Waterfowl Reports

[fishersofmen]

Good to hear courtesy is still alive!

[Kettle]

Out today, one mallard, lots of fat on it while breasting it out. A few birds around, not as many as last week. Larger influx of Canada geese, will have Tues-Thurs off so will scout and do some hunting, sloughs were ice free today. Glad I bought a mojo, thing works so well. Still have areas that are holding 500 plus mallards just cannot get to them in the canoe or flatbottom. Best of luck hunting.

Kettle

[Proskier2038]

Hunted southeast of Leech Lake this weekend, Sat Morning was slow, but Sat Night, I got my limit of Hooded Mergansers, and Sunday morning was a Blue-bill Bonanza!! No Mallards in the area that I saw and I have yet to see any geese this year, but Tundra Swans EVERYWHERE!!!

[shortfatguy]

Just out of curiosity, What are you going to do with 15 mergansers? I only ask because I am looking for a good recipe to use. Those drake hoodies sure are a nice looking bird. Wouldnt mind getting one mounted some day.

[booger]

Just out of curiosity, What are you going to do with 15 mergansers? I only ask because I am looking for a good recipe to use. Those drake hoodies sure are a nice looking bird. Wouldnt mind getting one mounted some day.

I believe the limit on hooded mergansers is 2 and 5 total. 15 is coots and moorhen.

[Finlander]

Freeze the Mergansers and use them fore lawn darts!

[Proskier2038]

The limit is 2 for hooded, and I was hoping to make a mount because they look awesome but he was looking a little ripped up so I'll have to get another this weekend lol. As for eating, they have been soaking in seasoned salt water and I plan to cook them with terryaki and bacon.. They were my first merganser and I was surprised how tough they are to clean.

[BrdHunter01]

I was surprised how tough they are to clean.

They are even tougher to eat

[Stringerless!]

Like geese. Even the gravy is tough

[Stringerless!]

Forest lake area. Son got a goldeneye drake and a ringie hen. He was out all day. I got out at 230 and missed a bluebill by a mile ! Only shot we had all afternoon.

[Kettle]

Out this morning, noticed that the larger decoy spread helped with the mallards, 3 dozen normal floaters and a dozen duck butts along with 4 sleepers, two goose decoys and a mojo. Got the four mallards within 20 minutes two large flocks and two birds from each flock, which is normally not my luck normally it takes 50 shells for four ducks Little scouting this evening showed lots of geese and ducks in a fresh cut corn field and oddly enough knew the guy, so I will be out there on Thursday. Still waiting on colder temps, would be nice to see the small ponds freeze up, have found able spots that should freeze late, would love to get a diver hunt in just haven't seen any yet. Happy hunting.

Kettle

[dan z]

Shot duck number 75 today and that was it. Hope for some fresh birds coming up as I want to break the century mark.

[dan z]

Went to the "duck factory" for the 1st time this fall and didn't fire a shot seen very few ducks but the the other guys guys showed otherwise with green heads in the bag. Going farther west on the same lake to were the others had shooting. Dam this slough

Is huge. Will post report Tommrow.

[Kettle]

Out yesterday morning, in fresh cut corn, seen nearly 1500 Canada geese, was out decoyed in less than 5 minutes, flocks of anywhere from 20-100 coming into a half section for over an hour, never fired a shot they landed about 400 yards away, just awesome to see. Will try this weekend. Happy Hunting

Kettle

[dan z]

Skunked again, some shooting but less than yesterday. Taking Tommrow off and going Sunday...

[booger]

went out in the north metro, saw maybe 12 ducks that didn't want to decoy or come close enough to shoot. Saw lots of geese but I think it is the same local geese that have been around because they know where they want to go. Didn't fire a shot, I'm sure the weather won't change things for Sat. So I'll probably go again Sunday.

Didn't help that jackasses across the lake were just shooting for no reason, or possibly at black birds, beavers and seagulls. No birds in the sky and I can see them shooting WTH? Oh well, guess thats the metro for ya.

[BrdHunter01]

Went to the "duck factory" for the 1st time this fall.

Not exactly the "factory" it use to be. And doesn't seem to hold migrating ducks in the area like it use to either. We were there last Saturday and it was very slow.

Went out this am. Had one lone mallard decoy, then had a flock of 20 coming right in and another guy on the lake shot at another flock. I still poked at them as they were committed but flared when those shots were fired. Somehow managed to get one out of it. Ended with 2 mallards. Saw very few ducks. Mergansers seem to be on the move though.

[Kettle]

I was out on the "duck factory" this year in late October, the family owns some farmland over by Madison Lake and the wetlands there were dry so ran out on 14 west. I had never hunted the big slough, ended up doing some google earth and found a pretty decent spot. I ended up dragging my flat bottom roughly 150 yards through the muck, to some cat tails with a trail through it, pushed pole for what seemed like an hour got to open water rowed about 400 yards and set up decoys, no one else in sight. My body was sore for days but got my six in less than 30 minutes and I cannot hit the broad side of a barn, best hunt I have had this year and it was in the evening. I am no duck master but scouting and hard work has paid off for me this year (that and maybe a little youth and stupidity )

Happy Hunting

Kettle

[Stringerless!]

Southern Chisago county. Saw one pair of ducks and one lone goose. BAD ! None came anywhere near us.

[fishuhalik]

Saw about 5 billion honkers and snows in western NoDak. Some obviously headed south with a strong wind from the north on their backs, about 500yds up. Some staying in the area. Not as many ducks but still a ton. Found one lake other than Sakagawea with open water and it was loaded with honkers, divers and mallards. If I had a boat or canoe out here it woulda been a day for the ages out there!! We were after pheasants and sharpes though. Still killed one big, big greenhead that flew over us while we were walking a patch of woods at tree-top height. Beautiful double ring.

[Bryce]

Weather reports lloking like the real ducks may migrate in a narrow window. Maybe less than 48 hours. Migration intercept rig enroute (mir) enroute.

[Stringerless!]

Field in Scandia. Never saw a bird. Never heard any geese. Did hear more distant shooting than normal in the area. Either there was a push of birds last night or more ppl are out hunting waterfowl.Out again in afternoon.

[chub]

Fat lady is singing.

Group ended with 22 for morning.

[B-man715]

Last week the duck season was closed in the north zone (WI) to prolong the season.

Went out on Saturday morning hoping to see a million mallards in my honey hole............. there was two birds.......

Ended up seeing only a dozen, shot one.

Hopefully there will be a nice push of birds before the rifle season

[123fish]

There was definitely a push of birds this morning. Shot two greenheads, a bluebill hen, and a jumbo redhead drake. Saw a decent amount of migrators also. This is in the far southwest corner of the state. Had a cousin and

his buddy do a big time number of the birds in the St. Cloud area this morning also.