# Farmington Bay



## Ray (May 10, 2018)

Hey gents, I’m new to waterfowl hunting, this will be my first year really giving it a go. I do tons of upland game, small game and big game hunting but for whatever reason, never got into waterfowl. 

I’m planning on going and doing lots of walking at Farmington Bay opening weekend as I don’t have a duck boat. My question is, how do I access the spots to start walking? I drove over there the other day and I wasn’t really sure where to go.


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## blackdog (Sep 11, 2007)

For your first time waterfowl hunting I would suggest not going to Farmington Bay opening weekend. If you go you will not want to hunt waterfowl again. Avoid that dumpster fire at all cost. Go fishing or grouse hunting that weekend instead. If you have to walk the dikes of FB go later in the season when most of the moron Utah duck hunters have given up for the year.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

blackdog said:


> For your first time waterfowl hunting I would suggest not going to Farmington Bay opening weekend. If you go you will not want to hunt waterfowl again. Avoid that dumpster fire at all cost. Go fishing or grouse hunting that weekend instead. If you have to walk the dikes of FB go later in the season when most of the moron Utah duck hunters have given up for the year.


It's a pretty big circus huh?


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## blackdog (Sep 11, 2007)

More clowns than you can shake a stick at.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

Maybe I’ll go piss off the GS ELK hunters in the Uintas by chasing grouse


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Dumpster fire. I love that quote!


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I have never had a problem scratching out a limit and avoiding the crowds on opening weekend at Farmington Bay. There is over 20 miles of dikes and a lot of areas in between. The first few weekends have a lot of hunters, doesn't matter which WMA you go to. There is a North, South and East entrance and all of the dikes join together surrounding several impoundments. Take a bike and go for a ride. Good Luck!


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## sketch21 (Jul 11, 2013)

Fowlmouth said:


> I have never had a problem scratching out a limit and avoiding the crowds on opening weekend at Farmington Bay. There is over 20 miles of dikes and a lot of areas in between. The first few weekends have a lot of hunters, doesn't matter which WMA you go to. There is a North, South and East entrance and all of the dikes join together surrounding several impoundments. Take a bike and go for a ride. Good Luck!


Agreed! Bring some binos, look for birds and go set up on them.


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## quackaddict35 (Sep 25, 2015)

I’ve never had an issue with people opening morning. Just walk your ass off and you’ll be far and away from people. All the dip****s stay close to the parking lot and on the dike. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Luhk (Aug 16, 2017)

Best place to start is look at the map on the dnr website for Farmington bay. Then pull up google earth so you can really get a sense of where you need to go to get to those entrances. I hunt mostly the east entrances and have little to no problem hunting along thst opening week. I do avoid it like the plague on opening day though. If I catch you out there if you see a white ford f150 with a company name on the side Holla and I will take you out to some really decent spots.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

Luhk said:


> Best place to start is look at the map on the dnr website for Farmington bay. Then pull up google earth so you can really get a sense of where you need to go to get to those entrances. I hunt mostly the east entrances and have little to no problem hunting along thst opening week. I do avoid it like the plague on opening day though. If I catch you out there if you see a white ford f150 with a company name on the side Holla and I will take you out to some really decent spots.


Thanks man! I really appreciate the offer. I'm looking up what you suggested, it really has helped to get a better sense of the area. I'm going to hold off on hitting it opening weekend, but I'll be out there the following!


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## Wasatch_Outdoors (Aug 19, 2019)

I agree it's kind of a dumpster fire, and you need to have the right mindset for opening day. That being said, it can still be a good time. Opening day, don't invest a whole lot of hope into it. If you're taking decoys, keep the spread small, because it's not worth the work of dragging 6 dozen decoys as far as your legs will carry you, just to have someone set up just downwind of you 5 minutes before shooting time. Be prepared to move and adjust if needed. And make friends with the neighbors. You're going to have plenty, and taking the time to be friendly with them makes it a lot more fun than both groups going on about the "jerks next door". Also, opening day, don't forget that there's guys moving and bumping birds all day long. It's slower action, but sometimes you get better quality by sleeping in and hunting mid day opening weekend. There's thousands of hunters leaving the marsh around 11am, might as well let them do some of the work for you.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Sometimes I wish I didn't have a nice big boat that goes fast and hauls a heavy load and able to ride on plane over an inch of ice with a big ol fancy headlight. sometimes I wish I was still just a foot soldier! I mean, I still am but, I sure do like a boat ride before I walk.

