Shore Hunting Sea Ducks: Tactics for the Great Lakes and Coastal Waters

Watch the wind, discover feeding areas, and use easy decoy setups to hunt long-tailed geese, buffleheads, and different big-water species from shore

It wasn’t all that way back that I believed that looking sea geese was one thing that solely these with seaworthy boats and piles of decoys may take part in. This notion, in fact, was introduced on by the numerous on-line movies of large, deep-hauled skiffs camouflaged with elaborate paint schemes floating across the center of locations just like the Chesapeake Bay. But it surely’s humorous how one journey can change every little thing. 

On this case, it was a cold December morning. Whereas in a mates’ boat trolling for lake trout, I seen piles of long-tailed geese banking right into a shallow rocky bay sheltered from the wind by a tall bluff. They fortunately bobbed within the residual waves rippling in from the large lake. With a pair of binoculars, I may see that lots of them have been as shut as ten yards from the shoreline. That’s when it clicked—these stereotypically hard-to-reach sea geese have been inside capturing distance from shore.

The time period “sea duck” is a broad time period that paints a number of species of geese onto one canvas. Eiders, scoters, goldeneyes, harlequin and long-tailed geese all match into this class, with species like buffleheads type of dwelling on the perimeter. Typically, it’s these species of geese which are the final emigrate. In my space, we don’t typically begin to see species like scoters and long-tails till December.

Within the years since that lake trout journey, I’ve discovered that sea geese can certainly be hunted efficiently from shore. Typically, at the very least throughout the late season, it may be probably the most profitable waterfowl looking that I expertise all yr. Right here’s how I realized to key in on among the most fascinating species of geese that I’ll hunt lengthy after the mallards and scaup have moved south.

Shoreline Sea Duck Hotspots

Sea geese could be notoriously fickle in regards to the locations the place they wish to feed. Moreover, they actually get nervous about being near shore whenever you add looking strain to the equation. Nevertheless, there are a number of frequent denominators about the place to seek out them.

All these shore-bound areas can be completely depending on what the wind is doing, so hold this in thoughts. These geese are hardy, however similar to most animals, they don’t need to work any tougher for his or her meals then they already need to. 

Secluded bays adjoining to extensive open water, particularly in and across the Nice Lakes area, typically entice sea geese in huntable numbers. Extra particularly, they favor bays that get all types of daylight in addition to present safety from the wind and subsequent late autumn swells. Goldeneyes, long-tailed geese, and buffleheads particularly appear to be attracted to those areas, however you by no means really know what would possibly present up. Ice flows can lock sea duck spot fairly shortly, and sea geese are usually extra energetic because the temperatures drop. Maintaining a tally of wind course because the season progresses will stop you from pointless disappointment.  

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One other excellent place that sea geese like to congregate round are factors of land that jut out into open water. These factors typically create a pocket of calm water on the leeward facet that isn’t getting blasted by wind and the place geese can feed. That is particularly helpful in the event you’re looking the coast the place ebbing tides alter the depth, creating bars of shallower water and the place sea geese can relaxation or feed for some time. 

Boulder fields, damaged dock pilings, and some other constructions that might doubtlessly harbor meals objects for sea geese are all seemingly locations the place you need to be exploring. Different areas that have a tendency to draw sea geese embody jetties, harbour mouths, near-shore shoals, and particularly for the dapper-looking long-tailed duck, the mouths of creeks and rivers. 

Scouting Sea Geese Close to Shore

Utilizing a fantastic pair of binoculars will provide help to to identify birds throughout peak feeding instances with out having to spook them from these areas that you simply’re scouting. Nevertheless, whenever you’re scouting for sea geese, it’s necessary to have particular factors of curiosity picked out lengthy earlier than you really start scouting. Discovering factors of entry that permit you to get to a potential space will minimize down on journey time and improve the variety of areas you can really scout productively. Get an early begin and canopy as a lot floor as attainable. With sea geese, generally it pays to strategy scouting the identical means you would possibly in the event you have been on the lookout for large sport. 

Timing is every little thing, and a few sea geese don’t migrate correct till fairly late into autumn. Remember to scout all through the late autumn season previous to looking. You’ll be glad that you simply did as soon as the birds present up en-masse. 

