Our Duck Hunting Lake Okeechobee
Special Rate of 2 days of duck hunting with a USCG licensed guide
and 1 night of lodging (besides being an affordable duck hunting
event) also allows a duck hunter to take "two limits of duck" instead of a one day limit simply
because each duck hunt is done on two different days!
A duck hunter
has a option of duck hunting multiple 2 days 1 night Duck Hunting Specials by simply combining a string
of days together. The choice of adding either a morning day session
of duck hunting or an additional afternoon day session of duck
hunting to the special 2 day 1 night rate is also an avenue that
should be considered by the duck hunter who has such free time
available.
Combination (combo) fishing for trophy
bass, panfish or other types of hunting such as alligator, wild
boar, turkey and deer can also be combined with your duck hunting.
DUCK
POPULATIONS
Duck hunting this year (2007 - 2008) is expected to be excellent.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates a total duck
population of more than 36 million -- a 14 percent increase from
last year's estimate and 9 percent above the 1955-2005 average.
The Federal Wildlife agency predicts a fall migration of "MILLIONS"
of waterfowl. Best news this year is the abundance of:
Blue-winged teal at 5.9
million birds. This value is 28 percent greater than last year's
estimate of 4.6 million birds and 30 percent above the long-term
average.
Green-winged teal at 2.6
million are 20 percent greater than last year and 39 percent above
the long-term average.
Gadwall at 2.8 million are
30 percent greater than last year and 67 percent above the long-term
average.
Northern shovelers at 3.7
million are 69 percent above their long-term average
Pintails at 3.4 million
is 32 percent greater than that of last year.
YOUR
OWN WEB PAGE FREE
You get your own duck
hunting internet web page FREE when you hunt with
Ron's Guide Service! Imagin
being able to brag about your hunt and have your photos posted
on your own web page for all your family, friends and a young
hunter's school friends to see.
To enjoy this one-of-a-kind great offer just e-mail Captain Ron
at capon1943@aol.com your photo/s and all details about your hunt
such as hunter/s name, city, state, e-mail address, weapon used,
caliber, size, sex and color of the duck/s bagged or anything
else you found amusing about your hunt.
A link to your own personal internet web page will be e-mailed
to you from Captain Ron. This link will give you, family and friends
you send it to access to your web page.
You can also add photos of other game you bagged, fish you caught
and even your pet's photo at anytime you like.
LATEST
DUCK HUNTING REPORTS & PICTURES
Click
here for (January
2007) duck hunting reports and photos.
Click
here for the (December
2006) duck hunting reports and photos.
Click
here for the (November
2006) duck hunting reports and photos
Click
here for the early
season (September 2006) duck hunting reports and photos.
Click here for (January
2006) duck hunting reports and photos.
Click
here for the (December
2005) duck hunting reports and photos.
FLORIDA
DUCK HUNTING SEASONS: 2007 - 2008
ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE
Duck
Hunting (Early 5 Day Season): September 22 - 26, 2007
Duck
Hunting (First Phase): November 17, 2007 - November 25, 2007
Duck Hunting (Second Phase): December 8, 2007 - January 27, 2008
Youth
Waterfowl Hunting Day: February 2 & 3, 2008
Children under the age of
16, supervised by an adult 18 years of age or older, may hunt
waterfowl on these 2 days. Shooting hours and bag limits are the
same as the regular duck season. Adult supervisors are prohibited
from hunting on these days.
BAG
LIMITS
The September 22 - 26, 2007 early season daily
duck limit is 4 per hunter.
This duck limit shall consist (in any combination) of blue-winged
teal, green-winged teal and no more than 2 wood duck. No other
species of duck may be taken during the September early season
phase.
The
November 17, 2007 - November 25, 2007
&
December 8, 2007 - January 27, 2008 duck season daily
bag limit for duck is 6 per hunter. This duck limit shall consist
of no more than 4 mallards (2 hens); 2 scaup; 1 black duck; 1
pintail, only during pintial season; 1 mottled duck; 1 fulvous
whistling duck; 1 canvasback; 2 wood ducks; 2 redheads; and 4
scoters. All other species of duck (except harlequin ducks) may
be taken up to the six-duck daily limit.
Coot daily limit is 15
Mergansers daily
limit is 5, only two may be a hooded merganser
Possession
limit is two days'
bag limit.
DUCKS
AT A DISTANCE
A
Waterfowl Identification Guide
Click here for a guide that will help you recognize
birds on the wing -
it emphasizes their fall and winter plumage patterns as well as
size,
shape, and flight characteristics.
Florida's
Waterfowl
Florida
Mottled Duck: click
herefor information and identification.