I think the best duck hunting is only accessible by foot


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

goosefreak said:


> Sometimes I wish I didn't have a nice big boat that goes fast and hauls a heavy load and able to ride on plane over an inch of ice with a big ol fancy headlight. sometimes I wish I was still just a foot soldier! I mean, I still am but, I sure do like a boat ride before I walk.
> 
> I think the best duck hunting is only accessible by foot


I have 3 boats set up for 3 different styles of hunting (motorless, smaller sneak boat with a mud motor set up for 1 or maybe 2 guys, and big boat with a big mud motor set up for hauling multiple people and every decoy I own) and I actually only set up and hunt out of my boat about 25% of the time. None of my boats have a blind on them if that tells you anything, although they can all be grassed up and hidden if necessary. Some of my best spots are accessed by a long boat ride followed by a long walk. I think that getting creative is the name of the game, never be afraid to explore and try a new spot or technique and you may be surprised at what you discover!


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Pumpgunner said:


> goosefreak said:
> 
> 
> > Sometimes I wish I didn't have a nice big boat that goes fast and hauls a heavy load and able to ride on plane over an inch of ice with a big ol fancy headlight. sometimes I wish I was still just a foot soldier! I mean, I still am but, I sure do like a boat ride before I walk.
> ...


Yup, I've got a $20K boat and I never hunt out of it! I'm a foot soldier by heart!

I'm actually thinking about down sizing my rig but, every time I squeeze that throttle I'm like......nope!


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Farmington wasn’t as big of a chit show this morning as it has been the last few years, at least where I was any way. Kinds surprised at the lack of boats around me.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

How many birds did you get sheep?


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> How many birds did you get sheep?


A 6 man limit, 42 ducks. And 14 coots


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

not bad brother. I didn’t even end up making it out today, I spent the entire day at the Volkswagen dealership getting my wife a new Atlas... have I ever told you guys how much I hate car dealerships?

Next time you guys head out, let me know sheep. I’ll be the guy hiding in the weeds 50 yards away from your spot.


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## Papa Moses (Sep 27, 2018)

42 ducks... must’ve been on the crystal unit 😉 in all seriousness good job! Impressive.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> Next time you guys head out, let me know sheep. I'll be the guy hiding in the weeds 50 yards away from your spot.


Sounds about right. You seem like the kinda guy to waste an opportunity to go hunting and spend it pissin in the wind


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

sheepassassin said:


> Ray said:
> 
> 
> > Next time you guys head out, let me know sheep. I'll be the guy hiding in the weeds 50 yards away from your spot.
> ...


Actually, I'm the kind of guy that'll be pissing on your boots.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> Actually, I'm the kind of guy that'll be pissing on your boots.


I don't really care to know about your sick fetish's... what you enjoy behind closed doors is one thing, but please don't feel like the rest of us need to know about it.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> Actually, I'm the kind of guy that'll be pissing on your boots.


It's funny that on a Sunday morning in October with all kinds of hunts going on today, you're trying to troll on a forum instead of out hunting haha that's funny


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

sheepassassin said:


> Ray said:
> 
> 
> > Actually, I'm the kind of guy that'll be pissing on your boots.
> ...


Yeah, it's a weird thing actually having people that care about you and that need you home. Maybe someday you'll know what that's like if you can find a girl dumb &or blind enough to get passed those looks and personality of yours.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> Yeah, it's a weird thing actually having people that care about you and that need you home. Maybe someday you'll know what that's like if you can find a girl dumb &or blind enough to get passed those looks and personality of yours.


Happily married with a 16 month old little boy. I just found a woman that likes to hunt as much as I do, and we take our little boy with us.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Ok fellas take it to the P.M.s -O,-


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## prumpf (Apr 8, 2016)

Disappointed! Wanting to get into duck hunting this year and posting for help here without getting blasted seems unlikely. Second best thing is reading as much info as I can here and half of it is people having public show offs behind screens. 

Come on guys let’s be the men that hunters are suppose to be.


