ND, AR, or LA for ducks?

[skimerhorn]

So you're only going to hunt a few days? If you're going to hunt less than 5 days, I think you should hire a guide. It's going to be very tough to have many good hunts in just a couple days unless you know a local who can put you on birds right away.

As much as I hate to admit it that's probably the way I'm gonna go. Think I'm gonna stick in the central flyaway and take what I can get. Probably KS and maybe AR not sure yet

 

[kansasdad]

New rules coming into effect either now or soon will now mean no guiding on public land in Kansas, so be aware of that. My experience at Cheyenne Bottoms is that the best bird count days are opening weekend/s for ducks. KDWPT harvest info seems to reflect that trend too.

Goose numbers rise and fall, but very few geese are actually shot on the public land there, but are targeted by hunters in the surrounding crop lands. The Speckled geese you are seeking are usually earlier than later migrators through Kansas.

As a shallow water marshland, the Bottoms are usually frozen shut before the duck season for that zone closes.

 

[NR_Hunter]

ND is pretty sweet, but it has been changing. Lots of public and still some friendly farmers, but lots of guys wanting $100/gun to hunt their field as well. As someone who hunts ND in the spring and fall for waterfowl, I kinda wanna say it's as bad as everyone has made it out be but its really not.

 

[sneakypete]

Nothing like hunting the Sacramento Valley for waterfowl

 

[7mm08mo]

Don't overlook southeast Missouri as a duck and goose destination, northwest is usually good earlier but on a late season my money is on the southeast. I've had some good hunts down there in the past. I can also send you contact info for a reputable guide service, and several of the states best public waterfowl areas are down there.

 

[Ruckus]

I grew up in ND pot dam jumping and sleu hunting ducks, and would go duck and goose hunting there any chance i could get. But i have not been back in years due so i cannot attest to how it is these days.

 

[huntin24/7]

I grew up hunting ducks in ND for the first 25 years of my life. Late season duck hunting was some of my favorite, especially when the ice just began to form. If I were going back home for a week, id plan for the first week of Nov. Its always a gamble that time of year, but that would be my choice. Beautiful birds and lots of different species from paddlers to divers and maybe some bonus snows. Good luck with whatever you choose. If you go the nodak route, bring a couple doz Canada field dekes and a few dozen variety duck dekes. Access depends a lot on what part of the state, but most are good for water decoying.

 

[NCSU_Lewis]

I have experience with LA and AR and out of the two I would go for Arkansas. We had a great hunt imo being from NC and the guides we hunted with said there were no birds. We shot mostly shovlers and teal with a few green heads and a couple pintails. Also had a couple cracks at specs in the rice fields. We also did a goose hunt one afternoon which I would highly recommend. AR was fairly affordable for a guided hunt and place to stay. Shoot me a PM and I can give you the names if you're interested for both places we went.

 

[wytex]

Don't overlook the Texas Gulf Coast for a late season hunt. That's where they go winter. Louisiana or the Gulf Coast would be my bet. Ducks and geese then with a sandhill crane thrown in. Crane permits are free in Texas.

 

[skimerhorn]

A sandhill crane hunting would be awesome!

 

[Bukwild3]

If you decide louisiana stay to the north east or Arkansas. Our big birds usually are not here until late Dec. To January and even then it depends on Arkansas being froze or just a big front prushing them. 2 days later there back north.