They are permit only hunts and you "win" a permit through a lottery system.
We were lucky enough to pull several permits. Including back to back hunts opening weekend!
It is a seven hour drive south and we got 3 hours of sleep in 48 hours of hunting. I was exhausted when I got back but Soooo Happy.
These places are all I had heard about and more.
We headed out of Tallahassee on Friday and enjoyed the ride down. Stopped at a few sporting-goods shops along the way.
Here is Tyler with the loaded down truck.
We spent the night in West Palm beach- about 15 min from STA1 that we would shoot Sunday Morning.
Ate wings and beer for dinner and hit the sack for the last real sleep we would get for the trip.
We got up at 8 and drove the 15 min to STA1 just so we would know where we would be going the next morning.
Got our first views of the marsh- Duck Central..
These are Storm Water Treatment Areas just south of large Rice and Sugar farms.
They were built to remove phosphates and other nutrients from runoff water before it flows into the everglades.
But as you can see they created perfect duck habitat! Its all about 2 two 3 feet deep and full of food.
They are between 4 and 6 thousand acres each.
We got there about 9am and guys were coming out with limits of ducks already! After a quick look around we hit the road and drove the hour south to STA 3/4
Arriving at 10am we were the third truck in line for the afternoon hunt... the order your arrive in sets the order you get to pick your hunting area.
We had a great time watching guys come in after the morning hunt. Lots of limits and some interesting birds. Gadwalls, Mottle Ducks, Pintail, Ringers, Spoonbills and lots of Teal.
This also tells me our local duck numbers - or lack of ducks- is directly related to habitat. I have always thought first split was bad because birds have not migrated down. But here we are 7 hours South of Tallahassee and there are thousands of ducks. Back when there was a lot of agriculture around here there were more birds. Now that most farmland is planted in pines there is no reason for them to stay. That is a little frustrating
While we waited we saw a guy hunting from a yellow kayak and he had shot a few birds.. testament to the numbers down there.
We also hung out with a young guy names Derek that is carving decoys and making boats...
He loaned me one to use during the hunt. Its great and I may get one!
You can look at his website here: http://www.gotohellbender.com/
They started checking the first of us in at noon... Look at the line to get in!
We picked our number and headed in- launching with three guys I know through another forum
After a 300 yard paddle we set up on a cut through a line of bulrushes. We put out +36 decoys a Mojo and a couple of wobble ducks.
The wind was blowing 15-20 mph so the motion decoys were really overkill. But we had brought them with us and put them out.
You can see the topped out Hydrilla - that is the food the ducks are coming for.
A self portrait standing in 3 feet of water with 6 foot bulrushes for cover.
In no time we had ducks buzzing the decoys. I had 3 teal down in less than 30 min
I stopped and just watched the other guys shoot.
After an hour I had 5 teal, Tyler had 3 and Brian had 2.
A little later I had my limit- Teal and one Sponnie.
They kept shooting and I waited. By 4:45 Tyler needed one more to be done. We put the pressure on him and had fun watching him miss a few before waxing a nice teal to finish out.
Here is a good photo of guys picking up decoys... the entire place is about three feet deep.
We finished and were happy as can be!
Heading back we run into these guys: It took us about 15min to pull them out and head on to the checkstation.
We got to the hotel about 8pm. Ate sandwiches for dinner, watched a little football and got to bed about 11pm.
The alarm went off at 2 am and we started toward STA1 for the morning shoot. We got there and were the fourth car in line!
We caught some sleep in the truck and waited for 5am when they would let us in the gates.
Luckily, when the biologist let us in I asked and we got the spot I had picked out after talking to friends and looking at maps.
A quick drive and we were in the water, Paddled out several hundred yards and set up on a grass island in deeper water.
I could not believe it but there were even more birds in the morning that the evening shoot.
This was a much more open space and we had some diving ducks coming in...
In less than an hour we had all limited out taking Redheads, RingNecks, Blue Bills and Teal.
Tylers Limit
Brian's Limit:
My limit
As we were picking up decoys there were still birds coming in...
Tyler paddling back to the truck...
The Island we shot is the closest one in this photo: you can see the number- that's how you know where to park.
We are loading the truck and even more birds are coming in
Arriving at the hotel before 10 am we chilled the birds in the fridge and packed up for the ride home.
Love this shot of 36 ducks in the Refrigerator- Tyler took a drake spoonbill home to mount.
Also before someone asks, there is no alcohol in the fridge because Bourbon needs no refrigeration
We had an amazing time and learned a lot.
I will not cave to the pressure to shoot every duck that comes into the decoys.
Its so hard not to shoot when teal are diving into your spread but now I know there will be more in a little bit.
I'll wait and spread the hunt out- Pick the birds I want and maybe shoot something more interesting.
I'll probably bring a push pole- it will work better than the paddle most of the time.
I'll bring bug spray- the mosquitoes were nasty in the morning.
We will bring more snacks and water... its hot in South Florida!
And I'll be thankful we pulled permits for six hunts in this amazing place this season.
That is the BEST PART- We get to go back in a few weeks!
If you have not had enough here are a few videos
Wolefman's last duck- by the way PATO is duck in Cuban
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... GuKF7Qezxk[/video]
This epitomizes the trip- Wolfeman talking smack, Toden wanting to shoot everything that flies and me being bossy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... GtZLAxQayA[/video]
My last duck of the trip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... fNv-Qifczs[/video]
And a wrap up of the hunt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... ycQqhHT5HM[/video]
Awesome! Makes me miss Merritt Island.(Hunted there in the 80's) 
