Columbia River Ducks

[Duckslayer0513]

Don't know if this is true but I heard all the ducks in Eastern, Wa are rafted in the middle :bash:Heard in the hundreds of thousands.. If so I now know why some areas don't have as many ducks as usual... Is this true guys?

[buglin4bulls]

Not around wenatchee. Still slow, even for divers.

[moocher97]

Was just over there near Mattawa hunting and did a quick look on the river and I don't want to say it was absolutely covered but there were probably 1000. The majority of the ducks are in the lower third of the state though I think

[270Shooter]

There is certainly not hundreds of thousands of ducks on the Columbia, drove from vantage to Brewster last weekend. Tri cities doesn't have many birds now either until the smaller waters freeze up again if they ever do.

[Brad Harshman]

More birds in the marshes than the river.  It's not cold enough to push them there.  There's so many options for them they seem to be scattered everywhere.  It's been a decent hunting year with these mild temps.  Haven't been skunked yet.  And I've experienced some of the best decoy in birds ever.
By the way, if you're referring to Wanapum Reservoir, yeah there's birds on it, just like any year though.  Not missing much because it's closed.  Plenty of other options in the basin. 

[Tealer]

I have seen thousands of wigeon and coot in the middle of the river near Burbank. With the warm weather I highly doubt there are very many on the river.


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[nickhunter9]

Only if small rivers flood 

[fethrduster]

I hunted the Columbia near Umatilla one year in January when everything was frozen.  I had a few thousand mallards rafted up in front of my blind about 80 yards out.  Needless to say, it may have been my best hunt ever, and I limited within half an hour on big drakes.  Had a ton of woodies in the dekes too, which I let go.  The Columbia is at its best in those conditions.

[Gringo31]

Birds are stacked up.  It's all or nothing.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

I've noticed rafts of birds in the Mid Columbia.

[quackattack90]

Anybody seeing many rafts in the gorge?

[vandeman17]

More birds in the marshes than the river.  It's not cold enough to push them there.  There's so many options for them they seem to be scattered everywhere.  It's been a decent hunting year with these mild temps.  Haven't been skunked yet.  And I've experienced some of the best decoy in birds ever.
By the way, if you're referring to Wanapum Reservoir, yeah there's birds on it, just like any year though.  Not missing much because it's closed.  Plenty of other options in the basin.

Only large numbers in the Entiat to Quincy area is geese but that is normal no matter what the weather. Until things start to freeze up, there are way too many options for the birds to use other than the river.

[Gringo31]

Saw a few the other day.  Took this pic

[Tealer]

Lol that's funny


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[moocher97]

Heading down to basin city/Mesa in the next couple days possibly tonight to hit this weather system. Although I'm torn between hitting now or next week when everything is froze??


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[eastsidemallard74]

Potholes is freezing up as I sit here hunting.  And the cold is not going to help any

[vandeman17]

If you have a spot with moving water give it a few days, let things freeze then go get it done