Hunt the Flyways

Prime Hunting Locations Along the Pacific Flyway

• California’s Central Valley: A top location for waterfowl hunting, this area includes large refuges like the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge and private wetlands. The Central Valley supports millions of ducks and geese each year, making it one of the most productive areas in the Flyway.
• Washington and Oregon Wetlands: The Columbia River Basin and Willamette Valley in Oregon offer high waterfowl concentrations and excellent public and private hunting grounds.
• Alaska’s Tundras and Coastal Marshes: In early fall, Alaska provides unique waterfowl hunting, especially for species like the Pacific brant and sea ducks, thanks to vast, wild landscapes.
• Baja California, Mexico: The coastal areas of Baja attract Pacific brant and other migrating species, providing late-season hunting opportunities for those who head south after the U.S. season closes.

Prime Hunting Locations Along the Central Flyway

• North Dakota and South Dakota’s Prairie Potholes: Known as the “duck factory” of North America, the prairie pothole region is rich in shallow wetlands that attract millions of ducks and geese during migration.
• Nebraska’s Platte River Valley: The Platte River is famous for sandhill crane migration, and it also provides excellent duck and goose hunting in early fall through winter.
• Kansas’ Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge: These wetland areas are major stopovers for waterfowl and offer well-managed public hunting lands and strong bird numbers.
• Texas Panhandle and Coastal Marshes: In the winter, Texas provides some of the best late-season waterfowl hunting in the Central Flyway. The Panhandle is known for geese and sandhill cranes, while the coastal marshes support diverse species of ducks.

Prime Hunting Locations Along the Mississippi Flyway

• Great Lakes Region: States like Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan offer excellent duck and goose hunting along the Great Lakes, including key migration stopover points such as the Mississippi River headwaters.
• Illinois and Missouri’s Mississippi River Bottomlands: The Illinois and Missouri sides of the Mississippi River provide prime hunting grounds, with thousands of birds concentrated along the river and adjacent fields during peak migration.
• Arkansas’ Delta Region: Often referred to as the “Duck Capital of the World,” eastern Arkansas is famous for its flooded timber and rice fields that attract mallards and other ducks in massive numbers.
• Louisiana’s Gulf Coast: Louisiana provides late-season hunting opportunities with coastal marshes that support a wide range of species, from teal to canvasbacks, as birds prepare for the journey back north.

Prime Hunting Locations Along the Atlantic Flyway

• Chesapeake Bay (Maryland and Virginia): Known for its rich history in waterfowl hunting, the Chesapeake Bay is one of the Atlantic Flyway’s most popular hunting areas, with prime habitat for diving ducks, sea ducks, and Canada geese.
• New England Coastline (Maine to Massachusetts): The rocky coastlines and salt marshes of New England attract large numbers of sea ducks, including eiders and scoters, which are popular among coastal hunters.
• New Jersey’s Coastal Marshes: The marshes and bays of New Jersey, especially Barnegat Bay, offer excellent hunting for black ducks, brant, and other waterfowl species.
• North Carolina’s Outer Banks: The Outer Banks provide opportunities for diverse species, from puddle ducks to sea ducks, in scenic marshes and along the Atlantic coast.
• South Carolina and Florida Wetlands: The coastal marshes and inland wetlands in these states host a variety of ducks and are known for late-season hunting, with a mix of resident and migratory birds.