# Best places for boatless to duck hunt?



## Gumbo

I don't have a duck boat, but would like to hunt some ducks. Any recommendations on some good walk-in public access places? I'm in northern Utah county.


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## Duurty1

where are you at


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## Riverrat77

Any WMA with dikes.... or the shores of several lakes that are within an hour or so..... there's places all over to walk to. Like Duurty is asking, it really just depends on where you're at and what you think is too far to drive. Farmington, Ogden, Bear River Bird Refuge, Public Shooting Grounds, Harold Crane, Salt Creek, Timpie Springs, all of these have dike systems and you can walk around pass shooting or find potholes to set up in. You can also get into places like the Kaysville Marshes and several places around the Great Salt Lake, Utah Lake and others to hunt ducks. The best place?? Well, thats up to you do decide once you've hunted a few of them. :wink:


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## wingmanck

+ 1
As RiverRat says, basically anywhere with water that birds are using! I don't know why everyone seems to think that you can't have awesome hunts without owning a boat. I've mentioned this before on another thread but I was a foot soldier for over a decade before I got jacked up in an accident. I was looking at the option of "buy a boat or don't hunt" (which I would have chosen over sitting on a dike) because my body hadn't healed up enough to make the long hikes through mud and weeds that my buddy and I were accustomed too. The boat served its purpose and got me away from the dike for a year but I went back to walking the next year and have been ever since. Why? Too many boats! I find it easier to get away from people with just a little effort walking. Still have the boat and have nothing against them. Just don't want you to feel like you need one to be successful. All of the WMAs and refuges have produced very good hunts for me. Like I said, just takes a little effort and some good (bad?) weather doesn't hurt.


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## Riverrat77

Gumbo said:


> I don't have a duck boat, but would like to hunt some ducks. Any recommendations on some good walk-in public access places? I'm in northern Utah county.


Now that you've edited this... I would suggest several places right away. The shoreline by the state park (if the water has gone down enough to be wadeable), the lake shores between Powell Slough and Lindon Boat Harbor (on that frontage road), the west shore if you can get to weedy areas between private ground, and the Provo River. You can also hunt Deer Creek, you just can't have a dog to retrieve your birds (culinary water). Farmington is probably your closest WMA and there are areas that you can get to as a foot soldier for some good action. There are also reservoirs south of you down by Delta (DMAD, Gunnison Bend) that I'd imagine would hold ducks. I don't know anything about Clear Lake but its a refuge and I have been told about pass shooting the edges of it by a friend of a friend but I don't know how effective that really is. I'd almost think that if you got a tube, you could really do some damage on the Utah Lake shoreline..... but I've only hunted it on foot before and that was several years ago. The ducks were in serious trouble when I lived down there because I'd prowl that whole eastern shoreline and get into em. :lol: I didn't kill a lot but I certainly knew where they'd concentrate after a while. 8)


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## wingmanck

RR knows Utah Lake and its surrounding areas well so take his advise on that! I'll save ya some time on the Delta (Clear Lake) option. Don't do it unless you just want to see somewhere new. Hunting there has been in a downward spiral for as long as I've been hunting. Used to make a few trips a year down there when we first started hunting as it was decent and not the same ol' hunting spots. Every year we saw less and less birds however and it finally got to the point where last year was the first time I didn't hunt down there. Reports have been dismal from those I know who have been down there this year too so I don't know if I'll make it this year either with gas being so expensive. If you do go though, don't try Gunnison Bend - there's no hunting allowed there. It is worth checking out in Feb/March (?) during the Snow Goose Festival though.


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## Riverrat77

wingmanck said:


> If you do go though, don't try Gunnison Bend - there's no hunting allowed there. It is worth checking out in Feb/March (?) during the Snow Goose Festival though.


DOH!!! good save. :lol: I'm glad he didn't go down there and hunt that. I just knew it was down there... had no idea what the regs were on it. So, is GB where the snow goose festival is at or is it on the Refuge? Hopefully this has given you some ideas of where to hunt.... its lots of ground to cover but I'm sure if you hit enough spots, sooner or later you'll find some that produce for you.... it was a lot of trial and error for me until I either went with some folks or just figured out where the birds wanted to be. Now that I've mentioned it.... I just might try the float tube thing this year..... it might be time to hit my old stomping grounds while soaking a chunk of cut bait. :lol:


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## wingmanck

[quote="Riverrat77 So, is GB where the snow goose festival is at or is it on the Refuge?[/quote]

It's at GB. It's cool to see all those snows in Utah. I'll try to scan and then post some pics from it but don't hold your breath as I have no idea what I'm doing! :shock: :lol:

Edit: just realized the pics are in Salt Lake. I'll try to remember them next time I'm down there and then give it a whirl.


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## blazer1972rbes

Anyone hunt Mantua for ducks?


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## outdoorser

blazer1972rbes said:


> Anyone hunt Mantua for ducks?


I asked that same question a few months ago, and some of the guys said that they've done it, but you have to make sure you aren't close to the dike near the houses.


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