New to the forum and new to duck/goose hunting!

Went waterfowl hunting with a buddy in Pennsylvania few years back and loved it.

I have a boat, 16 foot double hull fiberglass center console 60hp and front trolling motor. I use it to fish Utah Lake but want to get into duck/goose hunting. I haven't been down to mud lake in my boat, but is there enough water this year that I could make it? Boat has been in water in Utah lake less than 2 feet deep. Any other places you recommend me setting up? Heard opening weekend can be crazy, so I might want to avoid it. Taking a couple of others who have never been duck hunting. Planning on scouting but it would be nice to narrow down the scouting area a bit as it's a big lake.

Currently working to make a blind for my boat. Also bought a duck call but don't think I sound like a duck yet

Thanks for any advice.

WELCOME TO THE FORUM! The hunters on here are really kind and offer good advice.
My biggest piece of advice is watch learn to call videos off you tube and mimic the sounds while driving. The more practice you put into calling the better you will be.
Scouting right now will be good for you to see where the birds like to be when not hunted/pressured, however, you will want to do it after the season starts as well to find where the birds try to hide. There are hunting spots all over the lake just depends on where you want to go.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FLWTQVB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This material might be helpful for your boat blind.

Best of luck this season!!

 

Welcome! And you better quit now while you are money ahead, you’ll go broke!

I was in Mud Lake in late July and there were people wake boarding in there. If you’ve been in less than 2 feet of water then you’ll be fine. However, this was late July, I’m sure it hasn’t dropped much since if at all. If your hellbent on a boat, you may want to get a duck specific rig just so you don’t find yourself stranded with an outboard.

 

The lake will continue dropping through the middle of October when it starts to cool off significantly. You’ll be fine this year. Another bad snow year without much run off and you’ll be confined to the main lake

 

Goosefreak is correct when he says you'll be broke! I sold my hunting boat and all the decoys and gear 15 years ago vowing to never chase "flying liver" again. Guess what? I got the bug again last year and about fell over dead when looking at buying a boat, motor and gear. :shock:Still haven't found a boat I'm looking for, so I'll be welding one up next spring.8)

 

Brother in law has been hunting geese and ducks on Utah Lake now for over 70 years and doesn't use a boat. I should clarify that he did use a boat for a while, a little two man raft that he would lay down it. Other than that he has been a foot soldier all the time. Seams he doesn't have any problems getting into the geese and ducks.

 

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Thanks MallardFlew for the link to the blind material. I had ordered some other material but I like this better. Buying it and returning what I bought.

Goosefreak & sheepassassin, sounds like I should make it into mudlake this year. Thanks for the info. Right now I like my fishing boat too much to sell it and get a duck rig. And don't have space for both. I'll have to see if duck hunting pushes me over the edge after the season is over.

taxidermist, I'm already broke from fishing and hunting. Just going to be more broke

Critter, I will have to try by foot some days. Especially if the water get's choppy like it does often on Utah lake.

I think I'll start by scouting around mudlake and by powell slough. Then also do a bit of scouting after the season starts like MallardFlew suggested.

I'll have to reply to this thread with any pics of ducks (hopefully!) and also my boat blind.

 

Haven't shot a duck yet and I'm already hooked

Thanks again for the advice I got early on.

I've gotten out twice this season. Seen a lot of ducks in the distance, but none coming into or over my spread. But still had a blast! Technically I've gotten two ducks. Second Saturday of the season some guys without a boat shot one that floated out to far. I returned it to them. Same day, in the afternoon, I found another one floating, without a hunter to return it to.

Hoping to increase my odds of putting some meat on the table. So I have a few more questions from you experienced guys.

Decoys:
I've been hunting mud lake. How many decoys should I put out? First time I put out about 15 decoys. Second time I put out about 26. Mix of mallards and some small dark decoys (I believe they are teal). Also, do I need motion decoys? If so, should I get a mojo or just make a jerk string? Heard mojos might not work that great later in the season. My decoys are faded a bit (especially the teal). See the attached picture. Does it make a big difference if I repaint them?

Boat:
The attached picture shows my boat with the blind I built. Is it too big for duck hunting? Wondering if it will stand out because of the size. Thought of parking the boat and walking a short distance away to hunt. But the water is still pretty deep. I could also try to hide it better in the grasses/weeds?

Thanks for any help.

 

I should say that I've already lengthened the camo material so that I don't have the yellow showing at the bottom of the boat.

 

Send me a message. I can help you out with some suggestions on how to be successful on Utah lake. It’s in my backyard and I’ve hunted it my whole life. I know how to hunt it and be successful

 

You’ve got to hide that boat better. Drive in into the reeds or park it and walk in the rest of the way. find some shallower water that you could sit on chairs. Mud lake gets hunted hard so the ducks get smart fast. You also need to be in the right spot so even just a little bit of scouting can pay off big time. I’ll even set up in a spot that I jump a bunch of ducks off as I’m driving in if I haven’t had a chance to scout. Also, don’t overlook the shoreline of the main lake. Once again scouting will help immensely but DON’T over look it!

 

You've got to hide that boat better. Drive in into the reeds or park it and walk in the rest of the way. find some shallower water that you could sit on chairs. Mud lake gets hunted hard so the ducks get smart fast. You also need to be in the right spot so even just a little bit of scouting can pay off big time. I'll even set up in a spot that I jump a bunch of ducks off as I'm driving in if I haven't had a chance to scout. Also, don't overlook the shoreline of the main lake. Once again scouting will help immensely but DON'T over look it!

Just to add to this, all my shoreline spots on the lake are a no go this year. Water is way too high.

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The most ducks I've ever seen floating in Utah Lake was right next to one of the harbors. These kids had made this BS contraption out of two big plastic 80 gallon drums, a piece of plywood, some PVC pipe for a railing and a bunch of grass and cattails cut right from the shore and tied to it. They'd get in it, pole out maybe 50 feet, sink the pole in the mud and tie up to it. Then they would start calling and be shooting birds left and right. To be honest the first time I saw it I had no idea it wasn't just a big bunch of cattails off the shore until they started shooting. It seems that a lot of birds follow the east shoreline back and forth between the bay and the north end of the lake.