Guys I've got myself & four friends that have decided we all want to drive up to MD for some Goose & Duck this December. Anyone have a guide they would recommend, we would like to get our own hotel, food, etc & could bring our own boats, just need a local guide to show us where & get access to property.

Chances are you're not gonna get a local gudie to show you where to hunt. My brother guides for eiders and scoters in RI and they generally don't give out that info. Your best bet would be to go to marylands fish and game website and talk to a CO. Find boat launches and read up on local waterfowl regs. I've hunted the chesapeake and they have crazy laws and regulations about where you can and can't hunt. Big water sead duck hunting isn't just something you can do in a 14' jon boat, make sure you're properly equipped and familiar with big water hunting. Good luck

I duck and goose hunt in MD with a bud of mine who lives there (I live in NJ). As far as I understand the regulations, if one does not have permission to hunt on private property, one must hunt out of a registered blind spot that is in the water, and typically along the shoreline. The landowners who own the shoreline have the first shot at registering the blindspots that are along their land (MD DNR picks and/or approves the blindspots). If the landowners do not register the spots, then it is up for grabs. On a specific day, one must go to the county courthouse or DNR office in the county where one wants to hunt, get in line and get a number for the lottery. Then, you wait your turn, and pick from the blind spots that are left. The thing that stinks about this is that only a MD resident can register a blindspot. I wanted to join my bud in line on the registration day to increase our odds of getting what we wanted, but I am not a resident of MD. My bud tells me that whole construction crews will get in line for their boss just so the boss has better odds of getting what he wants.

What I wrote above may not be 100% correct, but it is how I understand it. My bud tries to register his honey holes if he can, and always has multiple spots in mind if he cannot get exactly what he wants. And as a nonresident, I just buy the 3 day waterfowl license and go with him.

There are guided field hunts in Delaware and on the eastern shore of MD, as well as boat hunting for sea ducks, but I have never done that.

I believe you have to be at least 800 yards off shore as well.

By law in Md, you need written hunting permission to hunton private property. Contact the MD DNR for a list of licensed guides. yes- it will cost you some $,but you are wasting your time to try it on your own.

I have never heard of that 800 yard rule. That definitely does not apply in the Potomac, Patuxent or Saint Marys river, or the creeks that feed those rivers. The blind spots my bud registers are always next to the shore, we pull up, set out decoys and camoflage the boat. Maybe the 800 yard rule is out in the bay itself...

I hunt with friends in Deleware and Maryland. Hunting on the bay there is an 800 yard rule. But I think that has something to do with their sea duck/puddle duck or maybe something to do with "gunning rig" regulations. I don't remember exactly how it reads or what it pertains to. Also, I know hunting on the bay, maybe not in other places, but at least in the bay, you have to be hunting in a party with a MD resident. Once again that may only apply to the bay. MD has some serious gray area in their complicated regs. I definitely would not go on my own at least for the first couple trips. After getting your feet wet and getting a pretty good understanding of the regs, maybe.

As for a guide, the only one I know and can recommend with full confidence is Jeff Coats. He has a tremendous reputation and is well known all over the eastern shore. Don't know exactly where he's based, but he's got good stuff to offer. He primarily hunts seaducks on the bay, but I'm sure he can help you with whatever you need. Go to duckhunter.net and go to the Chesapeake forum here: http://www.refugeforums.com/refuge/forumdisplay.php?f=57

Jeff posts there as PitBoss. My friends there are Duckshot69, Rockfish, DaveSikorski. Ask Duckshot69 who to hunt with and tell him that x2 or David Walker pointed you in his direction. He knows a lot of folks on the eastern shore and can probably point you in the right direction. Sign up for free on the board and send him a PM. Or just lerk and you'll find some good information about fowling there.

Good luck and PM me if I can help any more.

David Walker

Jeff coats is who I hunted with as well. We hunted with him 2 or 3 times. He came up and hunted eider with my brother. They are both on the avery pro-staff and run great hunts. Duckhunter.net is a great site, I'm not on it but my brohter is theswamper. Lots of good info on guides and such.