As a self professing, slightly over the edge duck-aholic, I can honestly say that duck hunting runs deep in my veins. Duck season is treated as a sacred holiday around our house, and as you know, I train duck hunting dogs for a living. I buy a duck stamp in at least three different states a year these days. I dream of hunting waterfowl throughout the year. My bucket list includes duck hunting trips to Canada, Argentina, and New Zealand. As my wife so quickly points out, we have more than one duck hunting boat (each has a special purpose of course). I say all of this to let you know when it comes to this great sport of ours, I am all in! We currently hunt ducks and geese on two private leases as well as with friends and clients on their leases. We also love to hunt some of the public marshes along the gulf coast. However, I must admit that when I look back through my career, some of my best hunts were guided duck hunts. Some of them I was the guide, and others I was the one being guided.
There are several great reasons to go on a guided duck hunt. One great reason is that with the right guide you will kill more birds. Another reason to consider a guided duck hunt is because it is so much easier and safer. To be successful as a guide, you must be able to accommodate hunters of every level of physical ability. This means a nice comfortable hunt without walking miles through the mud. Guides are also especially helpful if you are hunting a new area or in a different state. Your duck hunting guide’s familiarity with the birds location and flight patterns will prove priceless. While most people would think that a guided hunt is too costly, it is actually more affordable to go on a guided hunt than to buy and rig hundreds of decoys, buy a boat or atv, pay for a lease, and build duck blinds. This is especially true if you only get to hunt a few times a year. As an example, I was considering a lease near my house the other day. The lease cost $3,500 per season. I would be responsible for the decoys, the blind, etc. This would run my cost to easily over $4,000. I could go on 20 guided duck hunts for that price and have money to buy a Mc Donald’s sausage bisquit meal after each hunt! I’m not saying to give up your old faithful hunting grounds. However, I will say…if you have never been on a guided duck hunt, you owe it to yourself to try.