NC Sea Duck Hunting

[Steelin' Ducks]

I need some ideas of guides in NC for some sea ducks this year.

[BEAR]

http://www.ajseaducksandswans.com/ I've never hunted with AJ, but I've talked with him about the hunting there. Last I checked, he's $300 a day. Don't know how familiar you are with eastern NC, but from Lexington, it's about 5 1/2 hours to get there. Hwy 264 is a beautiful ride. also try these folks http://www.jennettesguideservice.com/ I've never talked with them, but they're another option. Another guy is Joey Van Dyke. He owns and operates Diamond Shoals Guide Service. The last # I had for Joey is 252-475-0402. I used to hunt regularly with Joey when he worked under Vic Berg with Outer Banks Waterfowl. Joey is the man as far as doing what it takes to find birds and get you to have a good hunt. I highly recommend him. I've never hunted sea ducks with him, but for Pintails, Brant, and other ducks he's great. I can tell ya some great stories about hunting with Joey if you're ever interested in hearing them. What sea ducks are you interested in? Just Scoters? Oldsquaw? If you're froggy, and have a big boat for open water with a blind, you can go without a guide. Just take a week or so, do some scouting, have a GPS, and do your homework. Hunt areas when you find some worth hunting. Let me know if I can be of any further help.

[Moatsy]

I'd drive on up another couple hours and hunt with pitboss.

[BEAR]

I'd drive on up another couple hours and hunt with pitboss.

If you got the pockets for $900 a day, then go ahead. Those NC guys don't take near as good a picture as PitBoss, and they don't have near the OldSquaw, but they can hammer the Scoter just as good as Jeff.

[Steelin' Ducks]

Pitboss?

[saltynut]

I would save my money another year and go with pitboss. I've done it both ways and $300.00 a day just doesn't buy much in my opinion.

[DeltaDucks]

I would try to find someone that could offer some variety to your hunts, scoters are fun for about the first 30 mins. They are as easy to kill as yard chickens and just as dumb. I'd try to get with a guide that can put you in some curtain blinds in Pamlico sound maybe get on some good ducks and some scoters. I'd look at some guides around cedar island also, you can get on some good variety hunts there also if you hit it right and your with the right person.

I've been freelancing NC coast for years and it's not an easy place to freelance, laws change by county, Pamlico Sound is mighty dangerous, much more than coastal SC. But it can be done!

Due to county laws you dang near can't freelance anywhere north of Pamlico along the coast. Feel free to send me a pm with any questions, I'll be glad to offer some advice about freelancing up there.

[BEAR]

Delta Ducks, correct me if I'm wrong, but in Hyde County you can go out without a guide. Dare County, you gotta have a registered blind and can't hunt out of a boat. I've always hunted with Vic Berg and his guys on the Outer Banks, and have had great hunts and fair hunts. ( I also book my trips 4 months in advance.) Also, I have done some duck and swan hunting back inland between Belhaven and Swan Quarter with decent success. Scoters are fun, but after 30 minutes you got your four, and then it's sitting and waiting for something else. They are dumber than a stump though.

Saltynut, you musta had a slow day for $300, and a great day for $900. What's so much better about Pitboss, besides also having the Oldsquaw? Just wondering?

[saltynut]

The cans and bluebills along with a much nicer and more comfortable boat. Mostly hand carved dekes. The photos are nice and actually having good dogs and not having to crank up the boat every few minutes to shag cripples was a plus too. I was just stating my opinion. Some people will tell you there $30.00 uninsulated rubber waders are just as warm and comfortable as a good insulated pair. I guess its just what you like and what you're used too.

[DeltaDucks]

Bear, that's correct Dare and Currituck counties are the most difficult to freelance due to the laws in place. I'm sure it's not because those are the two best counties to hunt in up there, lol

Dare County you can't hunt from an unlicensed floating or stationary blind, can't hunt within 500 yards of a lic blind occupied or vacant and you can only hunt within 5 yards of the shore on a game land.

Hyde County don't have any laws in place that would effect freelancers like myself. Can get some good duck hunting up there, it's just aggravating with the county laws and alot of the guides will give freelancers a hard time.

[BEAR]

The cans and bluebills along with a much nicer and more comfortable boat. Mostly hand carved dekes. The photos are nice and actually having good dogs and not having to crank up the boat every few minutes to shag cripples was a plus too. I was just stating my opinion. Some people will tell you there $30.00 uninsulated rubber waders are just as warm and comfortable as a good insulated pair. I guess its just what you like and what you're used too.

That's cool. Like I said, I was just wondering. Did y'all shot any Oldsquaw with Jeff? Having Canvasbacks and Bluebills to hunt is nice, but ya can't do much with them this year. Oh well, there's always next year!! Did any of the NC guys put you in layout boats?

[saltynut]

Yes we hunted in layouts twice. I am just trying to state the overall experience and variety of birds was worth the additional money to me with Jeff. If you are going for the first time and want to spend little money on a bare bones hunt they are out there. If you have done that 12-15 times and really want to enjoy yourself call Jeff.

[BigBrother]

alot of the guides will give freelancers a hard time.

If you think the local yokels around here or Arkansas are bad on a set of tires, try leaving your truck with OOS tags at a public landing up there.

Those boys can be rough...they figgure you are fucking with their money...and want to make sure you dont come back for a repeat visit.

[BEAR]

I can imagine so. I managed to get in good with a real estate guy who sells mostly large tracts of land (i.e. hunting, farming), and I've hunted op private property for swans, deer, bear, and ducks, and have done some public water hunting in Beaufort and Hyde counties. I've gotten to know folks in the areas I hunt too, and I guess that has saved my butt. It's a waterfowl rich area though for sure! I wouldn't mind living up there if I had the resources to do so.