Waterfowl Reports

[carpshooterdeluxe]

another push coming down today...expect good bird movement all weekend. still hearing birds flying over tonight every time i step outside.

[frabillfisher]

Ditto to that...just got back inside and heard snows flying south. Snow flurries forecast for saturday morning and colder temps will have them moving this weeking. Gotta get well the gettins good, also last weekend to chase ducks before the real deer season opens compared to all you mn boys

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Ditto to that...just got back inside and heard snows flying south. Snow flurries forecast for saturday morning and colder temps will have them moving this weeking. Gotta get well the gettins good, also last weekend to chase ducks before the real deer season opens compared to all you mn boys

buddies are out watching an influx of new snows right now. the roost of 4-5 thousand this morning has been steadily increasing all morning. it's killing me sitting at work getting pictures emailed constantly of the feeds of snows and mallards they are watching. headed out at 2 to go see for myself!

[Stringerless!]

Went to a field where I have permission and a guy was getting out of his truck to deer hunt across the street. Talked to him and he was waiting for a few buddies so I told him I would wait and not hunt geese across from his stand. Their season closes Sunday I think.

[CANOPY SAM]

Yep! I'd say they'll coming down in good numbers overnight tonight, and throughout the weekend. Seeing a lot of skim ice up here every morning now. They're running out of time.

[fishduck]

Lots of divers in the Pope County area just recently, like now! Goose hunting near Evansville tomorrow am.

[Gordie]

They're running out of time.

So are we

[luckycrank]

just getting good now! green chrome everywhere

[Stringerless!]

Took a canoe out in this (bad word }. Nothing ! Never saw a duck . Heard a goose but never saw it. Had to try anyway. Had visions of bills falling from the sky like snowflakes and it might have happened somewhere but that somewhere was not the lake I was on this morning ! If a guy can't hope then why do we go ever ?

[Shoot2Kill]

I questioned my sanity this morning as my little 12 footer was bucking the waves as I set the decs out in the driving snow that made it impossible to see how far from the cat tails I was but it turned out to be worth it! While sipping my coffee I kept second guessing my spot, just being out, the spread....pretty much everything....that was until it got light and there were ducks EVERYWHERE. First day all year I've shot a limit. I haven't seen ducks like that in a long time - constant action for the first hour. Ended with 2 ringnecks, 3 green heads, and a drake woodie. The ringnecks and woodie were pass shots, but the mallards followed the script and cupped perfectly. It slowed after about 8:00 but still pretty frequent smaller groups of birds buzzing the slough. No geese though.

[strait-meat]

Metro or rural?

[tj417]

I think last part of the last line got deleted:

"...and then I woke up."

[Shoot2Kill]

Metro or rural?

Whoops...forgot to add that...south of St Cloud.

[canman]

Very dissapointed in the Hutch area yesterday. Saw mainly hooded mergs...

[fishduck]

Got 3 ringers yesterday in one shot!! I couldn't believe it! Some birds around and very willing to decoy, headed out now again.

[Cheetah]

Went out this morning NE of Mahtomedi, lots of geese flying, saw one big flock of snows up high. A decent number of mallards in the area, had a couple come close and the dog spooked them... Most wouldn't decoy at all. Finally had two geese come off the lake my way and I got one, somehow missed the other. Heard a couple groups pass shooting at geese, they didn't get much action either.

[Stringerless!]

Hunted a small lake in Northern Washington Cty. Lots of geese and mallards. Not much open water left because of floating slush. 200 Mallards would get up every time the eagle flew over but none would come anywhere near the shore. Should have shot at some geese but gave them another swing and they swung the wrong way ! No sign of any new ducks or geese. These birds have been there enough to know where to stay away from ! Never saw any high migrators or heard any.

[BrdHunter01]

So are we

Yep, another season where the bulk of the mallards don't make it down

2 weeks left, I hope it gets cold FAST!

Years back we use to have to worry about the swamp being froze for deer opener. We use to break ice every year and crush the ducks. The last few years we have not had a lick of ice and no tornados of mallards.... Very sad. Not to mention this year deer opener was as late as possible, no ice. Went there again this weekend NO ICE! Some ducks around, but leary. Had one flock of very tired northern mallards (50-75) that came into the decoys while we were motoring around in our goose deeks. Very few flocks of mallards coming out of the north sky this weekend and last. The mudhens are sill very thick! That right there tells me most of the northern mallards are not around. Lots of ringers around still as well.

I vote for a season that extends well into December!!!!

[mixxedbagg]

Went out tonight in Itasca County. Saw good numbers of mallards and honkers as well as a few divers but nothing within good shooting range.

On Friday I saw 3 Black Scoters through my scope on a lake in Itasca!

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Yep, another season where the bulk of the mallards don't make it down

2 weeks left, I hope it gets cold FAST!

Years back we use to have to worry about the swamp being froze for deer opener. We use to break ice every year and crush the ducks. The last few years we have not had a lick of ice and no tornados of mallards.... Very sad. Not to mention this year deer opener was as late as possible, no ice. Went there again this weekend NO ICE! Some ducks around, but leary. Had one flock of very tired northern mallards (50-75) that came into the decoys while we were motoring around in our goose deeks. Very few flocks of mallards coming out of the north sky this weekend and last. The mudhens are sill very thick! That right there tells me most of the northern mallards are not around. Lots of ringers around still as well.

I vote for a season that extends well into December!!!!

how is a season in december going to help when all of the mallards are already migrating west of minnesota?

[Muthagoose]

Hey Carp ever been in the west metro during late season?? If not then thats why...

[CANOPY SAM]

csd kinda nailed it.

Had my eyes to the skies a lot this weekend expecting to see birds moving thru Northwest MN and witnessed VERY few of anything moving. Not sure if they 1) still aren't moving, 2) if there just isn't anything coming thru here anymore, or 3) they no longer exist at all!

Not much to hold em' in our area anymore. Crops are all off, and most of the fields are cultivated. What water is standing in fields is freezing over fast. If they do come down, they won't stay long.

I suspect, can't confirm, but suspect that many are moving down thru the dakotas, but am sure some are moving into central MN - south of us.

It's dissappointing, but without the wetlands we once had up here, I doubt much will change.

[creepworm]

I haven't hunted in Minnesota for a month or so, but I can say there are a ton of ducks in South Dakota right now. Do not have to try real hard or due a ton of scouting to have some amazing shoots.

[Maxxed Out]

The birds are stacked up high and deep on Lac qui parle. They haven't done a count in over a week but i would say the population is well over 75,000 honkers. Had an awesome weekend with some HSO posters ( 18 honkers on Saturday and....3 Specs!). I'll post some pictures when I get a chance

[mwal]

Was in Northwest WI from Wed to Sun I saw 5 hoodies that is it. Dismal. Used to be be excellent diver hunting in the area now nothing. Last good shoot 15 years ago. Now the same in MN. They are not coming.

Mwal