# Duck Hunting Upper Laguna Madre



## mdfisher (Feb 24, 2010)

im moving down in a few days and i know nothing about duck hunting there. Im 18 and used to huntin puddle ducks in the marsh. What do you have to do to get a blind?? What do you usually kill?. I could really use a few tips or comments


----------



## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

"Wave after wave of redheads boiled off the water ahead of the boat as we raced across the glassy surface of the Laguna Madre just off the south Texas coast. Driven from their feeding grounds, thousands of the birds lifted into the air in great, milling swarms, only to settle once again on the surrounding flats. Watching the spectacle in awe, we were privileged to be witnessing one of the world's greatest concentrations of wintering redheads, especially in an area open to public waterfowling..."

http://www.ducks.org/conservation/habitat/redhead-central

--------------------------

It's public waters and all blinds are first-come-first-served. Most of the reputable guides build several times more blinds than they need knowing that some will be taken by others.

You may run into a few yahoos who think a blind is theirs because they built it, or because they used it once. Just have several spots scouted out so you can move on....(or gun them all down and hope the judge and half the jury are duck hunters hwell

Really is the cover is good, just hunt it. Blinds can be comfortable, but you can do better in natural cover.

Redheads are a given usually and normally pintails. It's a mixed bag for the rest of your limit. Investing some funds into booking a few guided hunts will save you a lot to time and money in the long run.


----------



## foxyman (Oct 6, 2009)

If you did not build the blind stay out of it............The person that built the blind does not own the water but he does own the material. AvinQuest is giving you some bad advice............


----------



## AggieCowboy98 (Feb 25, 2007)

:headknock

This should get interesting...


----------



## copano_son (Dec 17, 2007)

foxyman said:


> If you did not build the blind stay out of it............The person that built the blind does not own the water but he does own the material. AvinQuest is giving you some bad advice............


AvinQuest IS correct!! Blinds in the water are public, but if you want to potentially avoid any conflict(s) stay out of a blind you did not build. Personally, I could care less, just my advise.

As far as duck hunting, scouting is the key! Find an area ducks are holding or traveling over, and set up shop. It may take you a few bad set ups before you get it right, but it will pay off in the end. Also, if you're able, hire a guide to take you out and show you the ropes for your area.

Common ducks you can look forward to killing are - Redheads, Pintails, Gadwall, Widgeon, and teal just to name a few.

Good Luck!


----------



## mdfisher (Feb 24, 2010)

does anyone hunt from kayaks??


----------



## G K Chambers (Aug 12, 2005)

AQ is a little confused.

It is not OK to hunt out of any blind.






























However it is OK to burn any blind.



It's a common mix up.:rotfl:


----------



## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

foxyman said:


> If you did not build the blind stay out of it............The person that built the blind does not own the water but he does own the material. AvianQuest is giving you some bad advice............


Dead wrong...

The _ONLY_ way you could claim possession of a structure built in public waters, or public land as in islands, is to obtain a permit from the State and/or the Corps or Engineers and to pay a lease payment to maintain it.

Neither entity will give you that permit for a duck blind.

Since duck blinds are rarely built in that fuzzy area known as "Navigable Waters" the Corps won't go after you for building the duck blind, but while they let that slide, you have ZERO homestead rights to that location or structure regardless of who built it.

If this becomes enough of an issue in the future, you can look forward to either a complete ban on duck blinds in public waters, or a hefty permit fee to build one coupled with a deposit to insure that you completely remove it should you no longer maintain it. It would still have to be open for anyone who shows up first, and I wouldn't even be surprised if there's a requirement for the structure to be disabled person accessible.

And all this talk about burning down blinds is just as much BS as the thought that you can own one.


----------



## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

mdfisher said:


> does anyone hunt from kayaks??


Yes, that is a common and excellent method both for duck hunting and fishing.


----------



## Blast-n-cast (May 7, 2010)

AQ is right. Blinds on public water are open game for anybody to hunt first come first serve. Thats the law. Now while its legal that does not make it right. Its one of those things you will have to decide for yourself. I personally don't hunt other peoples blinds very often because I know how it feels to pull up to "your blind" only to find somebody there already and then have to go to plan b. I prefer to find natural cover and hunt from there that way you can have several spots and can move around according to hunting pressure, weather, etc. Another option is to find an old run down blind and rebuild it but then again you may show up one day and find someone else there before you. 

