# Best Waterfowl Quota Hunts?



## Fenderbuilt27 (May 30, 2021)

It's that time of year again. Time to put those points to use! Where you trying to get and which it the best?


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## Para Bellum (May 31, 2021)

I hate to sound pessimistic but they all suck.  Georgia sucks.  I’ve hunted 5 of them and they all suck.


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## beretta (May 31, 2021)

Wasting points for skybusting.


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## Nitram4891 (Jun 1, 2021)

The best quota hunt is any quota hunt not in this state.  Georgia waterfowl quotas are a joke.


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## across the river (Jun 2, 2021)

All are pretty terrible, so the people above aren’t lying.  If I had to pick something, I would say Dec. 12th for Butler or Oconee of those dates are even an option.    I won’t be putting in for any of them, so I have no clue how many they have anymore.


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## Fenderbuilt27 (Jun 4, 2021)

Does Florida have any good quota hunts?


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## kingfish (Jun 4, 2021)

Good news is that Florida has some spectacular quota hunts.  Bad news is it's a zoo.  Not just a zoo, but a ZOO !!!  The STA's are the gold standard, with Merritt Island a close second, and TM Godwin third.  If you are serious, go to www.myFWC.com and start learning these areas quota instructions, rules and regulations.  Look at the harvest numbers for each area they are on the same website. Not sure where you are at in Ga, but these areas start in lower central Florida and end in south Florida. If you are serious, start making trips to these areas now.  You may not be able to get in, but some of them you can park outside the gates and walk in.  If you get a quota and just show up, you're wasting your time.  All these areas are LOHOADED with big gators and cottonmouths.  Most of them are paddle in only or small hp motors.  Youtube has a bunch of videos and how to's on these areas.  Ringers, BW Teal and Black Belly Tree ducks are the predominant species, but there are trophy Pintails and Widgeon taken every year.  If I was looking in Ga, I'd always pick Altamaha.  Haven't hunted there since the 80's, but it's proximity to the ocean and fresh water some years puts a concentration of birds there.  Good luck.


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## flatsmaster (Jun 5, 2021)

STA can be good but last year terrible ... did not fire a cap last yr and had first hunt after the split .. only watched guys walking around shooting coots ... I live by Merritt so don’t believe that hype but u might get a good hunt if birds are around but plenty of empty skies and if ur fortunate to do some shooting plan on having friends bc that’s how half of the people scout ? people only post on YouTube good hunts bc ur not gonna watch no shooting


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## kingfish (Jun 6, 2021)

I hear ya.  I don't think any place in the country had a good season last year.


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## Duckbuster82 (Jun 6, 2021)

kingfish said:


> I hear ya.  I don't think any place in the country had a good season last year.


Yes everywhere sucked. Everyone should give up duck hunting. Let everyone know.


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## Para Bellum (Jun 7, 2021)

Duckbuster82 said:


> Yes everywhere sucked. Everyone should give up duck hunting. Let everyone know.



The reason you think duck hunting is so great is because you’re too young to know what great duck hunting really is.


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## jdgator (Jun 7, 2021)

Too many people. Too little marsh.


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## Duckbuster82 (Jun 8, 2021)

Para Bellum said:


> The reason you think duck hunting is so great is because you’re too young to know what great duck hunting really is.





Para Bellum said:


> The reason you think duck hunting is so great is because you’re too young to know what great duck hunting really is.


Please enlighten me on what great duck hunting is.


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## Duckbuster82 (Jun 8, 2021)

All most people do is complain about the crowd and how terrible hunting is. Yet, they continue to beat their head against the wall have the same results and continue to groan. If you were to go to a restaurant that had a long wait, terrible service and poor quality food would you go back? So why make duck hunting sound so miserable and continue to go. Duck hunting is over crowded as is. But still would like you to tell me what great duck hunting is like, maybe tell the group so we know what to look for, something to gauge our experiences off of as we begin to prepare for the next season.


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## MudDucker (Jun 8, 2021)

Alright boys, I cleaned this up some, but anymore personal attacks are going to draw fire.


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## Stickemdeep (Jun 8, 2021)

Para Bellum said:


> The reason you think duck hunting is so great is because you’re too young to know what great duck hunting really is.


lol I grew up in texas, I go every year and my group kills a 3 man for 6 days straight, every trip.


