Late Season Opening Day In T-Shirt Weather | Virginia Duck Hunting 2021

The late season opening day for Virginia brought t-shirt weather and tough conditions but we had a loaded hole scouted out so hopes were still high going into the morning. We setup in the willows with a spread of mallard, black duck, gadwall, and woodie decoys and before long we were covered up in birds. We made the most of a strong first light flight and put together a nice mixed bag as the birds trickled back in. Our buddy Alan was able to get his first wood duck drake and a pair of gadwalls which was a highlight to get to be a part of. Plenty of laughs and a general lack of pressure were the icing on the cake for a great opening day. Hope you enjoy!
ShotKam: bit.ly/HokeOutdoors-ShotKam
Final Approach Decoys: bit.ly/2YoIGgq
Motion Ducks: bit.ly/3Bn0OoY (Use code "Hoke" for 10% off)
High N Dry: bit.ly/3jnstwp
Instagram : / hoke_outdoors
Facebook : / hokeoutdoors

[@virginiaswampboys199]

Glad to know that somebody is at least seeing some ducks in Virginia. In eastern VA, we had more around in Nov than now. It’s been a duck desert back east. Keep cranking them out!!

[@ggw7948]

Same here in eastern nc.

[@TheCoastalGunner]

loveeeee foggy mornings

[@HokeOutdoors]

They always make for an exciting time! Do the birds seems to fly for longer up there on foggy mornings?

[@TheCoastalGunner]

@@HokeOutdoors yes some of our best hunts come when the salt marshes get fogged in all day....

[@kolesikes9637]

The day just got a wholleeee lot better

[@HokeOutdoors]

Hope you enjoyed!

[@vlost3672]

Nice nice nice 👍👍👍

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Vlad!

[@BLASTER-vb5wu]

What a great hunt in the willows. Lifetime memories were made!!! Success.

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Colby! It was a great time with good friends! All I can ask for on an opening day

[@chucksmith5002]

Your right Thomas the Woodie is one of the prettiest Birds. This past weekend I got me a good looking Woodie Drake full plumage. Enjoyed it and keep them coming.

[@HokeOutdoors]

That's awesome Chuck! Do y'all get a lot down there or are they just a chance encounter?

[@chucksmith5002]

@@HokeOutdoors Thomas the lake I live on I see them Flying out in front of my dock just about everyday my Lake is 3,855 acre`s . this time of the season they have been shot at so much they fly a lot higher. And we hunt out of boats not enough shallow water and Big Alligators. Before season I have counted over 50 in one group flying off peoples docks.

[@ShotgunMike]

Man I love your videos. You’ve inspired me to get back into it. I took a “break” after my coworker was killed on a traffic stop in 2018. I recently retired from police work and y’all inspiring me to get back to “me”.

[@robertmcmillan3384]

Great to hear man praying for you the best place to be is in the outdoors !

[@HokeOutdoors]

I'm really sorry to hear about your coworker but I'm glad you're getting back into doing what makes you happy. I hope you can have a fun and peaceful time out in the field! Thanks for watching the videos too!

[@jeremy28135]

Nice shooting Thomas. Pretty hole. Life is good

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Jeremy! That is the truth!

[@bobgiles2971]

Definitely some good looking wood ducks congrats guys definitely a good day

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Bob!

[@rickylawser9514]

Dude how do you ID these birds so far away in the dark. Crazy skills

[@After5Outdoors]

Wow.. 70 degrees... its well below zero here. Really enjoy your videos, gives me something to look forward to next September!

[@HokeOutdoors]

I wish we'd have just a taste of that kind of weather down here before the season ends! Thanks for watching them! I'm hoping I can try out some MN waterfowl hunting next season

[@Sageofthedustypage]

A good hunt

[@adameagle2699]

Love these waterfowl videos keep up the amazing work

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Adam!

[@mcarp1202]

Great December opener! Good luck!

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Michael!

[@whackinstackin3149]

Nice video Thomas! That was an awesome day!

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks John!

[@jeepchronicles5644]

Wildest opening day ever Out on the shore is was FOGGY sketchy Foggy and I wind. Didn’t harvest a thing but it was one for the books with how ere the weather looked.

[@HokeOutdoors]

Damn that fog out there in the salt marsh would definitely be a bit unnerving. How has the rest of the third split been out there so far?

