Lake Mattamuskeet Guide

[skydog]

Sprig- I said weather matters some everywhere and a LOT on the east coast. In this part of the country we have too few ducks and too much water so we need weather to push them south, concentrate them, and make them move on any given day.

My argument is that it matters less in places that actually have an abundance of ducks (no where on the east coast). The outfitter I've hunted with in Arkansas has killed roughly the same # of ducks year in and year out for the past 15 years. The weather fluctuates hugely from year to year but their duck #s stay about the same. Yes of course, weather on any given day can make a big difference (I've been on slow hunts out there because of a lack of wind) but over the course of a season, it tends to even out regardless of whether it's a cold, hot, or normal winter.

Mexico is also the perfect case study. Usually the hunting conditions there are temps in the 60s and not a lot of wind...but yet they kill ducks by the truck load. This isn't a luxury we have on the east coast, but if you travel some place with enough ducks, you can have plenty of success without having ducky weather.

[EastBound&Down]

KAhunter im gonna assume that you and I have had much of the same expierence in hunting enc, and Hyde...IMO I count my blessing when the forcast calls from snow and 25 to 35 knot north winds, and much less so when it's 70 degrees and not a breath of wind, but maybe my expierence is a fluke...or perhaps the weather really does play a very important role

I'm different than most. I look forward to those early season 70 degree days on a calendar migration and those late season weather driven patterns. I'm an opportunist and get just as mad at them regardless of time of year or weather. It sure is nice to be able to plan hunts out months in advance on the calendar ducks instead on being on standby for the weather to break, but both situations make up a season.

[encWaterfowl]

KAhunter im gonna assume that you and I have had much of the same expierence in hunting enc, and Hyde...IMO I count my blessing when the forcast calls from snow and 25 to 35 knot north winds, and much less so when it's 70 degrees and not a breath of wind, but maybe my expierence is a fluke...or perhaps the weather really does play a very important role

I'm different than most. I look forward to those early season 70 degree days on a calendar migration and those late season weather driven patterns. I'm an opportunist and get just as mad at them regardless of time of year or weather. It sure is nice to be able to plan hunts out months in advance on the calendar ducks instead on being on standby for the weather to break, but both situations make up a season.

I understand completely. I'm from east beaufort county and hunt all public water. I get a chance to be out there a lot due to my work schedule. Before Christmas was some of my better hunting then that later of part of the season. They just haven't reacted to the weather like they have in years before

[HydeMarsh]

I have been away for a while and just checked in on this thread, interesting comments. my two cents are that if you have snow and wind Hyde is as good as it gets, every time we get those conditions we have had awesome hunts. if you have a full moon, warm temperatures, and no wind almost anywhere will be poor; this includes Arkansas. I have hunted a lot of places but not the Sacramento Valley so I cannot comment about there.

As far as the outfitter we used in Kansas, Prairie Thunder, if you respect your money, please stay away. they made us feel as welcome as an older white policeman at a Black Lives Matter Rally. They have an awesome web presence but they are young, with limited ability in the tough times (real ability is something you really need as a waterfowl guide -Adam Jones in Hyde as an example, he does his best even in the tough times). they have no interpersonal skills and no understanding of the business they are in.. I am sure they are very good buddy hunters but not outfitters.

[Shurshot]

I believe Prairie Thunder Outfitters has been featured on one of the hunting shows like Drake's Migration Nation, Fowl Life, or something similar. I remember seeing a field hunt, which was fairly decent but I recalled thinking that they were a mighty young group and I had some reservations about the whole situation. Nothing against young guides but sometimes they just don't have the experience and hunter interpersonal skills that others might have. Always ask for references before you book with any guide....

[Raging Woodie]

My argument is that it matters less in places that actually have an abundance of ducks (no where on the east coast). The outfitter I've hunted with in Arkansas has killed roughly the same # of ducks year in and year out for the past 15 years. The weather fluctuates hugely from year to year but their duck #s stay about the same. Yes of course, weather on any given day can make a big difference (I've been on slow hunts out there because of a lack of wind) but over the course of a season, it tends to even out regardless of whether it's a cold, hot, or normal winter.

Mexico is also the perfect case study. Usually the hunting conditions there are temps in the 60s and not a lot of wind...but yet they kill ducks by the truck load. This isn't a luxury we have on the east coast, but if you travel some place with enough ducks, you can have plenty of success without having ducky weather.

^^^This. Don't waste your money on a eastern NC guides, non are worth it. Look west, plenty of good guides out there like mentioned above that are pretty consistent every season.

[ncbufflehead]

^^^This. Don't waste your money on a eastern NC guides, non are worth it.

