[duckstew]

Hi, I would love to send my husband on a duck hunting trip for his 40th birthday in November. He is an avid duck hunter on the Eastern Shore in Maryland, but I'd like to send him somewhere different (where he's guaranteed alot of birds)! I am thinking about Arkansas or North Dakota. Does anyone have advice? Are there any reputable lodges I can contact? He really likes to hunt solo, too.

Thanks so much for your help!!!

A VERY loving wife!!!!!!!

 

[born to hunt]

First of all, what a cool thing for a wife to do....
I am not a native here, but I bet some of the other guys might agree that november is too late in the year for a long trip like that because of the chance of freeze up. Having said that, I have had fantastic hunting opportunity in this state and the people are second to none.

 

[duckstew]

October would be fine, too! Or even late September if we have to. What state are you in?

 

[H2OfowlND]

Ms. Duckstew,

You just have to ask US on here for info, but please in my opinion don't contact a guide service for your hubby. If anything buy his plane ticket to get him here, and I'm sure some guys on here would love to have a new hunting partner for a few days. Also, if your hubby likes to hunt solo, a guide service would be sticking him with other hunters that he may not be comfortable to be with. Trust me, I like to hunt by myself at times too. The best times for the amount of birds would be mid to late October, but the later you go the more likely to get frozen out. Early November can be one of two things...warm and lots of ducks/geese, or snow up to your a$$!!!
Also how many days are you willing to give him up??

H2OfowlND

 

[born to hunt]

I am in Minnesota, but, as they say, a phone call to God from North Dakota is a local call....Any duck hunter in his right mind would hunt here at least once in his life if possible. Ditto on the guide thing, that seems to be the general preference around here, unless your lucky hubby is confined to just a couple days, then he may need some scouting done via guide or friends to get some birds.

 

[duckstew]

OK, I LOVE the advice...I felt weird about a guide, too....I know that he doesn't like the "structured" atmosphere. SO, how do I start???? I can get him a plane ticket to ND for October, but:
WHERE SHOULD HE STAY?
WHERE SHOULD HE HUNT?
DOES HE NEED A BOAT? (sorry, I'm clueless!)
WHAT SHOULD HE BRING? (can you travel with firearms these days?)

Also, I was thinking of sending him on a Thursday afternoon, he can hunt all day Friday and Saturday and come home on Sunday. He's self employed, so I can't do a whole week unfortunately.

PLEASE HELP!!
Thanks again,
Robin

 

[born to hunt]

Well...
The exact time of year is imortant, and it would do him well to watch the scouting reports seen here as the duck season approaches. I am NO expert in where to go and my hunting has been confined to the Minot area. He will not need a boat unless he wants to hunt divers, and when you're flying in, you are restricted as to how much gear you can bring.

Studies show that duck hunting works best if you have a gun.. Send him with a shotgun, and shells and clothing. The more I think of it though, unless he can hook up with some of the guys here, he will need a guide for the decoy aspect as well as the travel aspect unless he rents a car.

I hope some locals will chime in here to offer you more help.

 

[tmorrie]

duckstew,

I would pick the date and then put out the call, that way guys will know what they have planned. I'm sure some of the resident groups or non-residents that know their way around up here would be willing to show him around.

 

[duckstew]

Big problem with that...as much as I want him to hunt in ND, I just can't see "surprising" him for his birthday by telling him that he has to go to hunter education classes when he's been hunting for seven years! UGH!

 

[gandergrinder]

If he wants to travel to hunt. Most states require hunter education so you might as well drop the bomb on him sometime.