Duck Hunt in ND during deer opener?

[golfdoctor]

Is the thought of heading to ND to shoot ducks during the first week of Nov stupid? It is both MN and ND deer gun opener and I am not going to hunt deer this year, but want desperately to get out...

Any thoughts/comments would be helpful.

MB

[Flick]

I personally would not go out during that time. There are a ton of people driving around hunting at that time, doing crazy things. It's can also be really tough to get on land as everyone is deer hunting. Before or after would be better. Just my experiences.

[Chef]

It really depends on whether you're a field hunter or a water hunter. There are plenty of open water areas to get on if they're not frozen by the time you go.

If you're expecting to get permission for private land or even hunt public land that will have Deer hunters, I'd agree with Flick to not go. I've been in ND during the week prior to and during the Deer gun season and it's not very productive for the time and effort you put into going on a trip like this.

[MN Greenheads]

Don't plan on getting on private land easily. The farmers out there have no tresspassing sings made out of old tires, they hang them on fence posts just before and during firearms deer season and then take them down after. I used to hunt it and it can be fantastic or froze up, just plan accordingly. If it's froze up head to the Missouri River, that can rock after freeze up.Good Luck.

[golfdoctor]

I can certainly understand the private land avoidance, but since I've never made this type of freelance trip, is there enough public water that isn't deer hunted? Or what about Traverse/Mud? Lots of water, tough to think that would be frozen at that point.

Am I correct in thinking that there are still a bunch of birds in CA? It would be hard to believe they moved through already.

[S 16 Guy]

Mud and Traverse are actually on the SD border not ND. Even still I hunt them occasionally and they do freeze up very early since they are both very shallow lakes.

If you are hoping to hit snows and late tough mallards and honkers late can be good, but definately a [PoorWordUsage] shoot on the weather.

I know guys in central and southern ND are slamming ducks and geese as we type this too.

[Chef]

Yes, there are plenty of public sloughs to hunt that are deep and maybe won't be frozen in early Nov., but I'd get out there ASAP given the opportunity.

Try the Oakes/James River area and a little farther West from there along Cty Rd 11.

[MN Greenheads]

Plenty of Public and even private or school lands. Get a ND highway dept county map book.Do Sloughs and scouting if it's open water.Do the Missouri river and scouting if it's locked up. Don't spend the time or money if your on a tight time table as you'll need to scout to find birds sometimes.