Common/Red Breasted Mergansers

M

Matt Masters

Active member
Okay, so I live in Alabama and have never really hunted anywhere else. I have harvested 16 different species on our lake. I had seven Red Breasted come in my decoys last year while going after Goldeneyes. Shot a nice drake he dove and dropped a hen (she had a piece of trotline about 6" long embedded in her mouth/tongue so she is at Shane Smith's) , drake popped up about 100 yards away flying. I have been chasing them things ever since and haven't had much luck. I know this might seem weird to some, but I would be very willing to pay for a hunt where I will stand a good chance at harvesting a Red Breasted drake or even a pair of Common's. I know I will not get the Common's here in North Alabama but might eventually get the Red Breasted. So I am asking if there is anyone that knows/has a place i could pay and come hunt for these?? I really wouldn't care about hunting for anything else I just want my trophies. I am three mergansers away from having them all. If anyone could guarantee me either one or both please PM me. I'm trying to get this figured out by next year because I am wanting to travel somewhere else and hunt.
 
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another "crazy" rears his head......

Contact Dave Drewry...Pennisula Sportsman.......google the name.....he won't "guaruntee" you anything but if anyone can put you on all three in one hunt it that I know of it would be him.....(interestingly the hooded will be the hardest for him but those you can get in Alabama)......

Good luck....

Steve
 
I got my Hood's this year and I know this might sound weird but I got a bull of a drake and a really nice hen to go with him. They are going to Shane's here soon when I pick some up from him. I totally understand the "guarantee" thing, he can put me on thim but I have to put them down to get them. Thanks for the info!!
 
I think you could have a great shot at getting both here in NJ along the shore in one of the bays. There are several guides that work that area and all three mergansers winter there. Red Breasted more common, but American mergansers are there too.
 
Matt, I think I might be able to hook you up here in CT. We have a ton of Common Mergansers in this state, and the numbers are huge in December/January. I have a friend who hunts all the time, and he knows the perfect location (images below)......he might want to trade hunts.....maybe a CT merganser hunt for a hunt with you in your back yard. I will ask him when I talk to him. I can't promise anything....but you never know. Email me in the spring, I will put you in touch with him if your interested!

Keith

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Keith. it finally worked....I changed computers and used my desk top not the laptop..who knows why it works on this one. Anyway I think I have it.... Hello to all, I am new here, my name is Tom Newell. My interests are decoy View attachment rig1.JPGcarving and painting, and waterfowling... I have carved for several years, both for competition and my own rig. I see many familiar names here, and it seems to be a great place to talk decoys... I hope to meet many new friends here.... One more paractice picture of three decoys all Cedar and oils....
 
Tom, I am glad you figured the photo problem out. I think everyone here will benefit now. Great photo's of your decoy's. I am sure glad I was able to see those in hand before they were gone! Take care, Eric.
 
Matt

The mid and lower coast of Texas has a good population of Red Breasted. Hoodeds are also around but sounds like you already have that covered. We are lacking in Commons though. Only one time have I ever seen any in this state. If you are interested in a coastal hunt, I can forward the names of some reputable guides to you. I really dont't see any guides give a guaranteed hunt on Red Breasted though. They are a strange bird and don't readily decoy from my experience. Good luck with your quest.
 
If the merganser guide industry ever blossoms into a legitimate endeavor...I'm gonna buy the wife a Cadillac!

We got um...all three. Lots.
 
Hey Matt, there is a whole world out there for you to explore. Plan a trip with someone who can get you some seaducks along with your mergs... Dave that Steve suggests should be able to easily able to put you on 2 if not 3 species of scoter and harlies, maybe oldsquaw. Come east and you can get scoter, eider and oldsquaw also with the mergs.
 
Come to LA. LA as in Lower Alabama that is.
I've shot numerous redbreasted's (hairy-heads) down here, could have shot a 5 bird limit if I wanted to numerous times. I've seen commons but have passed on them.
And we get piles of hoodies up in the delta (look for hoodies where you find woodies, so you should have no trouble getting hoodies up in Guntersville).

We could probably hook up next season. Shoot me a PM, let me know what kind of boat & decoy rig you have and I will share some spots down here if you want to freelance.
 
Thanks to everyone for the info! Like I said before I know this was kind of a weird request but I guess I have got a score to settle with them! I have seriously thought about doing a sea duck hunt with a guide, but the few I have talked to had no interest in trying to get me on them. They kept on changing the subject on what other birds they could get me so I gave up on those few. I am going to the Waterfowl Festival in Maryland next year and will probably pull my A.A. Blackjack and see if i can do some hunting on my own or maybe meet up with someone.
 
Thanks to everyone for the info! Like I said before I know this was kind of a weird request but I guess I have got a score to settle with them! I have seriously thought about doing a sea duck hunt with a guide, but the few I have talked to had no interest in trying to get me on them. They kept on changing the subject on what other birds they could get me so I gave up on those few. I am going to the Waterfowl Festival in Maryland next year and will probably pull my A.A. Blackjack and see if i can do some hunting on my own or maybe meet up with someone.
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I'm not surprised at the response you got from guides. Talk to the guy Steve suggested...

On a quest like that you run the risk of people saying... "we are covered up with those damn things...." and showing up and none are there or they dont' have a way to decoy them. You need to hook up with someone who targets them and knows what the chances are of providing you opportunity. Especially for commons, you need someone that has an actual rig like Keith has suggested. Every year I have 2,000 Goosanders on a local lake, but I can't time it and I don't have a rig.

T
 
Those flying lawn darts can get pretty thick on the susquehenna river where I hunt.. Later in the year the better... We do not even shoot at them unless we have a kid along that has not shot his gun in a while.. You have to knock them down good on the first shot or you will be chasin them things for a long time....
 
Tom, as always, your birds are FANTASTIC!!! Your painting is stunning! I think you might want to consider re-doing your intro on a new thread on the main forum;that way everyone wold see it and enjoy those great birds!!

Keith
 
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