Waterfowl Hunting?

[jemche]

well after an awesome goose hunt this season i am addicted. i have deer hunted all my life but have not done much waterfowl hunting. my dad used to be a full time guide for geese on the eastern shore. he likes deer hunting so much, well i do to, but i want to get into waterfowling some.

does anyone know any good public land in the oc,md surrounding area?

also if you have know of a private place that i could get into with little or no cost let me know.

thanks.

[Bert Rodgers]

"Good Public Land" changes day to day, season to season.
There are a lot of areas within a short drive or boat ride from OC to hunt.

Assateague Island, Vaughn WMA, Sinnapuxant and Assawomman Bay's (gunning Rig Zones). Also Deal Island, Janes Island, Cedar Island, Fairmont WMA and Ellis Bay WMA are not too far.

Most of these places require a duck boat of some sort, but Assateugue has walk in blinds. It's absolutely critical that you do your home work on the rules andd regs for all these places and use the summer months to scout and familiarise your self with them.(Take a fishing rod).

Go to the MD DNR web sight and click on public hunting links to start your search.

Have fun

Bert

[anthony]

Bert gives a lot of good advice above. In addition, you can hunt in a boat blind at the low water mark of private property if you license that spot. To do that, you must go to Salisbury to the DNR office and they have maps that will show you shoreline and whether it has been licensed by riparian landowners, licensed by other hunters or available to license. It only takes a few stakes in the right spots to make for a decent season of gunning. As far as goose hunting goes, see if you can find a farmer or two willing to lease a field (or two or three) for goose hunting. Since you and your dad enjoy deer hunting maybe you already have some leases on land you deer hunt that would make great goose fields as well.

[SAXIS ISLANDER]

At the MD DNR Office you can look at maps by county. The office is just across the street from your dad's office on the third floor. Landowners have the option to license their shoreline first I think on July 1. Unlicensed shoreline then is available to the public on August 1. Just look at the map, find a unlicensed spot that looks ducky (a little homework helps) fill out the one sheeter and plop down your $20. You are then entitled to hunt at the low water mark within 250 yards of that stake. It's pretty easy. There is a link from the DNR site that allows you to look at it online (Melin I think) but I've not been able to get it to work properly.

You'd be surprised what's available.

Another good option is the Deal Island WMA. You can walk in, don't really need a dog, and from time to time there are good numbers of ducks and geese there.

[Dave Sikorski]

Jake-

We'll talk at Tie Fest. Bring a pencil!

-D

[Glueman]

The island between the rt 90 bridges is almost completely open to the public. Very small private area right off road but the rest is woods surrounded by march. We launch boat at old sand ramp and run around to where ever the down wind side is. Plenty of potholes to set up layouts or just a little fast grass will work too (sometimes better). Only a few geese but ducks are CRAZY! You can walk in too but a boat is a lot easier!

Scout out the trails in late summer or fall. Maryland DNR's site has maps and "msn maps" give some awsome birdseye shots.( not google ) Good luck, scout early.