Piney Island

[BlindHog]

Let's say a man wanted to go try to hunt Piney Island to get some mergansers or an 8 ounce bufflehead or something crazy like that.....

Where would you folks suggest launching? This is a small duck rig so the closer the better to the island. Launching at the St Mks lighthouse is too far. I know of one option -- Wakulla Beach. Is Spring Creek any closer? Any other ideas? Thanks.

[boggob]

I think it's part of the St Marks Refuge Panacea Tract and subject to special requirements:

http://www.fws.gov/saintmarks/huntinginfo.html

To answer, Bottoms Road or Mashes Sands off of 319.

[Jumptrout51]

Bottoms rd landing. 200 yards to Piney Island.
BOLO for Wevans. He's crazy.

[bocephus]

bottoms rd. is the closest.watch out for the low tide and a north wind you could be there a while.we usually hunt outside the island so you wouldn't need the permit.

[BlindHog]

I remembered later at one time I had launched outta Mashes Sands.

Couple yrs ago I got the permit online. Now the Refuge site seems to say no permit needed to hunt ducks.

I have a very skinny tiny boat and long tail so lowish tides arent end of world but well remember low tide there as a kid.

[SHOWBOAT]

blue dolphin...protected the entire ride

[Jumptrout51]

blue dolphin...protected the entire ride

Sounds gay.

[WaltDawg]

Blue Dolphin can have issues worse than Bottoms if the tide is low. Follow the channel if you go out of Bottoms.

[MudDucker]

Here is the link to regulations:

http://www.fws.gov/southeast/pubs/smkhnt.pdf

No permit required for duck hunting.

[wevans]

I hate high tides worse than low tides at Bottoms on a high tide, ya gotta put half yer truck in the water to get the trailer deep enuff ta float the boat a negetive low and a North wind can make things interesting, trying to get across the sand bar that's between Bottoms and Piney but there is a shallow channel that runs through it and if a boat don't draft much it will float through it I generally figure if the sand bar shows some water on it, I have at least 6 inches of water ta run through at WOT and if I hit, I usually have sufficiant speed to slide on across it course ya gotta know where that little ol channel is at fer that ta work

[bbb]

Monday around noon, the water at Blue Dolphin extended a whole 3 feet before the ramp dropped off. Luckily I have a slick coat on the bottom of my boat and just pushed it off the trailer. Hunted from 1-5pm and got 5 buffies. Shot everything that came into the decoys. Ducks were not flying while I was there.

[BlindHog]

Thanks for the info. Never heard of Blue Dolphin. Can anyone elaborate? Is it a paved ramp? I dont have 4wd.

[bbb]

Blue Dolphin is the name of the road the ramp is on. Its a private ramp for the Oyster Bay community.

Bottoms is the closest to Piney.