How many of you guys remember in the late 60's - the 80's how good the hunting was in this small area. Mallards Broad Bills Canvasbacks (when Legal) and the point system. Shoot a hen Mallard and you are done. This year was the first year in I don't know long that Red Heads and Broad bills were in the Ditch. Of course they were there after the season but it is encouraging..
GUNNERS DITCH, Upper Bay
Billcolector
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How many of you guys remember in the late 60's - the 80's how good the hunting was in this small area. Mallards Broad Bills Canvasbacks (when Legal) and the point system. Shoot a hen Mallard and you are done. This year was the first year in I don't know long that Red Heads and Broad bills were in the Ditch. Of course they were there after the season but it is encouraging..
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I forgot to mention Swan Point. Here's a little history Swan point was leased for many years Who knows who leased it.
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Mr swan ?
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I cant count the amount of waterfowlers that I took out to shoot their fist Broad Bill. Right D&D !!
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at&t
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WRONG but close
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I grew up throwing a Jon boat over a guard rail in a neighborhood on the bay in that area with a trolling motor. Don't know how we didn't die. Good times, a lot of memories on the water, wish I had pictures and wish I know what I was doing. Good ol days.
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You bet you put your boat in at Bay Head. We used to be able to hunt the East side of the Island. Before all the City Slickers mover in. I used to row my boat from the Beaver dam Creek to the ditch before I was able to buy a motor great times and many memories
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I couldn't afford a Sneak box so I built one in wood shop in school. Along with decoys as did many of my classmates.
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Not sure where I launched the boat, just know that every morning someone in these big houses on the bay would be up watching us do our thing in the middle of the winter just shaking there heads at us. Looking back at it now I realize how crazy it was that we didn't get into trouble or hurt. Used to do it every day before work with sime
buddie of mine. Boy I miss the old days before responsibility set in.
buddie of mine. Boy I miss the old days before responsibility set in.
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One person on this whole site remembers Gunners Ditch. Some of the best waterffowling around. Sad
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Ok the person that leased Swan Point was Charlie Birdsall. I know that more that 75% of you don't even know who he was. You are not even a thought in your old mans balls
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I use to hunt Forge Pond also. Right off Rt 70 without a Boat. Used my Surf Rod to retrieve the Ducks. Had a Biologist from Fish and Game come one day and ask for some Duck Parts for testing. They were looking for Lead. The Ditch was always crowded. Bet no one even hunts it anymore.
As a kid I hunted The Point in Union Beach. Ships would come through the bay going into NY Harbor and the flocks of Scaup looked like clouds going up. Billions of Bluebills. They would block out the Sun.
As a kid I hunted The Point in Union Beach. Ships would come through the bay going into NY Harbor and the flocks of Scaup looked like clouds going up. Billions of Bluebills. They would block out the Sun.
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Billcolector.....you are a bit north of my old stomping grounds but the memories are fond. Dinner point down in Manahawkin Bay was where I cut my teeth. Diz Howe had a shack there and several boxes were there is use. Lots of broadbills, cans and reds were certainly fun to shoot.
stevo i remember hunting forge pond 3 of us in an alum. canoe in jan. it was snowing with the water starting to ice up , one of the guys had a case of the runs but the birds were flying so good he refused to head for shore and just hung it over the side....we were a lot tougher back than....
for the youth on site....there was no goretex or thinsulate in the good old days and waders where not insulated
for the youth on site....there was no goretex or thinsulate in the good old days and waders where not insulated
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I grew up in the neighborhood next to forge pond. Shot a lot of ducks there. Or should say shot at a lot of ducks there. I remember I couldn't wait to turn 14 so I could hunt without an adult. Me my friends would come home from school grab our guns and walk through our neighborhood with them. Man times have changed. Finally got chased out of there in the late 80s and I haven't duck hunted since. I do miss it. They were some of the best times.
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i have some birdsall decoys and a doz. brant heads unfinished from his copy machine. wildfowler in point pleasant. art birdsall put me in contact with glenn cooke and i have a bunch of his decoys. i also have a sneak box built by a guys grand pa that posts on here. i did all my hunting south of the bridge on what is now beach haven west to west creek. hunted crammers marsh behind the glider field. fell in a few times and dried out at the wood stove store and the state police station on rt 9.
bill43 my buddy and i had a blind built on the end of his parents dock on the river and would hunt before school and after never picked up the dekes until the season was over and when riding our bikes with uncased guns the only question the cops ever asked us is if we got anything....
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Before the point pleasant canal was opened for the ICW and destroyed many native aquatic vegetation, I heard the gunning was phenomenal and canvasbacks and redheads frequented the area in large numbers. Before my time but still cool to hear minus the habitat change part.
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