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## Papa Moses (Sep 27, 2018)

prumpf said:


> Disappointed! Wanting to get into duck hunting this year and posting for help here without getting blasted seems unlikely. Second best thing is reading as much info as I can here and half of it is people having public show offs behind screens.
> 
> Come on guys let's be the men that hunters are suppose to be.


Amen!


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

prumpf said:


> Come on guys let's be the men that hunters are suppose to be.


Ok then let's go back to the way it was before the internet and go burn some fuel, spend some time just watching, pay attention to where the birds want to be and determine why that is, and THEN start hunting. How many of the most successful guys are getting on here asking how to kill ducks? None. How many started by asking where to start on the internet, hardly anyone. They spent the time to figure it out. I've never seen goosefreak or anyone else that is successful like him ask where to go or how to do it. I'd bet money he started by just going and doing, learning along the way. Best way to learn how to hunt, is to just go do it. You could read a thousand quality articles about how to hunt waterfowl and that won't help you kill ducks. The only thing that will really help is going and doing. The only things you need to know is if you are using decoys, make sure the wind is at your back. They see movement WELL, don't move. Hide in the shadows. If you call, most of the time less is more. Find places away from the main traffic areas where they don't get bothered as much, these places will also most likely have a food source for them. Be patient. If you can do all that, you'll be successful eventually. The rest can't be learned from reading, only by hands on experience.

You'll have way more "unsuccessful" hunts than successful at first. But just because you didn't kill a bird, doesn't mean it's a waste of time. Make a conscious effort to learn while you are out. When you do have a good day, ask yourself 'why' you think it was a good day and remember that in the future


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

sheepassassin said:


> Ok then let's go back to the way it was before the internet and go burn some *calories*, spend some time just watching, pay attention to where the birds want to be and determine why that is, and THEN start hunting. How many of the most successful guys are getting on here asking how to kill ducks? None. How many started by asking where to start on the internet, hardly anyone. They spent the time to figure it out. I've never seen goosefreak or anyone else that is successful like him ask where to go or how to do it. I'd bet money he started by just going and doing, learning along the way. Best way to learn how to hunt, is to just go do it. You could read a thousand quality articles about how to hunt waterfowl and that won't help you kill ducks. The only thing that will really help is going and doing. The only things you need to know is if you are using decoys, make sure the wind is at your back. They see movement WELL, don't move. Hide in the shadows. If you call, most of the time less is more. Find places away from the main traffic areas where they don't get bothered as much, these places will also most likely have a food source for them. Be patient. If you can do all that, you'll be successful eventually. The rest can't be learned from reading, only by hands on experience.
> 
> You'll have way more "unsuccessful" hunts than successful at first. But just because you didn't kill a bird, doesn't mean it's a waste of time. Make a conscious effort to learn while you are out. When you do have a good day, ask yourself 'why' you think it was a good day and remember that in the future


Fixed it!


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

paddler said:


> Fixed it!


Says the guy talking about using E bikes to tow his canoe. It's funny how you'll bend your personal standards when it benefits you in a positive way :roll:


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

Let the record show that I wasn’t asking how or where to hunt waterfowl, I already had the how and where figured. The point of the thread was to figure out where the access points are. But leave it to sheep to misread something.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> Let the record show that I wasn't asking how or where to hunt waterfowl, I already had the how and where figured. The point of the thread was to figure out where the access points are. But leave it to sheep to misread something.


Let the record show that the only one who derailed this thread was you. I gave a summary of opening morning at FB and you jumped in trying to troll me, which was a terrible attempt, and took it from there. You misread what I said. Not the other way around.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

sheepassassin said:


> Ray said:
> 
> 
> > Next time you guys head out, let me know sheep. I'll be the guy hiding in the weeds 50 yards away from your spot.
> ...


Here's where you derailed it. Someone tries to joke around with you and you're so inept/miserable you can't handle it.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> Here's where you derailed it. Someone tries to joke around with you and you're so inept/miserable you can't handle it.


You obviously don't know me well enough to understand what I can handle


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

sheepassassin said:


> Says the guy talking about using E bikes to tow his canoe. It's funny how you'll bend your personal standards when it benefits you in a positive way :roll:


If you look at the sum of my posts you will understand that I'm against ebikes on our WMAs. I was disappointed that Jason and Blair were unable to get them banned. You misrepresent my stated opinions. Do you see a motor here?


