so my buddies and i are frustrated and need you veterans help. we dont have any nice private ground to hunt, we end up hunting all public areas in se ia (lake odessa mainly), apparently we suck at life because we cant seem to kill birds in any numbers at all, we have good decoys, new boat and blind, so much cover on the blind we can barely see out of it....ones and twos all year long. we dont expect to limit out everyday, but once would be nice. have tried everything we can think of big spreads, little spreads, spinners, no spinners, heavy calling, light calling. we have good equipment, so it must be us. help!!!!!!!!
Henkiller
Sounds to me like your hunting the wrong public places. Go where the ducks want to be, thats my advice.
Odessa has been tough on us this year too. Keep at it with the south wind we've been getting it's been tough down there. Were you down there last wknd and heard the barrage of shots. They were coming from the same two groups and it wasn't us. If you haven't been hunting the lake very
Long pm me and I'll try and help you out. We tried no spinners this weekend and that wasn't the thing to do. In all the years we've hunted the lake we have only limited twice. But we still get our ducks here and there but you just have to keep chiseling away. Like I said pm me and I'll help the best I can.
Long pm me and I'll try and help you out. We tried no spinners this weekend and that wasn't the thing to do. In all the years we've hunted the lake we have only limited twice. But we still get our ducks here and there but you just have to keep chiseling away. Like I said pm me and I'll help the best I can.
Scout! Scout! Scout!
Find the ducks the night before, then get there in the morning set up. Try to mimic what you see. Back off the spinners late season.
Find the ducks the night before, then get there in the morning set up. Try to mimic what you see. Back off the spinners late season.
I know some of my buddies limited out with ten guys at odessa over the weekend they were up in the far south area of the lake I heard it used to be like 32 or 39 when it was a stake but thats what I heard I have not seen any pics lol. Plus I havent been hunting there lately anymore. Also dont know if you are north of odessa or south but blackhawk can produce at times esp the weekdays but ya better have a mudmotor or else your not getting to them
Lol....i cant remeber the last time I seen a flock of ducks just loafing on the river down here.
If you cant scout Odessa, then you definetly need to be taking good mental notes as you are hunting as to where the birds are flying and going in to. The guys that do good down there know what the birds have been doing the last few days you can almost bet on it. Especially now that you cant go in and look at the kill sheet.
That place can frustrate the hell outta yah. But if you are dead set on hunting there be very observant. Ive see 12 decoys work and I have seen 500 work....just all depends on what is goin on.
If you cant scout Odessa, then you definetly need to be taking good mental notes as you are hunting as to where the birds are flying and going in to. The guys that do good down there know what the birds have been doing the last few days you can almost bet on it. Especially now that you cant go in and look at the kill sheet.
That place can frustrate the hell outta yah. But if you are dead set on hunting there be very observant. Ive see 12 decoys work and I have seen 500 work....just all depends on what is goin on.
I knew this post would head south it was just a matter of time.... on the bright side hell of a nice night in my neck of the woods!
I'm in the same boat as far as scouting. I am a full time college kid and work mon-friday. What I have been doing is hunt saturday morning, scout all day, hunt saturday night and sunday morning where you found the birds. It's tough, but if you are passonate enough you will make it work. Also don't be afraid to jump shoot the. Killing locked birds over decoys is great, but jump shooting beaver ponds and back waters is a helluva lot better than staying home and not hunting. Another thing is don't be afraid of the word NO. Get a plat book and knock on doors to secure private ground. It is a lot nicer to hunt private ground that has little to no pressure.
Dont see why this would head south. The guy just asked some advise. We hunt Odessa pretty much exclusively anymore, and some days are better than others. There is certain parts of the lake that will kill more ducks and I'm sure that's like that everywhere. But like stated before keep a mental note ofwhere you're hearing the shooting and if it's in the same area time after time set up in that area. I like it better when more people are hunting down there keeps birds moving. You are still gonna have people shoot high and set up close but it is public. Just keep at it and you'll figure it out might not limit out every time but you'll have the opportunity.
AAAAhhh the whole scouting thing is overrated lol. I have riverblind no need to scout. If the ducks are there they are there if not then were gonna have a helluva a breakfest and shooting the shit and then if there still is nothing well it beats working or studying for tests. I will be up all night studying since I went hunting this morning bring on thanksgiving break 2maro then off til the 29th hunting and hunting and oh ya more hunting Lol hope u find them at Odessa I have been hunting there for a long time and agree some days are great some days u just sit around and eat
I also hunt exclusively public land. This "no time for scouting" thing is a bunch of crap and the lazy way out.
