Duck Hunting on Lake Erie
Standard duck hunts target the migration — we hunt what's in front of us. Mixed bag of mallards, gadwall, teal, wood duck, wigeon, pintails, divers, mergansers, and more depending on the day, weather, and migration. We can't promise a specific bird because we don't know what's flying until we're set up.
If you're looking to target a specific drake species for a collector mount, see Hunt 41. That is the species specific hunt and it is structured differently for that reason.
We will be hunting out of our three-vessel fleet, all rigged with full boat blinds: our 25' Duckwater, our 24' custom-built Gatortrax, and our 32' AAD custom with a full boat blind.
On a normal day, we will meet you at the ramp at the trip start time. Exact location will be conveyed the day prior as it changes often for wind, and where we found birds the night before. We will get you loaded up and we will head out. Some locations we hunt may be rock walls on the shores of Lake Erie or we may go off shore to an island complex up to 15 miles offshore.
Lake conditions can become rough; if you have ever experienced sea sickness before then I would recommend taking some Dramamine prior. We may take spray in the choppy conditions on our way out, but do not worry — just like the birds we will be hunting on the lee side of an island or break-wall in the calm water.
Trip windows
AM trip: 6:00 AM – 11:00 AM, or until limit reached — whichever comes first.
PM trip: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM, or until limit reached.
If we hit the limit before time is up, the hunt is done. Daily bag limits are set by Ohio DNR and federal regulations and are non-negotiable. This is included in what you sign before boarding — you'll be back at the dock with your birds, ready for the rest of your day.
What Makes Our Duck Hunts Unique
Our style of hunting is boat blinds along the shores and islands of Lake Erie. This is very much an ocean-style hunt where you can expect to be faced with trying weather conditions and offshore hunting opportunities.
We harvest a wide variety of birds on these hunts. Most commonly harvested are Greater & Lesser Bluebills, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, and Common & Red-Breasted Mergansers. We actually have the largest population in the US. We offer trophy hunts for collectors taking part in the Hunt 41 challenge — that's where you pick the species. Please ask for specific details!
Season Timing
In September, early teal and goose season opens up for two weeks to allow hunting of the early migrating blue wing teal and resident Canada geese.
Big duck season opens mid-October (Ohio's regular waterfowl season opener) and runs through the migration. You can very likely take a mixed bag of mallards, gadwall, teal, wood duck, wigeon and pintails. Diver duck hunting trips on the open water can be some of the most exciting trips. Give us a call today to check for availability for our Lake Erie hunting trip.
Lake Erie Duck Hunt Pricing
Minimum of 4 people, with a max of 6 per boat. This is a non-specific species hunt. If larger groups would like to book we can accommodate up to 16 split across our three vessels.
98% of the time we hunt out of boat blinds — every boat in our fleet is rigged the same way. We are tied up to some type of shoreline for back drop — dike walls, creek points, islands etc. Only time we get out of the boat is if the water is too low to get up to shore with the boat. Rare, but with a strong westerly it can happen.
** Deposit is $500 per hunt day, non-refundable (so a 2-day hunt = $1,000 deposit). If the trip is cancelled due to weather, a new date will be selected.
