Waterfowl Help

I am wanting to get into duck hunting here in Missouri and don't know how to go about it. I have tried to talk to local hunters here in St. Louis,but it is like asking for gold. I am not trying to steal anyone's spots or honey holes,just need some help. Went last year to a outfitter in southeast Missouri and got zip. For what i paid i could have bought lots of crappie gear. I went to four rivers with a friend no luck but a beautiful place. We did the poor man's line and what a trip that was. My friend has since moved out of state and i am left with waterfowl gear sitting in my basement. Any help would be greatly appreciated............Frank

knocker, i duck hunted in the bootheel for 53 years. it was always open hunting. the powers that be in mo have really screwed up the public places with the draw hunts. i've never been to one but have read a lot about them and no one likes the draw deal. you are just about screwed unless you can get in with someone that will take you under their wing that has a good place or you'll have to join a club or do the pay hunt deal like you said you did. there is two public places in the lower bootheel that are not draw hunt places but you'll have to learn the place or stay lost. one doesn't have water very much of the season and the other is at the mercy of the st. francis if it has water. still either would be hit or miss. the good spots are just about taken up or leased out. people that have done the work and paid their dues are, as you've found out, closed mouthed about their duck hunting. many have been burned by taking someone and then that someone coming in and setting up close to them. i don't know your financial situation but a club up there would probably be your best bet at getting some good hunting sometime during the season. some may have good hunting all season and they would be higher priced but before i did that i would do a lot of questioning about the "normal" season kill. and i have no idea what a club membership up there would run. i know a man that's in one up there and when i see him i'll ask some questions of him. there are lots of pits for lease in the lower bootheel but they are very hit or miss on killin'. i hunted with a friend that had one leased for a few years and we killed ducks when i was with him and even had a couple of real good days. but pit hunting is about the most uncomfortable hunting you can do. although it's a long way to travel there's clubs down in ark that need new members from time to time. you might get on the refuge and ask there about some. the floodway ditches just north of hornersville can be good at times and it's "open" hunting as long as you don't set up close to someone else but you have to take your decoys up every day or stand a chance of losing them to the water if it comes a big rain. i don't know what ditch is the best but can try to find out for you if you think you want to try that. some have built blinds on them and some just rough it and set on the bank and cover up with brush. you have to have your boat camoed and covered good too. it's a long hard road you are wanting to travel.


old

C-knocker, PM me with your contact info, and I'll see what I can do to hook you up.

I started the Delta Waterfowl chapter in St.Louis about 5 years ago, and I'm still on that board. I'm also a member of Mississippi Valley Duck Hunters Assoc and active there. I'm sure I can get you hooked up with a few spots to hunt, or you can go with me.

When I migrated to waterfowling from other hunting and fishing pursuits, I met a TON of people just by attending a few waterfowl meetings/events.

Knocker,

That's how it is anymore.....people have worked hard for their spots, either public or private and they are pretty tight lipped. I'm not extremely knowledgeable when it comes to 'fowlin in the STL area so I can't offer much. Have a buddy that hunts the Bush's private hole pretty regularly, but thats no comparison and I've never made it down there.

I actually own a little slice of heaven with my dad about 2 hours north of ya around Quincy, IL in the north bottoms....... 40 acres which we flood about 30 after we pick the corn. Put in our second concrete pit last year and looking forward to a good set up for this year after everything has grown up and looks normal again.

If you are hard up for some hunting later this year, shoot me a PM and maybe we can arrange something. Sorry I can't lend more information for ya, but least I can do is help a fellow 'fowler & fisherman.

U

the only way to do it is to get out there and get after it! its about like fishing the more time you spend doing it the better you ll get at it and the more you ll learn! im not familiar with anything in the STL area but i believe there are some folks on here that are from the that area and would be willing to help!!

thanks oldduckhunter and rlsiv. I appreciate the feedback and i will keep you posted.......ck

thanks everyone. i am willing to travel in Mo. to hunt so i'll keep working at it. Where is the DUCK COMMANDER when you need him?

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Originally Posted by Crappieknocker

thanks everyone. i am willing to travel in Mo. to hunt so i'll keep working at it. Where is the DUCK COMMANDER when you need him?

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Duck hunting is way overrated. Deer hunting is much more fun!

