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Hey I have hunted big lakes my whole life. I have also hunted a lot of flooded timber. I am looking to make a trip somewhere in the US to make a dry field hunt for mallards and some specks. Any advice or point in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks

Thank you sir

For mallards and specks, I'd venture a guess that you'd be KS bound. If you can settle for a flooded field, AR or maybe LA.

Welcome!

3geese4me wrote:For mallards and specks, I'd venture a guess that you'd be KS bound. If you can settle for a flooded field, AR or maybe LA.

And if flooded is okay, I would point you towards Byer's Farm... never been there, but have heard really good things.

I'm in CA and don't know anyone to recommend. But Welcome! I'm sure someone will be able to help you out.

Where or how far are you willing to travel? Might help with some of the guys recommendations.

Welcome!

3geese4me wrote:For mallards and specks, I'd venture a guess that you'd be KS bound. If you can settle for a flooded field, AR or maybe LA.

First off, welcome!

Specks are going to be your disqualifying factor on this request. My guess is 3geese is spot on if your desire is to kill them in a field, Jarbo can probably offer a little more insight here. If you drop the specks, your opportunities will open up tremendously. You can basically pick any state from Kansas to North Dakota and have a good chance of being able to kill mallards in a field if you time your trip right. However, my guess is finding a guide that is going to offer mallards in a field is going to be another issue, as most will target geese (Canadas) in fields with bonus ducks, and vice versa over water.

sws002 wrote:

3geese4me wrote:For mallards and specks, I'd venture a guess that you'd be KS bound. If you can settle for a flooded field, AR or maybe LA.

First off, welcome!

Specks are going to be your disqualifying factor on this request. My guess is 3geese is spot on if your desire is to kill them in a field, Jarbo can probably offer a little more insight here. If you drop the specks, your opportunities will open up tremendously. You can basically pick any state from Kansas to North Dakota and have a good chance of being able to kill mallards in a field if you time your trip right. However, my guess is finding a guide that is going to offer mallards in a field is going to be another issue, as most will target geese (Canadas) in fields with bonus ducks, and vice versa over water.

I would say you are right, field hunting for ducks is all about timing around here. With the invention of the Ice-Eater, I would guess most guides will go that route when chasing ducks when things get to freezing, which around here is the only time ducks start hitting fields. If specks are added, I would start checking in the central KS area. Chances are if you get on a good field duck hunt, mallards will be in the area also. Good luck, and

You might want to look at South Dakota or NE as well.

Tomkat wrote:You might want to look at South Dakota or NE as well.

Chances of specks in NE are slim, and when they are present, there is a good chance there won't even be fields picked to hunt yet. Like TomKat said, when ducks start to happen in fields here is when the weather gets cold. I know nothing of South Dakota's speck hunting, but I doubt it is much better than Nebraska, and it is a draw state (which I hate, and refuse to support). North Dakota can give you opportunities at both, but if you are around when you have a chance at specks, it will also likely be very early, and you will be shooting A LOT of brown ducks. If it were me, I would make it two trips. Maybe not all this year, but as was said here before, if you want specks, from what I've seen in pictures, I don't know if there is a better place than Byers Farm in Arkansas. A field mallard hunt is an absolute must though, it is far and away my favorite hunt.

Could you possibly travel North of the border? You can kill both in the same field fairly consistently up that way.

GadwallGetter530 wrote:Could you possibly travel North of the border? You can kill both in the same field fairly consistently up that way.

This is true. Fuckin' Canucks get the best of everything. My goal is in the next 3 years to hunt in Canada (and then every subsequent year after that).

sws002 wrote:

GadwallGetter530 wrote:Could you possibly travel North of the border? You can kill both in the same field fairly consistently up that way.

This is true. Fuckin' Canucks get the best of everything. My goal is in the next 3 years to hunt in Canada (and then every subsequent year after that).

It is a blast.

GadwallGetter530 wrote:

sws002 wrote:

GadwallGetter530 wrote:Could you possibly travel North of the border? You can kill both in the same field fairly consistently up that way.

This is true. Fuckin' Canucks get the best of everything. My goal is in the next 3 years to hunt in Canada (and then every subsequent year after that).

It is a blast.

It absolutely is

GadwallGetter530 wrote:

sws002 wrote:

GadwallGetter530 wrote:Could you possibly travel North of the border? You can kill both in the same field fairly consistently up that way.

This is true. Fuckin' Canucks get the best of everything. My goal is in the next 3 years to hunt in Canada (and then every subsequent year after that).

It is a blast.

What's fucking crazy, is that we have been going to NoDak about the last week in October the past 3 years, and usually do pretty damn good, and are for the most part on the front side of the migration but go early to make sure it isn't frozen up. About the time we leave, Hustad is usually headed to Saskatchewan to catch the front end of the migration up there. So the first week of November southern Saskatchewan is seeing the front of the migration, and Nebraska is already a month through duck season. Fucking bullshit.

sws002 wrote:

GadwallGetter530 wrote:

sws002 wrote:

GadwallGetter530 wrote:Could you possibly travel North of the border? You can kill both in the same field fairly consistently up that way.

This is true. Fuckin' Canucks get the best of everything. My goal is in the next 3 years to hunt in Canada (and then every subsequent year after that).

It is a blast.

What's fucking crazy, is that we have been going to NoDak about the last week in October the past 3 years, and usually do pretty damn good, and are for the most part on the front side of the migration but go early to make sure it isn't frozen up. About the time we leave, Hustad is usually headed to Saskatchewan to catch the front end of the migration up there. So the first week of November southern Saskatchewan is seeing the front of the migration, and Nebraska is already a month through duck season. Fucking bullshit.

Yeah, I hunted the Alberta Saskatchewan border. Best time was last week of October first week of November.

If you want to kill Specs over dry rice stubble, the Katie Prairie or the Eagle Lake areas of Texas are almost a sure thing.

RonE wrote:If you want to kill Specs over dry rice stubble, the Katie Prairie or the Eagle Lake areas of Texas are almost a sure thing.

If he just wanted specs in rice stubble he would just come out to cali.

Bellpeppachaser wrote:Hey I have hunted big lakes my whole life. I have also hunted a lot of flooded timber. I am looking to make a trip somewhere in the US to make a dry field hunt for mallards and some specks. Any advice or point in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks

Welcome to WFF.
What's your general location so we could tell you a general idea of where.
So far we got...everywhere. Canada...etc.

Arkansas isn't gonna be your destination.
No water "= no ducks so dry fields is unlikely.

Bellpeppachaser wrote:Hey I have hunted big lakes my whole life. I have also hunted a lot of flooded timber. I am looking to make a trip somewhere in the US to make a dry field hunt for mallards and some specks. Any advice or point in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks

Welcome to WFF.
What's your general location so we could tell you a general idea of where.
So far we got...everywhere. Canada...etc.

Arkansas isn't gonna be your destination.
No water "= no ducks so dry fields is unlikely.

RonE wrote:If you want to kill Specs over dry rice stubble, the Katie Prairie or the Eagle Lake areas of Texas are almost a sure thing.

This x2 Some the best goose hunting around