Waterfowl Report 11/16

[Duck-o-holic]

Well, I managed to crawl out of the slough once again to check my computer. Here's the latest report:

Weather... STILL CRAPPY!!!! Hot and sunny-- a duck hunters nightmare! I've finally heard words of salvation from the weatherman with the onslaught of some cold temps and a system moving in soon!!

Ducks... Large Numbers!!! The birds that you find now, are likely to be very concentrated! Many northern mallards in the state. Divers are spread out, my traditional spots aren't holding large numbers, but BIG water is where I'd look (Winne, LOW, Leech, Mille Lacs backwater, etc...) Many of the early-migrating divers are already in the southern climes. Not much for cans, redheads, and buffleheads where I've been gunning. Goldeneyes haven't even THOUGHT of migrating yet

Geese... Do I even need to commint here? With this weather, there are geese-o-plenty all over!!! The problem is, finding areas open to hunting them right now! I'd personally like to see the West Zone move its boundaries further west than Hway 71. There isn't much for EPP geese in the Willmar area, which is what they are trying to protect!!

Weather... CRAPPY... Oh, did I say that already?

This morning found Gullguide and I teaming up to do some mallard shooting again. We saw 2,000+ mallards (can't say where-- already sworn to secrecy on that one) on the lake we hunted. We set up in the exact spot that they had vacated to feed their fat bellies on corn. There was no wind at all (@*$ weather again!!) when we set out our "Monster" spread of 13 dozen dekes. By the time we accomplished this and settled in, the wind picked up, and was at a cross to us, which wasn't the end of the world, but it did eventually change to a wind in our faces (not good). With that many dekes out, we didn't move the spread. We did still manage to decoy birds, and shoot a limit of mallards, with a bonus drake goldeneye (must have been a local ). We did not see geese to speak of, nor divers, save the "local goldeneye", a flock of mergansers, and a flock of ruddies. In all, it was a great hunt, that resulted from diligently scouting to find the birds! And no, we didn't have any birds come in while the guns were cased

Good Gunnin'

Duck-o-holic

[Duck-o-holic]

Bump...

Has everyone else hung it up for the year? No other reports out there???

[Sartell Angler]

Well duckoholic, i was planning on hunting the willmar area tomorrow, but i guess i might not now because of the likely rain in the forecast. However, if it's nice at all in the next 5 days i'll be out-- can't believe the season's almost over! Good luck if you head out, i've been seeing more ducks in the area.

Sartell Angler

[Guest]

I thought all of you duck hunters lived for ugly weather

Paul

[Borch]

When out this morning and got a couple. Saw lots of divers but no interest. Lokking for bigger water. On the way home drove past a small lake that was cover with blue bills. Of course it's one I don't have permission to hunt Oh well. I'll be back out tommorrow.

[Guest]

I have been out goose and duck hunting in a corn field for the last 2 mornings and have seen and decoyed more birds than I have in a long time. Yesterday was by far the best that I have ever had. My buddy and I got out around 6 and set out about 6 dozen goose decoys and 2 dozen mallards. At first light the ducks went nuts we had flocks of 50 or better mallards falling into our spread. And shortly after the geese were their in monstrous numbers. Their must have been at least 200-300 ducks and geese landing into our decoys at one point. The action lasted until about 10 went we wrapped up with limits of both geese and mallards. This morning it was very foggy and a tough hunt didn't see many and only managed to get 2 geese and 6 ducks. What a great time though, hope that its not foggy out tomorrow morning.

[Flick]

Anybody know what it's like in the western part of the state around Morris. Might go out there on Sunday. Thanks

[Sartell Angler]

Just got back from out west and there are ducks EVERYWHERE! Too bad the season ends tuesday, but I guess there's always next year. I drove by Mud Lake on the way out there, and I was in awe -- that looks like the single best duckin' water in the state. Duck o Holic and GullGuide, what kind of rig do you guys use on Mud? I'm planning on camo-ing our canoe in the off season, but it's pretty obvious i'll need something bigger for Mud. I spose a 14 footer with a reliable 10 horse would work, eh? I am also planning on making some stabilizer poles for the canoe, as well as constructing a collapsible blind for it. What do you guys use for concealment?

thanks, SA.

