Ny redhead hunt help
 

I have on my bucket list a redhead and canvas back duck hunt. I would like some info about the finger lakes in NY, can you do self guided hunts from a tdb boat as far as launch access or should do a guided hunt and who with ? Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks Scott

Finger lakes duck hunting.
 

Would recomed guided hunt my favorite is Brain Underwood hard working &honest outfitter.

I have hunted with Brian Underwood many times and he works hard to get clients on birds. Hunting Redheads on the Finger Lakes is all about timing. The weather plays a very important roll. Our new season (which sucks) closes early January and the last few winters have been mild and thousands of Redheads don't show up until late January or early February. Good luck Craig

Craig,
I completely agree that the new late season dates suck. We have a friend with a blind on Keuka lake and used to shot redheads frequently when the late season was cold enough. With the early dates it seems that the weather will not be in our favor that early.

Scott,
If it gets cold enough this late season I am sure we could make room in the blind for you.

Here’s hoping for a polar vortex for Christmas.

Within the frameworks, the managers always seem to be thinking of the opening day license sales rather than the real duck hunting you can have when things ice up. Shame

Scott: I think your best bet to take a Can and RH on the east coast is body booting on the Susquehanna Flats in Maryland, late January.

I agree with Craig on the body booting on the flats. A unique experience.

WOW, Thanks for all the info and invitation, !!!
scott

what is body booting....charlie

Body boating on the Susquehanna Flats
 

A few pics of body booting

Now that looks like fun. Do you take your own gun table, or are they already set up around the lake? If you supply your own how do you you anchor them?

David,

the decoys and the large plywood swans that you set your gun/ammo and also stand behind are provided by the outfitter normally.

This was out on the Susquehanna Flats, you basically go out in the morning at low tide and then hunt till the tide comes up, of course duck activity also plays a part.

You're wearing chest waders and then a white coat to better hide behind the large swan decoys, staying warm can be a challenge and you want to be sure your waders are tight, because you may be in the water 5-8 hours.

I will try to find a better picture showing the swan blind/decoy used to hide behind.
Stan

Swan Blind/Decoy
 

Not a full on picture but shows a little bit better the swans made to stand behind and hold ammo and necessities.

nice ithaca 10 ! i love my NID super 10 with 1 1/4 oz. bismuth 4's,what were you shooting for shot ??
scott

Thanks Scott,

It is actually one of the NID Magnum 12's (3"), I was shooting some of the Hevi Hammer offered by Hevi Shot

Stan

It looked heavy in the wrist , new it was some kind of magnum .:)
tks scott

Wow!! A Field Grade NID Magnum-12 with a vent rib and a beavertail!! Ejectors? That has to be a scarce configuration with only 37 Field Grade Magnum-12s supposedly built according to the old Ithaca tabulation.

My buddy tells be the waters around Corpus Christi are lousy with Redheads in the winter.

It is an ejector gun with 32” vent rib barrels,

I was pleasantly surprised when I received this gun a couple years ago, I couldn’t believe it had a vent rib on since it was a Field grade. The fellow who listed for the non computer seller had done a pretty poor job with the pictures and none of them showed the vent rib. :shock:

When I expressed interest in the gun, the fellow who listed the gun gave me the phone number for the older gentleman who was the seller, I called him, he knew a 12 gauge Ithaca Magnum was on the rare side and he was pretty proud of it, he also had 2 Super Foxes and would have liked to sell me them. I declined on the Super Foxes but bought the Ithaca because his prices were pretty stiff.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the vent rib:)

Looks like a good hunt but WAY TOO MUCH WATER for me!! :shock:

It's not that bad Mikey. The bottom is solid and you are only up to your waist. It's a blast when then birds are working the decoys. Even better is laying in the decoys in a cornfield for Canadas. In your face shooting.

Daryl, ankle deep is deep enough!

Last month we caught up with an old friend and her son in St. Michaels, MD. Her son is a commercial crabber and waterfowl/deer hunting guide on Maryland Eastern Shore. He was telling me about their body booting operation on Susquehanna Flats and their high success rate. I will try to get his contact information and pass it on to anyone interested.