Earlier Duck Opener?

[Finlander]

elwood, making Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota into one state and rename it MinnKota!

[kittycatcher16]

Originally Posted By: kittycatcher16

I love duck hunting...it is in my blood and its my passion. I would go every single day in the season if I could, regardless of minnesota's "low numbers" of ducks. IMO if you are going to complain then simply dont hunt MN then. Means more room for us who dont complain and just go. Go and buy a NR north dakota license and hunt there. Its not all about how many birds I shoot every time im out, its about being in the blind with buddies while bull****ing and drinking coffee. Good times.

Precisely the attitude our DNR loves to hear and caters to. Why should they divert money away from the golden walleye to improve waterfowling in the state when most of the hunters are apathetic and content to "watch the sunrise and sip coffee"? I can think of a thousand places to sit and [PoorWordUsage] where I don't have to get up in the middle of the night, battle morons for a good spot, freeze my six and bust my stuff up.....LOL

Hunting is about seeing birds, working them, and hopefully shooting them.

Obviously hunting is about working birds. But when there isnt birds around to be worked is when we are sipping coffee. I dont go out to watch the sunrise. I like how you call other hunters morons...just remember when you are pointing the finger at them there is 3 more fingers pointed at you. They are just out there to do the same thing you are. But, I agree SOME hunters out there can be morons.

[RiverRunner]

In my opinion starting the season earlier and making zones are just band aids. It might improve the hunting for a week or two, but your still stuck with the root problems. And waterfowl hunter numbers will continue to drop.

The problem I have with zones is you could have people hunting both South and North openers and the ends of both seasons. Creating more pressure on public land in certain areas. If the DNR gets around this, great I'm all for zones.

The reality of it is the majority of ducks including mallards have migrated through the state by the seasons end. Don't believe me look at the USFWS refuge sites for Missouri and Arkansas. Or look at the MN DNRs weekly migration report. This years kind of the exception with the unusually warm November.

The DNR really needs to concentrate on improving habitat, creating refuges, and holding birds in the state. Duck numbers in this state aren't a complete losted cause. If the DNR makes changes comes up with a good plan and sticks with it, duck numbers both breeding and migrating through the state will improve. Though it will never be good as the Dakotas.

Some things I would like to see the DNR try to improve hunting. All these could be rolled out fairly quickly.

-On your more popular lakes like Pelican, Swan, North Lake etc. Close hunting at 1 p.m for the whole season for these areas. I'd be willing to bet this would improve hunting on those lakes. Some of these Lakes see boat traffic 10 to 12 hours a day.

-Make more lakes non motorized especially in Southern MN. If a Lakes 200 acres and 8 ft deep or less make it Non-motorized. If theres habitat work done on a lake make it non-motorized. People paddling in doesn't disturb ducks like a boat motor does.

-Lakes that need aerators to keep fish alive. Let the lake winter kill and bump off some carp. Ducks will use these lake, because the majority of them are shallow. This ones a little tougher because it requires the DNR Fisheries to be on board with it.

-Don't allow raising of bait fish on public land. In WMAs or WPAs. This has been around for a while, but shouldn't be allowed for obvious reasons. Get rid of public water DNR rearing ponds.

-Limit early season goose to one week over water. Have Youth waterfowl day the first day of goose season.

[SledNeck]

The reality of it is the majority of ducks including mallards have migrated through the state by the seasons end. Don't believe me look at the USFWS refuge sites for Missouri and Arkansas. Or look at the MN DNRs weekly migration report. This years kind of the exception with the unusually warm November.

Fill Minnesota with rice fields. Imagine the hunting then! WOW

[magnum mike]

If they are going to have a split season, hunters should have to choose north or south when they purchase the license similar to deer zones. Prime hunting areas get enough pressure as it is.

[Scott M]

You will have a chance to have your voice heard. Choose to attend one of the upcoming public comment meetings to comment on any of the proposed changes to waterfowl management, seasons, and regulations in the state.

[magnum mike]

I wonder how they chose the sites for these meetings. The nearest one to my home is 100+ miles away.

[Gordie]

You will have a chance to have your voice heard. Choose to attend one of the upcoming public comment meetings to comment on any of the proposed changes to waterfowl management, seasons, and regulations in the state.

