Mattamuskeet Blinds 4 & 14

GobblinNC

Four Pointer
Drew a Mattamuskeet permit for the first time this year. Blinds 4 & 14 on January 9-10. If anyone has any past experiences with these blinds or hunting Mattamuskeet in general I would greatly appreciate any information!
 

Wildlifer

Old Mossy Horns
you can look at all of the harvest data online. That will give you an idea of whats been going on. I have hunted it a few times and will again this year a few weeks after you. It has honestly been in decline for awhile so dont expect too much. Bring a sled if you have one, you park in designated areas and walk a trail to the blind. Some of the trails are pretty mucky. Read your info packet about check-in as well.
 

chevync20

Twelve Pointer
Best advice anyone gave me about Skeet, enjoy your time in the area, it is amazing. As far as the actual duck hunting, temper expectations and understand that success can be quite a weather dependent. The natural vegetation has been on the decline, some in part to the saltwater intrusion. The last two years have been odd weather-wise, but as with all duck hunting in the Atlantic Flyway, it is completely hit or miss.

On a side note, grab dinner at Martelle's. Great food and one of your only choices in the area. The cowboy chop and okra are fantastic. Best of luck!
 

kahunter

Eight Pointer
Pretty much spot on what has been said so far. Awesome area and worth the trip if you havent been there before. Take a boat and do some exploring on the sounds.
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
X2 on what Chevy said. Both times ive been have been with him and we just enjoy the change in scenery. True the numbers have been in decline over the past few years and a lot of people bash the place recently but something about it appeals to me. Best advice for any of the blinds is pray that the weather is absolutely crappy. First time we went a few years ago we had 30 mph winds, sleet, snow, and rain. Almost every blind got good opportunities at birds that day. Blue bird warm days and youre pretty much a bird watcher. Cant speak for those particular blinds, but sometimes the people doing the check ins will let you look at the kill record from previous days and if people dont show up you can put your name in the hat possible switch blinds.
 

Hydemarsh

Six Pointer
Best advice anyone gave me about Skeet, enjoy your time in the area, it is amazing. As far as the actual duck hunting, temper expectations and understand that success can be quite a weather dependent. The natural vegetation has been on the decline, some in part to the saltwater intrusion. The last two years have been odd weather-wise, but as with all duck hunting in the Atlantic Flyway, it is completely hit or miss.

On a side note, grab dinner at Martelle's. Great food and one of your only choices in the area. The cowboy chop and okra are fantastic. Best of luck!

do not mean to be disrespectful or argumentative but the story about salt water intrusion is a myth. Before the gate were installed salt water ebbed and flowed with water levels. lots of red head grass then. gates made is less brackish and wild celery flourished (red head grass disappeared - celery a much better food). About 10 years ago the combination of cotton herbicides and an aqua bacteria greatly diminished the grass on the west side. The celery on the east side started to decline in the past few years because the water level got a little to deep to let adequate sunlight sustain it. these factors combined with an over abundant grass eating carp population, which consume a lot of sub aquatic vegetation, has diminished it further. Once the carp eat the grass then when the wind blows it makes the water turbid which diminishes the ability of SAU to sustain photosynthesis and survive. Much more complex than the simple statement of saltwater.
 

chevync20

Twelve Pointer
Mattamuskeet Blinds 4 & 14

I said some of the problem, but they have much greater issues as you mentioned. I didn’t touch on that as that is a conversation for a different day. He was asking about hunting the area, so I tried to stay on topic. Thanks for sharing! All valid points


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

Inshore duck

Eight Pointer
use a sled. 3-4 dozen decoys max. No use in trucking in 10 dozen blocks to just watch the birds fly to the ring of impoundments that circle the lake. There are plenty of birds there but they are using the thousands of acres of federal impoundments that you do not and will not ever have access. Its a different area especially for folks from western NC. Guess I take it for granted as I live here. Honestly, I would bring a boat and fish for specks in the afternoon. Great fishery this fall/winter. Better fishing than duck hunting the past few years.
 

GobblinNC

Four Pointer
Thanks guys. Not expecting much but am excited just to experience it. Have a swan tag that I hope to fill. What species of decoys would be best to use and how many in a spread?
 

Wildlifer

Old Mossy Horns
Thanks guys. Not expecting much but am excited just to experience it. Have a swan tag that I hope to fill. What species of decoys would be best to use and how many in a spread?

Swans may be tough but there's a chance I guess if a group gets low enough. Bring bout 4 dozen coots and put a handful of puddlers right in the middle of them. Only sorta kidding. I bring 2 dozen coots and raft them up with small groups of puddlers and some divers on the outside.
 

Mallard Cutter

Six Pointer
Used to hunt down there in the 90's and we would always take two or three goose decoys painted up like swans along with two dozen pintails. Had some success doing that. Pray for a lot of wind , otherwise the birds will raft up in the middle of the lake and sit there all day. Good Luck
 

Inshore duck

Eight Pointer
Blinds are on the south so a good North wind stacks up the surge on the south side. 2 years ago hunted it with a 30 kt North wind. Blinds had 2 ft of water in them. Watch out for snakes even if it is cold. The cottonmouths are bad around the lake. We saw them as late as the 3rd week in January last season.
 

bigdrumnc

Ten Pointer
Snakes! All true! Also be prepared for high water, and make sure to plan way in advance for lodging! Dang the snakes, that has to be the snakiest county in NC, and also has there share of rattlers! Either way you will have fun, don’t over think it.
 

