Waterfowling in Virginia

[everlong]

I am fairly new to hunting and have never been duck hunting before and was hoping to go this year. I live in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia and was wondering if there were any good public lands other than WMAs that you can duck hunt? Any help would be appriciated. Thanks.

[quackhead04]

its a great sport man you'll love it. you need to talk to RebelDog. he's the only member i know that lives in virginia on here.

[Rebel Dog]

Duck Hunting in Virginia is tough to get started in,Get familiar with the blind laws especially east of route 95. I am in the nortern part of the state and you are in the south, competition up here for hunting spots is tough. I have heard that it is not as bad down your way and you should look for a site to build a blind.

All navigtable water is open for hunting, if all the shore lines are taken then consider a floting blind, in the york river and marshes down your way there is some excellent hunting. Don't count out public hunting areas I hunt Quantico Marine base frequently and I have my own blinds. Ducks are always filtering down so there is always fresh ducks thathavn't become acustomed to blinds.

If you are just getting started I would highly recommend going up to Chincoteague and hunting a couple days. You would have to hire a guide at around $120.00 a day but the quality and quantity is unbeleivable If you are interested I can forward you some names of some "GOOD" guides

If you do some homework you will have a blast. you are just minutes away from puddlers, divers, Sea Ducks, Mergansers, Brant and Snow Geese

Let me know if I can help out.

[thehub02ss]

I live in VA as well, about 35 min East of Richmond in New Kent. Public land duck hunting is rather competitive from what I've heard. People usually camp out over night to secure the decent spots, again just what I've been told. I wouldn't bother with it IMO.

It seems that in VA the general attitude about duck hunting is "show me the money" Their is abundant habitat that ducks use but it's all private and around here you don't share when it comes to duck hunting. The big bodies of water are always available but the diving duck population isn't that strong and it's a cold day sitting in a floating blind in the middle of the big rivers only to get a couple shots at fish ducks and maybe a big diver or two.

From my experience the ducks mainly use the creeks and ponds off the main rivers around here. And even then you usually have to compete with everyone around you baiting them. It's almost said.

IMO look into going to the mid-west or eastern shore with a guide service. Or if you want to do some hunting around here look into leasing a blind spot on a creek or somewhere that the ducks use on a daily basis. You might also consider joining a club or something. But again they are going to all want big money.

I hunt a blind on the Pamunkey River and we haven't killed a duck this year. In all of my time hunting their we really don't kill anything until it gets cold and all the creeks and back woods water areas freeze up and the ducks come to the river. When it's not frozen we just sit their all day watching high flyers and listening to the guys across the river in the woods melting the gun barrel.

I haven't really even seen that many ducks this season. Hopefully we'll get some cold weather soon and more will work down this way from the north.

Best of luck
.

[coolbrze0]

Like Rebel Dog said - get familiar w/ the waterfowl laws. VA has some good migratory birds down this way once it starts getting cold. I'll hang up the old deer guns and grab the 12 ga. w/ BB for geese and #4 for ducks soon

[Rebel Dog]

Don't get dicouraged, Nothing in hunting comes easy these days. email me if you need some help, and trust me on public hunting it can be worth sitting out all night I have many times because I know where the ducks are going to be from years of trial and error. I will say to be successful you need to be dedicated. Good Luck

[coachsteve]

Here on the west side of the state it is not that popular so it is pretty easy to find good hunting. I hunt a couple lakes and the James and New rivers are awsome hunting.