field reports

[Flipnripem]

South central part of the state doesn`t have anything to brag about yet. Still some locals hanging around with some new ducks filtering in. Had a lone ringy check us out a couple of times and live. A few more woodies in the area. The geese are piling up, but they are really tough to pattern right now. Corn is going fast and it won`t be long. Flip

[Benny]

We were out in Ortonville area this past weekend, Sunday we saw tons of waterfowl.Bet we saw over a thousand geese and at least that many ducks.

Friday afternoon and Saturday was slim pickens, so that front really brought them in to the state.

Benny

[Duck-o-holic]

Saturday I hunted solo with just the dog. Headed out west near Marsh Lake and ended up with 2 mallards, 2 wigeon, 1 gadwall, and one nice drake green wing teal. Normally not a teal guy, but was tempted to chase roosters at 9am, so I pulled one out of a flock of 15 to finish out the limit. Wish I would have waited out the mallards, as I didn't find any pheasants.

Did some scouting though, and here's what I saw:

Lot's of GADWALLS! Saw nice flocks all day, and lots on the water. One spot had just under 300 gadwalls on it. I didn't see large numbers of mallards, but definitely saw enough to think that the migration has started. Saw one large flock (80+) flying about a quarter mile high, lock and drop. Once they were about half way down, they began circling and circling. They all dumped into a large slough eventually. Wish I'd have been there that day! A little more of this colder weather with heavy NW winds should do wonders!!!

Good Gunnin'

Duck-o-holic

[Perch Jerker]

Saw less in the N Metro this morning than any other day this season. Saw 3 divers and spooked up a couple mallards in the rice when I was leaving.

PJ

[Flashman]

Hunted both Saturday and Sunday the 16th and the 17th 2 guys 12 ducks both days. Mallards, and gadwells mostly with a few green wing drakes mixed in the bunch. We didn't start until noon on Saturday and we finished the day well before shooting hours were over. Sunday we were at a WPA before shooting hours and we finished up by a little after noon. Mostly jump shooting sloughs, but we did some decoying on Saturday. We hunted north of Devils Lake.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Sw Minnesota, yesterday all day and today this morning I didn't even see a duck. Going to a different spot this afternoon. Hopefully I'll at least see something flying.

[Duck-o-holic]

Headed out west to the Marsh Lake area again this morning. Was very disappointed in the lack of birds observed. We ended up shooting one mallard and one gadwall (out of the same flock), and one early morning spoonie for the dog. Other then that, only saw a triple of gadwall, one single, and one high flock of mallards. I was happy getting the three birds we got considering the lack of activity. I'm sure some of it had to do with the lack of other hunters out pushing birds, but there were a lot more birds using the same water on Saturday.Heard a few roosters while duck hunting, and managed to shoot one on the way home. Didn't see much for pheasants with all of the corn still standing. Hard to judge the rooster numbers in the area due to that. Hope you guys are seeing more than I did today!Good Gunnin'Duck-o-holic

[psegriz]

Last weekend was a good time we jumped many potholes and walked many brush thickets. No limits but we managaed 11 ducks, 3 roosters and 2 honkers 13 3/4# and 13 1/4#. Man was I ready for bed sore legs and all. We did fine but worked hard for them too. I got blinded for half the day after belly crawling through the prickly ash and getting poked. Good thing it wasn't my shooting eye or it would have been an early day. Next day it was still blurry but could see shapes and now it's back to par.

[Mark Christianson]

Just getting back from up north (actually east of Fergus).

Ducks are there again.

Funny thing is that last weekend our success was Ringnecks.

This weekend it was Mallards, and Greenwings.

Friday morning I met up with FM'er ChuckN, and we tried some field hunting where I had spotted geese and mallards Thurday evening. We set up, and we proceeded to watch mallards literally dumping out of the sky into a small pothole near us, from about 7:30 until we couldn't take it anymore(which was about 8:15 or so). We moved down there and we had 3 bunches of mallards come into us and we scored on 4 birds. I had to leave by 9:15, but I think it would have provided a few more shots if we could have stayed for a while.

This morning my Dad, nephew and I set up on that same pothole. 5 Greenwings and a mallard that we dropped today. And there were several other small groups of greenwings wanting in there real bad. But, we also shot REAL bad.

Nice surprise for sure to have those little bullets show up today.

Some mallards came in, but nothing like Friday morning. The story of my life on soooo many occasions.

Another great weekend duckin! Thats two weekends in a row.

[set the drag]

whatta goofy day

started out with a SE wind 15 mph ended up being a day with the crazy WNW wind at 20 to 25 should've had limits but ended up with 5

2 mallards

2 teal

1 widgeon

but still a good day in the boat with the early se wind.

all birds decoyed and had high percetage shots. only 1 skunk so far this year so hopefully the wind is still blowing tommorow morning.all birds coming off middle lake ( Nicollet co)

[set the drag]

went out after divers today on north middle and eneded up with a few flocks coming in real nice but anly managed to get

2 ringbills

1 bwt

lots of divers around today with the little breeze they just kept circling the sluogh till they were shot at and then they would leave fun shotting at something that does mach 4 and you hit it and they hit the water 50 yards away.

