I'm from gates county, and I hunt the swamps! The Chowan river is less than two miles from my house but until the swamps freezee....I'll stay in the swamps! Scouting is the key. If you can find a large swamp and you get the time to go scouting ...go. Look for the tell tell signs....feathers on the water, birds talking it up in the early morning, flushing birds up ahead of ya ! In the afternoon take your vehicle where you can look across a field to see what is flying into or out of these swamps! Ps. if you think that a good ole' boy is going to tell you where his honey holes are :toofunny: ! honestly, I learned by getting with another hunter in the area. I was always early to meet him when we scouted, I was always early when we met to go hunting. If you wish to fight the crowds.... I can recomend the pamlico sound impoundment! lots of birds, lots of hunters, and you had better be at the ramp before 4:00 am ( cant launch before then) and you had better be prepared to walk in deep mud to get to a blind. Other than that it is a great place to hunt.