NoOb here; Waterfowling in and around Sussex County?

[Fozzy]

Hello all. I've been trolling for a little while trying to gain as much info as I can. I hope to jump feet first into duck hunting next season. I'm a bit overwhelmed with finding areas to hunt. I'd like to start locally. I'm from Sussex County. Is the Wallkill Refuge a decent place to get started? I have a kayak, so I was hoping that would open some opportunity for me. What other WMAs near North Jersey are common ground for waterfowl hunting? When and how does a perspective duck hunter scout? Are isolated ponds and lakes in wooded areas generally good habitat? I have dozens of questions, but we'll start here. Thanks all!

[ithaca10]

Waterfowl hunters are a secret bunch. We normally don't give up spots for fear of showing a person and than the following week he and his two buddies are there. I've never hunted Wallkill but i heard of guys doing well there. Whittingham wma has a swamp that probably holds wood ducks early season. How about the Flatbrook or Delaware Rivers.

[Live to Hunt]

Welcome 

[MGHunter66]

Just start doing some legwork, seek and find. It’s all about finding where they want to go, not where they’ve been. Some watching the sky at first light near the spots you find will start you in the right direction of “where they want to go”

[Buck154]

Welcome to the site

[Rusty]

Welcome to the site Fozzy.  The Wallkill is a good place to start.  Best of luck with your journey.  

[Mallard1100]

Welcome.   You have a great place to start. Sussex county is loaded with small ponds, lakes, creeks and rivers that all hold ducks.  Endless options up there.  Time to get some boots on the ground and start checking spots out and how to access them.  Rule of thumb.... the harder it is to get to the better the hunting and the less hunters you will run in to.  Hunt a spot that’s easy to get too and you will surely have company.  Good luck. 

[Fozzy]

What time of year is scouting beneficial? Will I potentially see action year round? Do only early fall months count? Every bit of waterfowl is new to me. I could tell you how to scout for turkeys, and I know roosting grounds in the fall dont mean squat for spring Turkey.

Boots on the ground isnt a problem, but what time of year? And first lite is best? 

Thanks all. I'm sure I'll have a ton more questions.

[mazzgolf]

Most of the birds are migratory, not residential. I don't see how scouting, say, in the summer would be helpful --  other than just trying to find waterholes that you will want to remember and scout later when the birds start coming down. I guess if you find residential birds, that might be a good sign that it will hold the migrants when they come down.

One thing you can look for when scouting (even if the birds aren't here) is look for signs like feathers along the banks of rivers/creeks and shorelines of ponds/lakes. They will eventually wash away, so you might not see that kind of sign in the summer, but you could see something like this maybe this time of year or perhaps a few weeks ago. You'd at least know they were there if you see that kind of sign.

BTW: I'm pretty much new at this, too (only been doing it a couple years). I found that the best way to get into waterfowling is try to find a mentor or two that you know - maybe even ask to tag along with them once or twice. Waterfowling is hard to get started, especially when you don't have someone to mentor you and you don't know where to hunt. It's going to be hard to get some stranger online to tell you specific spots or even specific areas - and without knowing where to hunt, it's pretty much a lost cause. That's why I think making personal connections with hunters you know and ask that they mentor you is the best option.

Also, I found that waterfowling solo (especially as a beginner) is difficult - hard to get to some spots alone, hard to carry all the gear yourself, more safe with a hunting partner with you - all reasons to find someone to go out with especially when starting out.

[Hunter99]

Everyone else hit the nail on the head pretty much, but yes first light is best, if you're looking for water hunting, you should sit at the spot you are thinking of hunting and see if any ducks go there at first light. Likewise for hunting fields, except you can wait at a roost for them, and then follow them to a field when they get up. The best time to scout is just before or during the fall and winter season. I find that the spring bird locations are different than the locations in the fall due to a few different reasons, so seeing birds now, does not mean they will hit there in the fall or winter. Summer is strictly residents so it's only good for very early season... if that. But ask away! I personally love answering questions of people just starting, helping them get into something as great as waterfowling.