[superfish2]

Might be a stupid question but are motors allowed on Swan and Middle? Or is possible to hunt out of a canoe. I'm ready to try some new ares. I know there is a lot of pressure on those lakes but I do have days off during the week and work weekends.

[6969]

Yes you can use motors on both Swan AND Middle lakes, there in lies the problem. Both of these lakes are excellent duck habitat lakes that draws in many hunters as well as ducks. It can get very frustrating hearing flock after flock being chased off the the lake hours before legal shooting time. On opener there was an estimated 800 to 900 hunters on the lake, many with the big horsepowered go devels. There is not doubt hunting could be much better if we could have a no motor restriction placed on lake where fishing is non existent, and the lake is managed for waterfowl. OK now I am done venting.

[jegerjack]

Saw quite a few birds this weekend, unfortunately they were all in drainage ponds in town.... Might try to get out tonight...

[Seabass77]

Hunted west of Waconia on Sunday. Saw lots of birds, mostly mallards. Lots of hunters though too. Out of 15 flocks that checked everyone out, 3 decoyed. Only one flock decoyed on my set, but they dropped in to my calling instead of the water, I didn't shoot. Didn't want to risk loosing them in the cattails. It was still fun though. They circled 6 times before they set. Had to work em just right with the call. Headed to Wheaton this weekend. We'll see how it goes.

[CRAPPIEBAIT]

Bad weekend.Not many birds in the area.Hunted north of Cambridge Saturday,1 greenhead(nice bird).Saw a few big flocks way too high to even think about my decoys.Sunday what a joke !Thought I would stay close to home and figured I would make a drive through "Carlos Avery WMA".BIG MISTAKE !That place is a war zone come legal shooting hours.

People hunting right on the road across from the sanctuary.

AND I MEAN RIGHT ON THE ROAD.I saw atleast 4 groups of hunters that had spinning wing decoys less than 4' off the road.Then 1/2 a doz. dekes in the ditch.I think there had to be atleast 10 groups hunting right on the road like that.I got outta there a/s/a/p !!!!!Drove out by Forest Lake and ended up with a couple gadwall.I will never go into Carlos in the dark again.

[Dotch]

Some slight movement noted here in SC MN over the weekend with a couple groups of about 40 ducks and a few flocks of 20 or so geese flying over the farmstead. I had to work so no hunting for this cowboy...grrrrr! Made a quick trip into IA today, to Belmond actually and noticed about the same there. There is more corn being harvested all the time and more acres should be no-till soybeans next spring so will be interesting to see how the weather card plays out. Best of luck to all waterfowl hunters!

[Sartell Angler]

got out for my first tuesday hunt ever and managed a fully plumed drake goldeneye...might be going on the wall...

going out thursday morning too so we'll see how it goes.

wdw / sa

[joshb]

nice work sartell..........wish i could get out during the week...

[Eric Wettschreck]

SW MN near Slayton has produced pretty much nothing. I took all of last week off and hunted hard every day. A few mallards and 1 gadwall and that's all I saw. I thought it would be better the way the weather was, but I just didn't see any ducks. Hope you other fellas are seeing more than I am down here.

[Flipnripem]

Hunting in and around Freeborn county has not produced the big numbers yet. I`m hoping next weeks forcast starts the push. Has anybody been on walnut recently? How about the lakes around Fairmont? It`s tough to wait on the birds but they will come. Flip

[duckbill]

Big raft of bills on the middle of Howard Lake yesterday. My neighbor was winterizing his boat and chased up one flock that had to be atleast 500 birds in. I have seen a couple flocks of mallards this week in Wright County that have been 25+ birds so they are moving.

I hunted Bowstring last weekend. We managed 30 birds for 3 guys over 2 days. Best hunting we had was from 12:00-3:00 both days. Wind, rain, sleet, and more wind. Fantastic weather for those drivers.

[Roosterslayer05]

Hey boilerguy iv been having the same problem as you, i cant seem to find ANY ducks in SW MN. Im going fri through sunday, ill be in a tan toyota camry hunting over by Dundee, if your over that way stop by and see if im shootin any birds id be glad for someone to join me since my dad will prob be pheasent hunting all weekend. Good Luck.

[ironman]

Went out this morning...not much too report. Up in Pine City. Lots of rain, wind and sandhill cranes but that's about it. Did manage one green head...missed another and saw too other make a fly by. Other than the four swans that were there when I got there I was all alone. I left around 1pm....maybe too early? I thought the crappy weather was suppose to keep em flying? so much for that theory....and then maybe they are just not there..who knows. I have to work up in Big Lake tommorrow but it sounds like a wash with more rain..but since I'll already be up there.... Is there any decent spots up that way? I'll check out a map...but if someone wants to point me in a direction that would be great!! Good luck out there.

[Mark Christianson]

ironman

Absolutely there is a good spot near Big Lake.

Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge

Hunting during the week is at least tolerable there.

It gets hit pretty hard on weekends.

But its a beautiful place, and has some great duck waters.

I personally have not hunted there this year yet, but give the office a call and see what they have for duck numbers on the refuge portions.