New duck hunter Q re: West Side spots Cherry hill crescent lake

[bramem15]

My buddies and I are just getting started with hunting have have made a ton of mistakes (building our blind in some mud flats at mid tide only to return the next day and find it under ~ 3 feet of water in ~ 3 minutes    ) and gotten lucky once or twice (2/4 (i am one of the 2) got black tail bucks our first season in the mountains near where I grew up  )

We have hunted a few of the quality hunt spots in the skagit and not had great luck. We are looking for something a little closer to king county. I think we will end up heading out either way, but does any one have any good experiences in either of these spots? All the old threads are people grumbling about pheasant hunters and hours. We are leaning towards crescent lake because ya know water, and proximity to the river.

Thanks in advance, and also for the great forum, we have lurked since last Jan.

[fast60eddie]

Watch for flooding of the valley. When the river is coming up it's the time to hit the fields.

[ian_padron]

Those spots in the Snoqualmie Wildlife Areas (Cherry, Crescent, Stillwater) are CROWDED, even on weekdays. If you like watching birds that are 200 feet in the air get shot at and have guys set up 50yds from you at first light, have at it! There's been a group of 3 young guns out at Cherry Valley skybusting almost every morning I've hunted out there. Welcome to Public Land on the West side amigo!

Crescent does offer some decent spots if you scout it hard enough. You gotta have the spot on the spot for it to be good, and not many guys hunt it until things flood, might be worth a shot.

[jackelope]

The problem when the valley floods is there is sooooo much water everywhere, the birds can go literally anywhere they want.
Also with all the drainage canals in cherry valley, I wouldn't be walking around out there in a flood. You'll take a step and be over your head and not even know it.

[Buckewe]

I would stick with Skagit there is more opportunities especially now that new birds are moving in.

[bramem15]

Awesome, thanks guys. I may or may not actually know one of the young guns out there sky busting in the morning.

It looks like our plan is to try cherry valley, just because it is so much closer to where we are Saturday. Being mindful of the channels and the fact that we are competing with abunch of other people. Then Sunday hit up skagit valley, one of the quality hunts.

[jackelope]

Awesome, thanks guys. I may or may not actually know one of the young guns out there sky busting in the morning.

It looks like our plan is to try cherry valley, just because it is so much closer to where we are Saturday. Being mindful of the channels and the fact that we are competing with abunch of other people. Then Sunday hit up skagit valley, one of the quality hunts.

You'll likely be one of only 10-15 other vehicles in the parking lot. I can see it from my house.
It's crazy busy there....honestly can't understand how so many people can hunt there without shooting each other and/or setting up on top of one another.

[CP]

How early do you have to get there to get the blind?

[Chesterdog]

I used to hunt Cherry Valley and Crescent lake until these signs went up.  No entry before 8:00?? Are you kidding me?  I wish the signs said, "waterfowlers no entry before 8:00 during Pheasant season." Both of those spots are a joke for duck hunting.  I got sick of getting up early doing everything right and having some joker walk in at shooting time and bust my hunting.  I've seen soccer moms walk dogs at Cherry Valley during hunting season.  Hint: from the air, birds that have been shot at all the way down the valley don't want to land in an area crawling with people and skybusters.  I'm having the same sky busting problem at the Skagit this year.  No one wants to let birds work and cup for landing.  All day last Sat. our birds got shot at on the swing by guys set up 100 yrds from us.  It leads to everyone pass shooting = gut shot birds. disgusting.  Might need to take a few years off and save for $ private land or duck club.  Sad State.

[Buckewe]

I used to hunt Cherry Valley and Crescent lake until these signs went up.  No entry before 8:00?? Are you kidding me?  I wish the signs said, "waterfowlers no entry before 8:00 during Pheasant season." Both of those spots are a joke for duck hunting.  I got sick of getting up early doing everything right and having some joker walk in at shooting time and bust my hunting.  I've seen soccer moms walk dogs at Cherry Valley during hunting season.  Hint: from the air, birds that have been shot at all the way from Canada don't want to land in an area crawling with people and skybusters.  I'm having the same sky busting problem at the Skagit this year.  No one wants to let birds work and cup for landing.  All day last Sat. our birds got shot at on the swing by guys set up 100 yrds from us.  It leads to everyone pass shooting = gut shot birds. disgusting.  Might need to take a few years off and save for $ private land or duck club.  Sad State.

