field reports

[Thunderchicken]

Weel I'm sorry to here that a lot of you guys had a tough time over there in MN. I'm originally from Appleton MN and talked with some guys over at the Marsh Lake area and they had a tough time as well. It took a lot of them all day to get half limits. I now live in SD and have had the best waterfowl hunting ever. I have hunted the same slew opening weekend and the second weekend and have limited out everytime. Some days it takes an hour and others it nmay take till noon. It is usually three of us hunting with out a dog which makes things harder. Sat. we didn't even shoot a mallard! We got 6 bwt, 3 wideons, 2 pintails, 3 woodies, 4 gadwals, and 3 geese and was done by 8:20. But Sunday was a diffent story. We got 11 mallards, 3 pintails, 4 widgeon and 5 geese and was doen by 7:50. I think the differanc was we didn't have the mogo with on Sat. and we did on Sun. Hope that this weekend is as good. I tell you what if anyone does come over let me know we always have room for one more!!

Happy hunting!

[ChuckN]

SEWalleye, I thought I heard a shot or 2 from your direction on Sunday morning. I'm hunting just to to east of you about a mile or so.

jerk'n, the rice crop turned out pretty good given the cool summer. Early to mid-September dumped about 8-10" of rain which really filler it up. The ducks appear to have left the area after Sunday's appearance. I haven't observed much. I do field hunt for geese sometimes, I have a couple dozen silouettes, that's about it. Give me a shout if you want to hunt. chunord at yahoo

[ATM]

Thunder, where in SD are you huntinh. Adam

[SEwalleye]

Chuck-

That was me missing a pair of mallards that came in. Any advice on the area? Is the spot I'm hunting a decent spot or should I be looking elsewhere? I'm heading back up this weekend because it looks like a cold front is pushing through on Friday. Maybe is will bring a few ducks into the area. Thanks again!

[honker23]

I know this is a little late..
We had a slow opener for our standards, only 8 and a goose on sat. Sun was better with 15. We were surprised with the lack of teal on our slough. Guys with permission to hunt the flooded fields just pounded limits of mallards, especially on sun. We hunt in south central MN. Good luck to all this weekend.

[Thunderchicken]

ATM,

Say we went out in the Brookings area this past weekend but it all depends on the time of year where we end up going. We have some spots over in the Mitchell area and up in the Webster area. Like I said it all depends on the weather and the hunting pressure. Because everything we hunt in public land. Never had to really had to find a private place. After about the 2nd or 3rd weekend you will never see another duck hunter the rest of the season because of the " Ditch Parrot " season opens then and everyone is after them.

Happy Huntting!

[ChuckN]

SEWalleye,
I'm pretty sure I know where you guys are. I would hunt the shallow, rice pond early season and hunt the other deep one late season.

[SEwalleye]

Thanks Chuck! I have only found the deepwater area. Which is the shallower pond? Good luck this weekend!

[ChuckN]

SEeye, I didn't see your first post, I didn't know you hunted a WPA. I've been wanted to try those spots, but never have.
This weekend could be better?? It's is darn cold out, 39 degrees right now! Good luck.

[Flashman]

We had one of the best openers I can remember. 3 of us filled up Saturday morning at 10:34;15 teal, 1 mallard a ring neck and a red head. Sunday we had 4 hunters, 15 ducks mix of teal and mallards and 2 spooners and a goose. Talking with others that were hunting around us we by far did better then them. Hunted the south shore of Lake of th Woods. I guess we were just in the right spot.

[black max]

We had a slow opener on the snake river near pine city. I was just up there again this morning with a buddy and I was shocked to hardly even see a duck much less be able to shoot at one. Just about all of the resident ducks in this area have left with the arrival of the colder weather. I also talked to a guy who had hunted near hinkley yesterday and this morning and he reported some ducks yesterday and nothing at all today.

I sure hope therre are some northern birds on thier way down, because there is some slim pickinings out there now.

[This message has been edited by black max (edited 10-02-2004).]

[set the drag]

went out yesterday and shot
1 mally
1 bwt.
Today went out with
1 woody
1 Pretty ringneck( mounting)
1 nice woody drake

been a good season for me a the fellas that r in my boat at least three ducks a day except yesterday so far.
hope my shooting stays good if a flock comes in there is usually ducks on the water. what a good start to the season
All ducks came off of north middle lake (nicollet MN)

[superfish2]

Hunted this morning on north lake. Incredibly slow. It normaly sounds like a arty barrage out there. Only a handfull of shots heard. Very few ducks. Saw maybe 50 total. Lots of seagull pelicans and comorats though.

