field reports

[Eric Wettschreck]

Myself, 2 sons, and neighbor played our part in making sure the duck population doesn't get any smaller over the weekend.

SW MN, near Hadley. 4 people, 2 mallards and 1 teal. However, it's gonna snow hard this winter with all the holes we shot in the sky.

[Ole #1]

Hey Sartell Angler,

Did you go to high school in Sartell? I grew up in St Cloud and knew a few people from Sartell.

Ole

[jblabsnduck]

Powerstroke, where are you looking to hunt in SW metro?
I have a few spots I could help you out with possibly.
I will be doing some field hunting as soon as they pull the corn. The place butts right up to a lake which I have a private access to. Are you looking for ducks or geese? or both?
Here is my e-mail [email protected]
Let me know where you are willing to go to.

[Sartell Angler]

joshb/bigshooter:

yeah, its funny how a lot of the same people are on all the hunting sites. I frequent this one, the 'fuge, and also the field reports for MN on Waterfowler.com. The corn is starting to get cut and we have a good field lined up for thursday night. Hunting in the area all weekend...send me a pm on the 'fuge if you wanna talk hunting / maybe get together for a goose hunt sometime.

SA / woodduckwizard from the MN Refuge Gang

[superfish2]

Well we hunted the south metro today. The birds were a flying. Got out there it was nice warm, dry, and no wind. As soon as shooting time started it got nasty only guys on the place without a robo duck so no ducks for us but did manage two geese. Talked to another group at the launch and managed to get 6 mixed bag of two pintails (there were two guys) a widgen, gadwall, malards and a teal. Got my stuff in the dryer now gonna take a quick power nap and hit it again.

BTW does anyone hunt around the waconia area? I was thinking about trying parley or goose or any one of the lakes out there?

[Powerstroke]

I've tried hunting west of Waconia with absolutely no luck whatsoever. The places I've checked never seem to hold ducks. I've seen an average amount of geese though.

Is Parley Lake open for waterfowling? I know Carver Park Reserve and any other Three rivers park district land is closed to hunting.

jblbsnduck....you have mail

[This message has been edited by Powerstroke (edited 10-13-2004).]

[jblabsnduck]

Powerstroke, I sent you a e-mail back along with an invite.

[Moses2531]

I will be hunting in the Buffalo area this weekend, just curious if anyone's had any success in the area?? I will be in small sloughs with corn fields all around...

[MinDak Hunter]

The pup (1 year old male out of CreekRobber AKA: Auggie) and I went out this afternoon around Moorhead/Hawley area and shot 4 greenheads in about a hour and a half. ...We had to get out of the house cause my wife is pregnant and my female lab just had pups; too many female hormones in the house.

Looks like some of the northern Mallards might be down this way.

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"Sometimes I feel like a coiled spring with a dangerous flaw".
Ty Cobb

[Perch Jerker]

Was out this morning (north metro) and didn't get a shot. Saw a few but they were probably locals.

PJ

[jegerjack]

Went out in the SW metro again... Didn't see much... 4 came in but they were too far away to get a shot... A few mins after shooting was over a lone honker flew right over us, would have been a perfect shot... Guess I will not go back until some of the northern birds get down this way, which will be soon from what I have heard...

JegerJack

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"What the old man trade for these guys... A used puck bag..."

[jparrucci]

I just moved to Waconia a few weeks ago, and I have nowhere to hunt at all. My dad has the boat up north for the rest of the year, and now I'm stuck about an hour from where most of my friends live (apple valley). If anyone in the Waconia or west metro could use a hunting partner, give me a shout. I've looked for public land to hunt out here, but there is nothing unless you have a boat or a farmer will give you access, which I've been told is a near impossiblility around these parts. Any suggestions guy?
I can be reached at [email protected] Thanks guys!

[Roosterslayer05]

Me and a friend hunted the North Metro after school on thursday. Some ducks have moved down with the front. We saw allot more mallerds and ringers. We ended up shooting half a box apiece and geting 0 ducks. My buddy cant hit anything ever, im usually a decent shot but had a bad day! Best hunting iv had all year.

[fishhawk1750]

hunted buffalo area south of pelican. SLOW!! one hen mallard landed in our decoys, we let her go only to watch her get up and fly to another group who swatted her as she was setting back down. Way to go guys!! Great shot!

[Sartell Angler]

hit up the river this morning expecting some migrant birds to be around...kicked up a group of about 100 ducks while motoring to my spot....put out a big spread and waited. Had 20 mallards lock on our spread right at shooting time...3 peeled off and gave a good look...one drake came in range and I dropped it with one shot. Had another mallard come by a little later...I proceeded to drop it with one shot. Had 3 hunting buddies along and when 2 woodies came in I just let them shoot...they missed them both...guess I should of shot. No other ducks sighted...**** poor hunting the river...going west tomorrow possibly.

