Well I just booked a 3 day hunt for seaducks and brant in Massachusetts for January 2022. The guide filled me in pretty well. Looks like we will be targeting eiders, scoters and brant. Will hunt out of layout boats, the big boat and our along the beach. Just depends on conditions and what we are targeting. I can't wait, its something I've always wanted to do but just kinda always let it slip by every season.

Anyone have any suggestions, tips or recommendations they'd like to share?

Never been, but Ramsey Russell with Get Ducks travels all over the world hunting ducks. He just did a great pod cast with the Jobe brothers from up there after a hunt with them. I think it would give you some great insight on what to expect.

Podcast = Duck Season Somewhere
Episode = Havre de Grace, Maryland Duck Hunting, Jobes Brothers

The one with the guide on the Chesapeake Bay is also good.

That will be interesting

Thanks, any tips on traveling with guns and ammo?

About the last 4 have been all east coast hunting and are pretty good.
If I went to there is have to add an old squaw to the mix.

Sounds like you'll get your fill of cheap, but fresh, seafood.

If the guide didn't fill you in, they said to bring at least 2 boxes of shells per hunt, even if you're a good shot.
Wear your waders, they'll keep you dry in the layout boat if you have some water spray come over the edge, and then you're not laying in a puddle.


Not to steal the thread, but I'm looking at doing a trip to Scotland in 2022, so I'm really hoping that pans out.

It's easy flying in the US with guns. Ammo can't be in the same case with the gun, and you have to lock the case. Just go a little bit earlier than normal when traveling with guns since you have to check them separately and clear with TSA verses your normal baggage. It's a stupid process. You have to unlock the case to let the agent see the gun, then lock the case, go to TSA, unlock the case for them to check the gun, and then lock again. Little bit of a PIA, but nothing major. For a 3 day hunt, I'd see if I could order ammo thru Rogers and just have it shipped to the outfitter or buy it up there versus packing it in my luggage.

Oh, make sure you get a quality gun case like a Pelican to travel with. Airlines are hell on gun cases.

Im interested. Take some good pics and defiantly let us know how it is.

Yep ill be taking the waders. My 5mm cabelas neoprene boot waders since walking will be a minimal.

Really, 2 boxes of shells a day to get 5 ducks... let's hope I can shoot better than that.

Deffiantly looking forward to the food.

What opportunities do they have inScotland, and why Scotland over all the other options 9ut there?

That's what they recommend on shells. They say they fly so low and if there's chop they get covered up in waves.

Pinkfoot and greylag geese.
I just want to go see Scotland, so it's a good reason to go. Plus they don't have limits and can hunt at night.

https://www.facebook.com/AberdeenWildWingSportingAdventures/

Yes definitely report back - my chick is from Mass I told her I'd be down to go back and visit her fam as long as I can check a similar hunt off my list. Kill two birds with one - shell..

Here’s a few notes from my travel trips. Some general and some specific.

Most airlines restrict you to 11 lbs of ammo but I’ve never seen in enforced. you CAN put the ammo in your gun case a nd Most roll gun cases will carry two guns and 11 lbs of ammo and be right at 50 lbs. if you don’t own a good scale I suggest going to your feed store with your case loaded. 51 lbs can cost you an extra $100. Most 3” shells run close to 2 lbs/box and I do agree that two boxes of shells per hunt is a good rule. You can burn a half a box trying to kill one crippled eider

If you are going with a group and are looking to bring back birds I suggest taking color-coded zip ties to put around the foot of the bird. The system keeps everybody’s birds separated and the game wardens like it because they can see which ones are yours. Take a box of 2 1/2 gallon Ziploc bags and a roll of paper towels. Stuff a paper towel down the mouth of see ducks as soon as you can because they spew up really acidic drool that can cause them to spoil quickly.

If you don’t do anything else take this advice seriously. get a carry-on bag that meets airline restrictions and put your waders, jacket, and one full change of clothes in it. I have been on numerous current cold-weather hunt trips where somebody in the group did not get their suitcase and it really screws up your hunt when you don’t have your gear. freeze your trophy birds while you’re there and put your birds in your carry-on for your trip home and your waders in your suitcase. I have been on several trips where people did not get their birds until three or four days later and they were spoiled and lost.

Who are you hunting with and what area? I may be able to suggest good local restaurants to go to.

If you were continue Massachusetts make sure to take a soft side gun case with you. You legally have to have your gun taste to go from the truck to the boat.

Give yourself extra time for checking in at Boston Logan airport. It is an extremely liberal area and we have a literally been harassed and screwed with by airport staff. We’ve had them try to tell us we couldn’t take guns. Had them put improper bag tags to send our stuff to other airports. It’s a weird vibe out there sometimes

Great info Brazos
I will be staying in barnstable.

It’s not hitting the sea ducks that’s the issue, it’s killing them. You can burn up a box really fast chasing a cripple eider. Ammo is not easy to find up there either. Also, Alaska air flys to Logan now and has no restrictions on weight if ammo. They are also much more hunter friendly. Get you an Alaska air credit card a d put $1000 on it and you’ll get a free ticket too.

Your way south of where we go so no recommendation for restaurants. Ask the guide the best local place to get chicken lobsters.

Like Brazosboyt said, cutting cripples is different than it is here. Those birds can dive and swim forever before coming back up, our guide told us to bring a box of steel #7 or #8 to use for cripples and it made a huge difference in cutting the cripples.

I'm going to shot boss so there won't be any cripples to worry about. Lol

Do it!!! Get #5 or 6 shot. I’ve killed piles of sea ducks with a .410 shooting mostly #6 hebishot amd some TSS 7 shot. Cripples are a rarity with those loads and they do a lot less damage to birds for mounting.

Todd go to #9.5 TSS shot in the .410, and I think you'll be surprised at the pattern density and distance you can kill with.

That’s what we shoot turkeys with but did not have good results on sea ducks. Every bird we shot woth the -#9 flew 100+ yards before they bled out and died. Only thing we could think was the #9 shot was like poking a tiny needle through them. It just didn’t have any knockdown power.

The old “bismuth” brand 6’s were by far the best!!

Interesting. 9.5s on late season mallards passed completely thru for us this year. I've broken leg and wing bones on turkeys at 50.yards with them. Seas ducks must be some tough SOBs.

They are bad news on turkeys. My son shot a bird last year and killed another turkey thar was 86 yards from him behind the turkey he was shooting at.

x2 on the Alaska air card!! I have friends in Ketchikan and fly there yearly. I got a Alaska air card and use it for gas, pay it off monthly and now I never pay for a ticket and get great ticket prices.