[Albemarle24]

Last year I won one hunt at Hog Island, great hunt. Only got one duck, kind of a bluebird day.

Anyway this year me and 2 buddies put in for Princess anne and hog Island, 6 chances and nada, not a single win.

I live in Va bch, I have decoys, calls, a canoe and a johnboat.

Can anyone give advice on where to go.

Anyone have experiance at Game Farm Marsh WMA?

Ragged Island WMA?

Eric

 

[John Finch]

Eric,
I had the same luck this year and last - not one draw for Dutch Gap, Hog Island, Lake Orange, Dick Cross or Princess Anne blinds.

I have scouted at Game Farm Marsh and hunted one time there. You definitely want to scout the area to be able to find your way in and out. The advice I got from the local fish camps was that it can get crowded quickly - it's not very big - and sometimes people get testy, but there is good hunting when it freezes up north and we get good numbres of ducks in the area.

I have also hunted Ragged Island. The problem is finding close access. There is a ramp at Jones Creek in the Smithfield area, but that's about a 35 minute ride. Haven't been to Bennetts Creek down toward Suffolk, but it looks to be about as long. Need to watch the weather, obviously, as conditions can change fast on the James. There are sea ducks and divers (Scaup and Canvasbacks) there.

I have also hunted some at Chickahominy WMA, but never had much luck. Ther are some spots to get out and try though.

Down your way, you can also put in at Capt George's in Pungo and hunt the North Landing River. Again, need to scout a little to find spots where there are no blinds.

Did you enter the draw for the Princess Anne floating blind stakes? That's an option too. Again, weather can be a factor, and some of the blinds are in pretty shallow water, but like any of these places, it's at least a chance to get out.

Hope that helps.

John

 

[Albemarle24]

John thanks for the reply

I did not put in for the blind stakes quota hunt.

How and where do you hunt the north landing? Is it open to hunt on the river anywhere.

I grew up in Mobile and we would go in the evening after school and jump shoot wood ducks during the week in a river in a john boat. Can you do that in the north landing?

I live about 5 min from west neck creek marinia.

Do you decoy or jump shoot the other 2 WMA's you talked about?

Thanks

Eric

 

[John Finch]

Generally, my hunting is all setting up with decoys and camouflaging the boat (which means you need a floating blind license). On the North Landing, as long as you stay in the boat and are not on anyone's property, you are OK (assuming you are abiding by all the other blind regulations - floating blind license on any boat thats camo'd, 500 yard separation fromother licensed blinds, etc.). When I hunted there in the past, we found our way up some of the side creeks and sloughs and just found a spot alnog the bank that was suitable for whatever the winds were that day.

I suppose you could jump shoot as well, but if you are in a boat with a motor on it the motor has to be off and all motion created by the motor has to have ceased. You would be better off jump shooting from canoe. At Ragged Island, there are some internal creeks that you could possibly jump shoot from, but I've never tried it there. At Game Farm Marsh, you could probably jump shoot once you got up in some of the backwaters, but they are probably too far from the boat ramp to paddle to. Not really any places to jump shoot at Chickahominy that I know of.

Take a look at the DGIF web site and look at the WMA info and maps. You can also go to Google Maps.com and get maps or imagery or a hybrid of both that's helpful in looking at some of these areas. I would also read the waterfowl blind regulations on the DGIF site if you haven't already.

John

 

[Albemarle24]

John

You have much luck getting them to decoy in North landing?

What creeks did you set up in West neck, pocaty, black water?

 

[earlyriser]

The hunts on Hog Island are really popular, seems they are always filled up, they do however have people that come for stand by, that would be your only chance of getting in. If you make the drive there and dont go as standby you can always goto the boat landing road just up from Hog Island and hunt on Lawnes Creek.

 

[Albemarle24]

Last time I was there, I saw 20 stand by people draw for 3 no shows, not good.

Lawnes Creek? How is that?
Eric

 

[earlyriser]

I am not a waterfowl hunter so I really dont know how Lawnes Creek would be. But I am sure it is kinda like anyother creek on the James that I have been up and down during the winter, which means the others have had hunters on it shooting birds.

 

[RANGER690]

I drew for the Dutch Gap hunt. I got Dec 22-24. I have never hunted any kind of waterfoul. But, I know there are plenty of geese. I have some research to do just to figure out what can be shot. I don't really even know what other species are around there.

Can I shoot while I have catfish/striper lines out!!! Should be able to ge a goose with a bow/arrow in there.

Dayton

 

[erikharwell]

last year I got picked for almost everyone of them I applied for. This year I only got picked for the back bay deer/hog hunt. oh well there is always next year.

 

[baylinercuddy]

[Q]erikharwell originally wrote:
last year I got picked for almost everyone of them I applied for. This year I only got picked for the back bay deer/hog hunt. oh well there is always next year.
[/Q]

Did you do anything at the back bay hunt? What did you hear about what was killed this year?

 

[getwood]

hey im out of ptown and the ducks are closer towards tide water community collage from benetts creek about a fifteen minute ride in a stable boat as long you are in the channel now hunting from suffolk borderline which is inbetween crany island and mm bridge would an excelent place to hunt divers ducks since the island is a desinated bird sancutary they stage on the island during the day by the'' thousands'' no joke by dec. right now there are alot of shovelers, ruddy ducks wigeons and mallards been seeing some buffleheads and scoters latly stripper fishin. good luck[grin]

 

[cuhollow]

have they given out swan permits yet? Haven't heard on that one.

 

[Albemarle24]

They draw for them dont they?