Duck hunters of Kamloops/interior

[Firstblood]

Been out west many moons now and getting back into duck hunting in a more traditional sense. When I lived in Ontario duck hunting was huge, hunted with family and friends at a duck club, still have bags of old decoys out there, friends had dogs, blinds many years old, when I moved out here and asked people about duck hunting I actually had a guy ask me if they were edible......its not the animal its how you treat the meat. Anyways, after years of carrying a shotgun with a slugs, bird shot and a few steel shells just incase we came across any game animal including some ducks, but have never had luck with decoying/moving birds. One good jump shoot in the morning and the birds were gone, it was hard to find flyways and moving birds but years of fishing and hiking and Ive narrowed down some good spots. The 2018 season I hope will be a good one, I have a 11 month old lab Im training up, twice day every day we train. I have a 12' jon boat that Im upgrading to at least a 14 probably 16 for safety reasons on the big water/river. I bought out all the decoys from WSS may they rest in peace, so Ive got a few goose floater, divers, puddlers and a mojo. Lastly Ive narrowed some spots down on the river near fruitloops but have yet to get on the water to scout.

So who else likes to hunt waterfowl in the interior? Most of my hunting buddies out here have never duck hunted and live quite far away now so always lookin for new friends. Do you guys or gals hunt the rivers or fields? I know there are lots of birds on the river all year long, and I know of lots of private fields that hold tons of birds and Ive seen a group or two set up in one in particular hammering the geese. Ive got buddies down the LM that invite me down but I know the birds are seriously pressured down there but Id still give it a chance. Ive also heard Vanderhoof hold some serious birds and wondered if it would be a worth a few days trip up there. Really Im just bored and my dog doesn't know how to talk duck hunting yet although she likes to watch it with me on the yoooootooob.

This was the only decent pond that steelpulse and I found in the first few seasons, held birds was shallow enough to wader retrieve, last year it was a dry grass field.https://i.imgur.com/7n1edWJ.jpg

[Wild one]

Well in a similar position only waterfowl hunters I know are the ones I taught. Hunted waterfowl off and on since I was a kid but might as well be green to it.

I have a few spots from burns lake to fort Fraser hunting river, pond, and field both ducks and geese. Just starting to find locations and new to waterfowl hunting in this area

Will be scouting more and pushing farther east this season. See lots of birds vanderhoof way but have not knocked on doors yet or scouted public land

Debating on doing some fishing out Kitimat way and scout for sea ducks and other waterfowl

[walks with deer]

i am very active kamloops goose hunter....two the point it was probably me you saw shooting up the geese lol..not kidding...vanderhouf has a massive migration last week of septmber the skys are comparible to a prarie shoot...
i hunt waterfowl in the lowermainland,kamloops,and alberta... dont overlook a westerly chilicotin goose hunt aswell those lakes fill up. i normally hunt east of kamloops but since moving north will be looking for access north of town...only problem is there is always something bigger to hunt at the same time in region 3

[Firstblood]

I too have scouted east of the city but access to the water has been hard to find, a bigger boat will help with that. Im a little north of loops and up hill so the Thompson from loops to barriere will be my main focus this season. Lots of water, not too many people, lots of fields that hold birds and water to roost. Big game is great and I cant wait to see if any LEH come my way, I like to hunt deer for the meat but ducks and birds for the numbers and now I get to take my doggo with me and dont have to wade for my birds.

[blacklab]

There is a bit of bird shooting around Kamloops, even though we don't get a lot of birds migrating through.
Check Google earth for pot holes and you can get some shooting. The back road from Savona to Ashcroft has a few potholes.
If you like jumping potholes the area from Gang ranch to Quesnel has lots of pothole and lakes that hold birds, and get more migration. I f you hit it right there's a good migration of Widgeon through there in early October.

[Wild one]

i am very active kamloops goose hunter....two the point it was probably me you saw shooting up the geese lol..not kidding...vanderhouf has a massive migration last week of septmber the skys are comparible to a prarie shoot...
i hunt waterfowl in the lowermainland,kamloops,and alberta... dont overlook a westerly chilicotin goose hunt aswell those lakes fill up. i normally hunt east of kamloops but since moving north will be looking for access north of town...only problem is there is always something bigger to hunt at the same time in region 3

Have you had much luck getting permission on fields in Vanderhoof?

It seems to be tough getting permission in the Fraser lake area but will be trying my luck closer to Vanderhoof this season

[jlirot]

I'm buying a place in Lac LeJeune. I'm far from a pro but have lots of boating experience and have shot a few ducks and geese in upstate NY 'back in the day'. Would love to get my GWP retrieving ducks. I'm always good for humping dekes, setting up, etc. Drop me a PM. I'm busy as hell with work and kids but I'm sure I can find some time. :-)

[labguy]

One thing you mentioned in your OP was that you jump shot in the morning and then the ducks were gone. If you find birds resting on water try quietly walking in a letting them flush without shooting. Set up your blinds, decoys etc. and wait for them to return. Many times, if they've been comfortable resting on that that water for a few days they most likely will return in smaller groups after an hour or so.

Once you jumps shoot sitting ducks the entire flock is gone for good.

[Steelpulse]

We would change it up. Some days jump them some days head in before first light and decoy them all morning. we could usually come out with 8-12 ducks on a jump and then continue on hunting upland for the morning. But now the lake is a grass field thanks to last summer

[Firstblood]

As steelpulse said, we would either jump them later or be there before sunrise and before the ducks, it wasn't a resting or sleeping pond they would show up just after legal light. We tried soft pushes int he hopes they would return but never happened. There were lots of little ponds so you could get a limit or two chasing them around the small area but it was not in a major flyway or high traffic area. We have had no problem getting limits of ducks but covering tons of ground and wading after cripples is less fun than getting them to land in the decoys, thats when you know you've fooled them.