Open to the Public duck hunting

Huge decoy spreads are unnecessary when hunting on WMA draw hunts, because ducks that are resting or feeding on the water are usually found in small bunches — not huge flocks.

Lottery hunts for waterfowl are special. Here are some tips to make sure your hunt is the best.

Arriving with the same excitement as a money-laden birthday card from Grandma, the result of my 2006-07 application for a waterfowl hunt was in my mailbox.

Only a few weeks earlier, I had poured over past Wildlife Management Area (WMA) hunt results and upcoming season dates in deciding what dates to select on my application. But because I always select “any date” on the application, I might get a date at the opposite end of the season on a WMA that was not one of my top choices — or I might get my first pick.Only a few weeks earlier, I had poured over past Wildlife Management Area (WMA) hunt results and upcoming season dates in deciding what dates to select on my application. But because I always select “any date” on the application, I might get a date at the opposite end of the season on a WMA that was not one of my top choices — or I might get my first pick.

As I tore into the envelope, I had the same feeling of anticipation, wondering whether Grandma had put a $10 or $20 bill in my card. The hunt I got was not my first choice of WMA and date, but at the same time, it wasn’t a rejection letter, either. I had been drawn to hunt Cedar Island at Santee Coastal Reserve WMA on the next-to-last hunt of the season.

I routinely pick the last hunts of the season on any WMA I choose. The reason is not the challenge of late-season ducks; instead, I play the odds that the weather will be cold.

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