# Van Buren county Duck spots?



## nmilkovich (Sep 25, 2017)

First off, Im not asking you folks to reveal your secret spots, but are there any common spots Im missing or something? Hunted in Indiana for many years, now im trying to duck hunt up here. I see the Keeler State Game areas, but dont see they have much water/birds. Are there any other public land areas nearby (within an hour drive) worth heading out to? Can anyone point me in the right direction or should I just start looking for fields and ask permission? Thanks in advance


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

when you start off with "i'm not asking for your spots...."


you're asking for their spots.


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

If you weren't able to immediately find it with google, why would someone tell you about it?

Nonetheless, you should look into fennville farm and allegan state game area. They are highly overutilized, but there are birds and water. You can search this forum for fennville farm or Todd farm, which is the same thing. There is a huge number of threads which will help give you the lay of the land.


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## nmilkovich (Sep 25, 2017)

jwinks said:


> If you weren't able to immediately find it with google, why would someone tell you about it?
> 
> Nonetheless, you should look into fennville farm and allegan state game area. They are highly overutilized, but there are birds and water. You can search this forum for fennville farm or Todd farm, which is the same thing. There is a huge number of threads which will help give you the lay of the land.


Thanks that is what I was looking for.


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## nmilkovich (Sep 25, 2017)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> when you start off with "i'm not asking for your spots...."
> 
> 
> you're asking for their spots.


I thought I was being general enough with the whole "Are there any other public land areas nearby (within an hour drive) worth heading out to?" Instead of what part of X land are you on lol my apologies


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## Jerry Lamb (Aug 3, 2015)

nmilkovich said:


> I thought I was being general enough with the whole "Are there any other public land areas nearby (within an hour drive) worth heading out to?" Instead of what part of X land are you on lol my apologies


Ain't tellin....
The more the miles, the bigger the piles....


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

nmilkovich said:


> I thought I was being general enough with the whole "Are there any other public land areas nearby (within an hour drive) worth heading out to?" Instead of what part of X land are you on lol my apologies


middle of season, asking for spots. its really that simple. you can't tell me you didn't google state game areas??? c'mon. your fishing for spots that some guy will toss out there not knowing the implications.

seriously, if you can't google "michigan duck hunting" or "michigan state game areas"....then you really need to re-think you life policy of using the internet.

/internetscoutingrantover


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

lemme ask the king of internet scouting if this falls into that category. paging king of fishing for spots @craigrh13


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> lemme ask the king of internet scouting if this falls into that category. paging king of fishing for spots @craigrh13


Suuuuuuuuuck it, D.B.! Ha


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Allegan and Barry Counties have enough public land to keep me busy until I die.

Speaking of, they just pulled a dead body out of a parking area I drove past on the way to the youth hunt this year, and I heard they found another body by Otsego this weekend.


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## waterfowlhunter83 (Aug 10, 2005)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> when you start off with "i'm not asking for your spots...."
> 
> 
> you're asking for their spots.


Exactly! Thanks SK for flushing that out!


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## ice ghost (Jan 17, 2015)

Jeeesh, poor fella. I'll help ya a bit. I hunt state land during the week and you can figure that out for yourself, but the there's some really good hunting to be had along the Van Buren/ Allegan line right now on private land. My spots are sown up tight so I'm not concerned but do a little driving around in the morning or evening in the farm country and be prepared to ask landowners nicely. You might get lucky.


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## grassmaster (Jan 10, 2009)

Van buren county is the Gar hole of Michigan counties. too many fruit trees and grapes.
lots of small lakes but mostly pricks from Chicago who keep coming up here even in the fall.
lets change pricks to pompas asses, as not to offend anyone.
they complain about goose crap in there yards then call the cops when they see a duck boat.
go any direction from VB county and your odds increase 10 fold.


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## MasterBaiters (Jul 13, 2017)

Geez guys this is all pretty harsh,duck htg is pretty competitive in this state and really that's how some of us end up out west,now it would be prudent to remember that Indiana hasn't had a college winner since Bobby Knight,so lets have a little empathy for our fellow Hoosier,can t we all just get along?


