Waterfowl Reports

[bwack]

is anyone having good luck on evening hunts...i am only seeing birds during the first hour each morning...nothing after that. would like to go out this evening but i am not sure if it is worth it.

[MinnetonkaMan]

Evening hunts for me are always tough unless you have cloud cover and or some sort of precipitation. Ducks usually come in a half hour after sundown on nice days. It is still perfectly bright out at this time. I wish we could hunt until half after sunset like deer but than their would be a lot more ducks harvested. Good luck if you go out we will try it tomorrow night but the best night should be Saturday with the weather rolling in!!!!

[Quackaddict9]

Evening hunts for me are always tough unless you have cloud cover and or some sort of precipitation. Ducks usually come in a half hour after sundown on nice days. It is still perfectly bright out at this time. I wish we could hunt until half after sunset like deer but than their would be a lot more ducks harvested. Good luck if you go out we will try it tomorrow night but the best night should be Saturday with the weather rolling in!!!!

not always, some guys will shoot too many hens or can't identify what species duck they are or drake/hen. I don't really hunt evenings unless geese and ducks are hitting fields.

[Stringerless!]

I think the sunset rule is so you have time to find downed birds before it gets dark. Hunting public Wmas you can see the results of late shooting. The birds become completely nocturnal. I have paddled in and kicked up hundreds of birds at 4AM and not see a single duck. While loading up at the end of the day you can hear them landing and coming back in. These fools don't realize that the later you shoot the later the ducks come ! But even worse yet, they DON"T CARE !!!

[Stringerless!]

Carlos this morning. BAD . Only saw about 25 ducks total and never took a shot. Pair of mallards finally got close but were behind us and would have fallen in the cattails so we did not shoot. Could have sworn I heard a lone speckled belly calling on the water but never saw it.

[icecold]

We have been hunting the minnesota river bottoms with terrible luck this year, we got a few ducks the first 2 weekends, but the past week and a half the hunting has been downright fowl, Normally this time of year u cant keep enough shells on hand, This is my 35th year of hunting the same spot and I never saw so few ducks as this year, Is it true that there is alot of ducks in western minn? Maybe some will come down our way with the approaching weather next week?????

[mixxedbagg]

I was out for a few hours on a river in Itasca County this morning. Only a few ducks, and none within range. A few distant Canada Geese as well. Pretty slow, never fired a shot.

[Swampbusters]

We have hunted the mn river bottom this year once the current slowed in the cornfield, Best duck hunting we have had in a long time. We actually got to pick and choose what ducks to shoot, dont get that very often. very fun week and a half but now the field is dry and no ducks. back to see a duck shoot a duck.

[canman]

Hunted yesterday with good success. We ended up with 6, but with better shooting could have had our 12. Was surprised at the numbers seen with the warm weather and poor winds. Managed to get 2 woodducks. Started seeing Cans come through, just called our flock to early and missed...sucks...

[buckx37x]

Was out this a.m. with my son hunted a little wet spot in combined bean field. We should have had three mallards we did not shoot well happens i guess. Did not get a chance at any geese but neighbors east of us did well, location, location, location maybe next time well get lucky. Still seeing some woodies but looks like the vast number of them left last week at least in our area. Well we'll give it a go next fri. and wknd.

[Stringerless!]

Carlos in evening. Saw 6 ducks after shooting closed ! Frog migration is on bigtime ! Should be fishing !!!

[Ray Esboldt]

East Central Minnesota: 5 ringers and 2 gadwall for our group.

2 25+ bird flocks of ringers worked us, but once it started raining again that was it. Whoever says rainy weather is duck weather doesn't hunt much.

[RumRiverRat]

Ducks hate rain.

It strips the oil from their feathers.

[luckycrank]

good numbers of gadwall,widgeon , mallards in the southern part of the state

still have yet to see much for divers and lots of real inconsiderate hunters around yet too! had to leave early after getting rained on with shot from the guy a hundred yards away I cant believe the nerve of some people putting safety of others in there hands. and also skybusting working birds after you get the landing gear down and there dropping in to tour spread . just get up a little earlier and get your choice of spots. I have been the first one on the water all season, every time somebody has screwed me by setting up way close.

[sheepheadslayer]

Burch shoot me an email. Lets go afters some ducks yet this fall.

[Riverratpete]

Purely an observation driving back to the cities from GF yesterday. A few flocks of Canadas lolligagging in the picked fields north of Fargo, no birds noticed on side ponds or in the air from Fargo to Alexandria. Some birds noticed on ponds and in the air from Alex to say Albany, a few in St. Cloud area then that was pretty well it. Looking forward to the big blow this week, maybe move some stuff in.

[CANOPY SAM]

We've definately hit a lull in our area. Few geese and few ducks around, but not many. Not that I've done much scouting though.

I wouldn't anticipate a big push coming down with the system moving in this week. Most of the harsh weather looks to stay south of the Canadian Prairies.

Just guessing, but I don't think they'll move much till she starts to freeze up way north of us. I just hope this system coming in leaves some standing water around for a while. Virtually all our fields are gone now, and many have already been cultivated. Not much to keep em' here now -unless we get some standing water!

[kobear]

Ringers and assorted puddlers in Douglas County. Not lots but enough. Got real wet Saturday with Thunder and Lightning before legal shooting. Sunday I was on the edge of the heavy rain. Showers came intermittently, as did the large flocks of ringbills.

Ended with 5 birds each day.

Very little shooting Sunday. A smattering on Saturday, and lots of pheasant road hunters out with the rain. Only saw pheasant guys outside their truck once, and they were in the township ditch.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

hunted solo on a cut corn field between two roosts on friday morning in western mn. rather than burn the field for a 1 man hunt, i picked off 2 mallards and 2 hutchies and got the heck out of there. shot plenty of ducks saturday and sunday as well, but those all came while pheasant hunting.

[Quackaddict9]

Only hunted Saturday morning where I have been seeing ringers, not much flying had a flock that made a couple passes but did not feel confident with the shot and they never came back but ended up with a loner goose, 2 mallards and a common merganser.

Did find thousands of fowl but it just wouldn't work out well with a big field that is flooded, they just land in the middle or join the swans. Hopefully find something smaller then that will work out better like two years ago.

[norwall]

there coming !

[mozy]

Good numbers of geese and woodies around LqP, quite a few mallards as well. Lots of standing water after the last few days.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Good numbers of geese and woodies around LqP, quite a few mallards as well. Lots of standing water after the last few days.

whats "good numbers"? there was only 4500 geese on sunday...

[Stringerless!]

Carlos today. Never shouldered the gun. Saw a few flocks of ringies high and headed to the refuge followed by the customary 40 shot volley from the duck shooters. They are not duck hunters. There is a BIG difference ! 2 mallards were in the rice and took off. Saw 3 other mallards land in the rice. Blew it with a small flock of geese. Heard them but could not see them and stood up and they saw me. Figures ! From what I saw there were no new birds in there yet. Was way underdressed for the wind !

[Maxxed Out]

That 4500 number was WAY too low. I would say the populations was closer to 15000-20000. There was about a two hour morning flight with waves of birds on Saturday morning. We were straight west of Randalls resort off the refuge about 4 miles.

The numbers of ducks I would say is accurate. Saw a couple different wafts of thousands of Mallards last Thursday on the west side. It was unbelievable.