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Well it's officially only hours away. Good luck to everyone who's hunting this year. Be safe. That waters cold. Those shotguns bite hard. Nobody wants to hear a horror story about someone here on the boards or anyone in the state for that matter. After all, it's just a duck, not worth getting hurt over. Most importantly HAVE FUN!!!! Enjoy the sunrise in the blind. Take a kid or a friend who's never been in the duck blind. Try a new spot or slew. Chase a band. But most of all enjoy yourself and the season. I realize that we have had a pair of early goose seasons and a youth waterfowl hunt, but this is the big one. Please share your experiences. Share pictures. Stop by and tell stories with as much or as little details as you feel like sharing. We will enjoy your successes and laugh with you at fails.

Well, we are at the half way point for the 60day season. (Give or take a day) According to my notes from last season my last hunt of 2014 was on October 28th. The following week the world froze over and the migration passed us by. This year is shaping up to be better in that regard. There is no hard freeze up forecast. Even checking baudette and Ely is showing overnight lows in the low 30's - high 20's with some snow flurries, but no accumulation and daytime temps in the high 40's. I think there is definately going to be some "deer season" duck hunts this year. For those of us who really are gluttons for punishment, late season geese and divers could be a ball. A lot of the "big ducks" only migrate as far as they need to and still find open water and food. So as long as some of the farmers leave their fields un-turned so the birds can still glean some corn from the chaff, and the small lakes don't freeze, we will still have birds to chase. I am keeping my fingers crossed for some November diver hunts. I have never wanted deer season to show up and be over so fast in my life. If it's all froze up fine, lets hunt deer and look forward to spearing. As long as there's open water, lets go duck hunting.

Well the week off in the central part of the state is coming to an end. I am looking forward to being able to hunt evenings soon. It will give the goose a chance to hunt after school a few times. That's going to be sweet. The local flock of geese by the house has settled down again. They have gotten bigger in numbers as well and are focused up on cerial grains one day and chopped corn the next. Still returning to water mid day and again late, 10:30pm-ish. So they are feeding well into the night. Looking at my counter the start to this year is on pace with last year bird wise. I have taken my first widgeon and Greenwing teal this year. I have also seen my first canvasbacks. On the bonus side I have hunted many new places and shared the blind or field with a lot of new faces this season. With the collapse of the deer herd I the area my family hunts the chance to hunt waterfowl has really brought the joy back into it for me. I hope those of you who are taking advantage of being out are enjoying and respecting the adventure.

Ok, let's hear the stories good or bad and see some pictures. The season has officially started !!! I opened the season on Bastic Bay, Lake of the Woods. There was a flock that was flying the creek at 6:15-6:25am for a couple days so I figured they were as good a target as any considering I had no decoys to deploy. 5:45 found me walking across the neighboring resort parking lot kayak on my shoulder and away we go. I was well clear of the resort and campers by legal shooting light and slowly working my way up the creek.... Had 4 pairs work up the creek from the lake well above tree top level at about 7:15am. By 7:30 I got happy feet and started back toward the main lake and the rice fields at the mouth of the bay. When I reached open water I found geese returning from their morning feeds about 1/2mile off shore. Bummed I headed back up the bay to get out of the kayak and track down a hot cup of coffee. At 9:30-9:45am as I am hoofing the kayak back across the parking lot... You guessed it, the flock of 12birds I had seen the previous two days flies down the creek at no more than 15' off the surface of the water. Snookered again....