Krazy,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,i also deer hunt

I hunt the bootheel and surrounding areas, we hunt the floodways (public) during teal season, we have a pit but it doesn't do much til January, we go to some of the draws, and gettin' up that early and drivin' to sit around and wait on an at best 50/50 chance is tough, but we keep on eye on their daily posted bird counts, and if our hole isn't doin' much we'll go try it, and end up at the floodways if we don't get drawn. what I like about the conservation areas is hunting completely different setups than what we're used to. we had a 4 day run last year of pit hunting in the middle of a flooded rice field, then hunting a tiny timber hole, then standing in a big standing corn patch in the middle of a flooded field, and finally back in the make shift willow blind on the bank of Little River ditch.

I also deer hunt, dove, squirrel, rabbit, frog, and snow goose, my favorite depends on when you ask me, i get pumped up for any of it, and when feb. comes around I start gettin' crazy for crappie!! right now it's catfish!

Lots of good info there.

Hey pm me your contact info also I can surely help you out.

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all the offers and help. Kingkrappie,when do you have time to work lol. I also deer hunt bow and gun,turkey hunt,and fish. Used to quail hunt but no quail anymore, same with rabbits.

I've hunted them ducks for over 50 years and one day hope to actually bag one! But that would end the suspense. I may actually load my gun this year to improve my chances. Perhaps this will be the year. I usually hunt about 30 times a year in all conditions and possible blinds; from layout blinds, boat blinds, layout boats and make shift blinds, pits usually covered up so good I have trouble seeing the birds, but they don't see me. Like the public areas but the crowds keep getting bigger each year. Will continue to travel out of state pursuing the little birds. Bruce

ha i am the epitomy of a weekend warrior, every weekend all year, and am fortunate to live very close to all of my hunting and fishing spots with a flexible work schedule, with the exception of our farms in Northeast MO we deer hunt, if I had the time I'd go up after turkeys but spring is always spent at reelfoot, we don't have quail or pheasant down here or i'd go after them too!!! just have to be very opportunistic and have a great wife!! You can come down and hunt with me any time, we dont always kill ducks, but we always have fun, i'll be up your way for a cards game next Sunday, I love new Busch!!!

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Originally Posted by Krazy

Duck hunting is way overrated. Deer hunting is much more fun!

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Krazy, I will keep a stand open for opening day this year with your name on it now. Lee :D

Thanks King i might come down just to visit. I also fish Reelfoot. If i could just control the wind............lol

Sorry no ducks in MO MO land lol :) I hate to say it your a few years late on Waterfowling the Show Me State. The Dept. of Conservation that made hunting great here has sold out for the almighty dollar. Draw lines killed the hunting for us here. The Conservation areas hold around 1,000,000 birds yet only a hand full of people can hunt. Sorry im still ticked about the spiral or the DoC. Truman has some good hunting on a day by day deal but if the water is up there isnt a better place in the US! and ive hunted afew. The Mo river when its cold is great but dangerous. The best tip is just get a map and hunt,

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Originally Posted by MO QWACK

Sorry no ducks in MO MO land lol :) I hate to say it your a few years late on Waterfowling the Show Me State. The Dept. of Conservation that made hunting great here has sold out for the almighty dollar. Draw lines killed the hunting for us here. The Conservation areas hold around 1,000,000 birds yet only a hand full of people can hunt. Sorry im still ticked about the spiral or the DoC. Truman has some good hunting on a day by day deal but if the water is up there isnt a better place in the US! and ive hunted afew. The Mo river when its cold is great but dangerous. The best tip is just get a map and hunt,

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Mo Qwack, do you frequent the Cafe Outdoors website? Your post sounds familuar lol. Lee

Stumpthumper: youe mailbox if full

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Originally Posted by LeeinMo

Mo Qwack, do you frequent the Cafe Outdoors website? Your post sounds familuar lol. Lee

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and spot on! ;)

slabho

mark reed anybody?

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Originally Posted by Krazy

Duck hunting is way overrated. Deer hunting is much more fun!

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Lmao true day buddy! Shy would anyone like to shoot poor inacent duck! Lol

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Originally Posted by stumpthumper80

Hey pm me your contact info also I can surely help you out.

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Ill take a free guided trip with ya skinny!

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Originally Posted by slabho

and spot on! ;)

slabho

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nope never been the Cafe, I spend to much time on here lol. What makes me mad isn't the fact of not killing birds,I've been lucky and killed my fair share in my short life but what makes me madder than mad is the socail part of duck hunting is gone. I enjoy the hanging out talking to your buddies that you see only in duck season. Catching up seeing how the fam. has been, telling old hunting stories ect but nope its all inter-net and killing. No more hard hunting fruits of labor and friends! Its duck farms and body counts. :mad: ON MY TAX MONEY