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## Shupac (Apr 17, 2005)

I absolutely had to click this thread. Reading threads like this is the online equivalent of stopping to gawk at a 12 car pileup on the freeway, though I do feel a little guilty when I see the thread's OP being hauled away on a stretcher.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> when you start off with "i'm not asking for your spots...."
> 
> 
> you're asking for their spots.


yeah that...LOL


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## ice ghost (Jan 17, 2015)

NMILCOVICH, hope you enjoyed your first dose of east side hospitality. That's what ya get when all the best waterfowlers in the state are hunting the best locations in the state. Paranoia, anxiety, and menstrual cramps. Hope ya found some birds. The gar hole is loaded.


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## nmilkovich (Sep 25, 2017)

This went about as well as I had thought it would lol I am just continuing to goose hunt for now (Which I do have a field for lol). Thanks for the heads up about allegan county, made a scouting trip already.


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## nmilkovich (Sep 25, 2017)

grassmaster said:


> Van buren county is the Gar hole of Michigan counties. too many fruit trees and grapes.
> lots of small lakes but mostly pricks from Chicago who keep coming up here even in the fall.
> lets change pricks to pompas asses, as not to offend anyone.
> they complain about goose crap in there yards then call the cops when they see a duck boat.
> go any direction from VB county and your odds increase 10 fold.


Yeah this is my problem, I am on a lake but im holding out until most people are gone to feel it out.


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## ice ghost (Jan 17, 2015)

Yea, I can see not wanting to rub neighbors the wrong way, even if you do everything legally, some people are gonna get offended. We got so many lakes along the county line though maybe check out some other lake. The problem with the lakes I'm finding, is that there's so much standing water in fields right now that they get up and off the lakes early and don't come back to roost til night. Geese are easier to see and follow. Watch for where they go and ya may find the ducks. That's how I found one of my best spots this year. We've shot two man mallard limits every time we've hunted it along with some other ducks and geese.


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## nmilkovich (Sep 25, 2017)

Exactly!! Im having that issue as well, I got permission from a farmer for a field (just down the road from the lake) which is where ive been shooting geese, but no ducks unfortunately. So then I started looking to lakes, but the lakes ive seen, I cant find any info on if they are actually huntable (which lead to the post lol) Thanks for the input!!


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

nmilkovich said:


> Exactly!! Im having that issue as well, I got permission from a farmer for a field (just down the road from the lake) which is where ive been shooting geese, but no ducks unfortunately. So then I started looking to lakes, but the lakes ive seen, I cant find any info on if they are actually huntable (which lead to the post lol) Thanks for the input!!


The short answer is, no, they are not huntable, unless you own the shoreline near where you are hunting.


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## ice ghost (Jan 17, 2015)

jwinks said:


> The short answer is, no, they are not huntable, unless you own the shoreline near where you are hunting.


Thats


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Or they have public land on shore you can be in front of, or a road dead end access in a township that allows hunting from same (and then you still have to be 450' from any dwellings)


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## ice ghost (Jan 17, 2015)

The short answer is wrong. A handful of lakes have that stupid law that says landowners own out into the lake and you can't set anything on bottom in that area for X amount of feet, I'm sure there's info somewhere on here about that unique situation, I think Gun lake may have that law for example. In 20 years of hunting the area in discussion, this has never been an issue. If has public access and your 450ft from dwellings your good I think. I've been checked a lot by CO's on lakes due to the fact that nobody hunts them and landowners get freaked out when they hear shooting. Never had a problem ever. Been verbally abused by a landowner or two at access site for murdering innocent birds with feelings but that's a whole different thread in itself. Hopefully jwinks tells everyone this. I like having no competition. Now this thread will probably transform into a hunting laws blah blah blah fest any second now.


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## toppm (Dec 30, 2010)

I'm from there and only deer hunt down there anymore. There are so many lakes in VB county that they only number them. Some are pretty desolate.


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

ice ghost said:


> The short answer is wrong. A handful of lakes have that stupid law that says landowners own out into the lake and you can't set anything on bottom in that area for X amount of feet, I'm sure there's info somewhere on here about that unique situation, I think Gun lake may have that law for example. In 20 years of hunting the area in discussion, this has never been an issue. If has public access and your 450ft from dwellings your good I think. I've been checked a lot by CO's on lakes due to the fact that nobody hunts them and landowners get freaked out when they hear shooting. Never had a problem ever. Been verbally abused by a landowner or two at access site for murdering innocent birds with feelings but that's a whole different thread in itself. Hopefully jwinks tells everyone this. I like having no competition. Now this thread will probably transform into a hunting laws blah blah blah fest any second now.


