2017-18 Matt NWR draw hunt results- my edit

[bigsprig]

Mattamuskeet NWR hunt results 2017-18

630 hunters
2626 shots fired (reported)

69 birds crippled
295 birds harvested

12 black ducks
1 BWT
13 Bufflehead
68 gadwall
52 GWT
26 Hooded Merganser
3- Mallards (THREE!)
7 Pintail
2 Redhead
12 Ringneck
10 Ruddy duck
14 shoveler
24 Widgeon
28 Wood duck
18 Swans
4 coots
1 Greater Scaup

8.9 shots per bird bagged!!!!!!!!!!

Blinds 1 and 2 brought in most birds!!

[echoduck]

630 hunters selected out of 1 million applicants. Obviously I’m being hyperbolic. The most lack luster place has the highest demand. This year will likely see more applicants and less harvested birds.

[bigsprig]

Price to apply went up to $8, that will surely drive the masses away.

[KAhunter]

There are two main things happening when it comes to the hunts. The lake is still holding good number of birds but as a loafing spot not a feeding spot(for the most part). It has no grass last year. Therefore no food. That doesnt help blinds that are on the lake at all. I remember even 5 or 6 years ago when you drove down the causeway and would see ducks all over the place. Now you dont see much at all, aside from areas adjacent to big impoundments. The second thing is you are getting way more applicants, and therefore a much bigger chance of getting groups that barely know which end of the gun to hold, let alone how to get a duck into their decoys. The proof is in the shells fired per duck killed ratio. Thats similar to dove opener numbers. Obviously most people dont do very well when it comes to killing ducks, or take bad shots. Probably a mix of both. Its a cool hunt, and you can kill ducks if you get some weather and know what you are doing.

[CatFan]

Can't beleive DU listed Skeet as a top public hunt a few years back. We drew a permit a couple or years ago, hunted the first day and went home. Never again.

[EastBound&Down]

We drew a permit a couple or years ago, hunted the first day and went home. Never again.

Same boat here. Have hunted it multiple times and never had much to write home about. Last trip was same as yours. After day 1 we packed our bags and cut our losses.

[Shurshot]

Totally different than in the past. Use to wear them out, even when other blinds didn’t. We did things differently than the others back then. Now doesn’t matter what you do, if they ain’t there, they ain’t there. SAV is now completely gone from the east (blind area) side so there is no reason what so ever for them to be hanging around near the lake blinds. Might have better luck in the impoundment blinds but wouldn’t hang my hat on that for sure.