Today and tomorrow maybe the last push of the season!!!! :(

[fishgutz77]

All good points, I just tend to believe my eyes more than the science I been reading in the last ten years or so. Courdts out a bemidji is a fairly good source though.

Most of the ducks we like to hunt are field nesters not water nesters even most of the divers. Given that fact, restoring wet land habitat does not necessarily mean good nesting ground.

I agree that more land makes it harder for predators to lock in on nesting hens but that also means more predators of every kind.

The water in the Dakotas is one thing but that much food and prarie nesting habitat is the bomb for these birds.

A great example of whats happened is Pelican in Wright county.

this thing used to be a duck meca and the combination of predation due to lack of hunting and trapping and fish have destoyed it. Many migrating birds don't even use it any more they use the lakes and rivers around it. also pressure can not be discounted. I know a few of the land owners and farmers around Pelican and in 25 years ag land and nesting acreage have not changed that much, but other factors have.

Lots of mallards and geese nest right in the metro area, why?

My conclusion is that there is exceptable habitat and very few predators.

I'm building a few tunnels every year to do what I can because this really is an answer to predators and habitat if done right.

DU is a great group sorry if I gave the wrong impression.

shoot straight and allways get your cripples.

[Quackaddict9]

Quote:

Quack. You must do your homework and spend a ton of time in the field. More power to ya'. I remember when I had that kind of time to spare. Wish I could get it back. We simply don't have mallards around our area this year. Too many wetlands have been drained, and the refuges and WMA's get pounded so hard nothing sticks around very long. There's no place they can hide where they're not pestered constantly.

CanopySam- You're from TRF?....1/2 of the ducks we shot were within 10 mile radius of TRF.

[oilguy]

The trumpeters that have stopped by here for the last 10 years arrived at 10:07 today. looks like 7 adults and 1 juvie this year. Conspicuously absent are their late migration buddies, the golden eyes and common sawbills.

[CANOPY SAM]

FishGutz,

Agreed. There seem to be numerous factors conspiring against us to reduce our Minnesota duck nesting success. Although I think goose nesting and duck nesting habitat can be quite different in that geese seem pretty stoic about defending their nests vs. ducks. Maybe that's why they are such successful breeders wherever they call home?

Anyway, I wish we could have our original wetlands back. I think things would look much different once the migration began each year.

Quack,

Is that you dragging the enclosed trailer with the insignia on it that's in your avatar? I've never been able to make out what it says? Are you the guy that makes duck calls up here?

Geez... You just had to rub it in didn't you? Like I said, I just don't have the time to scout around like I used to. I figured there had to be some greenheads around here, but I just couldn't put my bead on em' this year.

Maybe you'll have a little room for an extra gun next season? Har Har Har... Did you, by chance, hunt a grain stubble field just south of Brodin's Sheet Metal, in the south end of TRF this fall? I live right on the edge of that field. My boy and I hunted it a few times this year.

[Quackaddict9]

Quote:

Geez... You just had to rub it in didn't you? Like I said, I just don't have the time to scout around like I used to. I figured there had to be some greenheads around here, but I just couldn't put my bead on em' this year.

nah, I just wanted you to know there are ducks around TRF

Nope that would be Cory Loeffler (producer of Death Row Calls) who has the big black trailer with large DRC decals on it. The one in my avatar is on back of my Red Chevy truck... I cruise around TRF during the season. Nope, did not hunt close to Brodin's Sheet Metal, just North and East of town. It helps to have friends who farms and have permission to the fields and we also do some hunting close to Thief Lake. Look me up for next fall, maybe can work something out.