Lol. Thats the long answer. That you might get away with it, since people don't know the laws. Blah blah blah fest.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

jwinks said:


> Lol. Thats the long answer. That you might get away with it, since people don't know the laws. Blah blah blah fest.


Exactly! Ice Ghost gave the POPULAR answer. But just because you've done it for years and "gotten away with it" does not mean it's legal. Just know one thing...just because there is public access on a lake, such as a public boat launch, does NOT mean you have the right to duck hunt said lake. 

But I WILL NOT open up this old wound again, because there are too many "experts" on this forum.


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

just ducky said:


> But I WILL NOT open up this old wound again, because there are too many "experts" on this forum.


Not even I want to argue about this one. I'm sick of it, And I love to argue.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

jwinks said:


> Not even I want to argue about this one. I'm sick of it, And I love to argue.


LOL. I've tried MANY times over the years on here, and in person, and I'm done...
glad to answer PM's if you wanna pick my brain....what's left of it.


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## spartansfan (Nov 8, 2011)

jwinks said:


> Not even I want to argue about this one. I'm sick of it, And I love to argue.


The truth is, 9 out of ten people that don't read this site don't know the law properly, 6 out of 10 people on this site don't know it, and 3/10(at least) co' s don't understand it. 

Draw a line from each end of the property line you have permission to hunt, to the center of the body of water. That is where you have the right to hunt. Excluding great lakes. The end.

It's a bogus law.


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

ice ghost said:


> Hopefully jwinks tells everyone this. I like having no competition.


Your first clue should be that you found "public water" with no competition!

Sorry I can't resist...


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## ice ghost (Jan 17, 2015)

Thanks fellas, I stand corrected. I talked to a CO and your right. Like I said I've never had a problem. I even grew up on a lake which apparently two generations hunted illegally. It was explained to me that I wouldn't have a problem until someone complained and and that most landowners don't even know about the law, but you're correct.


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## ice ghost (Jan 17, 2015)

Hell, it's right at the top of this forum, I'm a dumbass.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

I was sculling on my parent's lake when a cop pulled up at the boat launch and started yelling at me. Gray area. So I unloaded and cased the gun, paddled over, and got ready to have a discussion.

Cop "seeing any redheads?"

"Uh, no sir. Ruddies and Buffies"

Cop "well, have fun with that"

And he rolls up his window and drives away.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

ice ghost said:


> ...It was explained to me that I wouldn't have a problem until someone complained and and that most landowners don't even know about the law, but you're correct.


Basically the same answer you will get from most CO's. This is just one of those laws that they HATE to go to court over because even judges don't understand it. But if there's a legitimate complaint, they will.

Had the same kind of discussion with a CO years ago about Houghton Lake, which is probably one of the most historically significant duck hunting sites in Michigan, but 99% of the hunters are technically breaking the law. The CO said the same thing...unless a landowner complains, they look the other way.


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## eye-sore (Jan 7, 2012)

I believe the landowner must have a marine survey done to be able to file complaint.this was told to me by a co on duty in the middle zone this year


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## grassmaster (Jan 10, 2009)

Just wait until deer season, the Co's are so busy trying to write a real ticket
they'll never show up.


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## flighthunter (Nov 21, 2005)

I love the logic of, I've been breaking the law for x years and never been caught so therefore my actions are OK and not illegal. it's even more rediculous when the same person advises others to do the same, talk about setting someone up for disappointment. 

we're surrounded 270 degrees with water that does not fall under riparian law, there's plenty of huntable water that doesn't require breaking the law.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

flighthunter said:


> I love the logic of, I've been breaking the law for x years and never been caught so therefore my actions are OK and not illegal. it's even more rediculous when the same person advises others to do the same, talk about setting someone up for disappointment.
> 
> we're surrounded 270 degrees with water that does not fall under riparian law, there's plenty of huntable water that doesn't require breaking the law.


Here we go.


