Freelancing

[bowhunter1023]

I want to plan a DIY hunt next year and am looking for some general suggestions, guidelines, and advice. Right now I like the looks of the Grafton, IL area where the Illinois, Missouri, and Mississippi Rivers converge. I'd like to go either the first or third week of November. I'm open to suggestions on areas and timing, however I want to keep the drive in the 8-10 hour range with this being the first trip. We should have a boat by then, so that will help open things up. But for right now, I need walk in types hunting situations. My dog has done fairly well for us this year, so he'll be a big help also. I've also considering going through an outfitter or leasing agent to get access to something for a few days and have not ruled that out if anyone has done that.

Ultimately I am looking to get a much better experience than we get here and I want to do it for under $1-1,500K. It'll be a 4-5 day trip.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Maybe trade someone a deer hunt? Local knowledge is always best, and surely some waterfowler out there would like to come hunt deer here.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I have given that thought, but hate to disappoint. I don't feel I can make an even trade in most cases as there is less of a gap between the quality of their deer hunting and mine, versus the gap in the waterfowl hunting IMO.

 

[Longdraw]

http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places-go/natural-areas/otter-slough

http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/applications...=&txtUserID=&txtDivision=&txtDoveMap=notfound

lots of places to hunt

 

[bowhunter1023]

Thanks Mike. I looked at Otter Slough for a few minutes today, but didn't see the other stuff. Do you know of anyone who has been down in the Otter area?

 

[Kaiser878]

I wouldn't go anywhere but Kansas or.the Dakotas. Tons of huntable land with minimal pressure. I.can.give ya some destinations in Kansas if u want

 

[AMiller]

I lease a pit just north of Grafton in Hardin, IL. Best time to hunt that area is thanksgiving week. Peak migration usually hits that week or the week before or after depending on weather conditions for that year. Of your two options I would go the 3rd week.

The Mississippi river is unforgiving. I would not recommend venturing out on it in a boat without a local with you. Many hunters die out there every year.

The closest walk-in area I know to there is the Glades, and Carlyle Lake. If you venture into MO, you could run 30 min up to Ted Shanks. They do morning draws, so you may not get in, but I have killed out there many of times. Just try to get close to the refuge.

If you are looking for an outfitter in the area, try these guys. http://www.huntirb.com/ They provide lodging, and you will have a good chance to kill a few snows/specs & blues along with your ducks.

My recommendation would be to drive another hr or so to Duck Creek WMA in SE MO. It too is a draw, but you can camp in the parking lot or get cheap lodging close by. They hold a lot more ducks on the refuge then most, and offer flooded timber, flooded cornfields & open water next to the refuge. And hunt 112 parties each day when fully flooded, so you are most likely to get in
.
Otter Slough is offers good hunting but they do not hold that many parties.

If you do some research most public areas in IL and MO, post how many birds they are holding along with how many parties they had draw and turn away and the duck per hunter avg for each day.

 

[Longdraw]

Thanks Mike. I looked at Otter Slough for a few minutes today, but didn't see the other stuff. Do you know of anyone who has been down in the Otter area?

I've hunted within a few miles of each of those places they hold a ton of birds,ducks looking like snow goose flocks coming off them in the mornings

 

[bowhunter1023]

I wouldn't go anywhere but Kansas or.the Dakotas. Tons of huntable land with minimal pressure. I.can.give ya some destinations in Kansas if u want

I'd be interesting in checking out an area or two there depending on the drive. I'm saving the Dakotas for a few years from now. But that trip is definitely on my list!

 

[Rutin]

What kind of hunting are you wanting to do? IF you want a close to home badass diver hunt PM me. I will be going back up to Saginaw bay in Nov. next year and there are a TON of birds and its close to home (5-6 hrs.) Plus it'll be a lot less money than what your predicting!

I've also got an option if you want to hunt Feb. or March snow geese in MO. I just got the invite and info yesterday and was told to get a group of guys together. Mound city is about 12hrs away but I think it'll be fun, no plugs no limits!

 

[jagermeister]

If you've got 5 guys or so, you can do a Dakota trip for around 600 per guy. The drive sucks, but IMO its well worth it. I've heard good things about MO. I really can't imagine going anywhere other than NoDak though... Although I would love to do an AR flooded timber hunt before I die.

 

[Curran]

If you've got 5 guys or so, you can do a Dakota trip for around 600 per guy. The drive sucks, but IMO its well worth it. I've heard good things about MO. I really can't imagine going anywhere other than NoDak though... Although I would love to do an AR flooded timber hunt before I die.

Agreed. There's other places that I want to take the time to hunt someday, but NoDak is where I feel like I belong.

I did start a waterfowl bucket list back in 2012 but haven't added much to it:
- Chesapeake Bay for a diver & sea duck hunt (overall history & just to say I did it)
- Central Valley California (one of the biggest migration destinations around)
- Stuttgart AR / flooded timber hunt (again, just to say I did it)
- Aleutian Islands / Island X just the adventure factor alone would be awesome

 

[Mao]

We are looking to hunt the Chesepeake Bay in Virginia next year. Our taxidermist recommended it as he has gone many times. He said they killed 16 different species on a two day hunt the last time he went. Fully guided but you stay in a sketchy motel. Around $400 a person and about a 8.5 drive from here.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I want to shoot meat ducks. The hell with what looks pretty and what I can't eat. I want hoards of mallards and wood ducks, with whatever else might mix in. I love duck meat and I don't need any more taxidermy bills! Spent $1K in 2012 on shit, and another $500 in 2013 with a pair of wood ducks and a hooded merganser in the freezer right now! The first trip I make will be to shoot the hell out of stuff I can eat!

 

[Kaiser878]

I'm still in the process.of looking for my books I had when.I hunted Kansas. I had stuff all mapped out. Ill let you know when I find it

 

[Kaiser878]

We spent 90% of our time in Cheyenne bottoms. It was a duck Mecca. We shot a lot of birds.
Kansas is also plastered with WIHA signs. Which is walk in hunting area. Its private ground that was made public. And.there aare sloughs and ponds.everywhere we did knock on one door for a loaded field. And we were.granted permission.

 

[bowhunter1023]

We spent 90% of our time in Cheyenne bottoms. It was a duck Mecca. We shot a lot of birds.
Kansas is also plastered with WIHA signs. Which is walk in hunting area. Its private ground that was made public. And.there aare sloughs and ponds.everywhere we did knock on one door for a loaded field. And we were.granted permission.

That sounds awesome man. What time of year were you there? How long of a drive?

 

[Kaiser878]

First week of.November
There for 5 or 6 days. Took 16 hours to get there
Here's a link.
http://www.kdwpt.state.ks.us/KDWPT-...s/Region-3/Cheyenne-Bottoms/Brochures/Hunting

 

[Rutin]

Don't rule out Iowa, tons of sloughs and little pressure for ducks there. My buddy hunts Carroll county, Iowa every year.... shoots his limit of ducks in the morning and then shoots pheasants in the afternoon. Same system as KS.

 

[GoetsTalon]

Bucket list hunt would be Alberta Canada!!!!