[@jeepchronicles5644]

@@HokeOutdoors disappointing is a understatement. The weather has been too warm. It was 80 yesterday 🥲

[@slyflyby]

Nice third split opener Thomas. It's tough decoying ducks in small swamp hole with NO wind. Might try this curve ball in these conditions...after good shooting light move some decoys from the open hole to the primenter of hole in the willows with the spinner. (It should help atleast cupup em' to take a closer look) If you have a jerk string rig put that in the willow priminter. Hope your season finishes strong.

[@jeremy28135]

Good advice here. This works

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Sly! I appreciate the advice and will have to try that strategy the next time we hunt this spot on a calm day! We've tried placing the mojo in the middle of the hole and the edge before and definitely saw better results when it was on the perimeter

[@TheMattboi]

Allen did not seem to like your comment about cuttin down on that pair too early but I felt the same way 😂

[@HokeOutdoors]

Haha I don't think he realized why we'd wait any longer than he did but I think we got it all figured out by the end of the hunt

[@buckstoppersoutdoors2102]

Hopefully we get some colder weather to finish out the season!

[@HokeOutdoors]

I've been checking it way too much hoping to see a pattern shift. I haven't given up hope yet but I hope some winter comes soon

[@ancellsadventures]

Great hunt! Y’all did much better than we did. We only shot two green wings and got drenched in the process lol. Just part of it.

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Brett! An opening day with ducks in the bag is always a treat, especially in VA!

[@ancellsadventures]

@@HokeOutdoors absolutely! Always a great time either way to me just love the chase!

[@brettcarter6510]

Imagine even seeing a duck

[@TheCravenIsReal]

great video!.

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks William!

[@kraigkaatz6858]

Nice video... good hunting

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Kraig!

[@arthuratedgecycles]

hi i really like youre vids keep going. :)

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks! More videos coming soon

[@arthuratedgecycles]

@@HokeOutdoors can't wait

[@MichiganOutdoorsUnlimited]

Love the videos!! Anymore goose hunt plans? Would LOVE to see some of those. Also what wood duck call is that? Sounds pretty dang good.

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks brother! Planning on doing some more goose hunts the next couple months, just waiting for them to come down in good numbers. The wood duck call is a duck commander "woodie", sounds great out of the box

[@MichiganOutdoorsUnlimited]

@@HokeOutdoors awesome!! I'm definitely getting one!

[@tomdehoog8738]

Nice shooting man it is cool to see someone who can just go out and not spend 3 thousand on decoys and only spend like 100 and get it done what decoys do you use cool video

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Tom! I'm using Final Approach decoys this season, I really like how they look and the material they're made out of. This is a link to them if you're interested : bit.ly/2YoIGgq

[@braydenedwards10]

Yo love the vid

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Brayden!

[@coopernickerson370]

Awesome secluded honey hole. Did you get new truck?

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Cooper! I did get a new one, luckily the insurance gave me a decent amount for the old one with the way the truck market is right now

[@tanjirokamado1733]

for Michigan it opens tomorrow for duck session, i get to test out my new berretta a400 ep

[@HokeOutdoors]

Good luck up there! Hope the new Beretta performs great

[@tanjirokamado1733]

@@HokeOutdoors thanks, you really got a triple on your first round of ducks. amazing vid :)

[@tanjirokamado1733]

@@HokeOutdoors i got a hen mallard and a blond hen mallard, not that good of shooting everything was high, lot of ducks just high and skittish after 1st hour of shooting, my dad got a nice Canadian goose tho :)

[@spearhog03]

what barrel camera do you use?

[@huntershunters7185]

V NICE

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks!

[@Ethankowen0928]

Any public land spots in va you know of I hunt all private and just see woodies looking for some spots

[@user-ue9gf3gc9l]

😍😍

[@jaredjohns9302]

I live in south ga and there are mainly just wood ducks over here. You got any tips on finding places to hunt on ON-X? Also, with getting permission? Im a beginner waterfowler this year. Love the channel man keep it up!

[@jaredjohns9302]

Also any input from other people is welcome!!

