New Birds?

[big_fish_guy]

they are here!!
call from my dad just now from the blind. flocks of bills, 15-20 per flock, all over. I am picking up extra shells tonight on the way up.
THIS WILL BE THE WEEKEND!!
btw, we are out by lowry.

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[Guest]

Anything can happen in one day, I am seeing it myself here in Fergus Falls. Major migrations going on right now. Luckily I hunted this morning to watch it unfold. It is amazing!! Ducks were everywhere and just now I returned from the road and I watched Big V flocks of geese, mainly darks, some snows in every direction. Tundra Swans also.

The birds are unfortunately flying high and fast towards the south. Hopefully they will stop for a bit when the NW winds stop tonight.

[This message has been edited by CD (edited 10-31-2003).]

[fishface5]

I'm seeing bills on a lot of metro area lakes in my travels at work. are they really here or is it just the big city refuge syndrome? I think I'll try tommorrow AM. Come on wind.

[Old Guide]

I've been watching flights of geese and some swans heading south in big numbers since thurs. Today we had a high of 21. last night it got down to 12. It pretty much sealed up what duck shooting we had up here in nw mn. There are still some geese feeding in corn fields around TRF and believe it or not quite a few sand hill cranes!!

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[duckbuster]

Are you saying ALL the bills are gone from LOW?

[Goldy]

Came back from vacation to get some honey do's done and then back up to Big Stone Co. on Friday. Hopefully the Lakes will stay open for a couple more weeks. All the small ponds are frozen over, medium have parts of open water and big water is still ice free.(there is 4 inches of snow on the ground and the temp isn't suppose to break 28 this week.) We had big flocks of bills decoy Sunday and Monday but this morning only singles flying and decoying. We have noticed very few buffs, goldeneyes, and Cans around. Anyone else seeing this? Moved to the fields in the afternoon and like other posts the big geese are every where. Manage to also get some greenheads field hunting.

[IceHawk]

I hunted the Sauk River near Rockville tonight, shot a couple nice greenheads. The birds decoyed great saw around 100-150 mallards, I also saw alot of geese but they wouldn't decoy very well. With this cold weather comeing the small ponds and lakes will freeze solid makeing rivers extremely attractive to the ducks that want to stay around. I also saw numerous flocks of mallards yesterday landing in corn fields near St Joe.

[fishface5]

Mon. AM, saw a lot of divers, Bills I'm asuming. I could't hit a thing! My fault, not the ducks. Western Wright co.

[loosegoose]

Northern mallards are in the heat of their migration. They have been raining on the corn fields the last two nights, what a beautiful site, especially when they're right above you. Tried a morning hunt this morning but they were interested in the slough with a little open water instead of the corn field. Sounds like a cold night tonight so it may be the last chance to go out there and take advantage of it. Lac Qui Parle will be the next spot to get some of these mallards along with some canadas.

[bucktail]

icehawk
which direction from st. joe were those mallards workin?

[fishface5]

Doesn't anybody hunt the big lakes, Leech, Mille Lacs, Waconia, South by Mankato aren't there a bunch of deep lakes? What about the rivers? Someone posted lakes in the Willmar area where still open. Some of you have got to be getting out still don't you?

[Guest]

Almost all duck lakes were frozen solid near Willmar this weekend.

Green, Diamond, Elkhorn, Eagle, Florida, and Henderson were mainly ice-free.

Point was frozen out about half way although someone did break ice out there, and Nest was frozen out to the reeds near the access. Someone did break through out there but the ice looked to be about 3 inches thick. All other small lakes and sloughs were locked up tight, even saw a few fools ice fishing on Foot!!

Long and Norway both were ice free Friday night, but were locked up tight Saturday morning....they MIGHT re-open with the warm weather heading our way.

Birds were very scarce on Diamond Saturday morning, but saw a few more on Sunday.
Word has it that there are still fair ammount of birds to the North which I tend to believe since all the mallards shot this weekend were awfully skinny, not northern birds in my opinion.
Maybe this weekend will still be good.

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[This message has been edited by Tom Herman (edited 11-10-2003).]

[Guest]

My last hunt was Friday morning in Otter Tail County. The main lake was ice free at 5:30 a.m. and almost completely iced over by the time we left the lake at 9 a.m. There were hardly any birds....anywhere. We had to push the boat 20 yards to get to the open water. I have a feeling almost all the birds have passed through and I can deer hunt without feeling ducky.

I will sneak out and try a little ice fishing now on the lake I duck hunted just a few days ago!!

[This message has been edited by CD (edited 11-10-2003).]

[Mark Christianson]

CD
Very similar results for my outing last Friday.
My duck season is officially over.

[honker23]

I was out on thurs, ice-free and a fair amount of divers. We were able to get a limit. Sat went ount and had to break 3/4 inch of ice to hunt. Our hole in the ice didn't open up until the breeze picked up around 9:30. We had one flock of 100 mallards come in, but nothing more than 3 in a bunch the rest of the day. Locked solid sun and today. I still can't believe the mallards are through either, besides the on big flock, all others seemed to be locals. By the way I was near Mankato. Hoping for some more ducks!

[fishface5]

I was out today in Stearns Co. Saw a desent number of ducks, and quite a bit of ice. It's been an ugly season though. I'm attempting to hunt from a float tube, and it is deffinetly a learning experience. Visibility is realy tough so I have to be exactly where they want to land, not just wanting to take a passing look. I'm not sure they come in any better than when I'm in the boat or not. There have been a few times when they have but I don't know if the difficulties are worth it?

[Rick]

I saw several 1000 mallards feeding in fields - Steele county between Owatonna and Waseca.

Towards 4:45 pm they were getting up and heading to the NW. I'm assuming heading towards Moonan, Cannon River watershed or other ponds waterways in the area.

Saw a lot of geese headed towards Rochester from NE of Owatonna. We're talking a couple thousand birds.

These were not locals in either case.

They are all feeding in harvested cornfields.

[Flipnripem]

Hey Rick, thanx for the heads up. I`m right in the funnel for these birdies. Everyday I`m looking up and out for the cupped wings. My ears won`t quit ringing, to many shots fired I guess, and I can`t close my eyes at night. I`ve got it bad. I got to go I think I hear some. Flip

[Guest]

Was up on Leech last weekend and struggled to find open water. Broke ice on Winnie and had little success. Sunday went to southern end of Leech and bagged our limit in 2 hours. Went back early Monday and off the point with limit by 10:00am. All whistlers ( golden eyes ) and many mergansers in the air.
What a hunt!!

[Guest]

Was out last weekend on Leech, ice as far as the eye could see on the north end of lake. Went up to Winnie and cut through ice and had limited success. Sunday went to southern end of leech and found open water and shoot limit in 2 hours. Monday went back to southern end of Leech and had limit by 10:00. All whistlers ( golden eyes ) and many mergansers.

Great hunt!!