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## kingfish (Jun 8, 2021)

Lets see, great duck hunting.  Having a contest with your buddies to see who can limit out the quickest on ringers and everyone is done before the sun is over the trees.   (Florida public lakes 90's to about 2005).  5 buddies limiting out during early teal season 10 minutes after legal shooting time and having them still trying to land in the decoys even though there are 2 canoes in the middle of the dekes (Florida WMA late 80's).  Shooting limits of woodies like they were green timber mallards, just wading in (Florida WMA last several seasons), killing drake mallards and pintails for four straight days (McClure Illinois private property 90's to late 2000's).  Killing redheads and bluebills on the NW Coast of Florida, decoying like you owed them money (Last 10 years).  Use whatever word you want, lucky, blessed, fortunate, but I do know what great duck hunting is.


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## Para Bellum (Jun 8, 2021)

Stickemdeep said:


> lol I grew up in texas, I go every year and my group kills a 3 man for 6 days straight, every trip.


 
Good for you, good for your “group” and good for Texas.  We simply have different ideas on what great duck hunting is.  Likely an age thing.


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## Para Bellum (Jun 8, 2021)

kingfish said:


> Lets see, great duck hunting.  Having a contest with your buddies to see who can limit out the quickest on ringers and everyone is done before the sun is over the trees.   (Florida public lakes 90's to about 2005).  5 buddies limiting out during early teal season 10 minutes after legal shooting time and having them still trying to land in the decoys even though there are 2 canoes in the middle of the dekes (Florida WMA late 80's).  Shooting limits of woodies like they were green timber mallards, just wading in (Florida WMA last several seasons), killing drake mallards and pintails for four straight days (McClure Illinois private property 90's to late 2000's).  Killing redheads and bluebills on the NW Coast of Florida, decoying like you owed them money (Last 10 years).  Use whatever word you want, lucky, blessed, fortunate, but I do know what great duck hunting is.



Great for you brother.  Enjoy it.


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## mizzippi jb (Jun 8, 2021)

Let's see.... Duck hunting.   Have i been there?  Yes.  Have I done that?  Yes.  Have I spent at least 10s of thousands of dollars (at the least) to do it to the best if my abilities in the best places in the US?   Yes.   Do I still do it as hard as I used to, forsaking family, job, money, to kill some birds that generally tastes like liver?  Nope.  But do I now have buddies who have made it big that I do business with  who allow me to tag along in thier 15k a yr private woods clubs when the time is right?  Yep.  Or family in the delta who call me when the gadwall show up on thier fish ponds?  Uh huh. Life as a part time "strike when the iron is hot" duck hunter is good. And for the record, it's not been good enough for me in Ga in a long time.


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## Duckbuster82 (Jun 8, 2021)

Para Bellum said:


> Good for you, good for your “group” and good for Texas.  We simply have different ideas on what great duck hunting is.  Likely an age thing.


So everyone has a different opinion of great duck hunting. So how do you know I never have seen it? Again what is your opinion of great hunting. You called me out yet have not given your definition.


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## Para Bellum (Jun 8, 2021)

Duckbuster82 said:


> All most people do is complain about the crowd and how terrible hunting is. Yet, they continue to beat their head against the wall have the same results and continue to groan. If you were to go to a restaurant that had a long wait, terrible service and poor quality food would you go back? So why make duck hunting sound so miserable and continue to go. Duck hunting is over crowded as is. But still would like you to tell me what great duck hunting is like, maybe tell the group so we know what to look for, something to gauge our experiences off of as we begin to prepare for the next season.



I may continue to groan every so often because something I loved more than life itself got really popular really quick.  I met my two best friends because of duck hunting.  I stuck it out for quite some time after it became the cool thing to do.  Battled the hoards of jack legs on public land.  Even battled the rich folk for leases for a season or two.  I’m no idiot though.  I quit.  Sold the boat.  The dekes.  Still go every so often but nowhere like what I used to.  Great duck hunting isn’t firing the first shot of the Arkansas opener.  It isn’t having the fastest mud motor at Bayou Meto.  It isn’t full straps when your buddies failed.  It just makes ain’t the same anymore.


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## Para Bellum (Jun 8, 2021)

Duckbuster82 said:


> So everyone has a different opinion of great duck hunting. So how do you know I never have seen it? Again what is your opinion of great hunting. You called me out yet have not given your definition.