Rundown:
me- 2 shots, 2 mallards
3 other buddies- 10 shots, no dux,
1 crow

[joshb]

went out west this morning.......saw a good amount of birds. should have had my six, but you know how that goes.

[ironman]

Didn't have to work last Weds...it was a perfectly crappy day for ducks...windy and rain....cool. Drove up to Pine City and fished a swampy area in Chengwitona State forest and did pretty good....for me. I havn't duck hunted since 1991 and didn't know what I was doing then either. This year bought some decoys..and a mallard call. Listened to one "how to call" CD and that was it. Standing in the cattails...I managed to call in my first mallard. I was very pumped...the flocked circled my three times before coming into my little spread. Only managed one nice drake...my gun jammed...been doing that lately, wont eject the spent shell sometimes..any fixes for that? Two more nice mallard flocks came in, got them to circle me a couple times but wouldn't commit. There always seemed to be a small flock of ringnecks right behind them and they would buzz the decoys. Wow are they fast...managed two..a drake and hen. it was a great way to spend the morning/early afternoon. Might try to get back up there this week if I have another unexpected day off. I'm usually solo..so If anyone else has some waders and has nothing else to do...let's get R dun.

[fishnut2]

Hunted Zippel Bay on Lake of the Woods this weekend. Ended up with 2 lesser scaup and one hooded merganser. Off to North Dakota next weekend.

[hanson]

Finally got out to do some waterfowling.

Saturday morning. NW Minnesota. Cold. Windy. Overcast. What would seem like a good day but not much for activity. Had 3 Ringbills, 2 Gadwalls, a loner Ringbill, and another 2 Ringbills pull into the decoys. Ended up with 2 of the Ringbills (both nice drakes) and one of the Gadwalls (another nice drake). Should have had another 3 of the Ringbills but what do you do, can't hit them all.

Sunday, I had my ice shack project to work on so we skipped the shooting in the morning and tried to get as much done on the house as possible. Well, the lake our cabin is on had a good 5-6 dozen ducks sitting on it when we got out there. Half Mallards/ Half Divers. Lots of geese were moving on Sunday also.

Going to give the same area a shot next weekend.

[ChuckN]

Just returned from hunting the last five days from duck camp on Marsh Lake. Weather seemed excellent for a good push, and some northern birds definitely trickeled in, but not the numbers.

We bagged mallards, teal, gadwalls, bufflehead, redheads and bluebills. I got my first drake greater scaup that's adding to my stuffed collection.

Wednesday was dead, high winds. Thursday was better, got a few ducks. Friday we saw the first migrations with bluebills, Cans and redheads. Saturday even better with mallards, gadwalls and bills. Yesterday was a bust. Our group saw 1 duck that was about 1/2 mile away. Dead calm, cloudy and really chilly.

We got lucky, it seemed both our locations produced the most shooting Friday and Saturday despite the heavy concentration of hunters and primo duck hunting locations were filled by 5am. Unreal.

[Perch Jerker]

Hunted 20mi NE of Bemidji and have seen the fewest ducks of the season so far. 4 hunters managed 2 mallards, 1 goose, 1 grouse, 2 woodcock all weekend.

PJ

[Mark Christianson]

There were ducks!!!!

We got limits for 2 Sat morning.

9 Ringnecks, 1 greenhead, 1 Gad, 1 Hood.

The best Ringneck shooting I have had in a few years for sure. We used to pound Ringnecks consistently, and it was just a gas to see them come in like they used to.

Sunday we had only 4 ducks come into range, and we got all 4. A nice drake woodie and 3 Ringnecks. Sunday, the ducks were nowhere to be seen. Funny how quick it changes.

But, I have to say it was a great weekend duckin!

Is it next weekend yet???

[stayman79]

biglake-

Nice to hear a good report for a change! Just wondering what area of the state you were hunting? Haven't seen or heard of much good hunting near the metro where I usually hunt. Going up to Thief Lake next week, first trip for me, hope there will be lots of bluebills around!

[set the drag]

whatta weeekend,south middle lake

started friday

3 pintails

1 widgeon

1 gadwall

1 gwt

1 goose

sat north middle lake

1st skunk of the year ( firing pine broke)

sun

limits of mallards off of creek (x) in nicollet county

this creek has never had ducks come into it like sunday fun shooting singles and pairs all morning long and put out no decoys just quaked on the call if I saw ducks.

[Mark Christianson]

Stayman

We hunt east of Fergus Falls about 25 miles.

Thief Lake has got to be piling up with divers by now!!

I hope.....