Scouting for Ducks

Scouting for Duck's on Public Land

Photo by John Corso.

These days in South Louisiana it is getting harder and harder to find public land duck hunting spots. Hunting pressure can be heavy, especially on the weekends. Between low water conditions and loss of open water due to invasive hyacinth, pre-season scouting is now even more critical.

Louisiana has arguable some of the best locations in the country for duck hunting. From the flooded hardwoods to our coastal marshes, vast amounts of swampy backwaters all accessible from public land.

Before we talk about tips, locations and scouting trips, we have a few rules to go over.

The Rules of Duck Club

1^st RULE: You do not talk about Duck Club

2^nd RULE: You DO NOT talk about Duck Club

You thought I was going to tell you my spot? Most hunters will not give up to much information on where they hunt. If you hunt in the cypress swamps or the coastal marshes scouting for ducks and learning your way around is key to successful hunts.

Locating Public Hunting Areas

Here are a couple links to find public hunting land.

Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries Wildlife Management Areas

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Refuge List for Louisiana.

Now, how you access our states public land is another topic. Either by mud boat, outboard, pirogue or kayak.  There is a place for you to hunt, just depends on how far you are willing to travel.

Photo by John Corso.

Go off the beaten path.

I hunt by boat and paddle in hunt too. One of the WMA’s I hunt changes year to year. Like most places the grass mats move, and the hyacinth take over a pond or two. One year you may be able to paddle from the road back a mile or so weaving around grass and rouseau cane. The next year, you may be blocked in by heavy hyacinth and force to launch from further away.

I don’t have an issue with pulling my gear over land to jump to another pond or to access another canal.  To uncover several new spots before duck season opens, you will have to scout new locations.

Are you willing to go further than the other paddle in hunters? If so you may access spots that are rarely hunted. These places won’t just drop into your lap. You may have to go into the deepest hole in the swamp are the land locked pond in the marsh that can only be hunted by pulling your boat over 200 feet of marsh grass. If they are easy to get to everybody would be there. 

Have a backup plan.

 One of the wildlife refuges I hunt has several spots hunters park to access different ponds in the marsh. If you have it in your mind you are going to hunt this pond and they have 3 trucks there already have a backup plan. What if you get out to your location and someone is there already. Having two or more spots that you are familiar with will save your hunt.

I have a few ponds that always hold water but getting there requires traveling through a few narrow cuts and a few ponds that could get low. If I commit to heading out there and I cant make it I may be stuck in the mud or hunting a shallow pond. Which is not always a bad thing. 

During duck season scout frequently to keep up with bird movements. Hunting pressure will influence duck’s locations. They may abandon the feeding spots you located preseason and pile up in isolated ponds away from heavy pressure.

Technology can be your friend or enemy. Google maps, cell phones and GPS are great tools. Lay out a course and make a trip afield. Google maps may not have the most up to date information and you may travel down a canal only to find out it is now blocked off.

Public land is not free. You must pay for it by putting in time scouting. Scouting is fun, it is like preseason before the big game. A buildup of anticipation for what’s to come. Will this be the year you get your banded duck? Add another prized mallard to your wall? Put in your time scouting now and the reward will be cupped wings.

I would like to thank John Corso for providing these great photos.

Photo by John Corso.

Have any scouting tips? Send me your scouting tips I may add them to the blog.