You may very well have seen what your idea of great waterfowling is.


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## mizzippi jb (Jun 8, 2021)

A chuckle just came to me... Thought about chuuuuurios


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## Rich M (Jun 9, 2021)

I experienced years of great duck hunting at MINWR in the late 90s and early 2000s - and some of the inland lakes.  Covered in birds, multiple species, friendly folks around us, good laughs, and just plain fun times.  Having flocks of birds, sometimes numbering over 100 working the decoys is something to see and worth remembering.

Most of the time when we go duck hunting these days, we see few to none - I knocked down 3 ducks all season last year.  Sure as heck would not tell someone to drive down from GA to hunt MINWR unless you got family local.  With a little scouting you can probably get a mottled duck and scaup or two.  The teal, pintails, widgeon, etc. are tough to come by - especially if the birds are in an area you don't have a quota permit for.

To me, the idea of a good hunt is light atmosphere in the blind, laughs and chatter, and a couple flocks of birds willing to decoy.  Can still have a nice time without birds, but some decoying birds and a few laying feet up on the water always make it better.


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## kingfish (Jun 9, 2021)

Hunted MINWR back in the late 70's and early 80's when Pintail were 10 point birds and if you could identify birds on the wing you could kill 10 birds a piece.  Some unreal hunting back then, no quotas no crowds.  Duck hunters were looked upon as an odd group back then.


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## Uptonongood (Jun 9, 2021)

I hunted Butler Island back in the early and mid 80’s. By Georgia standards it was good duck hunting IF you knew how to hunt waterfowl. David Edwards was the manager and he really did a great job.

Most folks in Georgia do not have the opportunity to build their waterfowl skill sets because hunting is poor and there are too many hunters too impatient or unwilling to learn.

Great waterfowl hunting? Freelance hunting in northern Alberta, Canada, 24 honkers AND 24 mallard and pintails (limits) by three guys in bout an hour and a half. The birds were all taken in dry pea fields, feet down coming into full body goose decoys. No exaggeration. The three hunters were all experienced, skilled and patient hunters schooled by experiences in several states with much better hunting than Georgia.

Funny how addictive duck hunting is even when the hunting is lousy.


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## Stickemdeep (Jun 10, 2021)

Para Bellum said:


> Good for you, good for your “group” and good for Texas.  We simply have different ideas on what great duck hunting is.  Likely an age thing.


It is different hunting out west and growing up out there, I got into waterfowl inadvertently seeing them hitting farm ponds dove hunting. My hunts in Georgia are limited but more about hanging out with buddies i have not seen in a long time than killing birds.


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## Long Cut (Jun 11, 2021)

Duck hunting Georgia is comparable to getting a root canal


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## Duckbuster82 (Jun 11, 2021)

Long Cut said:


> Duck hunting Georgia is comparable to getting a root canal


Yet, every weekend and some days boat ramps are packed, people on every point and cut. They continue to not kill birds complain and come back for more. Definition of insanity.


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## across the river (Jun 11, 2021)

Duckbuster82 said:


> Yet, every weekend and some days boat ramps are packed, people on every point and cut. They continue to not kill birds complain and come back for more. Definition of insanity.



It isn't about killing birds anymore for a lot of people, it is about posting a picture.  A limit of wood ducks, a couple of divers, even some coots get posted with pride.  Camping all night to maybe kill a couple of ringers or a bluebill is done by many without hesitation.  If you don't kill anything you can still post a picture of you with facepaint on to look cool.


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## jdgator (Jun 13, 2021)

it isn’t just Georgia that has seen radical radical decrease in duck numbers of the past 20 years. In Mississippi there were places that could get steadily leased in the early 2000s that nobody is touching anymore. There are only a few outfitters left in the state who focus on guiding for wild ducks.