Florida
Wood Duck:click herefor information and identification.
Fulvous
Whistling Duck:click herefor information and identification.
Click herefor Duck's Unlimited waterfowl
identification gallery and other information pertaining to duck
hunting. This link has excellent identification photos and much
more things of interest about duck hunting
SHOOTING HOURS Legal Florida duck hunting
shooting hours posted by the Florida Game Commission are one-half
hour before sunrise to sunset. Click
here to get sunrise
and sunset times for every month of the year
A
DUCK HUNTING DAY
Consists of either one morning
(A.M.) session of hunting -- or one afternoon (P.M.) session of
hunting. Our morning of duck hunting is from 5:00 to 9:00 A.M.
Our evening of duck hunting is from 2:00 to sunset
Please
note - these hours vary
with sunrise and sunset standards.
Duck hunters prior to their hunt are required to check with us
for the correct time to meet!
DUCK
HUNTING OVER DECOYS
Is
conducted on Lake Okeechobee by standing in 6 to 12 inches of
water.
We
do not duck hunt from a boat!
Duck hunters will be taken out by airboat and placed in a natural
vegetation blind of reeds, stand of trees and reeds or around
small floating grass islands as shown in the photo. Decoys will
be set out by your guide, who will then leave the hunting area
and anchor within view of the hunters.
DUCK
HUNTING TERRITORY AREAS & BLINDS
We
are not permitted by Florida law to build permanent duck blinds
on public waters.
Click
here to view photos
of the areas and natural vegetation blinds you will be duck hunting
from on Lake Okeechobee.
The
photos on this web page will give you a visual idea of the area
and type of the territory you will be hunting from.
DUCK HUNTING
RETRIEVER DOGS
Ron's Guide
Service welcomes duck hunting retrievers. A duck hunter can bring
his dog with him free of charge. Click here
for more information on duck hunting retrievers. This link also
has many on the lake photos of duck hunters and their retrievers.
Items to bring and other information is covered in this link.
THINGS
TO BRING
Shotgun not larger than
10 gauge plugged to a three-shell capacity, shotgun shells (50
rounds per each hunter) loaded with steel shot in either shot
size of BB, 1, 2 or 4 (bismuth-tin and tungsten-iron
are also approved), camo clothing, rain gear (camo color poncho).
Bring an alarm clock with you, a flashlight or better yet the
type you attach to your head and foam ear plugs for the airboat
ride (airboats are loud). Zip-Lock freezer size bags are handy
for storing shells and keeping your hunting license, cell phone
and other items dry. Bug spray, canteen of drinking water, chest
high waders and a folding seat to sit on. Because a hunter's hands
and face can give him away immediately, camo gloves and a face
mask, or cold-cream-based paints are a necessity. Shiny gun barrels
need to be camo tape wrapped. A shiny gun barrel is the number
one cause of ducks spotting a hunter and not coming near or into
the decoys.
CHEST
WADERS
You will need chest waders.
If you don't have them each person can rent a pair with adjustable
shoulder suspenders for $10.00 per each morning of duck hunting
and/or each afternoon of duck hunting. You
must notify me if you want to rent waders.
BATTERY
OPERATED DECOY
Other them standard decoys
which we provide free of charge a party has the option to rent
per each hunt one Mojo type battery operated decoy that includes
batteries for $10.00 per each morning of duck hunting and/or each
afternoon of duck hunting. There is no question that these type
of decoys bring ducks in. You
must notify me if you want to rent one of these decoys.
See
Mojo type battery operated decoy in photo below
FLOATING
TOTE SLED
A floating tote sled with
a poly tow rope attached that is 48 inches long by 25 inches wide
and 6 inches deep can also be rented for $5.00 per each morning
of duck hunting and/or each afternoon of duck hunting. This sled
will hold a duck hunters rucksack, gun, decoys, shells, etc. You
must notify me if you want to rent a tote sled.
See
tote sled in the photo below.
FOLDING
SEAT
You can relax and duck hunt
sitting in comfort with a folding seat. Such seats are sold by
Cabela's or other such sporting stores. A 24 inch high seat can
be rented for $5.00 per each morning of duck hunting and/or each
afternoon of duck hunting. You
must notify me if you want to rent a folding seat.
See
folding seat inside sled in the above photo.
DUCK
HUNTING LAKE OKEECHOBEE SPECIAL RATE
2
Days 1 Night 1
Person Rate
For Only $175.00
Required
Reservation Deposit Is: $150.00
2
Days 1 Night 2
Person Rate
For Only $325.00
Required
Reservation Deposit Is: $300.00
GRATUITIES: in customary amount of 20% are not included
in above rates.
