If you're looking to travel and hunt the Pacific Flyway this season, these destinations are a must for full straps and great memories.
May 01, 2025
By Scott Haugen
Ask 10 avid hunters what their favorite waterfowl destinations are in the Pacific Flyway and you’ll get a range of answers. Some will be based on personal preference, like what species they like to hunt in specific places. Others might vote for the top public land refuges that pop up on an internet search. Some may base their decision on current bird numbers and where they congregate late in the season, while a few might chase their bucket list birds in far reaching corners of this vast flyway. That said, here are my current picks for the top places to waterfowl hunt in the Pacific Flyway.
North & South Oregon Oregon’s Sauvie Island is one of the Pacific Flyway’s most popular waterfowling destinations. Sauvie Island Wildlife Area is touted as having some of the best duck hunting in the country. At four miles wide and 15 miles long, Sauvie Island is the largest on the Columbia River and holds more than 150,000 waterfowl in the winter. The ODFW manages opportunities for hunters. Hunts are awarded through an online lottery on the ODFW website. Hunts can range from bench-style blinds in a corn field to makeshift blinds that fluctuate with the tide, to the shores of one of the island’s many lakes, to wide open fields. You can even hunt from a boat in some places. Some of these blinds can be strenuous to reach, and many hunters spend the night in line at the check station to get an early start. It’s far from a tranquil experience, but the hunting can be exceptional.
Summer Lake Wildlife Area established in 1944 in central Oregon, is the state’s first wildlife area. It receives a lot of pressure early in the season but if you’re willing to hop on a mountain bike or paddle a low-profile watercraft away from crowds, your odds of filling a strap increase. Later in the season, before freeze-up, the duck and goose hunting can be good, and the hunting pressure, light. It’s free-range hunting here, as no set blinds are in place.
Farther to the southeast, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge can be a sleeper for duck hunters. The 187,000-acre refuge offers good opportunity for hunters who love chasing mallards, pintail, and teal. In recent years, gadwall have flourished throughout southeastern Oregon.
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Northern & Central California Todd Lemma is all smiles over this fistful of late season specks in northern California. California is a huge state with seemingly endless options to hunt ducks and geese. Reports show upwards of 60% of the Pacific Flyway’s waterfowl pass through California’s Central Valley. With the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge serving as wintering grounds to some 750,000 ducks and 200,00 geese, this is a good starting point.
Sac’ Refuge offers over 50 hunting sites. In addition to a vast free-range hunting area, waterfowlers can hunt from cement pads or pit blinds. There are also blinds on the edges of the many ponds that exist. Mid-November into early January is prime. California is home to many refuges throughout the state that offer great hunting opportunities.
To the north, the Klamath National Wildlife Complex is worth a look. The duck hunting in this region can be exceptional. Late last goose season I met up with friend and guide, Todd Lemma Jr., of Gunslinger Guide Service (530-368-2788). We chased white-fronts and snow geese in private fields surrounding the refuge on this depredation hunt. Several buddies and I shot over 250 geese in three days. It was some of the best speck hunting I’ve seen. Lemma also guides for puddle ducks in the rice and wheat fields near Sutter, CA.
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The Great Salt Lake One of the Pacific Flyway’s most enjoyable mixed bag duck hunts awaits on the Great Salt Lake. Still one of my favorite waterfowling destinations is Utah’s Great Salt Lake. It’s said the “Great” in Great Salt Lake title is due to the expansive size of water; I think it’s based on the great hunting opportunities.
Not only is this area one of the best in the country to hunt tundra swans (should you be lucky enough to draw a tag,) but from the opener until late season freeze-up the duck hunting can be spectacular. And not just for puddle ducks. It’s the best green-winged teal action I’ve ever seen, with thousands of little ducks bombing into the decoys. It’s also great for big puddlers and diving ducks. It’s one of only a handful of places where I began a morning hunt with the goal of shooting a seven-species limit…and did.
Hunting diving ducks from a layout boat is a blast. Being surrounded by dozens of diver decoys, with a mix of species sliding into the spread, keeps barrels blazing. There’s also plenty of places to hunt from a duck boat for both puddlers and
The Great Salt Lake’s level has dropped in recent years, making an airboat the only way to access some hunting locales. Visit Utah’s Waterfowl Guidebook at wildlife.utah.gov to learn more, including boat launch locations.
Eastern Washington Late season Canada goose hunting in eastern Washington is all it’s cracked up to be, and guide, Austin Sandman (white hat) is dialed in. In recent years the rumor mill in the Pacific Northwest has been abuzz with how good the duck and goose hunting has been in Eastern Washington. But it’s largely a private land show, which means you have to know someone or go with a guide. I recently had the opportunity to do the latter.
I hunted Canada geese in famed Grant County with popular outfitter Austin Sandman of Honk Stomper Guide Service (509-750-0140). Not only did eight of us shoot limits of Canadas in a matter of minutes, but they consisted of greaters, Taverner's and cacklers, the true Minimas. Another day we shot all honkers.
Grant County is Washington’s top producing goose locale with an average annual take of over 17,000 birds. It’s typically eastern Washington’s top duck producer, too, with just under 70,000 ducks being shot each season.
We used all stuffer decoys in our spread, with six sleeping shell decoys. The spread was simple and in the right spot, thanks to dedicated scouting. Every goose that was visible on the horizon came to the decoys, some from miles away. I’d hunt with Sandman again just to hear him run a goose call.
Izembek Lagoon, Alaska Author, Scott Haugen (left) and outfitter Jeff Wasley have been hunting waterfowl together in Alaska for over a decade, where Izembek Lagoon’s early season mixed bag is tops. This was a few seasons ago when 3 brant were part of the daily bag limit. If you're looking to spend a bit of money, and come away with some fantastic memories, this is the trip for you! On September 1 this fall you’ll find me tucked into the tidal flats of Izembek Lagoon, hunting the country’s earliest general season waterfowl opener. In the morning I’ll be hunting puddle ducks where a daily limit of 8 is in place. If cacklers are working the flats, we’ll target those, but likely we’ll take our silhouette decoys and flags and move to the berry-rich tundra for those little geese.
As for brant hunting on Izembek Lagoon this season, there’s been a recent
“Last year’s opening week was one of the best we’ve seen,” shares Jeff Wasley of Four Flyways Outfitters (fourflywaysoutfitters.com. ) Wasley is not only one of the most respected waterfowl guides in the country, he’s one of the best hunters I’ve met. He’s been guiding in Alaska for 19 years, and hunting it much longer than that. Wasley happens to be the Mayor of Cold Bay, and has a deep seated interest and respect for this special place.
On Izembek’s vast eel grass flats, decoying Pacific black brant, Taverner’s geese, cacklers, and a mix of puddle ducks–including a high number of pintails–is what’s in store for fall. More brant keep pilling into this place as fall weeks pass, and by November it’s those and sea ducks in Cold Bay that draw hunters from around the country. This trip isn't cheap, but if you can foot the bill, it's well worth the price.
There are many more great hunting destination s spread throughout the Pacific Flyway. Some are well known; others are hidden gems. Wherever and whenever you decide to go, do your homework. Monitor storms and water levels as well as the status of state and federal hunting destinations, then plan your trip accordingly. Have a backup plan and don’t be in a rush—the more time you have to explore new areas, the greater the likelihood of discovering that diamond in the rough that’ll keep you going back.