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## mizzippi jb (Jun 14, 2021)

Ms as a whole sucks now.  We stacked em up there in the early 2000's in the north delta


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## FloppinBob (Jun 17, 2021)

kingfish said:


> Lets see, great duck hunting.  Having a contest with your buddies to see who can limit out the quickest on ringers and everyone is done before the sun is over the trees.   (Florida public lakes 90's to about 2005).  5 buddies limiting out during early teal season 10 minutes after legal shooting time and having them still trying to land in the decoys even though there are 2 canoes in the middle of the dekes (Florida WMA late 80's).  Shooting limits of woodies like they were green timber mallards, just wading in (Florida WMA last several seasons), killing drake mallards and pintails for four straight days (McClure Illinois private property 90's to late 2000's).  Killing redheads and bluebills on the NW Coast of Florida, decoying like you owed them money (Last 10 years).  Use whatever word you want, lucky, blessed, fortunate, but I do know what great duck hunting is.



Is your real name Phil Robertson?


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## FloppinBob (Jun 17, 2021)

mizzippi jb said:


> Ms as a whole sucks now.  We stacked em up there in the early 2000's in the north delta


I’m sure you can still stack me up there, maybe.


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## kingfish (Jun 18, 2021)

No, not Phil.  Was brought up a duck hunter by my dad in the early 70's.  I was absolutely consumed by the sport and was very lucky that my drive was supported by a time period where there was a very healthy duck population migrating to Florida and not near the rules and regs there are today.  This was late 80's into the mid 2000's.  Name the lake and I hunted it.  Not just hunted it, dialed into the lake and how the ducks moved.  No spraying of hydrilla on any of the local lakes, and the state had several WMA's that they really groomed for attracting waterfowl and I hunted them all.  A couple of the best duck hunting buddies you could ever ask for and some really good private property connections along the Mississippi Flyway.  Like I said before, VERY blessed, lucky and fortunate.  It makes the current duck hunting situation a lot easier to deal with with all those memories.


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## FloppinBob (Jun 18, 2021)

I heard FL used to be really good...ki da like everywhere else


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## devolve (Jun 19, 2021)

FloppinBob said:


> I heard FL used to be really good...ki da like everywhere else


Yep. 90’s to 05 for me. All public, scout every PM and hunt every AM. Burned a ton of gas n the boat and it was well worth it. Hunted every day of the season for a long time back then. It has changed 100%, but it has changed in many aspects everywhere. I still go 5-6 times a year out of state public and drag my boat along. But I see that coming to an end in the near future.


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## Fenderbuilt27 (Jul 3, 2021)

Guess I'll put in for Butler Island and wish for the best.


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## TurkeyH90 (Jul 3, 2021)

Wherever the crew that parked their truck 100 yards from me DOESNT put in for I guess. 5 years of points for a lazy idiot to ruin. Im bout done with the public stuff.


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## Fenderbuilt27 (Jul 7, 2021)

Where was this at?


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## Souhternhunter17 (Jul 8, 2021)

We used to hunt Dan Denton when we were kids on the side open to the public back before everyone and their uncle started duck hunting and knew about it. Had a lot of good mixed bag hunts down there. Don't hunt it anymore though or really at all in GA for that matter except the occasional private hole. If I was putting in for a GA quota duck hunt I would probably just select the one closest to your location and the 1st hunt... I wouldn't drive a long distance to a quota duck hunt in GA especially for anything but the 1st hunt, but to each his own I reckon.


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## jdgator (Jul 10, 2021)

kingfish said:


> No, not Phil.  Was brought up a duck hunter by my dad in the early 70's.  I was absolutely consumed by the sport and was very lucky that my drive was supported by a time period where there was a very healthy duck population migrating to Florida and not near the rules and regs there are today.  This was late 80's into the mid 2000's.  Name the lake and I hunted it.  Not just hunted it, dialed into the lake and how the ducks moved.  No spraying of hydrilla on any of the local lakes, and the state had several WMA's that they really groomed for attracting waterfowl and I hunted them all.  A couple of the best duck hunting buddies you could ever ask for and some really good private property connections along the Mississippi Flyway.  Like I said before, VERY blessed, lucky and fortunate.  It makes the current duck hunting situation a lot easier to deal with with all those memories.



I grew up in Tallahassee, Florida. I grew up duck hunting that area in the 80s 90s and early 2000s. I can relate.

I remember we built permanent blinds on the lakes. Lake Iamonia, Lake Miccosukee, lake Carr, Lake Jackson. Nobody had mud motors. You had to work to get to where you wanted to go.  A lot of water was unhuntable.  
Those were different times.

Me and my brother hunted early teal season last year out of nostalgia. Surprisingly, we had a fantastic hunt.


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