That's a pretty bold statement. I'm not a fan of a lot of the guides here on that coast that pretty much lie about what to expect but there are some that are honest about it and will tell you straight up you can either shoot buffleheads till you get your limit or hunt good ducks and may not pull the trigger. Also, there are guides here that offer hunts like curtain blind hunts that you can not do anywhere else in the world. Because it's not worth "it" to you, does not mean it is not worth it to someone else. A lot of people enjoy the experience of hunting here whether they kill ducks or not.

And to be honest, even hunting with the shithead guides that talk pintails and redheads but never kill either must be worth something because a lot of them have people that come back year after year.

[coachcornbread]

If you decide to go the guide route, try to book something you've never done before. Flooded timber in Arkansas, Eider hunt in Maine, Mallard hunt on Reelfoot, curtain blind on the OBX, ect, ect. Just bear in mind that the guides cant control the weather nor migration. A guide will take you on a hunt, a great guide will bust his/her ass to make sure you have as pleasurable hunt as possible. Nothing is a sure bet. A couple of years ago I took some friends to hunt with a buddy of mine on Reelfoot. Reelfoot gets a push of birds every year around Christmas/New Years and this trip was no different. Problem was every river from Nashville to Arkansas was out and there was water everywhere which had the birds very scattered. Got a few every day but could have done better if there wasn't as much water and the birds were concentrated. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

[Raging Woodie]

That's a pretty bold statement. I'm not a fan of a lot of the guides here on that coast that pretty much lie about what to expect but there are some that are honest about it and will tell you straight up you can either shoot buffleheads till you get your limit or hunt good ducks and may not pull the trigger. Also, there are guides here that offer hunts like curtain blind hunts that you can not do anywhere else in the world. Because it's not worth "it" to you, does not mean it is not worth it to someone else. A lot of people enjoy the experience of hunting here whether they kill ducks or not.

And to be honest, even hunting with the shithead guides that talk pintails and redheads but never kill either must be worth something because a lot of them have people that come back year after year.

May be a bold statement but being as i've hunted out west and happen to live and hunt in the area the OP is asking about i gave my recommendation. If he would like recommendations for guides out west i'll be glad to give him recommendations to guides i've had great success with. I have not had great success with guides from NC, so i will not recommend them. NC guides may be worth it to some people but they are not worth it to me. That's my opinion from experience.

[HydeMarsh]

That's a pretty bold statement. I'm not a fan of a lot of the guides here on that coast that pretty much lie about what to expect but there are some that are honest about it and will tell you straight up you can either shoot buffleheads till you get your limit or hunt good ducks and may not pull the trigger. Also, there are guides here that offer hunts like curtain blind hunts that you can not do anywhere else in the world. Because it's not worth "it" to you, does not mean it is not worth it to someone else. A lot of people enjoy the experience of hunting here whether they kill ducks or not.

And to be honest, even hunting with the shithead guides that talk pintails and redheads but never kill either must be worth something because a lot of them have people that come back year after year.

May be a bold statement but being as i've hunted out west and happen to live and hunt in the area the OP is asking about i gave my recommendation. If he would like recommendations for guides out west i'll be glad to give him recommendations to guides i've had great success with. I have not had great success with guides from NC, so i will not recommend them. NC guides may be worth it to some people but they are not worth it to me. That's my opinion from experience.

Would you mind telling us which guides in easter, NC you have had a bad experience with. I will gladly say I have had a very good experience with Adam Jones, Brad Gurganous, Joey Ben Williams. Capt. Froggy scares me.

[Raging Woodie]

That's a pretty bold statement. I'm not a fan of a lot of the guides here on that coast that pretty much lie about what to expect but there are some that are honest about it and will tell you straight up you can either shoot buffleheads till you get your limit or hunt good ducks and may not pull the trigger. Also, there are guides here that offer hunts like curtain blind hunts that you can not do anywhere else in the world. Because it's not worth "it" to you, does not mean it is not worth it to someone else. A lot of people enjoy the experience of hunting here whether they kill ducks or not.

And to be honest, even hunting with the shithead guides that talk pintails and redheads but never kill either must be worth something because a lot of them have people that come back year after year.

May be a bold statement but being as i've hunted out west and happen to live and hunt in the area the OP is asking about i gave my recommendation. If he would like recommendations for guides out west i'll be glad to give him recommendations to guides i've had great success with. I have not had great success with guides from NC, so i will not recommend them. NC guides may be worth it to some people but they are not worth it to me. That's my opinion from experience.

Would you mind telling us which guides in easter, NC you have had a bad experience with. I will gladly say I have had a very good experience with Adam Jones, Brad Gurganous, Joey Ben Williams. Capt. Froggy scares me.

I didn't say i had bad experiences. I said i did not have great success and by that i mean having good hunts to get my money's worth. I should have been more specific. They NC guides i've been with worked hard to put us on the birds but it just didn't happen. I've had better hunting success out west.