning the midnight oil and driving all the way accross the state tonight to scout in the morning. So far it looks like it wont be too windy!
Dan
 
#25 ·
Tealer said:
BigChunter said:
riesx040 said:
We saw a lot more sea ducks today, scooters, oldsquaw. Shot 2 couldn't get very many to decoy they kept flaring out of range.
Face paint or mask. Hand paint or gloves.
Have never needed either for sea ducks. I watch them all the way in too.
I sat about 10 yards off the dekes today when the Scoters came in. They're dumb...
 
#26 ·
Cougar125 said:
Tealer said:
BigChunter said:
riesx040 said:
We saw a lot more sea ducks today, scooters, oldsquaw. Shot 2 couldn't get very many to decoy they kept flaring out of range.
Face paint or mask. Hand paint or gloves.
Have never needed either for sea ducks. I watch them all the way in too.
I sat about 10 yards off the dekes today when the Scoters came in. They're dumb...
Not dumb, no pressure.
 
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