Click here for more information and reservation requirements
on our Duck
Hunting Lake Okeechobee Special Rate of 2 days of duck hunting with a USCG licensed
guide and a night of lodging. This package besides being an affordable
duck hunting event also allows a duck hunter to take "two limits of duck" instead of a one
day limit simply because each duck hunt is done on two different
days!
DUCK
HUNTING PER DAY RATE
"Only
$75.00"
"DUCK
HUNTING PER DAY RATE" 1 Person Cost Per Each Day Is Only:
$75.00
Required Reservation Deposit Per Person Per Each Day Of Duck Hunting
Is: $75.00
"DUCK
HUNTING NON-HUNTER RATE" 1 Person Cost Per Each Day Is: $75.00
Required Reservation Deposit Per Person Per Each Day Is: $75.00
GRATUITIES: in customary amount of 20% are not included
in above rate.
Click here
for more information and reservation requirements on our
Duck
Hunting Per Day hunting
guide service.
INCLUDED
LODGING INFORMATION
Motel lodging at the Glades Inn is provided only
on our 2 half day 1 night duck hunting package. Check in time
is after a party completes their afternoon session of duck hunting.
A Party who would like to arrive prior to the day they start hunting
can reserve an additional night of lodging at the Glades Inn or
any of the below listed motels.
Please
note the Glades Inn is currently closed due to renovations. Hopefully
it will be open for the September duck season.
Hunters need to call me a day prior to your arrival to find out
if it is open.
LODGING
REFUNDS
We offer a courtesy lodging
refund in the amount of $25.00 for the 1 night
of lodging that is included with the 2 half day 1 night duck hunting
rate. This credit will be subtracted from a party's 2 half days
1 night duck hunting package rate total cost in the event the
Glades Inn is not open for business, the package is booked up,
the party would prefer to stay somewhere else other then at the
Glades Inn, or have other lodging options available such as a
RV camper, trailer home, camping out, staying with friends, etc.
LODGING
RECOMMENDED
Ron's Guide Service recommends the Holiday Inn or Best Western
in the town of Clewiston on U.S. 27 which is about 12 miles
south of where we meet in the town of Moore Haven.
Holiday
Inn (Clewiston 863-983-5100) - Best Western (Clewiston 877-478-1700)
There
are also numerous other motels in the town of Clewiston to stay
at:
EXECUTIVE ROYAL INN on U.S. 27 Ph: 863-983-3141 MOTOR INN on U.S. 27 Ph: 863-983-4115 WEST EXPRESS INN on U.S. 27 Ph: 863-983-9161 RELAX INN on U.S. 27 Ph: 863-983-9309 PLAZA TRAVEL INN on U.S. 27 Ph: 863-983-5181 ANGLERS MARINA MOTEL off of U.S. 27 Ph: 863-983-2277
DUCK
HUNTING RESERVATION REQUIREMENTS
Reservation
deposits are listed after each
rate and can be made by
money order, certified check, or online
by credit card
Personal
checks are not accepted.
Balance due is payable upon arrival by Cash or Money Order only.
We do not accept credit cards or personal checks on the balance
due.
Reservation date/s are final and can not be rescheduled.
Reservation deposits are non-refundable in the event of a cancellation.
See our: CANCELLATION
& REFUND POLICY
HOW
TO MAKE RESERVATIONS
ONLINE
CREDIT CARD DEPOSIT
To
make reservations online with a credit card
Click here to make reservations
ONLINE
WITH A CREDIT CARD
MONEY
ORDER DEPOSIT
To
make reservations by U.S.Postal Mail Service, UPS or FedEx
Click
here to print out the
required
RESERVATION FORM
you
will need to mail out with your money order deposit to make reservations
by U.S.postal mail.
RESERVATION
CONFIRMATION
Ron's Guide Service will e-mail a written confirmation upon receipt of
a party's reservation deposit confirming receipt of deposit, the
total cost of
the duck hunting trip that
would include the guide rate,
gratuities, credit card fee if applicable, the date of the reserved
hunting trip, lodging date if applicable, optional cost of rental
items ordered by the party if applicable, where to meet, time
to meet, balance due upon arrival and other information.
The
total cost of the hunting trip and balance due upon arrival (minus
the deposit) will also be listed to ensure that there are no additional
hidden fees or charges whatsoever!!!
It
is your responsibility to e-mail me back as soon as you receive
my e-mail confirmation verifying that the information containted
in it is correct.
HUNTING
LICENSE
A Florida Hunting License,
Florida Duck Stamp, Migratory Bird Permit and Federal Duck Stamp
are required to hunt ducks in Florida. Resident hunting license
cost is $12.50. Nonresident 10 day Hunting License cost is $46.50.
