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John N. Felsher's Waterfowl Hunting Adventures
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St. Johns River marshes offer duck
hunters good opportunities at birds
hunters good opportunities at birds
TOP: Hunters hide
in a boat blind while
hunting ducks in a
lake off the St. Johns
River near
Fellsmere, Fla.
CENTER: Hunters
pick up the decoys
after a successful
duck hunt in a lake
off the St. Johns
River near
Fellsmere, Fla.
BOTTOM: Daniel
Felsher shows off a
ring-necked duck
he killed while
hunting from a
canoe in a marsh
along the St. Johns
River near Geneva,
Fla.
in a boat blind while
hunting ducks in a
lake off the St. Johns
River near
Fellsmere, Fla.
CENTER: Hunters
pick up the decoys
after a successful
duck hunt in a lake
off the St. Johns
River near
Fellsmere, Fla.
BOTTOM: Daniel
Felsher shows off a
ring-necked duck
he killed while
hunting from a
canoe in a marsh
along the St. Johns
River near Geneva,
Fla.
The longest river in Florida and one of the slowest streams in the
world, the St. Johns begins as a collection of springs rising in the marshes
near Fellsmere, Fla., and flows 310 miles north into the Atlantic Ocean near
Jacksonville, Fla.
The watershed covers more than 1,888 square miles with more than
400,000 acres of the upper basin spread mostly through Osceola, Brevard,
Okeechobee, Indian River, Orange and Seminole counties of eastern
Florida. The upper St. Johns Basin between Geneva and Fellsmere largely
consists of freshwater marshes, cypress swamps, hardwood bottomlands
and shallow natural lakes interconnected by a maze of natural and
manmade waterways. These wetlands traditionally attract blue- and green-
winged teal, pintail, wigeon, gadwall, ring-necked ducks, canvasbacks and
hooded mergansers with a smattering of bluebills, mallards and other
species. The marshes also hold good numbers of non-migratory mottled
ducks.
“The marshes on the St. Johns River offer very good duck hunting for
Florida,” said Byron Hennecy of Osceola Outback Adventures in St. Cloud,
Fla. “All along the St. Johns River south of Geneva, people can find good
duck hunting after just a short boat ride from almost any ramp, but much
depends upon the weather farther north. If we get cold weather north of
Florida, we have good duck hunting down here.”
Since the waterways belong to the public, sportsmen can hunt just
about any non-posted pothole they can find. However, some areas in parks
or preserves remain closed. Local regulations may prohibit hunting or
discharging firearms in areas. In addition, some state and federal lands
offer hunting, but season dates and other regulations may differ from
statewide laws so check the rulebook before hunting.
With so much public land available, do-it-yourself sportsmen can
usually find a good place to throw a few dozen decoys. Many people scout
for duck concentrations in small boats and then erect pop-up blinds around
the boats or hide them in thick vegetation. Others wade and crouch in high
grass.
“Many people get out of their boats and walk to their areas in chest
waders,” Hennecy said. “Most waters are less than waist deep. In some
places, sportsmen can find higher ground or levees where they can sit on
stools to get out of the water. Most of the areas we hunt have hard bottoms
with lots of vegetation where people can hide.”
Several natural systems off the river, such as Puzzle Lake near
Geneva, offer good hunting. The Upper St. Johns Marsh Wildlife
Management Area contains about 124,623 acres of wetlands and
waterways along the river in Brevard and Indian River counties. Containing
Lakes Winder, Poinsett and Washington plus associated streams, this
section offers some of the best public waterfowl hunting in Florida.
Sportsmen normally bag blue- or green-winged teal, ring-necked ducks or a
few wigeons, pintails and mottled ducks. The marshes also hold a number
of mergansers and coots.
“The area around Moccasin Island near Lake Winder can produce
some fantastic hunts at times,” said Jamie Feddersen, a Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission waterfowl biologist. “Some of the areas
near the Stick Marsh also offer good hunting.”
The T. M. Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area consists of about
3,870 acres of restored wetlands near Fellsmere. The associated
Broadmoor Marsh Unit offers another 2,400 acres. Intensively managed to
provide quality habitat for waterfowl, these two areas include about 3,000
acres of impoundments with the remaining acreage consisting of marshes.
Teal and divers typically comprised the bulk of the harvest.
Although technically not part of the St. Johns system, West Lake
Tohopekaliga and the rest of the 100,000-acre Kissimmee chain of lakes
can hold good waterfowl concentrations. In addition, Merritt Island National
Wildlife Refuge near Titusville consists of 140,000 acres of salt marshes,
estuaries and freshwater impoundments along the Atlantic Ocean.
Established as a buffer zone for the nearby John F. Kennedy Space
Center, it traditionally holds good concentrations of teal, mottled ducks and
divers.