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## ice ghost (Jan 17, 2015)

Yea, spoken like a true firefight.


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## danthebuilder (Nov 22, 2011)

Lake michigan, North of the SH pier about 1/4 mile. Also South of the pier about 1/2 mile. Then there is also out front of Deerlick creek.

You'll need a boat for all those locations.


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## grassmaster (Jan 10, 2009)

unless your specifically in the lake lot owners pie who calls, the c.o wont come out.
how does he know you don't have permission from one of the other 150 or so "pie owners" 
most are from out of state anyhow.
Hunt it like you own it, the more "lawbreakers" who do this the better for all of us and it becomes the norm
We as waterfowlers need to condition the public that water in the fall will be hunted for ducks and geese. stay 450 ft away, and retrieve your birds.
weekdays are best and preferably before the time change as to not wake anyone up.
its all good.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

grassmaster said:


> unless your specifically in the lake lot owners pie who calls, the c.o wont come out.
> how does he know you don't have permission from one of the other 150 or so "pie owners"
> most are from out of state anyhow.
> Hunt it like you own it, the more "lawbreakers" who do this the better for all of us and it becomes the norm
> ...


But but but
“I love the logic of, I've been breaking the law for x years and never been caught so therefore my actions are OK and not illegal. it's even more rediculous when the same person advises others to do the same, talk about setting someone up for disappointment.

we're surrounded 270 degrees with water that does not fall under riparian law, there's plenty of huntable water that doesn't require breaking the law.“


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

grassmaster said:


> unless your specifically in the lake lot owners pie who calls, the c.o wont come out.
> how does he know you don't have permission from one of the other 150 or so "pie owners"
> most are from out of state anyhow.
> Hunt it like you own it, the more "lawbreakers" who do this the better for all of us and it becomes the norm
> ...


That's ridiculous, and a good way to give waterfowl hunters a bad name. Especially when talking about an area with a lot of rich out of state nonhunters with disposable income and a love for change.org petitions.


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## grassmaster (Jan 10, 2009)

_your right let the rich out of staters sip there morning joe watching the sunrise and looking at all the beautiful duck and geese swim around the lake they think they own!
better leave those ducks alone wouldn't want to make a bad name for duck hunters.what bs
I used my disposable income on my boat, decoys and gear.
for every fip sipping coffee loving the sunrise there's another house looking out at the same lake saying hell yes! kill those bastards.
_


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## flighthunter (Nov 21, 2005)

you need a reality check. pay to play. if you want to have a piece of pie you're gonna have to pay for it, otherwise wait in line at the soup kitchen.

let them think they own it, because they do.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

You can hunt in front of my place. The taxes are only $7700 a year. Pay that and we can talk. 

My parents used their disposal income to put this place in the family, took them 20 years of used cars and no vacations. So I'm going to use it and my legal rights to my wedge of the pie. Find the people that want the birds whacked and get permission, else pi$$ off. I guess you like hunting watching over your shoulder for the co? What other laws do you disregard?


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## ice ghost (Jan 17, 2015)

I love the way this has blossomed. Good public Access lake hunting currently taking place. I actually got checked and was complimented two days ago on my hearty northen greenheads. Keep up the debate boys, I'll be hunting.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

We shot 11 Saturday. Had to take a break in the weather to rake yesterday. And rake. And rake.


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## TK81 (Mar 28, 2009)

ice ghost said:


> The short answer is wrong. A handful of lakes have that stupid law that says landowners own out into the lake and you can't set anything on bottom in that area for X amount of feet, I'm sure there's info somewhere on here about that unique situation, I think Gun lake may have that law for example. In 20 years of hunting the area in discussion, this has never been an issue. If has public access and your 450ft from dwellings your good I think. I've been checked a lot by CO's on lakes due to the fact that nobody hunts them and landowners get freaked out when they hear shooting. Never had a problem ever. Been verbally abused by a landowner or two at access site for murdering innocent birds with feelings but that's a whole different thread in itself. Hopefully jwinks tells everyone this. I like having no competition. Now this thread will probably transform into a hunting laws blah blah blah fest any second now.