[set the drag]

went out to middle lake this morning and ended up with the first lost bird and 1 nice widgeon and 1 bwt
a lot of geese to be had, saw four hit the water.
still to many hunters around lots of decoying ducks but seems to me if you have birds coming in so does someone else and bang bang bang your screwed for that flock.

season is going real good for our party

[Duck-o-holic]

Hunting was mixed for us this weekend. I hunted Swan Lake (Nicolette) on Friday. Not many birds flying. Most were scrap ducks, with very few mallards. Saw two flocks of geese. 12 rigs at the NW landing. 0 ducks for two guys.

Saturday was much better. Ended up shooting 11 ducks and a goose for 3 guys. More hunters to move the birds around. Ended up with 7 different species of ducks (bwt, gwt, gadwall, wigeon, shoveler, ringbill, mallard). Nice to see some variety in the air.

Sunday was slower, with only 4 ducks in the bag. It's been a strange season for us this year. Can't wait for the migrants to get here!

Good Gunnin'

Duck-o-holic

[Farley]

Went out Fri morning and saw 2 woodies and saw 1 mallard as we were picking up the dekes.

Sat morn, went to a different pond with 3 guys. Shot 7 Mallards, 4 BWT, 1 pintail, 1 gadwall. All before 7:45.

[Riverratpete]

Hunted large North Central lake, take heart folks in the south, there are birds coming after what I saw Sat AM. Cloud like flocks of Ringnecks off to the NE but they would get up fly around the lake and then sit back down, every now and then would get a small flock to break off and fly close, not interested in our area, did end up getting a nice colorful greenhead and a teal that I lost in the rice (bummer). A few teal left around, couple mallards but that was it. No woodies that I saw, definately think the locals have been blown out, gotta wait for Canada to freeze now.

[RJG]

WOW,what a difference a week can make. had a very poor opener western mn. went back out sat. nice an cold, about 1/8 as many hunters as last weekend. two guys 4 gwt teal, 1 mallard,7 gadwall by 8:50 am. sunday morn dead calm and 45 deg. 9:00 am still have not fired a shot. wind starts to blow out of northwest very hard and the ducks started to appear again, had to quit at 11:00 to drive home. ended up with 2 geese, called in about 20 more just for fun. 1 bwt teal,2 shovs,2 widgeon,5 gadwalls.2 guys. we had a hole square mile to ourselves no hunters(public land), opener must have discouraged a lot of people.cant go out next weekend, but i start our fall family vac at the cabin the 16th. cant wait

[Sartell Angler]

did well hunting around the sartell area...got our 6 woodies for 3 guys and i got a nice drake mallard w/ curlytails and my bro got a mallard too. looking forward to hunting out west this weekend.

S.A aka woodduckwizard from the MN Refuge Gang

[bassman222]

Didn't have a bad weekend in North Central MN:

SAT-
3 hunters: 7 mallards, 1 widgeon, 1 ringneck.

SUN- 2 hunters: 5 mallards, 2 woodies

Didn't see a whole lot of ducks, but the mallards decoyed really well!!-In yo' face!

Didn't get nothin this morning.

------------------
cut that sucka'

[This message has been edited by bassman222 (edited 10-04-2004).]

[collegeoutdoorsman]

Two guys on opener, plus a 7 year old that had his camo on by 3:30 a.m.

Saturday 7 teal, 3 woodies, 1 goose. The next Sunday 4 woodies, 1 mallard, and one more goose.

[set the drag]

went out this morning and nothing but divers but they are fun to shoot. they must be on the move or there is a lot of them around this year
seems to me we always have some kind of fish eating duck in my boat barely any mallards around

2 rings
1 Redhead

Look out fella's there are cans in south central minnesota could shot one today. but couldn't because of the crazy limited season
tommorow is the 1st full day and there are not to many puddle ducks around whattta a bummer

motion decoys can be used tommorow also good luck

[This message has been edited by set the drag (edited 10-09-2004).]

[Powerstroke]

Well, I finally got to be out for first light today and I saw nothing but geese. Not a real bad thing, but I shoot a 20 guage with 3" mags. Even with #2's I wouldn't feel comfortable taking a shot unless they were within 30 yds.

I didn't see a single duck all AM. I was in a WPA for most of the morning and the guys in the same lot shot 1 mallard and 1 goose in a different pool.

I was sw of the metro. I can't wait for this week. I can hunt after work now and it looks like some ducky weather coming.

[Juice]

Duck hunting sucked HORRIBLY this weekend! I saw a grand total of 6 ducks this weekend all were a mile high. Saw more seagulls(terns) then anything. The worst weekend ive had in my life. But on a lighter note, better then working. I hope next weekend improves..

[Guest]

Seen a couple of ducks-VERY FEW. Not many new geese around but did get 3 Eaglehead Blue Geese and 2 Juvie Blue Geese saturday. Amazing not one Canada Goose came in??!! Skipped today.