Duck Hunting Forum banner

Being Realistic, or just need to get better?

2K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  hobie 
#1 ·
So, help a new, VT Waterfowler out.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I went waterfowl hunting a couple times last year... That makes this, I suppose, my 'second season', but I still feel completely like a newbie. Those waterfowl outings were my first hunting experiences of any kind (and I loved it!) and I didn't grow up here in the Northeast.

I live in the Upper Valley area near WRJ and have been trying to strike out on my own looking for places to hunt. In addition to all the challenges caused by the abundance of private/posted land, I'm have a dickens of a time finding birds. Except for stretches of the CT River that I don't see how to access, I have seen almost nothing on any of the bodies of water I've 'scouted'... The one notable exception is a small 'town pond' where there are tons of resident mallards clearly getting handouts from the neighborhood (and it's un-huntable).

I know that my perceptions of bird numbers is shaped largely by better places to hunt - near the Champlain Valley locally or in major flyway ares via youtube.

What's a realistic way to approach hunting in this region? Without getting into giving away spots, can anyone help me do a better job of scouting? If there's another Upper Valley hunter here, would you drop some knowledge on a guy for a 6-pack of good beer?

I've marked almost all the water I can see on Google Maps, and almost never see birds there. So I must be doing something wrong or just need to pick a spot and try to hunt it expecting them to show up.

Any help or tips appreciated.
 
See less See more
#3 ·
Look on Craig's List and buy a small boat or canoe. If you are serious about becoming a waterfowl hunter you are going to need to accumulate a bunch of gear. Boats are necessary to kill ducks. Not so much with geese but needed to successfully duck hunt.

Once you have a boat go scout just be careful and always respect the wind and water.

Good luck.
 
#4 ·
You have the White River there and the Ct River is not that far. Look for some backwaters on those in particular the CT. you can access, but the other poster is right at some point you will need something to get around in. I usually hunt beaver ponds early on for woodies and a few mallards and after the freeze up hit the rivers. Scouting is the key
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top