As far as birds are concerned usually the Redheads are a gimme and from there it usually depends on where you are hunting but I have shot Pintails, Widgeon, Bluebills, Buffleheads, Green wing teal, Shovelers, and Whislters on the ULM. Good Luck and welcome to the area.

p.s. as far as hunting from a Kayak or any boat for that matter I believe you must be anchored but you may want to read through the TPWD regs to verify that.


----------



## 11andy11 (Aug 12, 2004)

its about that time of year to get into this debate lol


----------



## mdfisher (Feb 24, 2010)

is it legal to stand in the water and hunt? up here we call it bodybootin


----------



## mdfisher (Feb 24, 2010)

and what about calling??? do you all use calls?


----------



## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

mdfisher said:


> is it legal to stand in the water and hunt? up here we call it bodybootin


I'm familiar with that method. It's legal, but I've never seen anyone doing here.



mdfisher said:


> and what about calling??? do you all use calls?


Sure. It's a great tool in the hands of someone who knows how to blow it, and when not to. In the hands of everyone else, it's a significant conservation tool that insures there won't be any problems with overharvest.


----------



## nick18 (Nov 21, 2009)

In LLM use a whisler call they work best for me.


----------



## Garwood57 (Jul 1, 2007)

The amount of redheads you will see is amazing. Pintails, bluebills, and a mix of other ducks depending on conditions - teal, widgeon to round out the strap. Might be a few mosquitos when it is warm. Lopts of air boats will be running around.


----------



## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

Garwood57 said:


> Might be a few mosquitos when it is warm.


I'll translate that for ya...

Better pack in 4 pints of plasma, a gallon of straight DEET, and a paint roller for applying the DEET. If it gets really bad, add about 1 pint of DEET to 2 pints of plasma when you need the next transfusion. You might also want to carry a couple of boxes of #6 steel in case the really big mosquitoes move in and start punching holes through your decoys.

Also, avoid areas where you see these signs...


----------



## aquafowlr (May 21, 2004)

I LOVE the Sign!!! I need one of those. We use kayaks to get where we're going and then hunt in the brush. Works real well for us. just make sure you have a good light. LOTS of airboats. Most give yakers plenty of room.


----------



## foxyman (Oct 6, 2009)

I have been a guide in the Rockport area for the past 50 yrs., now retired. Some of these folks are blowing smoke, if you did not take the time or spend the money to build the blind, stay out of it.. During teal season there might be a mosquito problem hardley ever during the regular season. Every thing below the JFK causeway on the east side of the intercoastal is closed by the national seashore. I would suggest you talk to a local warden and find out whats legal to hunt.......


----------



## aggie2015 (Dec 9, 2010)

heres my $.02 on hunting blinds. if you want hunt other peoples blinds they are technically public. i do not build many blinds because you WILL kill more birds in natural cover. my take is i dont care if you use it but if i do show up you need to move or hunt with me and on the off chance i hunt someones and they show up you can bet im packing up and moving thats just the gamble you take when hunting peoples blinds


----------



## 2 Many Hobbies (Aug 28, 2008)

*Blinds*

This is always a very debated subject. In Rockport, I try and stay away from the blinds and it is easy to do because there is cover everywhere that is very good at concealing your group. What is getting harder by the season is being able to find a place where there is not a blind. Especially one that doesn't have decoys piled around it from season open to season end regardless of whether someone is hunting there. That is one thing that really ticks me off. I also think that if the guides are going to benefit financially from the blinds, they should somehow be responsible for removing them once they become not fit for use. There is probably not a person on this board who hasn't puckered at least twice while driving their boat while seeing a 4 x 4 post leftover from someone's old blind. Maybe we should all start an initiative to clean up abandoned duck blinds like the crab traps. Keep in mind I guide part time and have for 13 +- years on the coast. The blinds I have built on the coast have been taken down at the end of season. 
These so called "guides", who are nothing more than an expensive air boat taxis need to learn that just because their decoys are out there does not mean they are entitled to that area. In my opinion, blind or not areas should be first come first serve just as the law allows.

