# Wildfowl Bay?



## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

I have never been up there, I have been to Fish Point but that is about it. I have an opportunity to get a Cabin on Wildfowl Bay. Looking at Google Maps, it looks like a lot of marshland, shallow, cattail areas, is this right? I have a 1854 mud hull with a mudmotor on it, that should be fine eh? Apparently the owner pounds the ducks up there. Shoots mostly divers. Does that area stay pretty busy throughout the season or what? The cabin is between Bay port and Caseville. I will be heading up in 3 weeks to look at it when i get back from work. Just trying to get an idea! Thanks!


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

Most of the islands are very shallow or even off limits unless u got airboat. Lots of good areas accessible with mud boat. It's busy start to finish, but it does hold a large amount of birds. I will be over there at end of the month for a outdoor dinner thing. I'm bringing boat to kill carp if you wanna tour


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

I'll be up there April 25th and the 26th.


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## Cigar (Mar 2, 2014)

I hunted Wildfowl Bay from 1970 to around 1998. Lots of Mallards back then. Now most of the hunting now is around the islands for Divers.


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

Cigar said:


> I hunted Wildfowl Bay from 1970 to around 1998. Lots of Mallards back then. Now most of the hunting now is around the islands for Divers.


Still some mallard and puddler hunting, but phrags really changed the dynamics of the bay. Lots of mallard holes no longer exist IMO.


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## Cigar (Mar 2, 2014)

sswhitelightning said:


> Still some mallard and puddler hunting, but phrags really changed the dynamics of the bay. Lots of mallard holes no longer exist IMO.


Dutch Mans pothole, cow pasture, box car cut, dry lake, east marsh and a few secret places that I had. I shot a lot of ducks out there. Plus Rush Lake. Those were the days. Now the ducks just don't come through the Thumb. Thanks for the Hesse. Now I go north and south for ducks.


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## mi duckdown (Jul 1, 2006)

If the price is right, Buy it. been hunting up there for more than 40 years.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

2 ways to look at it.

if the water levels swing on the upside, yes...you just may be buying into a duck hunting history rich area.

if water levels stay where they are or go lower, its mediocre or harder work (airboat) to get yer hunts in.

If it were me, i would take a serious look at it, pretty good area anywhere on the east side of the bay.


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

craigrh13 said:


> I'll be up there April 25th and the 26th.


Ill be there the 26,27. On the 26 I won't get to water until 9 or 10 pm. Dinner until roughly 8.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

sswhitelightning said:


> Ill be there the 26,27. On the 26 I won't get to water until 9 or 10 pm. Dinner until roughly 8.


Dang man. I appreciate the invite. I don't know if I can make it though. I fly home the 23rd. Go up the 25th for the night. Then on the 27th I fly out to Houston for 3 days of cold water survival.


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## mi duckdown (Jul 1, 2006)

Are you talking Buying or renting?? Fillion RD? area


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## Swamp Boss (Mar 14, 2003)

Killing Carp! In April!!! I am all for it but after flying in to MI last night and seeing ice North to South, I think you are going to have to have a a bow that shoots ice spuds!

Good luck though and kill the big uglies by any means possible!


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

Swamp Boss said:


> Killing Carp! In April!!! I am all for it but after flying in to MI last night and seeing ice North to South, I think you are going to have to have a a bow that shoots ice spuds!
> 
> Good luck though and kill the big uglies by any means possible!


I shoot a few spots in march most years. This year they are the April spots lol.


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## Bayport (Aug 29, 2009)

Hunted wildfowl bay for 34 years. I have an 1854 with a 4200 black death and avery blind. Hunted between North Island and Bay Port from a stake blind for thirty years, patterns have changed over the years. Mostly depends on warm or cold fall weather. Nice thing about the 1854 if it is really windy you can always pull into a sheltered area and still hunt. I have a cottage in Bay Port so the DNR site is a good place to launch.


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## Bellyup (Nov 13, 2007)

If it is a good deal, buy it. At worst that is a great place to base from for a lot of trips. If the water is up, hunt there, if not, there is a ton of public land around that area to go find birds. And as years go on you will learn them and likely have great hunts. Not to mention all the great fishing around up there. Remember a bad day up there is only a few birds.. Well, you get the picture.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

Thanks guys for all the help. I'm ready to get back to the mitten and go check it out. I just need to get up there and explore the area.


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## smelz like wet dog (Aug 12, 2006)

Big area. Buddy spent a nite lost out there. SCOUT SCOUT SCOUT! Thers opportunity for puddlers and divers. Depends on all the duck dynamics(weaTHER WATER ECT.) Fun area when birds are in.


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## ThumbDweller (Aug 2, 2007)

Craig, If you end up with the place, let me know if any of the neighbors have a new (to them) pontoon blind for sale cheap. Ours disappeared off Wildfowl Bay last year. Built it for me, my dad and my kids, and my kids are pretty disappointed. 

Nate Hager
810 614 8487


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## Bayport (Aug 29, 2009)

Nate, I remember your post from last year. I spend many days on the bay during duck season, I was on the look out. If I remember you has it off of the Bay Port channel. I wonder if it blew out into the big bay.


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## Nuff Daddy (Dec 5, 2012)

Bayport said:


> Nate, I remember your post from last year. I spend many days on the bay during duck season, I was on the look out. If I remember you has it off of the Bay Port channel. I wonder if it blew out into the big bay.


Somebody in Canada got a nice surprise.


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## population control (Apr 18, 2009)

There is still a floater north of mud creek launch. Did you check it out?
I mentioned it to you last fall. 
That is the only one I have seen in my travels throughout the winter. The rest are off geiger , bunch of lazy buggers don't pull them in.


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

From where that blind was lost and with the N - NE wind that day, the blind should have ended up in the marsh behind Heisterman Island. A search of that area this winter did not turn up anything so it is my conclusion that the blind, if lost, was claimed by its finder despite ample identity of the owner contained within the blind. 


Or, someone just decided that they needed it more than Nate and his kids, an equally likely scenario.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

Ok, I'm heading up there tomorrow. The cabin is 4 miles south of Caseville. Apparently in the crotch of Sand Point. That's all I know. Tomorrow night we are going to Caseville to check out the talent at the local bars. Anywhere you guys recommend? Also, I want to look at the boat launches around there. What launches are there or that I should check out? Thanks.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

Is there a good source for the islands out there? Like a good online map. I hear certain island names but they aren't listed on google maps. I've heard people talk about the slot, dynamite cut, the middle grounds, Defoe island, etc. I am just trying to figure out where these places are. Thanks.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

There is a lake front cottage that just went up for sale between Mud Creek and Bayport. It has an overgrown cut with nice frontage just south of Moore's ditch. The family members own 2 miles of frontage in that area so it may give you a foot in the door for other opportunities. 

When water levels were high in the mid 80s puddle duck hunting was great in front of that cottage. I've killed all kinds of ducks, pheasant and deer within sight of the cottage.


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