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Thread: Broad River WMA Draw Hunt

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2019
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    Default Broad River WMA Draw Hunt

    Anybody care to school me in how the Broad River Waterfowl Management Area works on draw hunts? This is my 3rd year up here in SC and I got drawn for a date in January up there. Seems a lot of the areas down by the coast have very clear instructions on what to bring, what not to bring, dekes, boats, conditions etc; but the Broad River page is really vague. How does blind/spot selection work - is it first come first serve selection or assigned or...? I don't have a dog and will be alone - never minded working hard on a hunt, just need to know what to expect. Down in FL, you get to take 2 guests on any draw hunt, I see it's not like that up here. Based on the map I was able to find of the property it looks like mostly walk in, no need for a boat or kayak? Please tell me if that's wrong. Dekes I should be packing in my bag? Most of my old gear is from years of hunting salt marsh in FL where I'm from, so dekes are not many mallards, mostly GWT/BWT, widgeon, coots, divers and few woodies - any advice at all welcome. I was not able to find any info on scouting - are there scout days for these cat1 properties up here?

  2. #2
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    You would have to put your party members in during the application process. If its anything like the rest of them, you will sign in and they will assign everyone an area.

  3. #3
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    Aug 2019
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    Quote Originally Posted by jws View Post
    You would have to put your party members in during the application process. If its anything like the rest of them, you will sign in and they will assign everyone an area.
    Thanks - yeah I saw that in the application process but I have not really met any like minded "party members" since I moved up here. I work too dang much I guess. Appreciate the response.

  4. #4
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    The guys running the property will take you and drop you off pretty close to your blind. You may have hoof it 100 yards or so with your gear. You draw for blinds the morning of the hunt. If you get the "Flats", you will get a small boat to get to the blind. Its very mucky so they will find out if you are in pretty good shape before sending you off. You will need waders. They have some beat up deks to use if you don't have any. You cannot take any guests. If you and you only. The type of ducks you'll encounter will depend on the migration. But you can expect to see teal, ringnecks, mallards, black ducks, woodies and maybe a few other species. I wouldn't take a ton of decoys. If they want to be there, they will come. I don't believe you can scout after duck season starts. And I wouldn't worry too much about it either. Ask the folks running it and they will give you intel based on the blind you got drawn for. And please don't take more than 25 shells or it could be a very short hunt with an unhappy ending.
    Last edited by Gander; 11-08-2021 at 10:57 AM.

  5. #5
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    Thanks, Gander! That's a lot of what I was looking for. I've got waders, and I am still in pretty good shape so far - ain't a young man anymore, but I've been trudging through Florida salt mud for decades... I'll survive. Appreciate your help. The 25 shell rule we had at a few of the FL WMAs as well. Thanks for mentioning that.

  6. #6
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    Take a bag of mallard decoys and a bad of ring neck decoys. If you get drawn for the main impoundment, you will need the ring neck decoys to ensure they land where you want them to.

  7. #7
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    Hope that Duckman#1 responds. He has killed as many big ducks at Broad River as anyone. And try to hold out for a bull American Blackduck...

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by JABIII View Post
    Hope that Duckman#1 responds. He has killed as many big ducks at Broad River as anyone. And try to hold out for a bull American Blackduck...
    From my experience, if you aren’t in the ringneck pond, you better shoot every duck that comes in range or you might just come out empty handed. If you are in the ringneck pond, hold out a minute at shooting time and get you a big fat bull can or two.

  9. #9
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    You will have a pretty big area all to yourself. Do not hesitate to go where the birds are. If they are not hanging around the blind, pick up and go to where they want to be.

    I would hesitate to use a spinning wing decoy… I have had my best luck at at Broad with a jerk rig.

    Been there half a dozen times, being mobile has killed me more birds than anything else.

    I will be there on 1/29 BTW…
    Last edited by Drylok; 11-08-2021 at 10:07 PM.

  10. #10
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    They don't play around with the 25 shell rule. If its anywhere like the coast, there will be a Game Warden there checking everyone before they take you out to your spots. Check your pockets, coat, waders, bag and whatever else can hold a shell to make sure.

    Get there early and talk with the techs about what is going on, what they are seeing, what the birds are doing etc. If you have shot plenty of ducks before (sounds like you have), no use is shooting six ringnecks in the first hour of the hunt only to see a pair of black ducks hovering over your decoys at 10am.

    Haven't hunted there before but other locations have two pick up times so stick it out if you need a couple more. Good chance some birds will move as they are going around picking people up.
    Last edited by dubs; 11-08-2021 at 11:19 PM.
    Formerly DM88

  11. #11
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    Aug 2019
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    Thanks for the info y'all, appreciate all the solid advice. I'll be out there Jan 8th.

    If anyone's interested in maybe gettin together sometime for a hunt or whatever, I'm in the Columbia/Lex area, got a little 2-man Gheenoe style rig with a longtail on it. Prolly hit a couple of the Cat2 and unnamed WMAs and other public water nearby over the season.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drylok View Post
    You will have a pretty big area all to yourself. Do not hesitate to go where the birds are. If they are not hanging around the blind, pick up and go to where they want to be.

    I would hesitate to use a spinning wing decoy… I have had my best luck at at Broad with a jerk rig.

    Been there half a dozen times, being mobile has killed me more birds than anything else.

    I will be there on 1/29 BTW…
    I will be there on 1/29 as well

  13. #13
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    Take Krispy Kreme donuts and coffee!
    Low country redneck who moved north

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by jws View Post
    I will be there on 1/29 as well
    I will be in touch later on. We can meet and chat a bit…

    I met Tha Dick out there three years ago.
    Last edited by Drylok; 11-09-2021 at 10:23 AM.

  15. #15
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    passion
    Ugh. Stupid people piss me off.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2thDoc View Post
    passion
    That is what the blinds are for.

  17. #17
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    Oof... There an "I can't quit you" coming soon to a moonlit duck blind near you?

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drylok View Post
    I will be in touch later on. We can meet and chat a bit…

    I met Tha Dick out there three years ago.
    Tru dat yo!!

    Quote Originally Posted by 2thDoc View Post
    passion
    Don’t hate da playa, hate da game!


    0D931A3C-7878-4913-9658-1A0A878A76FF.jpeg

  19. #19
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    Sep 2020
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    Quackerjax, how did your hunt go? Or are you by chance going this weekend? I got the draw this this upcoming weekend @ Broad River so just curious what you thought if already gone. I plan on brining a jerk rig and a handful of dekes.

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