You're hunting on the weekends, right? Then scout on the weekends instead if you have no other time. Or hunt the morning scout the afternoon. I regularly drive 30 min. to scout in the am (getting up before sunrise and beating the hunters out) for an hour, drive back, then go to work.
It may not be easy or what you want to hear but it's going to be what you have to do. The only way you're going to get into some ducks unless you're lucky.
If I had a great spot I might let you know about it, but truth is I don't. But I put in the work to get the bird I do. And who's going to complain about the extra time outdoors?
Good luck.
You're hunting on the weekends, right? Then scout on the weekends instead if you have no other time. Or hunt the morning scout the afternoon. I regularly drive 30 min. to scout in the am (getting up before sunrise and beating the hunters out) for an hour, drive back, then go to work.
It may not be easy or what you want to hear but it's going to be what you have to do. The only way you're going to get into some ducks unless you're lucky.
If I had a great spot I might let you know about it, but truth is I don't. But I put in the work to get the bird I do. And who's going to complain about the extra time outdoors?
Good luck.
Henkiller, if you don't mind coming up to Coralville I would be more that glad to help you out. There is a some great spots that the Pro Scouter's haven't found yet (ya have to unglue your ass from the seat of your car). You'll be far enough away form the HSC (Hawkeye Skybusters Club) that you wont get screwed every time birds start to work, yet close enough that the birds they try to educate will work their way down to you. PM me if your interested and I'll see what I can do.
At the end of the day public land is public land. It sucks that it's over pressured and there are idiots out there hunting with you. Maybe it's worth taking a look at your spread or calling or spot on the lake? There's always somebody taking birds there, what are they doing right that you're not?
Na I hear ya all the bad thing is that scouting is great and dandy but on my public land it seems to never fail you put in the work and someone will screw ya everytime. They do it on the river lol we were hunting are riverblind and there is a point facing the north about 100 yards from us and a boatbind setup right there lol i just laugh and have a good time
My advice is to just keep pluggin' away man. I am in the same boat as you. I have a job that requires me to be at work from 7:30 to 4:30 and I work 35 min from home. This time of year it is damn near dark by the time I get home. I do spend the time I have scouting my feilds that are close to my home, but the public marshes we hunt we don't scout a whole heck of alot. Most are over an hour drive away. If we can, we will try and scout but if not we set up in the spots where we have had success in the past. Not the best way to do things but when you can't scout it's your best bet. It seems that some of the marshes we hunt there are few spots that you can always kill birds from, beat people to those spots and try your luck.
A way to make up for not having time to scout is make a log book.
Where were you on the lake at day x?
What was the wind doing?
What kind of weather was there?
What types of ducks did I see, and how many?
What height were they flying at, which direction were they heading, were they flying through a certain area (aka slot)?
When they were landing where were they landing?
If you did shoot a bird was it coming into the decoys or was it just unlucky enough to be passing by close?
What kind of decoy spread did I have out and what formation was it in?
(Optional because I call it a non factor most times) Did the bird come to a call or was I stone silent?
This data might not be of much help this year, but it will pay off in years to come with better numbers or limits.
Where were you on the lake at day x?
What was the wind doing?
What kind of weather was there?
What types of ducks did I see, and how many?
What height were they flying at, which direction were they heading, were they flying through a certain area (aka slot)?
When they were landing where were they landing?
If you did shoot a bird was it coming into the decoys or was it just unlucky enough to be passing by close?
What kind of decoy spread did I have out and what formation was it in?
(Optional because I call it a non factor most times) Did the bird come to a call or was I stone silent?
This data might not be of much help this year, but it will pay off in years to come with better numbers or limits.
When I don't have time to get out and scout some of the areas I've hunted in the past that are an hour+ away, I call the DNR officer that oversees the area and get their take. I haven't had one not call me back and offer some tidbits of info as to where they've been seeing ducks. Of course they don't guarantee the ducks will be there the next day or that 10 other hunters will be there, but it's still helpful.
HK,
PM me, been hunting Odessa for over 30 years maybe I can help, also have a place at Sand Run stop by we'll chat over a cold one.
Heading down tomorrow for a 14 day stay.
Patterns change quick on Odessa mostly because of pressure and wind direction.
Last week there was a nice calendar push of birds where a few limits were taken by our group but it was 3 days and poof they settle in quick into the refuge routine.
Once you learn the area you can use your ears to scout while your hunting and where all the shooting is coming from, up front by the refuge or is it the south end, are the ducks following the river or following the bluff and adjust your hunting spots accourdingly.
