So how was the season?

[GullGuide]

On a scale of 1-10...one being the late 80's and a 10 being nirvana...lol...how would you rate the season?
For the times I got out, I would have to say mine fell between a 7 and an 8.
What do you think?

[Guest]

Between a 9 and a 10. By far the best year I have had, too bad I didn't get out more. Maybe next year!

[Sartell Angler]

I thought last year would be tough to beat, but this year takes the cake. Last year I shot about 17 ducks, and this year I got over 30. The big difference was with the geese....last year i got one, and this year my brother and I have gotten about 15 or so. But it's not just about shooting. We had a great time this year, and got out hunting every weekend and a day or two during the week. My brother and I got a duckboat with a blind, 9.9horse and trailer for a good deal, so we put that to good use. We got a lot of other gear as well, including bluebill dekes and more mallard/honker dekes. Our 8 year old golden had a banner year......fought the cold with a passion and even managed to kick up some roosters. He enjoyed fighting the coon on an island on the Mississippi, until my younger brother stepped in and let the coon have a taste of some Kent Fasteel. We ended up finding some great new places to hunt, and built some relationships with several landowners. I will be sure to send them each a christmas present. Shot some new species this year as well......I got my first shoveler and gadwall, and my brother got his first pintail( we've clearly never been to ND, but hopefully next season! I hope everyone had a great 60 days......I know I sure did. Am looking forward to the late goose season, ice fishing.....and of course next years duck season.......hopefully i can bag my first canvasback. Take care everyone and keep in touch over the off season! I want to see the waterfowl/dogs thread active over the winter, spring, and summer. By the way I'm an 18 year old who has been hunting for about 5 years. Post up everyone.......
Sartell Angler
P.S.-- hope nobody falls asleep reading this.....it went a little longer than expected.

[Guest]

Had a good season.....bout 7 for ducks and 8 for geese...

Still hunting geese.

Right now our crew is well into triple digits for a kill count of ducks and geese.

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[This message has been edited by GullGuide (edited 12-05-2002).]

[BLACKJACK]

I'd give the season about a 5. It started out real slow, the ducks just weren't around early on, not even the wood ducks, but then I had 2-3 good mallard/teal hunts late. The one hunt ranks as one of my best ever, the ducks kept on coming, we were picking up decoys when the sun came up!! The kind of hunt that creates memories keeps you coming back thru the slow times!!

[This message has been edited by BLACKJACK (edited 12-05-2002).]

[Guest]

I would score this year about 8. The first week or two around my place was very poor. By the third week it really heated up and every hunt from there on was grand. I'd have to say I had a similiar season as last year, but I saw and experienced more migrations this year than in year's past, and with the cold fall the birds were in larger numbers in a relatively short period of time.

[Guest]

Well I would have to rate my season about 7.5. I didn't get out nearly as much I wanted because of work!!But what do you do.Now I am in the process of moving so there in no late season goose hunting for this guy!The opener was one of my best hunts,went up by bemidji & shot my first ringbill drake (nice one at that)!We had the hole lake to ourselfs,that's not what I'm used to being in the SW!Well I will try a little ice fishing & then get ready for MO,& SD snow goose hunting!!! Good luck thru the off season & keep this forum going!

[Guest]

I'd give it a 7-8, by far my best year for ducks and geese. Anybody still intrested in going for some late season geese? I have two dozen field decoys and am itching to get out there one more time.

[EW6]

I never hunted the 80's but for me this year was all in all really good. Probably a 9 just because I hunted really well (after 4 years of being the one making the decisions I finally know what I am doing and don't make those dumb mistakes like set up with the wind at my 12:00 o'clock anymore), the ducks seemed to migrate on the days I was hunting and it was a safe year for all that hunted with me. I didn't hunt as often as last year but shot a lot more birds. But most of all I had some great experiences this year. I got to have a couple fantastic hunts where the ducks poured in just like you dream of. I had a hunt where I shot a triple a double and a single, all teal, and all in only the first 5 minutes of the day. I brought two non-duck hunting friends out on a mallard migration day where we had at least 2 dozen flocks over 20 birds lock up in the dekes. I also had the single best hunt of my life ...We have hunting rights to a small private lake that is normally barren but we found it with several hundred Ringbills in it one afternoon. The next morning it all froze except for a small hole the Ringers kept open. We scared off all the birds and they came back at shooting time by the hundreds. They would drop down from behind us through the trees at our backs with the sound of their wings cutting the air the whole time. They all wanted into our spot and we limited quickly. Then just sat there and watched them drop down and circle the lake which was completely frozen by the time we were all done shooting. It was one of those days you dream about and never fully appreciate until you are looking at empty skies some morning. I am not sure I will ever be able to have a more awe inspiring morning, but of course I'll be out there another 20 times next year trying. I hope everyone had as good a year, I cannot wait for it to start all over again,

Eric

[Duck-o-holic]

Overall, I'd have to rate the year as a 7. Had several days that were definitely 10's, but it seemed that things were not as consistant this year as they normally have been, and also it took more scouting than usual to find the big concentrations during mid-season.

As ususal, it was great to get out with a lot of different faces. Guided a friend to one of his first geese, hunted a lot with a brother who recently moved back to Minnesota. Hit a couple annual lakes with Gull and his Dad. Made it out quite a bit, and still managed to hang onto my job

In all, a lot of great memories! I would have to say that the goose hunting was a solid 9 for me... and they were found a little more consistantly and easily. But the mallards weren't there in the numbers we are used to on opening weekend. I thought the migration was strange this year. Seemed to get pushes at different times with the Dakotas freezing earlier than normal. It was another (the second) consecutive year where you could hunt the full 60 days of the season... although that last day the only water we hit was that which the mallards and geese were keeping open. I regretted only getting in a couple of hunts with it snowing a bit. Didn't seem the same with brown ground all around.

Can't wait to hit 'em hard again next season!

Good Gunnin'

Duck-o-holic