I don't agree with that. My private spot I've been hunting, I drive the truck to to scout, wake up 45 minutes before daylight, walk 50 yards, put out my decoys and shoot birds. On public I have to wake up at 2 am, walk 1-2 miles, and have to deal with idiots all day. Private is not as hard of work as public, but I do feel way more accomplished to shoot a limit on public.

Amen David. I guess we all gain a sense of accomplishment differently. I enjoy creating habitat. Watching 1,500 mallards and pintails pour into an impoundment that you built from scratch makes me happier the any barn burner shoot or lanyard full of bands ever could. To each his own.....

I have hunted both private and public for the last 10-15 years. The only difference I feel is not having to get up as early when I get to hunt private land.

Well, I hunt west, I get up at 1:45 and leave around 2/2:15, still spend time cutting, brushing, scouting and patterning birds. You hunt a 30ac tank, you just don't walk up and shoot limits, trust me.

If I had the money id lock down a private spot ASAP but I'm paying for a wedding oct/14 and have found that near all if not all of my free/savings money goes towards this crap. After next year we'll either be buying land or I'll have a duck lease because I won't have to pay for stupid crap like caterers and florists and booze for other people to drink

But imo private is the way to go. I love a good public hunt and the sunrise is one of my favorite parts of the hunt regardless but the less jack offs I have to deal with the better

Public adds the elements of adventure and competition that you really don't get with private....especially if you have a boat.


Shooting a limit of ducks on a pond damn in less than 20 min is ok i guess...just me though.

You are 100 % correct! I disagree with everything about your post.

take it easy on him wal, this is his first real season season, he will figure it out soon enough.

Private is nice, it just comes down to how many spots you have to chase ducks on.

Public sucks bigtime

I feel like I earn my ducks. 100% public for me since 1980. I won't hunt ducks if I don't feel like I earn them. I'm a duck hunter! Not a duck shooter.

Spot on!! Short and sweet!

I still hunt public and always will. When we hunt private we still brush everything just like public land. You just don't have to worry about beating others out. Went private this morning and only got three. The lake I primarily hunt public has been over run with hunters and it's a lot lower than it used to be so you are even more packed in.

Well Rooster you've made the climb from newbie, barney, to seasoned hunter in record time. Now you are now approaching clueless expert at the same speed.

Wow, hilarious thread. I love cheap entertainment.

You haven't been hunting very long. Have you?

Poor duckies, do you think they care where they get killed at, public or private?

Honestly I wish all the hardcore duck hunters would stop gunning them on public. Its making it hard on all us wannabe duck hunters on private, with all the hardcores giving them heck and not letting them be left alone so they will stick around and let us pond poppers get a chance at them.

They get a little rest on private, then get shot at when they least expect it

I guess you can call me a duck killer.........I love being outdoors, but if I didn't get anything, I would eventually have to call it sitting and not hunting.....

I agree, but i would only allow public during the weekend, just to sturr them around and bring them to our private spots.

Public lakes should be a roost during the week

I am glad you are starting to loosen up a little bit. Tell me you are just trolling with that statement. Please tell me!

This is an interesting post for sure. Everyone has their own opinions. For someone that just started hunting ducks, Rooster seems to have learned a lot and I agree with his and Rob's statement. I obviously feel the same way as they do.
After chasing ducks seriously for over 20 years hunting both public and private, I feel no since of accomplishment at all hunting the last private place we have now, it is reserved for taking kids or customers the last couple of years.
I hunted four of the last five days on public and had great hunts, our private place is loaded right now but we could care less.
I will say there is a large "learning curve" with hunting public but once you learn some things it is great.
I would say if your not willing to work every week and burn some gas, private would be a easy option for the "duck shooters".
Watching mallards and pintails cupped up falling in our spread yesterday was well worth it.

Your private place is loaded and you can care less?
You cant be serious now.

I agree with beaversnipe. Public hunting isn't a challenge, it's a beatdown. The only winners are those with odd work schedules or extremely large amounts of time off.