There is plenty of land to find a place without sky busters you just have to keep at it, it took me 5 years to finally find somewhere I can hunt in peace and have a good hunt

[jackelope]

How early do you have to get there to get the blind?

Yesterday probably.

[jackelope]

I used to hunt Cherry Valley and Crescent lake until these signs went up.  No entry before 8:00?? Are you kidding me?  I wish the signs said, "waterfowlers no entry before 8:00 during Pheasant season." Both of those spots are a joke for duck hunting.  I got sick of getting up early doing everything right and having some joker walk in at shooting time and bust my hunting.  I've seen soccer moms walk dogs at Cherry Valley during hunting season.  Hint: from the air, birds that have been shot at all the way down the valley don't want to land in an area crawling with people and skybusters.  I'm having the same sky busting problem at the Skagit this year.  No one wants to let birds work and cup for landing.  All day last Sat. our birds got shot at on the swing by guys set up 100 yrds from us.  It leads to everyone pass shooting = gut shot birds. disgusting.  Might need to take a few years off and save for $ private land or duck club.  Sad State.

I agree.
Like I said, I can see a lot of Cherry Valley from my house and I used to hunt waterfowl a few times a year at least. I have hunted there exactly 1 time. Never went back. People everywhere.
There is a bunch of shooting around 8:15 or so every Saturday, then maybe a few shots here and there for the rest of the day. I pretty much don't duck hunt anymore at all. I would if I had the opportunity to hunt somewhere that wasn't as crowded, but I never really got into it so I haven't pursued that at all.
 

[Chesterdog]

There is plenty of land to find a place without sky busters you just have to keep at it, it took me 5 years to finally find somewhere I can hunt in peace and have a good hunt

Says the guy who got 2 limits on a weekend where I barely saw a duck after daybreak on Sunday!!..  (Jealous... party of 1... your table is ready)

I know. You're right.  I've been hunting the Island Unit at the Skagit and I always do better in the bay. (able to get away from the crowds.)  My usual hunting partner is in another country for work so I'm stuck hunting with new guys this year and I don't feel I can fully count on them in an emergency situation in the Bay. 

I would love to pick your brain or trade hunts... I hunt/fish all over the west side just about every weekend all year long.. It looks like you were on the West Side based on the trees in the background of your massacre photo. Lake, river or salt? What county?  come on... just a hint.

[Chesterdog]

I agree.
Like I said, I can see a lot of Cherry Valley from my house and I used to hunt waterfowl a few times a year at least. I have hunted there exactly 1 time. Never went back. People everywhere.
There is a bunch of shooting around 8:15 or so every Saturday, then maybe a few shots here and there for the rest of the day. I pretty much don't duck hunt anymore at all. I would if I had the opportunity to hunt somewhere that wasn't as crowded, but I never really got into it so I haven't pursued that at all.

What's sad is that Snoqualmie valley has a TON of ducks and geese that move through the valley.  I see lots of expensive hunting clubs in Snoqualmie valley, but no quality hunt, reserve to hunt sites on WDFW.  I'm a 5th generation Seattleite.  The drive from Seattle to any public land means I'm up at 2:00am every weekend.  My grandpa used to hunt Tukwila where southcenter mall is.  Now I can't find a descent place to shoot a bird.

[constructeur]

[/quote]

What's sad is that Snoqualmie valley has a TON of ducks and geese that move through the valley.  I see lots of expensive hunting clubs in Snoqualmie valley, but no quality hunt, reserve to hunt sites on WDFW.  I'm a 5th generation Seattleite.
[/quote]

Have you done anything to change that scenario? There are a few .org's that deal with public land that can alway use a hand/help. (TRCP, Backcountry hunters/anglers, etc.)