Time of year depends on what type of birds you are looking to get.  Any time after the second week of November is good.  Surf and White Wing Scoters are abundant from October to the end of the season in late January.  Black Scoters are seen thru out the season with no definite pattern.  Barrows Goldeneyes come in the first or second week of November.  Common Goldeneye will join them in December.  Harlequins are here all season.  Mature birds are shot from November on.  Nice Oldsquaws are also shot from November on.  Lesser Scaup are in great numbers from early October thru mid December.  Greater Scaup come in November and are taken into late January.

            I like hunters to shoot 3” 12 gauges loaded with #2 or BB.  I have found that full chokes work the best, but modified work also.  Full choke seem to cut down on the number of cripples.  For shooting out of the lay out I recommend an improved choke with #2 or #4.  I also recommend bringing a few boxes of 2 ¾” #6 loads for dispatching crippled birds on the water.

Everyday duck grubs are all you need.  The only thing that I suggest is a facemask for the layout boat.  Several pairs of warm gloves to keep hands dry.  A good waterproof hood or hat is a must in the Northwest.

            Binoculars, cameras, sunglasses and other specialty items are encouraged.  There is plenty of storage aboard the boats to keep gear safe.

            Hunters fly into Seattle international airport.  It is also known as Sea/Tac airport.  From there it is 60 miles North to the town of Conway, WA.  Conway is a very small town and may be hard to find on a map.  It is 11 miles South of Mt. Vernon, WA.  Both Mt. Vernon and Conway are on U.S. Interstate 5.  It is a very easy drive from Seattle.

            I recommend 3 days.  That gives the hunter some time to work with incase we are unable to hunt due to weather.  Washington offers a three-day out of state license for around $60.