Samish Unit Question

[aaronoto]

New to duck hunting, but I'm going to give it a shot this year!  I've never hunted the area before but I walked most of it last spring to find and mark the blinds/ponds.  Is there typically only one group hunting a pond?  Some of those ponds are pretty small...

[h2ofowlr]

Typically one group per pond, but then the new guys show up and will sit 50 yards from you and set up and sky bust.  As long as you don't do that you should be good to go.  It will be a zoo down there when the ducks get in and all the pheasant hunter trickle out.  I would also practice a lot as you can only have 15 shells on you and only shoot 15 per day.

[Shannon]

They're not suppose to release any more pheasants at Samish the rest of the year. They are releasing them at a clear cut and second growth stand on Ershig road.

[johnsc6]

They're not suppose to release any more pheasants at Samish the rest of the year. They are releasing them at a clear cut and second growth stand on Ershig road.

Only for the youth hunt this year

[ghosthunter]

Samish can be fun. Get there early and stake your spot out. Alot of the crowding is folks wandering around in the dark not knowing where others are.
Take a bright bike flasher with you. Once you get on a pond turn it on in clear veiw of the parking lot. Most people will stay clear of you than.
There are always the guys who cant get there ass out of bed early who think you shouldnt have a pond to yourself and want to join you. Sometime I go for it sometime not.
I use to hunt with a guy that if you crowed him he would walk right over and get in your face. 
There are favorite spots out there and some guys just cant get over the fact that you got there first.
Twelve years ago when I started hunting there with my then new dog. I would go real early so has not to have to go bump in the dark. There  would be one truck in the lot and when you pulled in they would scrable for their gear and leave running to a pond. About the 2 nd time I blocked the entrance and stopped them.
Hey guys you were here first ,were do you want to hunt today? they would tell me and I would say ok than I will go over here.
After that they were more relaxed.

I hate going bump in the dark.

[aaronoto]

Thanks for the info and tips!

[Special T]

The MOST productive thing to do is go for a walk BEFORE the season so you know the lay of the land... Take the dog and kids for a walk. 

[snocohunter]

I think ghost hit it right on the head. I've been the first guy in the lot many times. Usually we get out, let the next guy showing up where we are planning on going, and it's not an issue. But you can't really predict some people. I've had guys show up, see us there relaxing in the truck, and bolt out towards the field like Ghost said. I have a finely tuned spinning wing that has helped suck a few birds in out there, and have had the game warden called on us before by people who though we were cheating. Showed him the setup and he said "dang, that thing really spins  nice!"

I pretty much expect to be sky busted by guys on the dike, or other a holes next to us when birds are swinging. I've had opportunities to do the same but to me it's just not worth it. If they were flying salmon, ready for the bbq maybe 

Once you get used to the zoo, you can get some birds out there. I prefer to hunt it during the week when it's not so crowded though. That's my 

[Glockster]

I used to hunt it all the time when i was into duck hunting.  Ghost has some great advice, although I often took the oposite approach:  arrived there around late morning on a storm day sat there with binoculars and waited until people left, then ran out there and took their spot.

Keep in mind it's a 15 shell area.  If you count one blind shooting way more than 15 dime them out.  Call 911 ask to be sent to state patrol and tell them you're reporting a wildlife violation....they dispatch WDFW officers.  That always opens up some spots 

Then there's no bumbling around in the dark and you can see the ponds the birds want to be on.  I've had some great afternoon hunts on storm days.

There's that word again....STORM DAYS. hint hint hint.  LOL

[Skagit_Hunter]

until the ponds fill your wasting your time. Birds want fresh water when they leave the bay.
The 15 shell limit is a joke. They don't have enough people to enforce it. I don't hunt it. But is good entertainment the first few weeks.

[snocohunter]

I agree with Glockster. The best days i've had up there was when the weather was crappy. Wind blowing birds in like a funnel. Snow, ice, etc. I was up there one day it was blowing like 35. Birds were working their azz off to get their feet down. It was great.