[GullGuide]

Hey Sartell,
A 14 ft'er would suffice, I'd be hesitant about using a canoe, although you would be able to hunt where most of us can't and that's in the rice. It gets a bit rough out there in the middle, that's why most of us who hunt it have 16 ft'rs.
As for camo, almost everyone uses the same set-up. We take natural grass and weave it into chicken wire and use poles to place it around the boat. It's a traditional thing because most of us do not know one another but we all use the same type of set-up.
Just so you know what you are getting into, Mud lake has A LOT of hunters on it. There are at least 4 duck camps (or clubs) that I know of, a usually full public access, and at least 3 or 4 private accesses all of which have more than one boat come out of them. People sometimes sleep overnight out in the bogs to get spots, and do not be surprised if someone sets up less than 50 yards away from you, it's happened to me many times.
I've had to get out at 2 am before to get the choice spots and another problem is having a lot of people come out and start setting up and driving around right during prime time shooting. There are a lot of people who think they have an anti-aircraft gun in their boat instead of a 12 gauge, a lot of really bad callers and most boats use at least 6 dozen dekes. Almost every boat has at least 1 robo-duck with many having 2 or 3, and there are some groups out there who shoot a ton of birds on the water and definitely take more than their limit, shooting a bunch and having the second boat in their party run to shore with their birds then come back. And I've seen spots where 3 boats will hunt together in different bogs but shoot and retrieve ducks for one another, apparently they don't know party hunting is illegal.
Other than that, it can be a good lake.
>"////=<

[Guest]

Hey, that sounds a lot like North Lake just south of Hastings. Anyone who's hunted it knows what I'm talking about.

Man, I hope some of you folks had a good shoot this morning. Easily the best looking day of the season. I hunted north of Cambridge. Apparently, I am very near sited because I saw 3 ducks the whole morning. Not too good. Never saw a migrating flock. I was crushed.

That wraps up my season, which was highlighted by many a poor decision. However, I don't feel discouraged. In fact, I can hardly wait until next year.

Thanks to everyone for all the reports and good information throughout the season. And, a special thanks to GullGuide for facilitating this forum (and to Rick for allowing it to occur).

[Sartell Angler]

I hear ya gullguide. I'm part of a hunting club on a lake in the area, and we don't have to worry about all those problems you mentioned because the club owns the whole lake (actually, it's 2 lakes with a small pass in between, which is where i hunt). If i would hunt Mud, I would do it on a weekend my grandpa / uncle weren't going to the duck cabin, and it would just be me and a buddy going out to mud, hunting the rice w/ my canoe. We do have a 16 ft. fishing boat with a 50 horse on it, but although it is tan, the inside has dark red carpeting that would be like a red flag to the ducks. Thanks for your help. Your posts have been fun to read and very informative. Good luck for the remaining 2 days of the season. I'm gonna try to get out on Tuesday after school. Be careful if you go out tomorrow -- apparently 6-8 inches of snow with 30 mph winds in the afternoon.

S.A.

[Guest]

Well I went out on Sunday morning and had another awesome hunt. The sky was cloudy and it was sleeting out. I watched tons of geese fly just south of me but never looked. Than they started coming in and what a great time. I had my 2 geese on the ground in no time and the mallards were fun to. I was back home by 9 with a limit of geese and mallards. Well now the snow came in and I think they all moved south. Oh well it was fun while it lasted. It is just nasty out tonight!!

[Flick]

I was out by Morris on Sun. morning. Three of us got 7, 4 mallards, 2gw teal and a goldeneye. Tons of mallards in big flocks. Got one flock of 50 or so to come in. Screwed up on a couple more good size flocks going by in shooting range thinking they'd come in closer but never did. Probably could have had our three geese, too bad you can't shoot em right now. No divers seen other than the one we got. The mallards we got out of the big flock were chock full of corn, it was stuck to the top of their mouths. Today could have been awesome with the snow. By the way where is mud lake, I don't plan on going there but am curious where it is. Thanks.