Thomas270

Ten Pointer
I have a questions about the blinds. I thought that you weren't assigned your blind until the prehunt meeting at the refuge that morning? I thought all parties get together with refuge staff and draw for blind #s. And if there are no shows general public can show up and get put in a drawing to fill empty spots?
 

JD1107

Guest
No they do a drawing and post it before the season starts. Any open blinds day of the hunt go to permit holders first if they want to switch, then to any standby.
 

Inshore duck

Eight Pointer
Good luck with stand-by. Last stand by I showed up for I counted 57 people waiting for 3 no-show blinds.
 
Last edited:

Thomas270

Ten Pointer
Good luck with stand-by. Last stand by I showed up for I counted 57 people waiting for 3 no-show blinds.

That's crazy, that's about a 2.5 hour drive for me. I don't see myself making that drive just at the chance. I'll just keep applying for the permit aka giving my yearly donation to the state of North Carolina. I heard of folks that have been applying for several several years and nothing.
 

Hydemarsh

Six Pointer
You wont have any snakes in mid January. Any other month i would watch out.

Hi, do not mean to be disrespectful but where do you get your info? I am around the lake every day in January, I see cotton mouths out sunning in January. almost stepped on one on a cold cloudy day in id January
 

shurshot

Ten Pointer
Guess it depends just how long it's been freezing cold leading up mid Jan but I have always been looking out for them regardless of the month. Hyde has a lot of them but Pamlico might even have more. Almost stepped on a small timber rattler locking the gate Saturday. Second one in last two weekends and had "encounters" with two more full grown ones since September.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
I have a questions about the blinds. I thought that you weren't assigned your blind until the prehunt meeting at the refuge that morning? I thought all parties get together with refuge staff and draw for blind #s. And if there are no shows general public can show up and get put in a drawing to fill empty spots?

The issue is the way they draw the blinds. The old system you and your party applied together and if your party got drawn, then your party hunted. what has happened now is that the person that applies for the permit can bring up to two guests with them, so now you have what used to be a party of three that was one applicant is now three applicants. Everyone breaks up and you get tons of folks applying for hunts and then hardly any one gets drawn now. It is a historic place, but honestly it is one of the most overrated public hunting areas there is in NC, maybe only surpassed by Morgan Futch.
 

LawDog

Ten Pointer
We hunted down there last year and it was a fun trip. Water was high and some areas you needed a small boat to get to the blind. Make sure you have a walking stick and waders. My son got his first swan. A lot of birds, but they didn't want to decoy.

If you are looking for lodging I would recommend the Hyde-Away Motel.
 

Clark

Ten Pointer
I got a Mattamuskeet permit the first year it reopened for hunting. Apply every year, gotten a permit draw maybe twice since then and one of those was for my Dad in blind 1, that was the last time he hunted.

Nice place to hunt - but not great for killing ducks. Go for the experience, it is historic and beautiful. My grandfather talked about hunting geese around the lake - almost a century ago... said he would come home with a car full of geese. He also mentioned seeing the moccasins sunning on the bank when there was still snow in the shady spots...

Its a 4 hour drive for me to try for standby and I try a couple times a year. I've not gotten a blind at standby in at least 5 years. Last year one morning it was down to me and one other party - guess what.
I think it hurts my odds that I'm usually alone, many parties have 3 people to up their chances, so you might go with a crew...
 

Wanchese

Twelve Pointer
I have seen a cottonmouth in the snow. Definitely not as many moving around when it's cold but they are always around in coastal NC.

Currituck beach has the absolute most I've encountered anywhere. Hyde county is a close second and I've spent a lot more time there than Currituck.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
one day I'll draw that hunt,,,,,,,maybe,,,,,

just want to do it,,,,I like hunting historical duck hunt areas,,,
 

kahunter

Eight Pointer
I got a Mattamuskeet permit the first year it reopened for hunting. Apply every year, gotten a permit draw maybe twice since then and one of those was for my Dad in blind 1, that was the last time he hunted.

Nice place to hunt - but not great for killing ducks. Go for the experience, it is historic and beautiful. My grandfather talked about hunting geese around the lake - almost a century ago... said he would come home with a car full of geese. He also mentioned seeing the moccasins sunning on the bank when there was still snow in the shady spots...

Its a 4 hour drive for me to try for standby and I try a couple times a year. I've not gotten a blind at standby in at least 5 years. Last year one morning it was down to me and one other party - guess what.
I think it hurts my odds that I'm usually alone, many parties have 3 people to up their chances, so you might go with a crew...

We always see the guys who didnt get drawn come out to the open water public land. Its like clockwork.
 

Clark

Ten Pointer
Yep, I'm on that schedule. Every time I drive by the ramp on the way to the Matt draw, I'm tempted to just stop and save a couple of hours.
 

Gunpowder

Four Pointer
Hi, do not mean to be disrespectful but where do you get your info? I am around the lake every day in January, I see cotton mouths out sunning in January. almost stepped on one on a cold cloudy day in id January

Your ok Hydemarsh. When i posted that it was sort of meant to be funny. Sort of like Snakes are there every week but one in mid January. Those late night attempts at humor never seem to work. Like you Ive seen snakes when I least expecedt them.
 
Top