Anyone Hunt Manitoba?

[tearin' lips]

Looking to extend some great waterfowl hunting next fall and was considering a Manitoba license. We had a great time hunting the Dakotas, but would like to hunt more this fall. Where do you have to go to get the best hunting in Manitoba. Would you say I would have to go west of the Red, or can I stay to the east?

[Musky Buck]

Wish I could help you more on location, my neighbors have gone for many years somewhere in Manitoba and I have to question them on what the snow goose limit is every year as they shoot well over a hundred every run they make. They said snow goose hunting is unreal there.

[Sumander]

Tearin Lips, I have been hunting Manitoba 2-3x per fall for the last 15 years. It all depends on what type of hunting you are looking for. I have a buddy with a cabin NW of Portage la Prairie. We field hunt exclusively. To hunt water you need to go East of there to the Delta Marsh or the Interlakes region. I have not hunted those areas.

Where we are the competion for spots has dwindled significantly. Outside of a few locals we rarely see other hunters. At times we have had phenomenal duck and dark geese shoots. Early in the year can be spotty. We usually go for opener. After that we haveve made friends in the area who give us reports. When the birds are in when head North.

[SneakAttack]

Hunted in the Grand Rapids Manitoba Area over MEA weekend back in the mid 90's over water. Have a friend that has some family in that area.

Best duck hunting i have ever been apart of.

[Ray Esboldt]

Bill,

It is a bit of a drive, but the Pas area is the best diver hunting I have ever experienced. There are lots of water hunting options, and limited field options (Carrot River Valley) for mallards and occassional dark and light geese. There are some puddle duck options, but the bluebill and redhead options are incredible.

[tearin' lips]

I am mainly interested in either field or shallow slough hunting for Mallards ideally. More so field hunting, I love a good field hunt! Growing up and shooting divers on Rainy and LOW, I like the change of pace field hunting for Mallards and Canadas bring. So is late October usually best? I know its hard to put a set time on the migration. Is it hard getting permission from land owners to hunt their fields. In S. Dak. the main problem we had was getting ahold of the farmer as they are always working all the time, so I can assume the same is true up there.

[island guy]

Whitewater Lake holds a gazillion birds. About 40 miles north of the peace gardens. I haven't gone in a few years but used to hit it a lot. We only did field hunting. Never had much problem getting permission. Most everything water wise is very shallow so once the freeze hits they're gone. Always had great hunting. Boissivein and Delaraine (spelling?) are the closest towns.

[island guy]

Bill...if you decide to go, I have some very good plat maps of the area. I go thru your store every June on my way to Lower Manitou. I would be willing to borrow them to you.

[pjwalleye1]

Ray,

Up until the last 5-7 years I would've agreed with you 100% on the fantastic diver shoooting around The Pas. I've been hunting the waters around The Pas since 1983 and my experience the past decade is the bird numbers just aren't anywhere near what they used to be.

It's gotten to the point for our group that it's not worth the drive to see a quiet sky void of 'bills, cans or redheads. In fact, the memories of unbelievable shoots is what had been bringing me back the past decade. But reality has set in for me and we've not gone the past couple years. But my oh my were there some shoots in the '80s and '90s!!!

Maybe the migration moved west or birds fly south later (we typically went in mid-to-late September) but from my 25+years experience, it ain't anywhere near what it used to be.

[cutter08]

I have never hunted Manitoba but i have hunted Saskatchewan and that was all field hunting and shallow ponds. If i were you i would just drive the extra 5 hours and hunt central Saskatchewan.

[Ray Esboldt]

PJ,

That's good to know. I was last there in 2000. Absolutely, the most fun I have ever had duck hunting and some great stories to go with it. I hate it when things turn to "remember when."

[tearin' lips]

Awesome guys!!! Thanks for all the info! I was thinking of Saskatchewan too, but if we are hunting N. and S. Dakota too that will get to be alot of driving. I will see what da boys think though. Thanks again! I appreciate all the info!