bean field this year

[booger]

So one of my spots went from corn to beans. Last year the corn was cut a bit high, not sure if that factored into them not coming into the spread... So will this help or hurt?

More info there are 2 small ponds on the property that do hold a couple birds and this year a goose had goslings on top of a beaver/otter mound in one of them. There is a bigger lake close by that held maybe 200 geese, but they flew everywhere but to my spread last year, including the guy down the road plucking them out of the sky

Any tips/info is appreciated!

[Finlander]

If your spot is beans this year then you better find another field. They'll go into the beans later in the season, but I would try to find a wheat or oat field if possible. I saw a couple years ago a bean field wiped out by hail and the geese were thick in there eating the dead dried out beans. The whole bean field laid flat after the hail did it's damage so the beans were easy pickins for the geese! Good Luck!

[TylerS]

So one of my spots went from corn to beans. Last year the corn was cut a bit high, not sure if that factored into them not coming into the spread... So will this help or hurt?

More info there are 2 small ponds on the property that do hold a couple birds and this year a goose had goslings on top of a beaver/otter mound in one of them. There is a bigger lake close by that held maybe 200 geese, but they flew everywhere but to my spread last year, including the guy down the road plucking them out of the sky

Any tips/info is appreciated!

Just having a field does not equate to waterfowl hunting success.

It doesn't mean you absolutely won't have success, but hunts are much more productive if you scout and find fields that the birds want to be in.

Bean fields are excellent for waterfowl after they are harvested IF you can find adequate cover. A lot of times this isn't possible, but some of my best waterfowl hunts ever have been in pea and bean fields.

If birds are bypassing your field and you want to be successful, I would recommend running as large of a spread as possible and calling like a semi-truck full of party horns. You'll be running traffic, so you need to try and make the birds think that your field is where the party's at. Not an easy thing to do, but with the right decoys, enough calling and REALLY GOOD COVER, you'll pull birds.

That's my 2 cents. Good luck!

[booger]

My worry is even if I do scout, can I get access? I suppose now is the time to go door knocking.

[TylerS]

My worry is even if I do scout, can I get access? I suppose now is the time to go door knocking.

Well...sort of. It's sort of like playing the lottery this time of year: you can get buy a whole bunch of Powerballs, but your chances of hitting it big are still slim.

Best way to scout is during the season, the day before the hunt.

What you COULD do this time of year is at least familiarize yourself with the area and the people who live there. Get yourself a county PLAT book with names of who owns what property. Then start banging on doors and introduce yourself as an (I'm assuming) honorable, safe, conservation-minded hunter who will leave any ground he hunts on better off than when he found it. It doesn't really make sense to lock up land now that might not produce, but it won't hurt to at least be friendly and introduce yourself.

[booger]

Thats part of the problem, do you ask when they are busy? I've heard if you ask around hunting season they won't give you the time of day.

btw thanks for the tips, I'm working on getting a better spread and some layout blinds. I've been thinking about just standing in the pond in my waders and throwing a couple decoys out.

[Maxxed Out]

We don't have much/any wheat or oats in western mn so I can't speak to if they'll go in there before soybeans. However I can tell you we kill a lot of honkers in soybeans when the corn isn't out yet because there is no other option for them. The only thing that is a challenge is hiding in a soybean field. I've always compared hunting a soybean field to trying to hide on top of a pool table. That being said it can be done.

There is never going to be a perfect time. The very worst thing they can do is say no. Tyler is right you can start now but really what you're trying to do is predict what their favorite restaurant will be in about 4 months. You're better off waiting to find out where their eating in a couple months and then wait under the table at their favorite booth :-)

[Gordie]

My worry is even if I do scout, can I get access? I suppose now is the time to go door knocking.

Yep The sooner you find out the better. I found out its best to start a landowner, hunter/sportsman relationship the sooner the better it also can make it easier to get their friends to give permission on adjacent properties if they hear good reports about you from them.

I have had it happen once or twice where a landowner actually asked fellow landowners for permisssion for me with out me knowing and that was a great suprise.

[booger]

Yep The sooner you find out the better. I found out its best to start a landowner, hunter/sportsman relationship the sooner the better it also can make it easier to get their friends to give permission on adjacent properties if they hear good reports about you from them.

I have had it happen once or twice where a landowner actually asked fellow landowners for permisssion for me with out me knowing and that was a great suprise.

I'm hoping that will turn into this. The person I know is a co-worker and we have a pretty good relationship. The property has been in her family for quite a while so I think she knows all her neighbors.

I'd really like to get on that lake behind her with all the geese but there are docks and houses, so probably not a good idea.