Duck hunting in the wax

[Anth0ny]

Anybody here hunt the wax? If so what are you thoughts on it, is it one of your favorite places or not so much because of weather/unexperienced hunters, etc. .


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[I make oil]

I've hunted the wax all my life. It is one of the most difficult, frustrating and rewarding places I've ever hunted. Some days I can do nothing wrong others I struggle the whole day. I try to go into a hunt with a plan but due to conditions those are often thrown out of the window. This year I've moved back across to the Delta side and it's the same. Last weekend for the youth hunt I had prepared and scouted. I had a plan in place and was ready to put my boys on birds. Saturday morning I pulled into my spot and BAM! 4 other boats hunting it! DANG! We made the most of it and killed birds but after a few hours the tide started to drop. I up was set up closest to the entrance and barely made it out. The other boats didn't fare as well. I don't think they were able to get out until Later that day when the tide came back up. That is the story with that area. You better be aware of the water and be ready to move quick or be prepared to wait on the next tide to come up. Mud motors can only do so much and the sand out there...... It eats them for lunch.

[duckfreak]

It has definitely changed over the years, I've hunted there for many years and the past 3-4 years has really tried my patience and my beliefs that if any real sportsman exist anymore. I hate to say it, not all of them mind you, but the younger generation have no ethics what so ever. A mud motor, boat, decoys, and GPS does not a hunter make. It's really ridiculous out there lately, it seems it doesn't matter where you go or where you try to hide they find you. I'm gonna make the opener this weekend but not looking forward to all drama.

[duckfreak]

Originally Posted by I make oil

I've hunted the wax all my life. It is one of the most difficult, frustrating and rewarding places I've ever hunted. Some days I can do nothing wrong others I struggle the whole day. I try to go into a hunt with a plan but due to conditions those are often thrown out of the window. This year I've moved back across to the Delta side and it's the same. Last weekend for the youth hunt I had prepared and scouted. I had a plan in place and was ready to put my boys on birds. Saturday morning I pulled into my spot and BAM! 4 other boats hunting it! DANG! We made the most of it and killed birds but after a few hours the tide started to drop. I up was set up closest to the entrance and barely made it out. The other boats didn't fare as well. I don't think they were able to get out until Later that day when the tide came back up. That is the story with that area. You better be aware of the water and be ready to move quick or be prepared to wait on the next tide to come up. Mud motors can only do so much and the sand out there...... It eats them for lunch.

Xxx20 on the sand eating up them mud motors every year I wind up watching a mud motor or two or four running across the flats and counting down the seconds it takes for them to come to a complete stop and stay there the rest of the day waiting on tide.

[I make oil]

Originally Posted by duckfreak

It has definitely changed over the years, I've hunted there for many years and the past 3-4 years has really tried my patience and my beliefs that if any real sportsman exist anymore. I hate to say it, not all of them mind you, but the younger generation have no ethics what so ever. A mud motor, boat, decoys, and GPS does not a hunter make. It's really ridiculous out there lately, it seems it doesn't matter where you go or where you try to hide they find you. I'm gonna make the opener this weekend but not looking forward to all drama.

This is why I've moved back to the a Delta. It's much farther to go and harder to access. I have a houseboat there otherwise I wouldn't go. There is a huge difference in the two. Hopefully this will help cut down on the yahoos I've had to contend with on the Wax side.

[jamesf]

Hear all the horror stories now. Haven't hunted the wax in about 15 years. Back then all you had to do was go farther out on the flats and you could find less people. Now with the mud motors I'm sure it's changed. I've had many memorable hunts there. Times with 40 and 50 mallards dropping into the dekes at one time. Rarely came back without our limit. When your young a long cold boat ride lugging a ton of decoys and gear in mud and sand is no problem but when you get older it takes a lot out of you. Again I'm sure mud motors have changed the game but I've never liked hunting out of boat blinds. Too big and bulky.