Florida Duck Stamp cost is $3.00. The Migratory Bird Permit is
issued free of charge.
This year's Federal Duck Stamp which will cost you $15.00 can only be
purchased at a U.S. Post Office or Wal-Mart.
Children under
the age of 16, supervised by an adult 18 years of age or older
are exempt from hunting license, Migratory Bird Permit, Florida
Waterfowl permit, and Federal Duck Stamp requirements.
Hunter
Safety Mentoring Exemption
Effective
Aug. 1, 2006, anyone 16 years or older and born after May 31,
1975 can hunt under the supervision of a licensed hunter, 21 or
older, without having to complete the state hunter safety certification.
The newly established Hunter Safety Mentoring Exemption
enables those persons to purchase a Florida hunting license and
hunt during a one-year trial basis.
The new mentoring exemption was passed by the Florida Legislature
to help persuade more people to experience hunting. It is designed
to encourage experienced hunters to teach novice hunters about
safety, ethics, wildlife, hunting skills and respect for Floridas
outdoors.
Until now, everyone 16 or over, and born after May 31, 1975, needed
to complete the hunter safety requirement before they were allowed
to buy a hunting license.
This should be a great incentive for getting more people
to give hunting a try, and hopefully, we can hook some of these
folks on the hunting tradition, said Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission hunter safety coordinator Bill Cline.
If a novice hunter enjoys the sport, we hope they take the
hunter safety course and continue the experience for years to
come.
Individuals taking advantage of this try-before-you-buy approach
would have to take and pass a hunter safety class to be eligible
to purchase a hunting license and hunt the following year.
Click here for more information about
the Hunter Safety Mentoring Exemption.
It would be
a good idea to print the above from the FWC web page in the event
when you purchase a hunting license the seller of the license
is not aware of the new law exemption.
Click
herefor more information about
the hunter safety course.
Click herefor other information pertaining
to Florida hunting license
PURCHASE ONLINE
YOUR FLORIDA HUNTING LICENSE, MIGRATORY BIRD PERMIT & FLORIDA
STATE DUCK STAMP A online computerized license
option is now available in the state of Florida. Duck hunters
may purchase their Florida
Hunting License, Migratory Bird Permit and Florida State Duck
Stamp online using a credit
card. Online agents will issue by e-mail a license number which
will entitle hunters to hunt immediately or at some later date
during the calendar
year.
Click here if you would like to use this convenient
option.
PURCHASE ONLINE
YOUR FEDERAL DUCK STAMP
The Federal
Duck Stamp is also sold online or by calling either (800) DUCK499
or (800) STAMP24. However, unlike the hunting license you can
purchase online and hunt immediately with, you will have to wait
for the Federal Duck Stamp to be mailed out to you before you
can duck hunt!
Purchasing
your Federal Duck Stamp online is a convenient method of getting
your Federal duck stamp. A frameable photo of the stamp and Certificate
of Appreciation is also included with the stamp.
Click
here if you would
like to purchase the Federal Duck Stamp online
from the FWS.
Click
here to purchase the
Federal Duck Stamp online from the USFWS.
Click
here for other online
Federal Duck Stamp places to purchase the stamp
This one of a kind huge
airboat on Lake Okeechobee is powered by a 496 cubic inch GM Levitator
8.1 HO fuel in-jected motor that has a horse power rating of 425
- 450 hp. A CH 2.1 gear reduction box that turns a 3 blade ultra
wide Q series Sensenich propeller 4800 rpm and a custom built
stainless steel exhaust system makes this airboat the quietest
airboat you will ever ride in. I
have not to date had a client ask for ear plugs!
Custom built into the deck is a large insulated livewell and cooler.
There are also 7 other large built in below deck and 2 under the
seat storage compartments. A custom installed 80 lb. trust Minn-Kota
trolling motor, 2 front mounted removable seats, a 6 foot bench
seat, 2 KC lights in the grass rake covered by Lexan, 2 KC lights
on the prop guard cage, center console instrument panel, Power
Pole Anchor and full walk around deck makes this airboat a true
pleasure to ride in. A fold down bimini top is an added pleasure
of providing shade and rain protection during a party's trip.
AIRBOATS
- COMBEE 2000 & 1998 YEAR MODELS
Captain
Ron also has 2 other custom built 18 ft. fiberglass hull airboats
with rebuilt 500 cubic inch Cadillac motors that can carry (per
each boat) 5 duck hunters and their gear safely and in comfort
anywhere on Lake Okeechobee. You will enjoy the ride in style
to and from the duck hunting area on the lake in these custom
built airboats