Nice Lakes Area Sea Duck Techniques

Upon getting established a number of totally different areas that sea geese are frequenting and also you’ve answered the ever-important query of after they’re frequenting them, the following step is looking. Being in your newfound spot early is necessary since you need time to get located. 

Whereas concealment isn’t as necessary for looking sea geese (generally you possibly can sit proper out within the open, but it surely’s not at all times that means), I don’t put an entire lot of weight into how I set my decoy unfold. Nevertheless, I create a wider pocket than you would possibly in any other case make for different species. Lengthy-tailed geese particularly like to land in entrance of one another, which I think is out of competitors for meals with each other. For that reason alone, I set myself upwind of what can be thought of the “head” of the unfold. 

Should you’re looking round shoreline constructions, the birds will kind of inform you precisely the place to be, however you need to be paying consideration. Should you’re noticing numbers touchdown 100 yards down the shoreline from you, it pays to research why they need to be there. Don’t persist with a spot that isn’t producing and imagine me, the geese will let you understand inside about fifteen minutes previous to authorized mild. 

In and across the Nice Lakes, sea geese generally search the corporate of Canada geese. Including a number of geese to your sea duck decoys and shoreline could be very useful, particularly in the event you’re looking a flat, featureless part of shoreline and the geese might have some additional coaxing with the intention to get them inside capturing vary. 

Shore Searching Sea Geese in Saltwater

For the ocean-going shore hunters, pay shut consideration to the tides and when the birds are utilizing any given space. Then, plan your hunt accordingly. Sea geese’ habits change drastically in regard to feeding and loafing areas whenever you begin to incorporate vital tidal exercise, and so must you. A feeding location throughout an outgoing tide might not be price a rattling throughout an incoming tide. 

If I can provide any recommendation on setting decoys in saltwater, it’s to not overthink them an excessive amount of. There have been many mornings of looking the place I acquired by simply positive with a mountain climbing pack loaded with a number of bufflehead and long-tailed duck decoys. What I like to recommend is equipping your decoys with heavier anchors, as present and tides will doubtlessly have your dekes bouncing out into open water the place they will’t be retrieved. 

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Whereas I’m on the topic, due to those self same tides and currents, it’s of the utmost significance that you’ve a plan on the way you’re going to retrieve your birds, particularly in the event you don’t have canine that’s going to accompany you in your sea duck hunt. My go-to resolution is to set my decoys at a depth that received’t contain tough wading. Sea geese could be notoriously exhausting to kill on the primary shot, so being assured sufficient to ship a observe up shot downrange shortly will stop you from watching a crippled scoter float off into the horizon. 

Cooking Sea Geese: Skinning vs. Plucking, Fats Colour, and Taste

It ought to go with out saying that in the event you’re planning to hunt sea geese, you higher have a plan to eat them. People generally get actually bizarre about consuming sea geese principally as a result of they don’t know what to do with them. They won’t essentially perceive that due to the duck’s distinctive food plan, plucking the geese might not be the most effective follow. 

While you’re deciding whether or not to pores and skin or pluck your geese, search for the fats coloration that you simply see beneath their pores and skin. If it seems reddish or an off-colored orange, that’s indicative of a hen that has been feeding on fish, crabs, crustaceans, or mollusks. The rendering fats will subsequently have an disagreeable odor whereas being cooked and an equally disagreeable style. 

Should you’re seeing that type of fats colour—primarily something apart from creamy white—take the freedom of skinning these geese (don’t be lazy, hold the legs). Remember to take away all the fats from the breasts, thighs, and legs. If you need to err on the facet of warning, it’s also possible to brine your sea duck breasts in pink wine with chopped rosemary in a single day.   

Sea geese are, if nothing else, an exquisite alternative to maintain looking lengthy after the mass migrations of puddle geese have handed us by. Naturally, the query then turns into, “Why not?” When you think about the assorted species, distinctive looking alternatives, and the locations the place sea geese would possibly take you, shore looking sea geese gives a well-rounded motive to maintain the shotguns able to go even after all the mallards, wigeon, teal, and wooden geese have all come and gone.

The publish Shore Searching Sea Geese: Techniques for the Nice Lakes and Coastal Waters appeared first on Venture Upland.

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