Waterfowl Report 11/26

[Duck-o-holic]

Well, this will probably be one of the last waterfowl reports for me for the year! Got out on Saturday morning to a slough I usually hunt each year, but hadn't been to yet this season. Went to it blind, without having scouted or glassed it. Kicked one mallard off on the way in... and kicked off three more on the way out 2 hours later. Didn't see a bird in the sky in-between!

Made the mistake of taking Sunday off-- I think it would have been good gunning preceeding the weather we got today!

This morning found me yet again, battling the elements in an effort to bag a few birds before the season closes. I was surprised to see no snow when I got up just before 4am. The wind sure was a howlin' however! Hunted a private lake south of Fergus. Didn't see a ton of ducks, but what we did see, we managed to bring in. Had 2,000 + geese cut accross our spot all morning in flocks of 2 to 60. It would have been an interesting day had the season been open, as they were flying an average of 20 yards off the water in a constant procession to the cornfields!! Looked like a Les Kouba print, seeing them buck up against the wind-driven snow... GOTTA LOVE IT!!!

My partner and I ended up bagging 7 drake mallards, and one mistake hen. Missed a couple of gimmies before shooting the last one. Gotta keep humble ya know! It wouldn't be fun anymore if you couldn't curse yourself out for poor shooting once and a while!! Was definitely a hunt I'll always remember. I was glad when we finally pulled into the driveway though, as the weather got really snotty!! Found the boat trailer tire was off the rim when I got out. Glad it had just happened-- not the weather to get stranded in on a gravel road!!

Hope everyone that battled the elements today had safe and successful hunts!

Good Gunnin'

Duck-o-holic

[GullGuide]

Well,
Not too much shooting for me on Monday. Saw a ton of ducks just before shooting and just before the snow started to fly, then nothing.
Thought about getting out to a secret hot-spot for the evening shoot, but decided against it since I had a 60 mile drive back home.
Took me 3 hours to get from Willmar to St. Cloud...YUCK!
Can't wait till next year!
>"////=<

[GullGuide]

Wow,
Just heard that Willmar/New London got 18" of snow!! I got out just in time I guess.
>"////=<

[Guest]

Well my spot is still holding strong. I have a crummy hunt the other mornng but did bag 2 geese but this morning a few came in and I did manage my limit. I cant wait for late season goose hunting if they are still in the area. Should be a great time. I haven't been seeing ducks in the field for the last few days so I can say that my duck season was about over no matter what. But the goose season is holding on strong. I think that I am going out in the morning if the weather looks ok. Hope the boss doesn't mind!

[Duck-o-holic]

Wall-I,

Glad to see there are some other fowlin' fools out there braving the elements. I found a field by Fergus on my way home yesterday that was just STACKED with mallards! Unfortunately, someone beat me in asking permission for it. Just wondering if you are hunting near St.Cloud, as I was in the no goose zone where I was seeing birds? Are you in a plowed field, or just cut. I was only seeing birds in stock-chopped corn fields... nothing in any plowing.

Good Gunnin'

Duck-o-holic

[Guest]

Duck-o-holic,

I have been hunting near St. Cloud just out of city limits. The field is about 50 acres big and it is a plowed corn field. The guy that farms the land does a bad job so their is still corn stubble sticking out with corn cobs. Not the normal looking plowed field that is just black and plowed. They ducks and geese seem to love it or should I say that they did. I didn't go out this morning but I did drive by a few times and nothing was flying or sitting in the field so I think that they might have moved on. Oh well I just hope that more filter in during the late goose season.