Long time reader. First time poster.

I've been hunting since I was 16 (34 years). I hunted with dogs on private land in the late 90's and 00's. When my dogs got too old and then died, I lost the desire for bird hunting. Hunting before a dog was Great! Hunting with a dog was Over The Top. Hunting after my dogs was like hunting without your long time hunting buddy. It just wasn't the same!

OK, now to the point. Got a new pup at school. Hopefully he is learning well. I can't wait till next season. I used to have quite a bit of private land to hunt on, but not so much any more. So I am trying to decide on getting a lease, or doing some public big water hunting. Are there good opportunities, and good places to get to if you have a decent duck boat? For example, if I had a decent duck boat, could I put in somewhere on RayBob, and have good areas to hunt where I am not around too many other hunters?

I can't wait to get back into hunting with a dog. Absolutely, nothing like it! ! !

Thanks for any thoughts!

Yes there is acess and you can go a lot of places. As for the crowd, your best bet to avoid them is a Monday morning after they been shot at for 2 day very hard.

That sounds hopeful. I do most of my hunting on the weekdays.

Sir, there are secluded holes out there that are accessible by foot....you just gotta find 'em.

That sounds hopeful. I do most of my hunting on the weekdays.

You get what you put into it (scouting that is). I usually hunt Saturdays (private) and Tuesdays (public). If no new fronts/birds come in, sometimes I wait until Wed or Thurs to hit the public. The weekends at RayRob are just a beat down. I got tired of waking up at 3am to be setup by 4:30am and then have a "Barney" setup next to me right before LST.

Get a "bad weather" day on a weekend and most of the public lakes are easy hunting for the few of us that have the gear and know-how to hunt them. People around DFW are "fair weather" hunters for the most part. You can beat them at their own game!

Come on, people wouldn't do that....

You have to scout, scout and scout some more on public. If you head out and stop at the first place you see ducks you can expect for everyone else to do the same.

Window time.

My top five hunts of all time came off of public water that is one of the most Barney infested places in North Texas.

If you does your scouting DONT build a blind for every Tom Dick and Harry to see as they cruise the creeks and get where you need to be early you can do very well.

And yes you absolutely can on RR.

Put in the work and it is well worth it, I had the chance to shoot three man limits Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this past weekend, only shot limits two of those days though because we were trying to shoot green only. Scout, Scout, and Scout some more, do not build blinds and leave them, do not leave shell hulls laying around as these guys have said.
Just get ready to spend a lot of money on gas and spend more time scouting than hunting.

Raybob is crappy man. Every slapdick in denton county is bustin up that lake 7 days a week. First split got flashed outta a hole 3 wednesday's in a row. Birds are really shy if you find em anyway. My buddy lives in Mountain springs and we drive around every saturday after we hunt and talk to the public guys and litterally every person will have like one grey with a group of gunners.(yes most of them are clueless barny's) but still..

I hunt private 95% of the time. The only drawback is you are at the mercy of the birds. Our leases are in good locations, but we must provide food and water. That has been tough the last couple of years.

Public hunting can be frustrating. It is probably just as much work, and at the same time just as rewarding as private.

To the OP.

Google Earth is your friend.

Welcome back to duck hunting and good luck with your dog.

Public is where it's at if you like the challenge.
Quick Tip: You dont have to be there at dark thirty to shoot the birds. When you get a heavily hunted area like you are talking about, the birds learn when to fly. You get a good 'morning blitz' and then they loaf around somewhere that they have not been pressured. The best hunts we usually have this time of year for mallards in particular, start after 9. Watch hunters, they tend to pick up on the quarters, :15 :30 :45 :00. You can usually count on them busting up birds that are loafing around as they are leaving. Last 3 days before the rain, 'power hour' was not till 10.

I too have noticed that after 9 or ten is the Mallard Hour on "certain" North Texas Lakes. I never thought about it being because Goobers had given up and were going in and causing the birds to move.

Good call I believe you are exactly right.

Thanks so much for all the thoughts, comments and suggestions! I'm really looking forward to next year. Sounds like public hunting is quite a bit of work, but I'm sure the success is equal to the prep-work that you put in. I'll have to weigh my options on a lease and putting in the work for a good hunt on the big lakes. Thanks a heap! ! !