You can also use the overlook to pattern birds in the evenings.
If the birds are working the bluff fields I like to be up front or on the western fringe, if they are trading back and forth between Odessa and Keithsburg there is a line right thought the middle I like to stay close too.
I must say Odessa is a very competitive place to hunt and even worse since they did away with the draw.
Last Fri and Sat had 2 groups try and setup litterly 35 yards from me 1/2 before shooting time after I went out at midnight. I was VERY suprised they both picked up thier decoys and left.
HINT- if you going to move in on me, you should try and not setup up wind of me and down wind yourself trying to move in on the spot as after warning you I will make sure you dont get a shot. :4:
One old school Odessa hunter (John Spotts) who I've hunted with has always said it best, "YA have to get under'em"......
PM me, been hunting Odessa for over 30 years maybe I can help, also have a place at Sand Run stop by we'll chat over a cold one.
Heading down tomorrow for a 14 day stay.
Patterns change quick on Odessa mostly because of pressure and wind direction.
Last week there was a nice calendar push of birds where a few limits were taken by our group but it was 3 days and poof they settle in quick into the refuge routine.
Once you learn the area you can use your ears to scout while your hunting and where all the shooting is coming from, up front by the refuge or is it the south end, are the ducks following the river or following the bluff and adjust your hunting spots accourdingly.
You can also use the overlook to pattern birds in the evenings.
If the birds are working the bluff fields I like to be up front or on the western fringe, if they are trading back and forth between Odessa and Keithsburg there is a line right thought the middle I like to stay close too.
I must say Odessa is a very competitive place to hunt and even worse since they did away with the draw.
Last Fri and Sat had 2 groups try and setup litterly 35 yards from me 1/2 before shooting time after I went out at midnight. I was VERY suprised they both picked up thier decoys and left.
HINT- if you going to move in on me, you should try and not setup up wind of me and down wind yourself trying to move in on the spot as after warning you I will make sure you dont get a shot. :4:
One old school Odessa hunter (John Spotts) who I've hunted with has always said it best, "YA have to get under'em"......
? is John still hunting and does he still have his cabin at odessa? I work with John at Alcoa and have not seen him for a couple years. does anyone know?
Thanks Tomandju. I'll look for him in Bur. at the calling classic thats the last place i saw him.
thanks for the help, i agree public hunting is public hunting, but i know alot of us do it and most longer than me, now that i have everyones professional advice.....ill be setting up right next to you this weekend to take your swings....just kidding, thanks
It's a tad late to start thinking about scouting now. You just kind of have to salvage what you can from this season and work with what you have. I can understand not having lots of time. If you work evenings, you may have to get up early in the morning to do some scouting. Scouting the day before is ideal but not required. I've never scouted the day before (then again, look at my duck numbers.) You could scout mornings or weekends.
Also, to cut your scouting time shorter, scout in the offseason. I started scouting in April. Find the locations you want to hunt first. Just find out how to get there and bring the waders with you. Tromp around in the marsh with them on to test it out and observe where you might want to set up/how deep the marsh is, etc. Are birds using it in the offseason? I tromped around Paul Errington in my waders in June. Boy was I sweaty afterwards! Scouting in the offseason (you don't have to start in April - you could start in August) will cut your during season scouting some.
Also, if the lake you're hunting sucks, find a new spot. Duck hunting in Iowa is hard. If you go to the DNR website, you can find a lot of marshes by county. I used to hunt Banner Pits and it was never good so I got a new spot. Don't be afraid to move around. Assuming water levels are better, I'll be trying new water next year as well.
Also, to cut your scouting time shorter, scout in the offseason. I started scouting in April. Find the locations you want to hunt first. Just find out how to get there and bring the waders with you. Tromp around in the marsh with them on to test it out and observe where you might want to set up/how deep the marsh is, etc. Are birds using it in the offseason? I tromped around Paul Errington in my waders in June. Boy was I sweaty afterwards! Scouting in the offseason (you don't have to start in April - you could start in August) will cut your during season scouting some.
Also, if the lake you're hunting sucks, find a new spot. Duck hunting in Iowa is hard. If you go to the DNR website, you can find a lot of marshes by county. I used to hunt Banner Pits and it was never good so I got a new spot. Don't be afraid to move around. Assuming water levels are better, I'll be trying new water next year as well.
I meant finding a brand new spot. Especially if he doesn't have a lot of time to explore it and find out where to set up, etc. Not checking spots you already know about for birds.
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