Waterfowl synopsis ( Regs) ?

[Stringerless!]

When ? Dying to know the new rules about remote dekes, rumors about layout boats and open water hunting, late season zone...... I may have to retool my whole operation !

[Storm]

Most likely won't be official for a few weeks yet but I have heard that remotes will be legal whereever mojo's have been legal in the past. Also that the addition of open water hunting in layout boats will only be implaced on a few lakes in each area to just test it out for the first season. Again though these are also just the rumors I have heard about what is going to happen as well though.

[Maxxed Out]

Usually these are announced the week leading up to Gamefair.

[Stringerless!]

Thanks

[Finlander]

Duck regs announced. 3 zones this year!

http://news.dnr.state.mn.us/2012/07/31/60-day-3-zone-waterfowl-season-will-open-sept-22/

[Scott M]

LOVE IT!

People wander if a DNR commissioner can make a difference. I'm convinced that if Tom Landwehr was not your commissioner, you wouldn't be seeing these changes.

[PerchJrkr]

Irritating. They screwed it up even worse.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Irritating. They screwed it up even worse.

What would you change about this year's regs?

[PerchJrkr]

Well, last year I sat in the goose decoys and watched mallards hover 20' in front of my face for 2 weeks after the season closed. This year they closed it even earlier. This whole early season opening is a joke. The blue wing teal migrate first week of Sept, so 85% of the teal are in southern Iowa or Missouri by our "early" opener. Also, instead of a 4 bird limit on mallards with 2 hens, why not go with a 5 bird limit and stay with one hen!? Its retarded. We get 2 years of great hatches, lets shoot more hens. Seems bass-ackward to me.

[Maxxed Out]

We shot good numbers of teal through the end of October last year by Marsh lake. There are good numbers of mallards that winter in western MN that doesn't mean we should be upset that we can't shoot them in January. I think what the DNR has done with the season in the last 5 years has been great and a huge upgrade from 10 years ago.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

I agree, it sucks to have mallards working goose spreads after the season closes. I really think a separate teal season would solve the issue of running out of days for the late season. Have a 7-10 day teal season in mid september, then open the "regular" duck season in mid october. But then again, you'll get guys that will complain about missing opportunity to hunt calendar migrators, and honestly, there are plenty of young mallards that are migrating in october as well. I don't think there will ever be a solution that makes everybody happy, but I'm glad they are at least trying something out.

[BrdHunter01]

Well, last year I sat in the goose decoys and watched mallards hover 20' in front of my face for 2 weeks after the season closed. This year they closed it even earlier. This whole early season opening is a joke. The blue wing teal migrate first week of Sept, so 85% of the teal are in southern Iowa or Missouri by our "early" opener. Also, instead of a 4 bird limit on mallards with 2 hens, why not go with a 5 bird limit and stay with one hen!? Its retarded. We get 2 years of great hatches, lets shoot more hens. Seems bass-ackward to me.

Agree, I like the 3 zones but opener is WAY to early! MN doesn't raise teal anymore anyway. We had great teal shoots in october last year but those weren't MN teal....

I also wish they would have kept it 1 hen mallard.

Also did I miss something or did it not mention cans?

[PerchJrkr]

I have had a buddy tell me for years that the peak of the blue-winged teal migration in first week of september through Iowa. I never beleived him until last year. Scouting early season honkers the ponds were FULL of blue wingers. 20-30 in every puddle I saw. By the end of the weekend, mid week they were all gone! I think early season opened Sept 4th last year? That puts the big push out of here the 6-8th. Iowa the 8-10.

[RuddyDuck]

I like the early opener, it gives me a chance to hunt with my daughter more, who doesn't like the cold. Also it seemed like we would get a frost right before the opener and the early birds would leave, now we might get a shot at them. Though it is never a sure thing.

They'll never make everyone happy, but like others have said at least they are trying new things.

Heck, it could be a 30 day season closing by Nov 10 and 3 birds like it was from 88-94, I think I will take what we have now anyday over that!

[Scott M]

Dang those federal flyway waterfowl biologists, they should know that the ducks haven't even fledged by September 22, let alone September 8!

[Gordie]

LOVE IT!

People wander if a DNR commissioner can make a difference. I'm convinced that if Tom Landwehr was not your commissioner, you wouldn't be seeing these changes.

Yep

This should work out just fine and keep it interesting .

You will never please all of the people all of the time.

Have a great season everyone!!!

[the man]

Did I read that right where it says you can now shoot 4 bluebills? I have a feeling this year will be insane.

[jparrucci]

I still don't see the 2012 Waterfowl supplement on the dnr's HSOforum. Early season goose is less than two weeks away. They said 212 was the border of the central and southern duck zones, but 212 does not go all the way to the WI border, rather ends at 494. One month out from duck opener, still no final regs.

[booger]

I still don't see the 2012 Waterfowl supplement on the dnr's HSOforum. Early season goose is less than two weeks away. They said 212 was the border of the central and southern duck zones, but 212 does not go all the way to the WI border, rather ends at 494. One month out from duck opener, still no final regs.

Really frustrating, is it like this every year?

[jparrucci]

It is usually in August, but before now. Not that it matters, you have to be a lawyer to understand the regs anyways. I still have no idea if you can hunt small rivers and streams, the actually use a triple negative in the wording. I am headed to Arkansas in December or January for ducks. Their regs are about 5 pages. Pretty straight forward: limit is _. Season dates are _. Don't use grenades or uzis. Go get em boys. Here, they use difficult or vague wording, and way too many if then scenarios. I am glad I don't deer hunt. Those are even worse.

[mallardnwalleye]

My guess is they will run the late season line across 494 to 10 to Prescott as that is where WI starts it's late season.

The early goose regs are out and the duck regs are always late as the flyways don't finalize until early Aug. (I think).

I am very happy with the new Regs as they expand opportunity.

Ar

It is usually in August, but before now. Not that it matters, you have to be a lawyer to understand the regs anyways. I still have no idea if you can hunt small rivers and streams, the actually use a triple negative in the wording. I am headed to Arkansas in December or January for ducks. Their regs are about 5 pages. Pretty straight forward: limit is _. Season dates are _. Don't use grenades or uzis. Go get em boys. Here, they use difficult or vague wording, and way too many if then scenarios. I am glad I don't deer hunt. Those are even worse.

I agree complicated regs are a pain.

Arkie does have some of those comlex regs as well in some WMA's -15 shell limit, 25 hp limit, 3 mallards only, gotta stop by 12:00pm.

The more people and the more intense their pursuit the more regs.

Canada used to have the simplest- 8 of anything- as they don't have many people hunting. That is changing as well.

[booger]

Hey its online now, 'bout time!

[BrdHunter01]

Don't get why the canvasback limit is still 1....