[@jeremy28135]

I'm from SC, it's tough with mainly wood ducks and warm weather. But get a kayak or a sneak boat and look for long winding creeks where motor boats cannot get into. Rig you up a jerk string with 3 decoys that are loadable in a kayak and you can shoot the first flight but also then afterwards, drift/paddle and get at ducks that are loafing back there during the day. This is where wood ducks hang out during mid day.

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Jared! Jeremy's tips are spot on for wood duck hunting. For finding places and getting permission I typically start by looking for areas that looks like they might have food or cover for waterfowl. I'll then check the property information, I've had the best success with asking for permission on smaller tracts of land where the owner lives on it or nearby. When asking just be polite and straightforward, and if you can offer to help them out with property upkeep or anything else that definitely boosts your odds of getting a yes

[@jaredjohns9302]

@@jeremy28135 Thanks guys! Definitely saving up for a kayak for next year's season. Maybe ill be able to get on some woodies.

[@tmr_outdoors]

Could have caught ol girl out the sky lol, nice shooting !! Is that you calling the woodys ? Need a tutorial..only duck I can’t call.

[@HokeOutdoors]

Haha they were definitely a couple close encounters this morning! That was me calling the woodies, I'll have to do a video this offseason on the call I use and how I blow it

[@FAFO_24]

do you leave GoPro running all the time or do you have a remote?

[@HokeOutdoors]

I leave it running most of the time

[@beyond.the.outdoors9478]

Do you have a link on how you made your marsh stand for your gun?

[@HokeOutdoors]

I actually bought it from HTR Innovations, this is the link to their page : www.htrinnovations.com/product/marsh-stands/

[@BS-qw1mr]

Stud gaddy!

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks brother! Lots of nice ones around this year it seems like

[@BS-qw1mr]

@@HokeOutdoors yea down in California there is a bunch

[@HokeOutdoors]

Y'all got many cinnamons in your neck of the woods?

[@BS-qw1mr]

@@HokeOutdoors yea tons!

[@BS-qw1mr]

@@HokeOutdoors Titus hunts same lake as use and reffuge

[@sawyerwilliams6507]

I shot my first ducks this past opener in nc, 2 woodies

[@HokeOutdoors]

Congrats brother! That's as special of a day as there is! I hope there's many more firsts for you the rest of this season too

[@bboozie9225]

I gotta ask man, How r u killing birds after the first flight of woodies, i live in central NC 20 min from raliegh and its hard to kill ducks after the first woodie flight

[@greatestoutdoorsman]

what choke do you use in your gun ?

[@HokeOutdoors]

Carlsons light modified

[@anthonywootan9092]

Hey I get that I was hunting in almost 80 degrees yesterday

[@HokeOutdoors]

Damn that's nuts for this time of year, where are you hunting at that it's so warm?

[@anthonywootan9092]

Louisiana

[@HokeOutdoors]

Damn, lots of skeeters out down there I assume

[@anthonywootan9092]

What do you mean by skeeters?

[@HokeOutdoors]

@@anthonywootan9092 mosquitos

[@alexmatthews7441]

Just found your channel. What firearm do you use for duck hunting?

[@HokeOutdoors]

I'm shooting a Franchi Affinity 3

[@alexmatthews7441]

@@HokeOutdoors have you ever heard of girsan if so what do you think about them

[@cdub47d]

What chokes do you use? Are they aftermarket?

[@HokeOutdoors]

I'm using a Carlson's light modified which is aftermarket

[@cdub47d]

Cool, I heard great reviews of Carlson's, that's why I ordered the Cremator. Hopefully I'll have it by next week.

[@HokeOutdoors]

I think you'll really like the cremator, I've got a couple buddies that use it and they love it

[@firemetalhead5863]

Wanna come hunt with me in GA 😂😂😂

[@HokeOutdoors]

I'm actually hoping to get down to hunt GA and FL sometime next season

[@firemetalhead5863]

@@HokeOutdoors in all seriousness I can give you some pointers on where to go but it’s not worth it down here in GA 😂😂 I’m the highest ranking member of the ASSC. (Ain’t Shot Shit Club)

[@tokeyboswell2286]

Uh, you guys think about calling the shots maybe? Looks like everyone freelancing and it cost you some good birds.

[@HokeOutdoors]

We should have had better communication on the shot calling for sure. We typically just try to call our own shots though cause with a spot like this the birds can slip in and out of range real quick

[@Sageofthedustypage]

A good hunt