Northern Ohio

[FourSeasonsBowhunter]

I was thinking of going to the ducks/geese this year instead of waiting for them to migrate (and they never do until the last weekend if at all). Was wondering if any of you ever want north to Maggie Marsh in Ohio or any other place.

Years ago, I went up to Grand Lake St. Mary's in OH and saw a ton of ducks. Thought of free lancing up there a while.

Any tips or people to contact? Thanks. Chris.

[STONEWALL]

I went to college in Bowling Green Ohio and hunted mcgee and others often. I also live in northern ky and if you want to take a trip I'd be more than happy to go up there with you and show you around. Let me know.

[ShelbyDuckHunter67]

If you want to kill birds, and dont mind paying a little bit i whould get in contact with HonkerBonker. Real nice guys, and they know there stuff.

[CanisMajor]

I moved here from Defiance, spending a total of 15 years in northwest Ohio. I have hunted the Lake Erie marshes, and it is very hit or miss. If the weather is nasty and the wind is blowing from the lake, it can be excellent, but you will have lots of competition, most of them skybusters. Grand Lake can also be very good, but you will be elbow to elbow on the weekends. The blinds, though privately built by drawing winners, are open to the public if the owner does not show up by shooting time.

I was just up near Toledo to hunt with a buddy for the opener last weekend. We went to our favorite private marsh that has produced limits the last two years. It was nearly bone dry with nary a duck to be found. The geese were abundant but we could not persuade them to land in our spread. We have always done pretty well jump shooting woodies on the creeks. A good dog is essential. If you can locate Stan Wright in Williams county, he is THE master waterfowler in the area. I'm sure he would be happy to guide you. He has a super black lab named Maizey. I don't have his contact info any more. Wish I could help you more.

[CanisMajor]

Just thought of something else. Go to ohiowaterfowler.com and post a message on the Ohio Waterfowlers Forum (http://www.websitetoolbox.com/mb/bowtest?forum=14884)
I'd be willing to bet someone will respond. If you want to pay, there is Honker Bonker guide service.

[BadDuck]

If you want to kill birds, and dont mind paying a little bit i whould get in contact with HonkerBonker. Real nice guys, and they know there stuff.


John Beckwith (honkerbonker owner) is a really good guy and a GREAT guide. Here's the deal. Unless he has changed his rates he was $200.00 per day per person. That is for 2 geese and 5 ducks. Not to mention your license and tags. He has some really good guys that guide for him, Jeff and Dewayne I know very well. Dewayne owns Ohio's primary waterfowling website. Great guys, wealth of knowledge.

Here is where I am going with this. If you are going to hunt fowl in Ohio you had better have access to private property. The public marshes such as Ladue, Mcgee, Killbuck, Mosquito and Pickeral get POUNDED. Alot of the public marsh hunts are also draw hunts. Similar to our quota hunts.

There are more birds in Ohio than in Kentucky but there are alot more hunters as well. If you have access to private property you might as well go for it, but if you dont I would stay here.

Just thought of something else. Go to ohiowaterfowler.com and post a message on the Ohio Waterfowlers Forum
I'd be willing to bet someone will respond. If you want to pay, there is Honker Bonker guide service.


I have been a member of that forum for several years. Alot of good guys, but alot of attitudes and tempers. If you go on there asking where to go to kill ducks, you are going to get replies asking you if you would just prefer the exact co-ordiance. You might get a "do you want to sleep with my wife,too?" remark. You will not get much if any info from those guys.

[KYboy1]

If you go up there at the right time of the year you can see thousands of ducks near Port Clinton. I go up there atleast once a year

[KY HNTR]

I used to walleye and smallmouth fish the Maumee River, and I used to check out a few ducks on it as well. If it's that dry up there in NW Ohio, at least the river has water, and for the most part, the river is public ground, and I know there are some islands upriver from Toledo that you can hunt. I beleive it is HWY 24 heading SW out of Toledo that runs along the river.

I would check that out if you are trying to freelance, at least you would be out there, and if the duck hunting sucked, at least you would wet a line.

Good luck.

[FourSeasonsBowhunter]

Terrific responses guys, thanks! I'll talk to my Dad and cousins and maybe contact Honker Bonker. I do appreciate the freelance suggestions too. Take care. Chris.

[Butters]

Did you think about going on up to Ontario? Early season limit is 8 geese per day and 5 per day in regular season. Private land may be a little difficult to find, but I worked with a guy up there last year that charged $125 Candadian Dollars per day.