[jopete]

i hunted the wax hard for 12 years with a small group of guys.
durring the first week of the first split is probly the best duck hunts ever. a rising tide will bring in the mallards from offshore. there were days when we got mallard tight, and prayed for a 'other' duck to come by. Had days where we didn't fire a sahot, but those were mostly last season and the tide would be way out.
on opening weekends we would set out 12-15 dozen decoys and shoot the occasional single while we bar-b-qed and enjoyed the day in the blind. too many idiots around to try to really hunt.

after several years, we would just wait till the tide starts ripping in at 10 or 11 am and then setup in our spot and be done with our shooting around noon or so. when u start getting worried about your decoys floating off or water getting too deep for your waders, that's when the ducks seemed to turn on.

it's a young mans game. now i get up, eat breakfast, run the mudboat less than i minute. get out in leather boots and sit in a comfortable blind and pick my shots. but it has taken me 45 years to finally get into a good lease.

if i had a houseboat i would hunt the big delta. one of the last 'new frontiers'' out there.

good luck!!!

[Superspook]

I have a small houseboat at the wax and have hunted it for about 8 or ten years and it seems to change every year. Way more ppl and seems like the big rafts of birds are getting farther offshore but the hunting is still good if you are willing to work.The presure is not near as bad on the weekdays and i work shiftwork so i mostly stay away from weekend hunts especially early on in the season most people get enough of the wax pretty quick. But it is getting harder and harder to pass up on easy hunts at the father inlaws lease where i could hunt in crocs. One thing i have learned the hard way about the wax is you better hunt the tides if not dont tell the ol lady what time to expect you cause you wont decide that the wax will.

[PotLikinisAhabbit]

^ I almost missed my godchild's baptism due to a low tide situation in the wax. North wind kept the incoming out finally made the decision to push the boat to deep water.

[BArmand]

Dangerous place if you don't watch the elements. We used to hunt the Wax about 10-15 years ago when the hunting was unreal. I can remember 1,000's of ducks in the canal by the houseboats. Over the years it became a real hassle to hunt out there. I have had some of the best hunts of my life and been in some dangerous situations out there. Beware of the fog for sure.

[Superspook]

The fog can be unreal at times. I have seen it roll in and not burn off for 4 or more days. And i mean cant see past the front of the boat fog. I used to run in it in the dark but wont do it anymore its not worth it. It definetly can be a dangerous place to hunt but its not on the same level as venice or the main river delta side thats why it is getting so crowded with every yahoo with a gator tail and more money than sense.

[specktator]

Originally Posted by BArmand

Dangerous place if you don't watch the elements. We used to hunt the Wax about 10-15 years ago when the hunting was unreal. I can remember 1,000's of ducks in the canal by the houseboats. Over the years it became a real hassle to hunt out there. I have had some of the best hunts of my life and been in some dangerous situations out there. Beware of the fog for sure.

X2

[specktator]

Went out in my flat bottom aluminum bay boat opening weekend about 10 years ago. Parked off canal and tied boat up. Walked 5-600 yards with all our gear to our spot. Smashed the ducks. Get back to boat and water started about 20 yards behind my boat. Took 7 guys to push it into the water.

Wax is definitely a young man's hunt unless you have a pro drive with pop up blind. Used to have a blast camping on that island in tents though. We would slaughter the ducks. Can remember year LSU won NC my cousin climbed to the top of a tree to hang our bunny ears so we could catch LSU/Bama game. Whole camp ground was huddled around our little TV.

[bgizzle]

Can you duck hunt the wax till dark? Or is it limited times in afternoon


"Go ahead, share your opinion! I won't cry"

[Dogface]

Originally Posted by bgizzle

Can you duck hunt the wax till dark? Or is it limited times in afternoon


"Go ahead, share your opinion! I won't cry"

Haven't hunted there in 6-8 years but you could hunt till legal time in the pm except on opening weekend.

[duckfreak]

Originally Posted by Dogface

Haven't hunted there in 6-8 years but you could hunt till legal time in the pm except on opening weekend.

Rules are still the same till 2:00 on opening weekend after that you can hunt all day if you want.

[Anth0ny]

Anyone put down at burns point? Or is it better to go to Columbia launch?

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[Trout rivers]

Anyone looking for a hunting partner for the wax sat? All my buddies are working rather not go out there alone? to hunt can get pretty hairy