Which Weekend to Duck Hunt

[DRH1175]

I am hitting ND again this years for ducks and can go any week this fall. We always go either Around the 10th to 15th of October. For those who have hunted different times of the month when seems to be the best. Obviously it depends on the weather more than anything for the migration. But if you were going to shoot for a certain week when would it be? Thanks

[Sifty]

We always go the last week of Oct. the 24th to the 31st this year.

Like you said it all depends on the weather.

Good Luck

Sifty

[DREZLER]

I would say toward the very end of october is a little more of a gamble because everything could freeze, but you could also run into some awesome hunting. A week or two earlier will be safer, but with less chance of running into thousands of migrators. Get into November and I think a lot of land is taken up by deer hunters.

[Lakers]

Just based on the waterfowling notes I have kept the past 10 years to help me in planning my trips back to ND, for the past 4 the best week as far as the migration goes has been that last week of October. Like Sifty, I am planning for around Oct. 23-26 this year.

About 4 years ago while I was living in SD I took a week off from work to head back home (north-central ND) for a friend's wedding, which was on Oct. 30 that year. That year it was right in the prime of the migration. We had these 3 days of thick soupy fog. Had the birds pinned down in it. One afternoon I got my 6 ducks (5 greenheads and a nice drake widgeon) on 7 shots in about 10 minutes on one of our setups. Probably didn't even need decoys. We were where they wanted to be and they would just appear out of nowhere (15-20 yard shots the whole shoot). The best duck hunt I have ever had. Even beat hunting the flooded corn in South Dakota!!

[kobear]

The last few years pressure seems to be higher early season and trips in the "in between time" run the risk of encountering spooky educated local birds.

I like either as early as possible to hunt uneducated local birds, no big concentrations often a mixture of species. GREAT for a young dog or hunter hunt a few hours see lots of birds.

OR waiting as late as possible to hunt the big push or a portion of it. These flocks are often much more concentrated and species specific requiring more scouting but payingoff huge when you get it right. Often you have to work to get on the spot and conditions can be ROUGH with lots of ice, wind, and snow. If your just off spot you may be watching a big show but not bagging any birds.