Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Waterfowl => Topic started by: fethrduster on February 16, 2010, 07:14:14 AM

Title: Anyone hunt Grays Harbor Or Johns River?
Post by: fethrduster on February 16, 2010, 07:14:14 AM
I'm fairly new to Tacoma and on the way to Westport with my wife the Johns River and Grays Harbor area looked good for ducks.  Saw lots of them in the shallows near the freeway at high tide.  I only duck hunt 2-3 times a year, as I spend most of my time chukar hunting.  However, since it's less than an hour and a half from home,  I would really like to try these areas in a small layout boat.  Anyone have any advice or suggestions or suggestions for these areas, or others nearby that might be more productive?  Access to south Grays harbor looked iffy, aside from just stopping on the freeway shoulder and dragging a boat through the trees to the harbor proper.  I saw a South Harbor Hunt Club cabin in the south harbor area, so I know it gets hit hard. 
Title: Re: Anyone hunt Grays Harbor Or Johns River?
Post by: AWS on February 16, 2010, 12:11:37 PM
Get youself a Washington Atlas & Gazetteer, it gives you all the public landings and access points plus public hunting areas.

Yes it can be good, it also gets hit pretty hard but if you really do some scouting you will find out of the way spots that you will be alone and have great hunting.  Be very carefull of the tides.

Nisqually can be good if you can get out on the weekdays.  Fort Lewis has some good hunting you just have to jump through some hoops to get in there.

There are alot of river hunting in the Oly/Chalis area.

AWS
Title: Re: Anyone hunt Grays Harbor Or Johns River?
Post by: fethrduster on February 16, 2010, 12:52:47 PM
Thanks!  pm sent.
Title: Re: Anyone hunt Grays Harbor Or Johns River?
Post by: runamuk on February 16, 2010, 01:01:13 PM
Get youself a Washington Atlas & Gazetteer, it gives you all the public landings and access points plus public hunting areas.

Yes it can be good, it also gets hit pretty hard but if you really do some scouting you will find out of the way spots that you will be alone and have great hunting.  Be very carefull of the tides.

Nisqually can be good if you can get out on the weekdays.  Fort Lewis has some good hunting you just have to jump through some hoops to get in there.

There are alot of river hunting in the Oly/Chalis area.

AWS

everything he said...it gets hammered down here and the ducks usually show back up the day after the season closes, thats why you saw some  :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: Anyone hunt Grays Harbor Or Johns River?
Post by: T-Bone on February 17, 2010, 07:14:33 AM
Stop by the WDFW office in Montesano. They can furnish you with maps and more detailed info. on those two and other areas.

Tom
Title: Re: Anyone hunt Grays Harbor Or Johns River?
Post by: Dustin07 on February 19, 2010, 08:56:45 AM
ftherduster, I hunt about 15-20 times per year, more if I can. I spend most of my time north bound but this year plan to work the south side and the harbor some. I knw of some areas out there already. Check the wdfw site, you'll find some goodies.

drop me a line this summer/fall as we get closer to season and maybe we can do a scouting trip together.
Title: Re: Anyone hunt Grays Harbor Or Johns River?
Post by: fethrduster on February 21, 2010, 07:55:23 AM
Thanks guys, this is all great info. I'll check my gazetter and the wdfw site and see what's up.  I should have thought of that on my own.  :rolleyes:  I know Willapa Bay like the back of my hand, but I'm new to the Puget Sound region.  I wouldn't mind trying somewhere north of Tacoma either, but the Skagit seems like it would be difficult to hunt without a boat.
Title: Re: Anyone hunt Grays Harbor Or Johns River?
Post by: BigGoonTuna on February 21, 2010, 11:53:39 AM
to answer the topic, yes, i think a few people hunt here :tung:

only problem for is is that i don't have a blind for my boat, and don't have a dog right now, which rules me out of just about everything local(except possibly the elma waterfowl area), so i didn't even give it a try this year.  could hear lots of shots and saw lots of birds flying when i fished the lower satsop back in october, though.  think that area's mostly posted land, so you'd need a boat.
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