Thanks for the info da-chise

[HNTNBUX]

It might be a bandaid fix to start the season earlier but I will start with that. Most of the lakes I like to hunt are the first to freeze and are locked up before the season ends.

I would also be more likely to hunt three or four days in the first week and maybe once in the last week. With deer hunting in November I would prefer the time on the front of the season.

I would like to know how SD gets to keep their goose season going as long as it is and we can't. I am all for opportunity even if I haven't been able to hunt a field in almost fourteen years. Somebody could be out there having fun.

[Musky Buck]

HNTNBUX doesn't our goose season go till like December 22nd or something most years ? Starts Labor day weekend, not sure how much longer SD goes beyond that ? Seems fairly reasonable.

[Maxxed Out]

I don't think SD overall season is longer than ours, it's just they have a late January early Febuary hunt in certain parts of the state, CarpshooterDeluxe can fill us in on the details of that.

There's not many parts of the state that hold geese past the first of the year anyway. I think outside of a few of us die hards I don't think there would be a lot of interest in sitting in a layout blind when it's -5.

[Gordie]

I think outside of a few of us die hards I don't think there would be a lot of interest in sitting in a layout blind when it's -5.

ground blind in -5 wheather or 5 gallon bucket on a frozen lake.... Hmmm I think I'll pick the GB one day and the bucket the next

[ctlfdr]

SD is in the central flyway. This is why they have longer seasons. Feds set up number of days that can be hunted in each flyway.

MN duck hunting has been terrible for 15 years. We used to jump wood ducks by the thousands in the early 1990's in the creek bottoms. Back when we had an abundance of water and the Dakotas were dry. The roles are reversed now. If you would have seen the James River valley this fall the ducks had no reason to fly over MN. Thousands of acres of flooded corn and bean fields. No need to leave the roost.

An earlier start isn't going to make terrible hunting any better. The flyway has just shifted west and seems to be moving farther west.

[me_fathead]

My personal choice would be to make opener later so I can hunt real ducks at the end of the season.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

I don't think SD overall season is longer than ours, it's just they have a late January early Febuary hunt in certain parts of the state, CarpshooterDeluxe can fill us in on the details of that.

There's not many parts of the state that hold geese past the first of the year anyway. I think outside of a few of us die hards I don't think there would be a lot of interest in sitting in a layout blind when it's -5.

sd is zoned for late season oppertunities along the missouri river. we have zones for waterfowl with different season open and close dates. we are also in the central flyway and have different framework in place regarding season lengths. comparing anything sodak to minnesota season wise is apples to oranges from the get go due to the different flyway governing.

here's my two cents on this issue. I grew up in western minnesota, and still do a lot of waterfowl hunting there. the attitude of dnr personnel that i have spoke with over the past few years is one of disbelief and "what do you know" when i bring up fathead minnows and carp and their proliferation to waters that were once fish free. every spring for the past 5 years, the water in lake artichoke has gotten high enough that carp can swim through the road ditch, through a 24"culvert under the county road, and right into a WPA. now i know this fed land, but wouldnt somebody want to think about maybe welding some wire mesh to this culvert????? i shot 47 carp, mostly female, and mostly over 15lbs out of that wpa in one afternoon.

same thing goes for the Danvers WMA that the state just got done pumping a pile of money into this wma with the diversion of the drainage ditch around the old "lake" bed on the east side. never mind the fact that the carp swim upstream the big county ditch to the north end of the wma and then swim into old judicial ditch 3 that runs right through the middle of what was once one of the greatest duck spots in western minnesota. again, i've shot carp out of the "big opening" in that wma 2 or 3 times in the past few years. yet there is no electric weir anywhere on these drainage ditches that prevent the carp from entering the wma.

or how about the money the state spent to restore lake hassel (hazel) ne of benson. they killed off the lake in the late 90's to rid the lake of carp, installed an electronic fish barrier on the outlet, and now manage the lake as a shallow duck lake. nevermind the fact that the weir was inoperable and de-energized during the carp spawn last year...

If you guys seriously think that the dnr is going to do anything good in the future, maybe you should see to it that they go back and fix the "fixes" they have already done.

