coming out mea week ?

[Gordie]

can we just purchase the required licenses when we get there or do we need to get them inadvance?

thanks we will be hunting the Cando area

[candiru]

I thought I saw on the Game and Fish HSOforum, or somewhere it is only phone or internet this year for non-resident waterfowl license purchases.

[Dave S]

I also read that non-resident licenses are online this year. Doesn't sound like you'll be able to buy your license once you get there.

[marine_man]

Check out the sticky post at the top:

ND Non Resident Waterfowl & Small Game

It details the license procedure, and that you will have to by your liceneses by phone or online only. They are no longer available over the counter.

marine_man

[DRH1175]

yes, online is the way to go. Have you hunted Cando before. I have hunted there for several years and it one of my favorite spots in the state. Hunted down south one year. Hunted Carrington one year. But Cando is my favorite. You should have some great shooting this year. I am heading out the following weekend and am pumped as always!

[eskay]

When is MEA?

[marine_man]

October 15 & 16 in MN

NDEA (ND Teacher's union) Conference is a week later; October 22 & 23

marine_man

[Gordie]

Thanks guys I might have made a long trip and possibly not been able to hunt glad that I asked a question. thanks again for all the info

[candiru]

You can purchase licenses at vendors that are hooked up to the electronic license system. I imagine that would be places like Wal-Mart or maybe some bigger bait shops/sporting goods stores would be set up for that. It might be hard to do in Cando. Devil's Lake would probably have a place. It is only the vendors that deal exclusivly with paper that no longer sell non-resident licenses.

From the ND Game and Fish:

September 21, 2009

Nonresident Small Game Licenses Sold Electronically, by Telephone

Out-of-state hunters are reminded that all nonresident small game and waterfowl hunting licenses are now sold exclusively through the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s electronic licensing or telephone system. Paper licenses are no longer sold at license vendors.

Nonresident bird hunters can purchase their license anytime day or night by accessing the Game and Fish Department’s HSOforum, gf.nd.gov. No additional costs or fees are added. Hunters must print out their own license, and lost licenses can be replaced by a click of the finger at no cost.

Some license vendors around the state are set up to use the electronic system, so people without web access at home can purchase a license at select vendors.

Nonresident small game and waterfowl licenses are also available by calling the department’s toll-free licensing line, (800) 406-6409. The license is mailed and a confirmation number is provided. A service fee is added for licenses purchased by phone.

[Jmnhunter]

MEA week/weekend is goingto be a zoo! careful; watch out for the fools!

[iffwalleyes]

MEA week/weekend is goingto be a zoo! careful; watch out for the fools!

Always seems to be plenty of these reguardless of weekend.

[KEN W]

You can get a license anywhere that has a computer and a printer.The legislature wanted vendors to be able to still sell licenses because people will buy other things.So just find a computer......use your credit card.....and print it out.

[fishroger]

Dont go to wal mart for a license, they dont have a clue. Get it online! its easy

[Ufatz]

Hey you guys....what the devil is MEA week and why does it ruin everybodys fun?

[marine_man]

No kids in school Ufatz?

MEA weekend is the weekend the MN Teachers Union have their convention, and school is out for Thursday and Friday.

With respect to ruining everyone's fun.... I'm not certain about that; there tends to be quite a few more people hunting that weekend since they can get out with their kids, which is great in my opinion... so there's a bit more pressure then usual.

marine_man

[Ufatz]

Oh. Okay. Well, the way I look at it is: the more good, ethical fair chase sportsmen in the field the better to counter those who dislike our sport.

We are all members of the same brotherhood....but holy moly, sometimes you wouldn't believe it. Remember, united we stand....

[marine_man]

Absolutely! And, if you're getting out with your Kids, even better!

marine_man

[MNUser]

My 12 year old and I will be in ND for MEA weekend. I have spoke with a few farmers that allow us on their land and they have been telling me the numbers are WAY down. There are birds around but don't expect limits each day. I'm OK with that. It is all about spending time with my son and building memories. The bird is a bonus for my son. I could care less if I shoot one or three.

[southwest]

I was in Sak Canada hunting last week and have never saw as many ducks as they have up there this year. If the cold weather hits up there like the forecast shows, maybe a few more migrating ducks and geese will show up by next week. There were alot of ponds with 500-1000 mallards and pintails on them. Alot of the ponds couldn't be even hunted due to the fact they were still surrounded by unharvested crop and with the rain still havent been hunted.

[KEN W]

MEA/NDEA weekend sees the most hunters of the year.Won't be quite as bad this year since NDEA is a week later.

[Gordie]

MEA just another resaon to go duck hunting with the kids

BTW thanks for all the info got my online liecence this morning and it was very easy to do be heading out in a few hours. hopeing the birds cooperate I know the pond and sloughs are frezzing up fast in canada just got reports from a buddy thats up there so hopefully the birds will push into ND and the kids will have a blast litterally

[brittman]

ND and top part of SD just as cold as Southern Canada. In fact Southern ND had lows in the teens and is colder than parts of ND further north.

Heard that 50% of ducks are gone.

Many ponds are frozen will continue to stay iced over until the weekend. Hunting big water is an option, but ice is make that difficult too. When ponds reopen - will ducks filter in from the north or bigger bodies of water - who knows. Jump shooting maybe really difficult.

An issue in ND is the geese roost on these larger sloughs and provide field hunting opportunties. Boating out into these waters and driving off the big flocks of ducks and geese can be a hot topic. I have hunted ND in a boat. Be real careful the wind can pick up and the waves dangerous on these shallow bowls that lack trees around them.

Field hunting will be tough because fields are wet. Most farmers will want hunters to walk in the decoys which lowers spread size.

Can't believe this is really Oct 12th.

[Jmnhunter]

went out saturday morning; had to break ice to set dekes up; very disappointing for duck numbers, a couple flocks of migrants but they were sky high, had a 2 land in the dekes but passed on them as they were hen mallards. Jumped a bigger body of water after we picked up with no ducks, and shot 3; it was like switch over night. the small potholes were locked up..

as brittman mentioned; hunting the roost is a hot topic and may ruin future hunts if thats the only body of water thats open

plan on going out thursday in hopes the water opens up!

[KEN W]

Came back from pheasant hunting yesterday.....all small waters are frozen over.Temps in the teens the past 5 days.Saw some nice concentrations of mallards on larger bodies.A shame with one of the best hatches in a while and then have an early freeze.Sounds like there isn't much north of us anymore except mallards and geese.

[Lakers]

This weather is exactly why I wait until later in the season to make my trip back to North Dakota. From reports I've been reading on DUs HSOforum, as well as Delta's, the snows and lessers in Canada are really starting to move south. After today the temps are not supposed to get below freezing for a while, with exceptional weather for this time of year in store for the weekend. A good # of snows and northern mallards will hit North Dakota in the next couple of days, and with warmer temps (thus smaller sloughs opening back up) and plenty of grain & peas to be had, they will have no reason to leave until the next cold front pushes them out of the area. Based on the 10-day forecast I'm seeing, that will be after my trip. It's a risk, but if you're lucky weather like this can lead to the hunt of a lifetime, as I have found out the past couple of years due to the sheer concentrations of birds it brings together. The weekend around Oct. 20-25th has been absolutely phenomenal on the northern mallards and migrant geese in the area I hunt the past several years, and this year is shaping up to be the same. I will post how things turn out when I get back.