# Late season strategies



## prumpf (Apr 8, 2016)

Since it’s my first season I am still learning what typical season looks like especially for bird behavior. Just went to FB and it seemed like there were a lot less birds than 6 weeks ago when I hunted last.

Is going out to FB to a pond and set up decoys still the right strategy or is something like walking rivers more effective? 

For those who don’t like to post those ki da of things feel free to PM me. I am not asking for honey holes just general advice. 

Thanks!!


----------



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Do like the birds do and head south 

Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

If there are no birds then setting up decoys won't do you any good. Go find birds to shoot and set up on those. Farmington has been terrible this whole season with no consistency in bird movements. The worst I have seen in 30 years actually. And the road is a big pile of $hit and the parking areas ain't any better. That place has gone to hell.


----------



## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> If there are no birds then setting up decoys won't do you any good. Go find birds to shoot and set up on those. Farmington has been terrible this whole season with no consistency in bird movements. The worst I have seen in 30 years actually. And the road is a big pile of $hit and the parking areas ain't any better. That place has gone to hell.


Yep, agreed, my worst year ever. I worked pretty hard yesterday for zero birds. Lots of birds overflying the area high and late, but very few birds anywhere inside FB. Not sure where they came from, but it looked like they were heading out to the lake. Guess it's time to chase chukar.


----------



## prumpf (Apr 8, 2016)

Can I just walk any river such as Provo river and shoot ducks as long as I keep the 600ft away from structures? Been looking through the guidebook and that’s how I understand it.


----------



## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

My late season strategy as of today is to put all my stuff away for the year and get ready for ice fishing. I haven't shot a bird in Utah since the 15th of November. Never fired a shot the last 4 times out. Enough is enough, and I'm done for the year. Y'all take care and be safe out there.


----------



## Raptor1 (Feb 1, 2015)

It's been tough for me the last few days. I've spent a lot of gas, time and miles on the feet. They aren't in the usual spots I have found them in the past. Today we found them, thousands of ducks and hundreds of geese, the problem is they are in airboat country and you would need a coffin blind as well to get at them. Two things I don't have right now. Legs and back are dead from the walk today, so I'm taking tomorrow as a rest day and back at it on Friday. Going to try to figure out the best way to get to them using Google maps. I almost always have bino's when out looking for them. I saw them today so I know they are around, just have to get under them!! I know one airboat saw them, cause they were set up close to the birds.


----------



## landerman (Nov 8, 2009)

Glad to hear so many folks think FB has gone to hell. Leaves more room and birds for those of us who enjoy hunting in such a “hell.”


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

landerman said:


> Glad to hear so many folks think FB has gone to hell. Leaves more room and birds for those of us who enjoy hunting in such a "hell."


The road has gone to hell......My statement has nothing to do with the birds or hunting....;-) Will I continue to go there and drive down that pothole road? Yes! Will I continue to shoot birds there? Probably so.....


----------



## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

landerman said:


> Glad to hear so many folks think FB has gone to hell. Leaves more room and birds for those of us who enjoy hunting in such a "hell."


Maybe we just expect too much!! But definitely nice Roosters!!


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

dubob said:


> My late season strategy as of today is to put all my stuff away for the year and get ready for ice fishing. I haven't shot a bird in Utah since the 15th of November. Never fired a shot the last 4 times out. Enough is enough, and I'm done for the year. Y'all take care and be safe out there.


I heard the clubs were slow as well. I know I haven't heard as many shots coming from some of them this year.


----------



## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I think the early snow fall and cold up North pushed the birds out sooner than normal. If the birds cant find food from snow covered fields and froze up water, they're in the air heading out to better conditions.


----------



## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> I heard the clubs were slow as well. I know I haven't heard as many shots coming from some of them this year.


Last time out I towed my trailer with a Jet sled loaded with my blind, decoys, waders, etc, nearly 100# of gear, behind my bike nearly five miles, then dragged my Jet Sled over half a mile, all for no birds. My late season strategy this year will rely heavily on bourbon. Who's with me??


----------



## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

paddler said:


> My late season strategy this year will rely heavily on bourbon. Who's with me??


