# Duck hunting opportunities



## walton1 (Dec 28, 2014)

Hi, I am a teenager who's hunted all my life. I just got into duck hunting with a couple buddies of mine. id like to ask if y'all could help shed some light on some public land or areas around us were we can duck hunt. I'm not looking for anyone's spot or to have my hand held to the water, I would just like to know if we have anywhere legal to go around us that's good for ducks. We plan on scouting and putting our own work in. We just don't know where to start. We live in Walton county and can drive, but we don't have access to a boat so big water isn't an option. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated, we are just youngs guys trying to learn.


----------



## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

Wish I was closer, I would assist, but good post.  Mentorship is key in duck hunting


----------



## g0nef1sshn (Dec 28, 2014)

no clue on your area. You and your buddies should save and split cost for a cheap jon boat or canoe. Then you would have more options  anyway.


----------



## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

But they need to be safe, even with experience, I have gotten into some things that was not the best in a small boat.


----------



## The Longhunter (Dec 28, 2014)

walton1 said:


> Hi, I am a teenager who's hunted all my life. I just got into duck hunting with a couple buddies of mine. id like to ask if y'all could help shed some light on some public land or areas around us were we can duck hunt. I'm not looking for anyone's spot or to have my hand held to the water, I would just like to know if we have anywhere legal to go around us that's good for ducks. We plan on scouting and putting our own work in. We just don't know where to start. We live in Walton county and can drive, but we don't have access to a boat so big water isn't an option. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated, we are just youngs guys trying to learn.



You can get some walk in shooting on the Apalachee River from the Oconee/Morgan County line all the way to Lake Oconee.  Get a map of Oconee National Forest, and the regs for hunting Lake Oconee from Georgia Power and hunt away.  It's not going to Duck Dynasty good, but there is some reasonable hunting if you are willing to do a little bushwhacking.


----------



## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

The Longhunter said:


> You can get some walk in shooting on the Apalachee River from the Oconee/Morgan County line all the way to Lake Oconee.  Get a map of Oconee National Forest, and the regs for hunting Lake Oconee from Georgia Power and hunt away.  It's not going to Duck Dynasty good, but there is some reasonable hunting if you are willing to do a little bushwhacking.



That is what I am talking about.  A little leg work never hurt


----------



## walton1 (Dec 29, 2014)

The Longhunter said:


> You can get some walk in shooting on the Apalachee River from the Oconee/Morgan County line all the way to Lake Oconee.  Get a map of Oconee National Forest, and the regs for hunting Lake Oconee from Georgia Power and hunt away.  It's not going to Duck Dynasty good, but there is some reasonable hunting if you are willing to do a little bushwhacking.



I can't seem to find the regs on lake oconee. I have hunted the onf for deer for a couple of years and have wondered about the river that runs through it near bf grant


----------



## walton1 (Dec 29, 2014)

I'd also like to add that it would be more practical if we could walk to the area or find a swamp or small pond or something of that nature. I'd figure we'd be hunting a lot of woodies. Also, I live about 30 minutes from Charlie Elliot wma, any chance of hunting there? I know it pretty well but have never duck hunted or looked for ducks


----------



## Town2Small (Dec 29, 2014)

Here's the number to Charlie Elliot (770) 784-3059. Give them a call and see what their regs are. Or go by the wildlife center 543 Elliott Trail Mansfield, Ga. 30055. That's about all I could find online.


----------



## The Longhunter (Dec 29, 2014)

walton1 said:


> I can't seem to find the regs on lake oconee. I have hunted the onf for deer for a couple of years and have wondered about the river that runs through it near bf grant



It's 100 yards from any structure. That's what Ga. Power says.

What the landowners say is something else -- for a lot of them, it's the next county over.  

Also, Lake Oconee has a setback that is open to the public, doesn't matter what the jerk in the golf cart says.

I used to think that the landowners on Lanier were the world's biggest rear ends, but the folks on Oconee have them beat by a mile.

Back to OP, there is some hunting from the bank on Oconee, you will have to get a map and do some driving to figure out where, and it will be more for the experience than the bag.  All that said, the single best mallard shooting I've ever had was one morning from a  walk in blind on Lake Oconee.  It was just awesome,  big migration of fresh birds, they were coming into the dekes on long finals like geese, just awesome.


----------



## quackertackr (Dec 29, 2014)

WWW.gohuntgeorgia.com

They have all regulations listed.


----------



## Millcreekfarms (Dec 29, 2014)

Name dropping is frowned on but check the wmas around you they are open to duck hunt during small game dates listed in the regs


----------



## eidson (Dec 29, 2014)

Check the regs on lake Vernier I don't know where to find regs on it. If it can be hunted that should be a good place.


----------



## quackertackr (Dec 29, 2014)

Lake Varner is off limits. It does hold a lot of birds. It is a good place to go to see how many birds are in the area.


----------



## eidson (Dec 29, 2014)

quackertackr said:


> Lake Varner is off limits. It does hold a lot of birds. It is a good place to go to see how many birds are in the area.



Could you hunt on it if your land backed up to the water?


----------



## walton1 (Dec 29, 2014)

Thanks a lot guys! Any other tips for a newbie? What about calling or decoys?


----------



## Town2Small (Dec 29, 2014)

Walton, you can't go wrong with a set of cheap Flambeau mallards from academy starting off.  But then again I've killed more ringers and blue bills in GA than I have mallards. So you could get you some ring neck or blue bill dekes. Just depends on where and what you want to hunt.  As for the calling. I think when hunting divers it's more the set up than anything. But anyway Get you a cheap call,  watch YouTube videos, buy a c.d. and practice practice practice!! Practice a year before you even plan on taking the call with you. Record yourself and play it back so you can tell where you are messing up.  And for the love of all things waterfowl,  don't start blowing it at shooting light just because you have it.
Good luck!!


----------



## WOODIE13 (Dec 29, 2014)

And get a goose deke or two, good visiblility


----------



## Town2Small (Dec 30, 2014)

Looks like him and his dad share an account.This thread is legit. OP contacted  in reference to all questions.  Help him out and dont name any spots.


----------



## walton1 (Jan 3, 2015)

I'm not looking for any spots, just some guidance on what public land is available to hunt and which ones are worth putting the work into. I am 18 so I can drive and have decent funds. I don't have a boat, so big water that is not accessible by foot is not an option. Just looking for advice on anything and public land like clybel, oconee national forest, bf grant, all these areas we have deer hunted. Also anything within a decent driving distance. I'll be at north Georgia university in watkinsville so anywhere around that are would be great. I plan on hunting next year. And I do share this account with my dad but he never uses it so it's basically mine.


----------

