Waterfowl Reports

[tracker x-2]

tonight only showed to really shy flock...

Time to try a different field tmrw

[Storm]

Ended up with 3 this morning running traffic but had a ton give us a look but wouldn't quite commit. Will be trying a little different set up tommorrow to hopefully persuade them a little more.

I could have had quite a few mallards though.

[tracker x-2]

Seen about 5 flocks this am had one come take a look and ended up with 2

herd a lot of shooting tho

[hunter322]

not to many geese flyin where im at, but the ducks. ive never seen this many ducks around my area. i cant wait for the 22nd!

[walleyeking19]

not to many geese flyin where im at, but the ducks. ive never seen this many ducks around my area. i cant wait for the 22nd!

Same thing for me. We havent seen many geese, but we had probably 50 ducks fly by us on opener!

[hunter322]

we probably saw that in the first hour! it was insane!

[fishuhalik]

AWESOME hatch of redheads, pins, cans, mallards, teal and shovelers this year in western NoDak! I also have the unique privilage of driving through the state and back every 2 weeks. STRONG hatches in the dl area as well. Tonight in a 12 mile stretch of hwy 94 I passed by 4 fields with multiple thousands of honkers. One had 10k strong. I wrote down mile markers, pm me if you have your early season NoDak stamps

[Musky Buck]

I always get uneasy when I hear record numbers or near record numbers, and why are those geese in such massive flocks already ? Maybe that's why we haven't hardly seen a goose since it opened. 4 different counties I hunt in and it's not worth trying, there are few around or they just don't want to fly ? Last year record ducks or something and I'm not sure we saw any ducks, is it tough to find fields for geese ? It's all corn and beans primarily and with no small dairy farmers anymore they aint choppin corn or planting oats ? So the honkers moved west to find the fields ?

[Quackaddict9]

The numbers could be low in your area but high elsewhere, not based on your area. You say the same stuff every year about this topic. The Molt Migration is going on now with the NW wind lately so most of these flocks are bigger than the locals. Happens every year and is is when the hunting picks up.

[fishuhalik]

All I know is that with the great rainfall northern NoDak got this year, potholes are full of ducks and geese. Being a MN duck hunter my whole life, it just blows my mind every time I drive by a pothole. In MN, there'll be a family, maybe 2 in a good body of small water. I've seen several potholes under an acres with over 100 ducks in them. And every little splash of water has at least a couple families. I can't wait to see what this place looks like during migration. I was in nodak about 5 years ago and saw the beginnings of it. Oh man, can't wait!!!!

[Gordie]

My dream is to live in Devils lake during duck season. Then the rest of the year i will live there and catch fish as the season never closes.

Like I said its a dream but one of these days I'll wake up and it will be true.

[CANOPY SAM]

Just make sure you build your retirement home with a HUGE dike around it!

Honestly though, Gordie. That's a pretty doable dream. North Dakota is a fantastic state, and the Devil's Lake area, as you know, is an outdoorsmen's mecca.

I think that's a GREAT dream! Call me when you get settled in and I'll come over and help you keep all those pesky deer, birds, and fish outta your yard!

[laportian]

Opened duck today on the Leech Lake Reservation. Hunted Bowstring this morning and it was good. Seen loads and loads of teal. Very few mallards and seen a few canadas. Best duck hunt I've had in a few years.

[Gordie]

Opened duck today on the Leech Lake Reservation. Hunted Bowstring this morning and it was good. Seen loads and loads of teal. Very few mallards and seen a few canadas. Best duck hunt I've had in a few years.

d

Did you see many Ringnecks labortian and thanks for the report.

[laportian]

Seen some far off birds from time to time with black heads but they were flying high and away. Went back out on Sunday and things really cooled. Might have been because we forgot our decoys at home and were pass shooting.

[RiverRunner]

I always get uneasy when I hear record numbers or near record numbers, and why are those geese in such massive flocks already ? Maybe that's why we haven't hardly seen a goose since it opened. 4 different counties I hunt in and it's not worth trying, there are few around or they just don't want to fly ? Last year record ducks or something and I'm not sure we saw any ducks, is it tough to find fields for geese ? It's all corn and beans primarily and with no small dairy farmers anymore they aint choppin corn or planting oats ? So the honkers moved west to find the fields ?

Two things constant in this world. Waterfowl are going to fly south and Musky buck is going to scour the same 4 counties and find zero to no ducks or geese. I'm kidding of course. From what I'm seeing it should be a pretty good opener in MN.

[TylerS]

HA! Thanks for that...I now have to wipe coffee off my laptop.

[Huntin&Fishin]

What does everyone thimk about the cold front?

Do you think it will push out the local teal and woodies? Few years ago we had good numbers around then a cold front came in, the woodies and teal got push out and left not many ducks around on opener. Any thoughts about this weekend?

[Gordie]

There should be plenty of ducks around this weekend. Just my thoughts.

[Musky Buck]

lol I liked that, no worries, it is too bad really, not for me but the hundreds of kids who will never take a duck, maybe a goose. At least I scouted this weekend, ducks seen 0 geese seen 0. Walked a mile long stretch of river that runs through our section and 0. Some day there is going to be a duck in that river I just know it. River looked great, little to 0 current, lots of downed trees etc. for woodies to stand on, but a goose egg again. All my bowhunting scouts saw a total of a pair of woodducks opening night. Dad said in the 60's you couldn't find a hotel room in our county, roads as busy as opening of fishing, I said how drunk were you in the 60's.

[Feathers Rainin]

MuskyBuck go to a different area. The area I usually hunt is a bust this year because the rice got flooded out. We will be driving farther this year for the ducks. Scout, scout, scout and by that I mean different areas.

Whats the saying about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?

The woodies shouldn't leave this early but I am sure a lot of the BWT left with this cold front and NW wind. We saw boat loads of teal last weekend scouting so it should be interesting to see how many of the little buggers are left. Good luck this weekend!

[Gordie]

I have been traveling a lot of the central to eastern side of the state and I have seen more wood ducks than I have ever seen and this morning I noticed a major abundance of teal.

Musky Buck I feel for you as you said how food it once was and noew nothing sorry for your loss. I also think you may want to change your name to Musky Duck

Sorry man I just couldn't let that one slide thru.

Good luck to you

[benbosh]

I have been traveling a lot of the central to eastern side of the state and I have seen more wood ducks than I have ever seen and this morning I noticed a major abundance of teal.

I've seen a lot of wood ducks this late summer/early fall too compared to other years. I'm in the southern part of the state.

[water rat]

Teal and woodies are on the move! Been scouting every other day for the last week.wetlands swell with fowl and then gone,then swell again!! Noticed ALOT more teal on tonight's drive !!

If your area looks nill,lots of teal and woodies still above us!!

Good luck!!

[fishuhalik]

Hey feathers, tried calling ya and left a message but never heard back. Whatd you Find? I'll be there opener, along with my dad, a buddy and his nefew. My dads heading over there on Thursday to do some more scouting. I'll let ya know what he finds out.