[Musky Buck]

Agreed and what about the minnowless and carpless waters that are void of birds ? My area the biggest difference I notice because I can no longer hunt them because they are gone is the beaver dam. There's more to it than that but those were the gold mines in the good ol days. Another one is shoreline development on lakes and ponds, the birds have few quiet resting places and our population boom with technology has changed things quickly, if I were the DNR I'd be hands on hip as well because many of these things can not be reversed. I sure hope the birds can come back and if they do we'll know why and how it happened. I'd migrate through the lowest populated areas as well and they seem to know the route.

[surewood]

When the season starts later in the year, I'd be all for a week earlier. Up here when it starts late a lot of the teal and woodies are gone. They don't stick around long.

[RiverRunner]

Agreed and what about the minnowless and carpless waters that are void of birds ? My area the biggest difference I notice because I can no longer hunt them because they are gone is the beaver dam. There's more to it than that but those were the gold mines in the good ol days. Another one is shoreline development on lakes and ponds, the birds have few quiet resting places and our population boom with technology has changed things quickly, if I were the DNR I'd be hands on hip as well because many of these things can not be reversed. I sure hope the birds can come back and if they do we'll know why and how it happened. I'd migrate through the lowest populated areas as well and they seem to know the route.

Opening the season earlier to me is kind of a band aid. Yeah you might have better hunting for a week or two, but your not fixing the main problems. This state needs to restore habitat and put in some more refuges. Manage more lakes for waterfowl, some of these lakes they manage for fish are money pits. That freeze out ever few years anyways. Make more lakes non-motorized. On your more popular lakes only allow hunting until 1pm, doing a couple of these things alone would help hunting.

Musky buck your right on a lot of this but even in the lesser populated areas of the state theres a shortage of ducks, when you compare it to the Dakotas. There could be a lot more ducks in the western portion of the state than there is. The population is relativly low. I don't buy into that argument entirely. If the habitat was there and they could rest there relativly undisturbed, ducks would be there.

The MN DNR needs to quit worrying about hunter numbers and opinions and start concentrating on improving waterfowl habitat and numbers. Once duck numbers improve people will start hunting them again. But if you have a large amount of time, where huntings subpar it will be tough to get people back.

[Musky Buck]

Agreed, I knew I was leaving out some things. Sad deal, it was gun training to us youth of the 80's, lots of practice had back then.

[Ufatz]

I try to stay out of these parades of internet mental masochism, but today's a slow day here in the desert so what the heck. Earlier season, later season, no season at all-none of it is going to make any difference in the migratory patterns of the Central Flyway. Everything has essentially moved west 150 miles and it is going to stay that way for a long time. Get over it. Oh sure: you might see a bump in the local teal or wood duck population. And major changes in habitat improvement are needed-for many species, not just waterfowl- in all areas of the state.

It is very sad for an old man to see what the State of Minnesota-a state which used to PRIDE itself on woods and waters- has allowed to take place. There is only one way you are going to change it and that is by hammering your elected people in St. Paul. Period. THAT is the solution, at least for local ducks and in-state habitat.

But I will be long gone to that great duck swamp over the hill before you see major duck populations and migratory movements through Minnesota again,

Sad to say but accept it! And get as much enjoyment out of what is left as you can. Sometimes ya know, just sittin' in the blind with your pal and your dogs is all you need.

[kittycatcher16]

It is very sad but....well said Ufatz.

[MaskedMallard]

I'd be for opening the season a week earlier, & then closing the season every Wednesday to allow for more time later in the season.

[Gordie]

I'd be for opening the season a week earlier, & then closing the season every Wednesday to allow for more time later in the season.

This might work for me itwould only be 8 extra days in the late season but thats 8 days extra we dont have now.

[BrdHunter01]

Originally Posted By: MaskedMallard

I'd be for opening the season a week earlier, & then closing the season every Wednesday to allow for more time later in the season.

This might work for me itwould only be 8 extra days in the late season but thats 8 days extra we dont have now.

Sounds like a good idea but if it opened a weeker earlier and was then closed wen. so we had 8 extra days at the end...... Wouldn't that be the same closing date we have now?

Wait, we would get 1 extra day, the season would close on wen instead of tues.... but we can't hunt wen, so it would close thurs. We would get 1 extra day not 8

[Gordie]

You know thats what I thought at first but I let go right over my head.

so 1 extra is more than we have now