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

That’s actually a really setup


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> That's actually a really setup


What was that about inept?


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Ray said:


> That's actually a really setup


It works well. Lots of work without an electric assist, I can only go about 6MPH. I recently made up a trailer tongue so I can attach it to the tow bar. That allows me to load up my Jet Sled and tow it behind my bike for hunting areas where I don't need my canoe. The sled will carry all my gear, and it's big enough to lay in when I want to hunt low cover areas.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

sheepassassin said:


> Ray said:
> 
> 
> > That's actually a really setup
> ...


"Oh no, that guy had a typo from typing on his phone while multitasking".

Grow up, child.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

paddler said:


> Ray said:
> 
> 
> > That's actually a really setup
> ...


I've honestly never seen a setup like that, it's got me thinking I need to start my own project.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> "Oh no, that guy had a typo from typing on his phone while multitasking".
> 
> Grow up, child.


That was a simple button to push haha


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> I've honestly never seen a setup like that, it's got me thinking I need to start my own project.


Must not get out much. All kinds of these contraptions rolling down the dikes around the GSL


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

sheepassassin said:


> Ray said:
> 
> 
> > I've honestly never seen a setup like that, it's got me thinking I need to start my own project.
> ...


Do I really need to remind you of the purpose of this thread? I never got into duck hunting, so I have zero experience of what might be rolling around on the dikes.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> Do I really need to remind you of the purpose of this thread? I never got into duck hunting, so I have zero experience of what might be rolling around on the dikes.


I thought you were a master hunter?

What's the word you used? ...oh ya, inept!


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

sheepassassin said:


> Ray said:
> 
> 
> > Do I really need to remind you of the purpose of this thread? I never got into duck hunting, so I have zero experience of what might be rolling around on the dikes.
> ...


Jesus Christ, you're literally the most idiotic human I've ever met.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> Jesus Christ, you're literally the most idiotic human I've ever met.


Have we met?


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

sheepassassin said:


> Ray said:
> 
> 
> > Jesus Christ, you're literally the most idiotic human I've ever met.
> ...


Careful sheepass, your stupid is showing.

Review the 3rd line item. As you should have learned in elementary, words have more than one meaning.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meet


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> Careful sheepass, your stupid is showing.
> 
> Review the 3rd line item. As you should have learned in elementary, words have more than one meaning.
> 
> https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meet


At the very most, I would call our interaction as an "encounter". We haven't met if you are trying to count the CWN as meeting


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

Didn’t follow the link, did ya?


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> Didn't follow the link, did ya?


Oh I did. But just because someone wrote something on the internet doesn't make it true or fact. We haven't 'met'.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

sheepassassin said:


> Ray said:
> 
> 
> > Didn't follow the link, did ya?
> ...


It's a direct definition from Merriam-Webster but whatever you say buddy.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> It's a direct definition from Merriam-Webster but whatever you say buddy.


I say we haven't met, but I hope we do.

How you gonna piss on my boots if you don't have a boat to get out to where I'm hunting??


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

sheepassassin said:


> Ray said:
> 
> 
> > It's a direct definition from Merriam-Webster but whatever you say buddy.
> ...


Makes two of us. &#128536;

I have a Nautique G25, I'll set it for wakesurfing then cruise past you a few times, that'll get you pretty wet.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

Ray said:


> Makes two of us. &#128536;
> 
> I have a Nautique G25, I'll set it for wakesurfing then cruise past you a few times, that'll get you pretty wet.


In 12" of water? Haha good luck


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## Papa Moses (Sep 27, 2018)

I think somebody is about to get banned... 

With this cold north wind today- did anybody have any luck?? I was stuck at work drooling over the ducks flying past.


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## Raptor1 (Feb 1, 2015)

Papa Moses said:


> I think somebody is about to get banned...
> 
> With this cold north wind today- did anybody have any luck?? I was stuck at work drooling over the ducks flying past.


Hunted up north of FB, bagged 5. Saw a lot more than on the opener, but they were all rafting up in the middle.


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## Luhk (Aug 16, 2017)

Papa Moses said:


> I think somebody is about to get banned...
> 
> With this cold north wind today- did anybody have any luck?? I was stuck at work drooling over the ducks flying past.


It was actually a really good shoot yesterday. Birds committed well.


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