Duck Reports?

[Duck-o-holic]

What's everyone out there seeing for ducks lately? When out looking for goose spots, I haven't seen too many ducks this week. Those that I saw were pretty concentrated, and the water levels have been pretty low. As far as species go, mostly mallards and teal... with a few wood ducks mixed in. The spots with the most birds have been sloughs that were low... with a lot of shoreline showing. I've mainly been in areas from the New London to Benson. The geese are out there, but also a bit concentrated.

What's everyone else seeing???

Duck-o-holic

[Seabass77]

Around the metro, I have seen very few ducks. Especially compared to last year at this time. I hope it isn't a sign of the upcoming season.

[Riverratpete]

All the little sloughs and holding ponds that I drive by in the north metro all have broods in them (multiple). Looks to be mostly teal/mallards. I'm sure it will be spotty this year like all the others and if your in the right place at the right time you'll do outstanding, marginal areas will get some shooting but not as much as the good areas. Kinda like when the grouse #'s are down,the great habitat areas always hold some birds and the marginal areas don't. Can't wait though starting to smell it in the air in the morning.

[BLACKJACK]

Not seeing much I drive by 7-8 sloughs on the way to work and only one (by the Florda sloughs) has broods on it on a consistant basis. I have 5 ponds at my place and only saw 3 broods all spring. Not going to be a good year for duck hunting.

[Guest]

I've been seeing quite a few while out fishing. Many are still quite young, and a lot have been up on shore or in the weeds. I have seen more woodies this year than I have in the past 10.

It will be quite the interesting opener.

Hey Duck, good to see you back! Call me sometime.

[full force five]

You prolly wont see much right now. Most duck broods are in and around cover. I have seen small flocks both ducks and geese in the air already. Almost every pond by my house has duck broods. The pond in my back yard has two broods of mallards on it, one with 4 and on with 6. I feel things are better than last year. Much better water conditions, last year we had bascially no rain from about mid-june on. There might even be too much water!

[bigbucks]

I've seen mostly wood ducks, probably about the same as last year. I live on a small river though, so it's generally 90+% woodies, with a few teal, & even fewer mallards. When we went to Devils Lake in June it seemed like there were less ducks than normal along Hwy 2, but I don't know that I've ever gone that time of year, so that may be normal.

[fishface5]

Seeing lots of ducks on the river N. of St. Cloud, geese too. Lots of ducks in town, Big Lake. Mallards. Some teal towards Buffalo. I'll have to go take a look at Pelican lk. usualy it's full of ducks till opener.

[Sartell Angler]

Not seeing much for numbers, but then again not out in the country much this time of year either. Saw a few broods on the drive from Sartell up to Ely last week, but that is only driving by a few lakes, most of which are not shallow / weedy. The mallards and geese are starting to group up on the river in town it seems.

S.A.

[jblabsnduck]

DUCKS DUCKS DUCKS everywhere. I drive from Shakopee to New Hope everyday and to day I saw a ton of ducks flying. Everywhere I looked there where ducks in the air.

[Roosterslayer05]

I have seen tons of broods this year, Some have already had a second brood. This is prob the most and biggest broods I have seen in the last couple years. The ducks hunting should be good around the mille Lacs area on opener. They are all mallerds with a few goldeneyes.

[Riverratpete]

tell ya what, the way this weather has been this past spring and summer we may be done by deer opener anyways with the freeze up, did I see frost in the paper for Tower last week? good thing we have an early opener.

[Duck-o-holic]

Lots of mixed reports out there! I'm just glad that some areas are seeing so many birds! I just got back from SD last night, and had a chance to see a lot of area out west. Again, the birds were mostly in small pockets in certain areas. The water levels were also down a LOT out there. Did not see much for geese until we got closer to the MN border.

On a positive note, we saw a ton of pheasants! Many broods of all sizes. Should be a great year for pheasants!

Good Gunnin'

Duck-o-holic