When it comes to time honoured waterfowl traditions, diver duck hunting would undoubtedly be at the top of the list. This is also true when hunting with Birdtail Waterfowl. Even though most of our Manitoba duck hunts cater to mallards and pintails in fields or potholes, opportunities for a healthy variety of diver ducks are becoming a seasonal favourite amongst guides and guests. Bluebills, canvasbacks, buffleheads, common and Barrow’s goldeneye, rig-necked and redheads all frequent our primary marshes, offering some excellent duck hunting opportunities during early September and late October/early November. From a classic diver set-up out of our Four Rivers Layout Boats with PPF Mud Motors to a one-of-a-kind pass shoot at our unique causeway location, diver hunts at Birdtail Waterfowl offer a novelty experience with an abundance of possibilities.
New Lake Scouting
Diver Hunt Details
Diver Hunting Season & Limits
- Resident and Non-Resident (Canadian): September 1st to December 6th
- Foreign Resident (US Citizen / International): September 24th to December 6th
- Diver Duck limits are 8 daily and 24 in possession.
- Note:Not more than 4 daily or 12 in possession may be canvasbacks or redheads or a combination of the two species
- Diver hunts are ‘afternoon only’ at Birdtail Waterfowl.
- We hunt diver ducks from late October until early November (preferred when ice is present).
- Legal shooting times are until ½ hour after sunset.
- Note: Diver hunts must be booked in advance.
Hunt Departure
- Guests will meet their guide at the change house.
- Departure can be from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Departure times will vary based on season and travel times. Guides will confirm departure times before each hunt.
Hunt Logistics & Set-Up
- Guests are transported to and from the water in crew cab trucks with enclosed trailers.
- Each hunter gets an individual Four Rivers Layout Boats with PPF shallow drive motor and safety equipment.
- Simms waders are provided.
- Hunting groups are 4 guests with one guide for the afternoon hunt.
- Hunts take place on local marshes in layout boats or on land.
- Full diver decoy rigs are used in open water.
- We hunt over hand carved, Joe Brewer traditional working diver decoys. (see Joe Brewer Bio)
- Authentic basswood head, cork body decoys in bluebill, canvasback, goldeneye and bufflehead styles.
- Guides set up decoys and manage the hunt. Guests call the shots.
- Afternoon hunts will conclude prior to sunset.
My name is Joe Brewer, I’m a husband to my wife Brenda and a father to 5 children Logan (19) Garret (17) Jaxson (10) Lillian and Griffin (3). I have been an avid waterfowler for the past 18 years. I grew up in north central Ohio about 15 miles from Lake Erie.
I absolutely loved hunting the breakwalls for divers and late season puddlers. I also hunted the cornfields for Canada geese and mallards. I now live in Northern Michigan and hunt the beaver ponds early for puddlers, and the Straits of Mackinaw for divers late in the season.
I began carving decoys back in 2009. I always thought how great it would be to make a rig and shoot birds over it. That is what started the whole obsession of decoy carving for me. In 2011 I was fortunate to win Best of Show in the ODCCA 6 bird rig competition in Westlake, Ohio. I have also won several ribbons in various shows including the St Clair Flats waterfowl show, the Chesapeake Challenge, The Pymatuning Waterfowl festival, Maumee Bay Decoy contest.
Waterfowling and decoy carving is my passion and look forward to putting out the very best product I can for my customers. I look forward to meeting all of you!