Even when the ducks don’t fly, sportsmen should see an uncountable
number of birds and many animals in a scenic wetland setting. Warm
Florida weather often brings out alligators, even in late season. The big
reptiles commonly lurk around blinds, but usually don’t bother people.
However, they love slurping any dead or wounded birds that hit the water.
Because of the gators, many Florida sportsmen leave their prized retrievers
home. A big gator can take down an adult Labrador with little trouble.
For booking trips with Hennecy, call 407-908-3216 or 407-892-6266.
On line, see www.osceolaoutback.com.
world, the St. Johns begins as a collection of springs rising in the marshes
near Fellsmere, Fla., and flows 310 miles north into the Atlantic Ocean near
Jacksonville, Fla.
The watershed covers more than 1,888 square miles with more than
400,000 acres of the upper basin spread mostly through Osceola, Brevard,
Okeechobee, Indian River, Orange and Seminole counties of eastern
Florida. The upper St. Johns Basin between Geneva and Fellsmere largely
consists of freshwater marshes, cypress swamps, hardwood bottomlands
and shallow natural lakes interconnected by a maze of natural and
manmade waterways. These wetlands traditionally attract blue- and green-
winged teal, pintail, wigeon, gadwall, ring-necked ducks, canvasbacks and
hooded mergansers with a smattering of bluebills, mallards and other
species. The marshes also hold good numbers of non-migratory mottled
ducks.
“The marshes on the St. Johns River offer very good duck hunting for
Florida,” said Byron Hennecy of Osceola Outback Adventures in St. Cloud,
Fla. “All along the St. Johns River south of Geneva, people can find good
duck hunting after just a short boat ride from almost any ramp, but much
depends upon the weather farther north. If we get cold weather north of
Florida, we have good duck hunting down here.”
Since the waterways belong to the public, sportsmen can hunt just
about any non-posted pothole they can find. However, some areas in parks
or preserves remain closed. Local regulations may prohibit hunting or
discharging firearms in areas. In addition, some state and federal lands
offer hunting, but season dates and other regulations may differ from
statewide laws so check the rulebook before hunting.
With so much public land available, do-it-yourself sportsmen can
usually find a good place to throw a few dozen decoys. Many people scout
for duck concentrations in small boats and then erect pop-up blinds around
the boats or hide them in thick vegetation. Others wade and crouch in high
grass.
“Many people get out of their boats and walk to their areas in chest
waders,” Hennecy said. “Most waters are less than waist deep. In some
places, sportsmen can find higher ground or levees where they can sit on
stools to get out of the water. Most of the areas we hunt have hard bottoms
with lots of vegetation where people can hide.”
Several natural systems off the river, such as Puzzle Lake near
Geneva, offer good hunting. The Upper St. Johns Marsh Wildlife
Management Area contains about 124,623 acres of wetlands and
waterways along the river in Brevard and Indian River counties. Containing
Lakes Winder, Poinsett and Washington plus associated streams, this
section offers some of the best public waterfowl hunting in Florida.
Sportsmen normally bag blue- or green-winged teal, ring-necked ducks or a
few wigeons, pintails and mottled ducks. The marshes also hold a number
of mergansers and coots.
“The area around Moccasin Island near Lake Winder can produce
some fantastic hunts at times,” said Jamie Feddersen, a Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission waterfowl biologist. “Some of the areas
near the Stick Marsh also offer good hunting.”
The T. M. Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area consists of about
3,870 acres of restored wetlands near Fellsmere. The associated
Broadmoor Marsh Unit offers another 2,400 acres. Intensively managed to
provide quality habitat for waterfowl, these two areas include about 3,000
acres of impoundments with the remaining acreage consisting of marshes.
Teal and divers typically comprised the bulk of the harvest.
Although technically not part of the St. Johns system, West Lake
Tohopekaliga and the rest of the 100,000-acre Kissimmee chain of lakes
can hold good waterfowl concentrations. In addition, Merritt Island National
Wildlife Refuge near Titusville consists of 140,000 acres of salt marshes,
estuaries and freshwater impoundments along the Atlantic Ocean.
Established as a buffer zone for the nearby John F. Kennedy Space
Center, it traditionally holds good concentrations of teal, mottled ducks and
divers.
Even when the ducks don’t fly, sportsmen should see an uncountable
number of birds and many animals in a scenic wetland setting. Warm
Florida weather often brings out alligators, even in late season. The big
reptiles commonly lurk around blinds, but usually don’t bother people.
However, they love slurping any dead or wounded birds that hit the water.
Because of the gators, many Florida sportsmen leave their prized retrievers
home. A big gator can take down an adult Labrador with little trouble.
For booking trips with Hennecy, call 407-908-3216 or 407-892-6266.
On line, see www.osceolaoutback.com.