I think that anchoring law on Gun is only to keep the partiers from setting up shop en mass in the summer time. Grew up on Gun and still spend a bit of time out there. Only time I ever saw a duck hunter get in trouble was when he was over limit. Tried trading the CO some perch for the ducks he had taken possession of, but he said he needed them for evidence.


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## grassmaster (Jan 10, 2009)

Is there anybody on here who has been ticketed for shooting a public lake with a launch?
if so would like to hear about it.
there has to be a complaint and the complainant has to own the piehole your hunting in.
you cant call and say " hey someones hunting on the far end of the lake go arrest them"
never been without a cottage or home on a lake since 1972 and only one game law violation , 13 shells at Todd Farm in 1981.
didn't count the one in the chamber $35.
the old lake residents are used to a little shooting on the lakes, we just need to educate the yuppies from Chitown. 
if any lakefront owners were ever ticked they never waited at the access for us to come in.


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## ice ghost (Jan 17, 2015)

This is gonna pretty much prove what I already stated. All these guys on here and how many tickets? Can't wait to see. It's a screwed up law that nobody pays any attention to unless your a cyber whine ass. Every hunter I know has laughed at this and never had a problem. It may differ on the east side where pressure seems to be greater but native folks here on the west side are pretty mellow.


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

ice ghost said:


> This is gonna pretty much prove what I already stated. All these guys on here and how many tickets? Can't wait to see. It's a screwed up law that nobody pays any attention to unless your a cyber whine ass. Every hunter I know has laughed at this and never had a problem. It may differ on the east side where pressure seems to be greater but native folks here on the west side are pretty mellow.


You might be right that you can get away with this, and me hating you for it may be just jealousy. But you can bet that if you hunt my lake, you should expect a ticket.


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## ice ghost (Jan 17, 2015)

There's two kind of people who live on lakes. My folks, and their neighbors, who love to hear the echo of gun fire, and see people catch fish and the "MY LAKE" people who hate. Sorry I hurt your feelings. It wasn't my intention.


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

ice ghost said:


> There's two kind of people who live on lakes. My folks, and their neighbors, who love to hear the echo of gun fire, and see people catch fish and the "MY LAKE" people who hate. Sorry I hurt your feelings. It wasn't my intention.


It would be 100% trying to keep the birds to myself, since most people don't waterfowl hunt. And since the law is on my side, I don't feel bad about it. Before you call me a snowflake, just know that Ive killed plenty of birds and haven't violated any laws or trespassed at all this year.


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## ice ghost (Jan 17, 2015)

I understand, I guess if I was on a lake that someone else was serious about hunting this could be an issue. Ticket....not sure about that. Explanation of the law and verbal warning probably. It has been a great year though. I usually try to shoot my age with birds. This year I'm gonna shoot my dad's age. Good luck with the rest of your season


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## grassmaster (Jan 10, 2009)

I'm with ice ghost, look at freeway marine or camp and cruise, duck boats stacked to the heavens, every shape and size.
I've made my living in the waterfowl industry for 30 years,
this year I've sold over 5000+ duck blinds to almost every state and Canada.
where do all these duck boats hunt? there not all at bingo draws or on the great lakes thats for sure. you can't even hunt the rivers without permission but guys do everyday.
Taking advantage of a "grey area" or an area of the law that even some COs and judges don't know or care about is good for the sport, the economy and the freezer.
take away the grey areas with zealous officers and land owners and you will see huge crowds at the already crowded public marshes and state draws, nobody wants that do they?


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Knowingly breaking the law is a gray area? Cool, can we hunt together and I can shoot your hens too as long as we don't shoot more than our group limit? I'll just cut the first four mallards and you can fill out with what's left. That's OK, right? It's easier to recruit more hunters when they get to go bang bang and see birds drop. They can learn duck I d later.

Anyone being stupid in Alkegan County in the past is lucky they never ran into Mshar. He wrote tickets based on his interpretation of the law and let you eat it or go to court.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Try hunting Lake Macatawa. It's so bad the land owners called a meeting a couple years ago to ban hunting completely, and we had to rally to shoot it down. You can be legal on Lake Mac and plan on being hassled. Got to the point I left my business card on my dash so the land owner and cops could just call me.

And what brand do you sell, as I don't want to subsidize the black eye your irresponsible attitude conveys to hunters that follow the law?


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