Not all guides are this way, but there are way too many that are. I do respect others right to make a living but don't dump on others in the process.

I have had people hunt in my blinds that I paid for and built on the coast. I have not said 1 word negative to anyone I have come across in "my" public blinds. I knew the laws before they were built and know what is fair and what to expect. If I didn't get there first, I didn't get it.

I could go on forever, but remember what is public domain is just that, public.!
I could give much more but this is my $.02 for now.


----------



## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

foxyman said:


> Some of these folks are blowing smoke, if you did not take the time or spend the money to build the blind, stay out of it.


I agree with the sentiment.....I don't want to hunt someone's blind for a multitude of reasons, not the least is that they may be resting it a few days because they are planning to take a guest or relatives and the hunting would probably be off if I hunted it the day before.

However, on a legal ground, anyone who tries to claim ownership of a blind in public waters is truly blowing smoke.

To draw an analogy, for those of you live in a city with with heavy trash pickup, you own all of your property out to the curb, but the City has an easement on the part of your property from the inside of the sidewalk out to the curb (public property). When you put heavy trash out to be collected, you forfeit any claim to ownership as soon as it leaves your hand. Anyone can drive by and see something they want and can legally take it. This has been upheld in court every time.


----------



## Sniper John (Dec 11, 2006)

Just to throw a wrench in the works or for discussion. This TPWD question response was posted on another site. It was the response when asked about a waterfowl guide charging for hunts on one of the Public Texas national forest/grasslands lakes.

The TPWD response was that it was not legal. Not sure how it would apply to public coastal waters.

> From: hunt <[email protected]>
> Date: February 24, 2011 7:40:17 AM CST
> To: 
> Subject: RE: Web Site - E-MAIL REPLY REQUESTED - Hunting
>
> They are unable to do so since they would not be able to that 
>since a Hunting Lease license is required of a landowner or 
>landowner's agent who leases hunting rights to another person 
>on property they own or control for pay or other consideration. 
>The license must be displayed on the property.
> The guide is not the landowner or landowner's agent 
>since they do not own the property nor lease it since it is 
>open to all the public to utilize. They also would not be able 
>to acquire a Hunting Lease license due to the open statement.


----------



## foxyman (Oct 6, 2009)

The young man was asking for some advice and I admire him for it so we should give him good advice...........Have some self respect and leave others stuff alone..If I buy the material cut the brush for a blind then I can remove it when I want even if you are in it.............


----------



## mdfisher (Feb 24, 2010)

foxyman said:


> I have been a guide in the Rockport area for the past 50 yrs., now retired. Some of these folks are blowing smoke, if you did not take the time or spend the money to build the blind, stay out of it.. During teal season there might be a mosquito problem hardley ever during the regular season. Every thing below the JFK causeway on the east side of the intercoastal is closed by the national seashore. I would suggest you talk to a local warden and find out whats legal to hunt.......


 i guess what i will try to hunt is from the causeway south?? about how many deks do people use? and what kind?


----------



## aggie2015 (Dec 9, 2010)

if you are hunting an open area more is definately better on the bayif more of a secluded pocket you can get away with a few dozen. when we hunt poc we usually try to take 8-10 dozen this way you can compete with the rafts of birds sitting other places better. it all depends on where you are at and the birds pattern. our bay spread is largely pintails on one side widgeon on one side and bluebills and some redheads towards the center but mostly we have pins


----------



## aquafowlr (May 21, 2004)

The main birds are redheads and pintails. I only hunt down that way once or twic a year so when i go I throw everything at them. Usually have some friends with me so we'll put out close to 10 dzn. Use everything but mallard drakes. LOL If it's just me usually put out about 5dzn. Not much room in a kayak. And blinds are more of a pain in the butt than there worth. I avoid them at all cost. But do what you want.


----------



## blueproline (Sep 25, 2007)

save yourself the headache and find a good lease.....


----------



## CASTIN AND BLASTIN (Jan 28, 2011)

u can burn them or hit em whith you boat


----------