Mine will rely heavily on mergansers and goldeneyes...


----------



## billybass23 (Sep 11, 2007)

Clarq, I'm glad that I'm not the only one! My old group of hunting buds would always talk so much **** about Goldeneyes, but big late season drakes are one of my favorite ducks to look for! Even picked up some GE deeks a few years back after reading they like to land with their own. Lol


----------



## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

I will admit, this is my toughest season in 20 years of waterfowling but, I'm still killing a bunch.. Its taken a lot more hard work to do it and an extra hunting day here and there. I havent been hunting my usual spots much this year because i'm trying to wing myself off the death mallard runs.
my late season strategies are to scout as much as time will afford me. Id rather scout 1 day and have a lights out hunt as opposed to having 2 hunts that are less productive..

minimizing my competition and go the extra distance as far as setting up on birds and dont ever say "good enough" if you can do more. 

But, I'v actually got Turkeys and Kokanee on my mind...


----------



## prumpf (Apr 8, 2016)

Went out to scout tonight and I think I found the x.

Couldn’t leave the shotgun in the truck so I got lucky with this guy! 

I really appreciate all the comments, it helps to piece things together and come up with what works for me.

I hope I can squeeze in a hunt tomorrow!


----------



## Muley_DMD (May 14, 2019)

I went up to FB couple times in November. Was going for pheasants but didn’t see any! Two years ago I had a lot of success for roosters but this year nothing. Anybody had luck or even had visuals on em this year? I’ve seen ducks but I have no retriever nor do I have any method of water travel so I haven’t gone for ducks. Maybe next year.


----------



## prumpf (Apr 8, 2016)

I saw pheasants twice while walking the dikes. Went out about 10 times this year.


----------



## prumpf (Apr 8, 2016)

The spot I found a few days ago holds a lot of birds. Fingers crossed the wife will be ok with a hunt tomorrow.


----------



## Griffin (Dec 11, 2019)

This is my first duck season in Utah. I hunted a lot in Georgia, and I have had decent success so far and been able to find birds, but since everything is starting to freeze up I am not seeing any birds and all my spots are frozen. Any advice ? I am in the provo/orem area around Utah lake and would love some guidance as I’m not ready to throw in the towel for my season 😩


----------



## gander311 (Dec 23, 2008)

Griffin said:


> This is my first duck season in Utah. I hunted a lot in Georgia, and I have had decent success so far and been able to find birds, but since everything is starting to freeze up I am not seeing any birds and all my spots are frozen. Any advice ? I am in the provo/orem area around Utah lake and would love some guidance as I'm not ready to throw in the towel for my season &#128553;


It's not an answer anybody likes hearing, but scout, scout, scout.

It has been a weird year for just about everybody, and that has made the scouting even more important. Spend some time on the binos watching for birds, and then get under them. This time of year when they're scattered into secluded pockets, they are harder to find. But if you can find them and hunt where they've been, you can set yourself up for some stellar hunts.


----------



## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

prumpf said:


> The spot I found a few days ago holds a lot of birds. Fingers crossed the wife will be ok with a hunt tomorrow.


I just noticed this, is that gaddy a mutant? He looks huge compared to those park ducks.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


----------



## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

hamernhonkers said:


> I just noticed this, is that gaddy a mutant? He looks huge compared to those park ducks.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


That does look like a huge Gaddy....I have shot a few in the late season that were mallard-sized or bigger. I always assume that they come from the far north, don't know why but it seems fitting.


----------



## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Pumpgunner said:


> That does look like a huge Gaddy....I have shot a few in the late season that were mallard-sized or bigger. I always assume that they come from the far north, don't know why but it seems fitting.


I think it's just the wide angle (28mm) cell phone camera. Notice how big the GWT looks compared to the mallards.


----------



## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

This is my mallard spread from last week, it worked pretty well. 6 full bodies and 5 floaters, one of my favorite things about the late season is that you can really pare your spread down and still have great results.


----------



## fatbikehunter (Nov 16, 2019)

GSL for grinners and teal. go get em


----------

