Attention MN Duck Hunters

[Smuts]

Many of you may have read the article in the Star Tribune about duck hunting possibly opening in MN on September 21st this year. What was not in the article was that in order to accomplish this, duck hunting will be closed in most or all of MN before the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. I am sure many of you, like me, take advantage of the days off work and your kids' days off school to get in some good duck hunting that long weekend. Maybe not as much in northern MN, but in central and southern MN there can be great duck hunting as this is about the time of the biggest mallard migration and the last diver migration through the state. With plenty of harvested grain fields in central and southern MN, and lately open water with our warm falls, it will be a great disappointment to many of us to have the season closed for Thanksgiving. The tradeoff will be swatting mosquitos and trying to identify brown, pinny, juvenile local ducks, some of which may not even be able to fly yet, on the last day of summer on the calendar. I have already contacted Steve Cordts, waterfowl specialist for the MN DNR about this situation, and have proposed a simple solution. Open the northern zone in MN on 9/21, and open the other zones one or two weeks later. Close the season for five week days a week or two into the season, as we have done the past few years, and central and southern MN will have the duck season still open for the holiday weekend. If not being able to hunt ducks during the Thanksgiving weekend concerns you, contact the DNR and Steve Cordts ASAP with your concerns as the DNR will be setting the season dates around August 1st, and after that it will be too late. Act fast--together we can cause a change in the plan. [email protected]

[Markula]

No thanks.

I prefer to hunt when the greatest nunbers of ducks occur in our state. And that is not the end of November. The fact is, most ducks that will migrate through MN have come and gone by the first week of November, on average.

Kudos to the new and improved DNR and their hunter-friendly decision making!

[Gordie]

That's great then there will be four weeks after opener nobody will get any ducks

[RumRiverRat]

Looks like another fall of fishing for me.

The MN DNR is run by idiots.

[BrdHunter01]

No thanks.

I prefer to hunt when the greatest nunbers of ducks occur in our state. And that is not the end of November. The fact is, most ducks that will migrate through MN have come and gone by the first week of November, on average.

Kudos to the new and improved DNR and their hunter-friendly decision making!

I'll disagree. Many ducks remain through november. I take zero days off work until November just for duck hunting. The DNR is just trying to get more people to buy stamps by opening it up to the "fair-weather" hunting type

[Markula]

Ducks may be more concentrated, may be easier to find due to looming freeze up, diminishing food sources,etc. But, there are less whether you disagree or not. A simple search of past refuge counts will confirm peak migration periods...and its definitely not late November.

[Willy]

The DNR is just trying to get more people to buy stamps by opening it up to the "fair-weather" hunting type

Nah. They are just trying to let folks whap the teal before they move on.

I'd rather they have the hunt when it is colder too and completely cancel kids day. That does more to scatter birds and drive them out than anything. That and allwoing water hunting sky carp.

[dan z]

Just sent my regards and I hope you skitter swatters enjoy your time out there. I really think there should be a late season hunt even if it does cost $5 I'd pay it in heart beat. I shot ducks the last day of the season last year. And watch many many green heads fly over while I'm getting the 1st ice eyes in the bucket.

Frustrated to say the least.

[dan z]

Can this thread be moved to duck hunting? Some guys don't venture this far down the list...

[Gordie]

Just sent my regards and I hope you skitter swatters enjoy your time out there. I really think there should be a late season hunt even if it does cost $5 I'd pay it in heart beat. I shot ducks the last day of the season last year. And watch many many green heads fly over while I'm getting the 1st ice eyes in the bucket.

Frustrated to say the least.

+1 I guess now instead of fair weather fishermen we have to please the fair weather duck hunters too

[Scott M]

Crips, god forbid MN duck hunters get more options...Hello? I guess some of you guys missed last year when it went to three zones. The state that has the most duck hunters and one of the largest north to south latitude ranges has a few options, how terrible.

As someone astutely pointed out, check out the migration reports (numbers) and plot the season out. Actually, if you guys looked in your waterfowl supplements those figures are available. I love a good sleet and snow late season diver hunt, but every state is bound to a 60 day season. Can't make everyone happy, shoot can't make no one happy it seems!

Smuts, you live in the metro, the central zone will close at the end of Thanksgiving weekend and the south zone will close one week later still. That's two thirds of the state you can hunt with your kids in that weekend!

[Feathers Rainin]

I really think there should be a late season hunt even if it does cost $5 I'd pay it in heart beat.

It sounds like a good plan but it is not an option. Ducks are managed on a federal level as well as the state level.

Ducks are in our state through the winter so does that mean we should start the season November 1? A vast majority of the ducks migrate through our state in October and early November. A vast majority of the ducks hunters are done hunting come deer opener. I like shooting ducks in snow storms as much as the next guy and I hunt right up to the season closer. That being said I question whether we shape our entire season for the small percentage of hunters in the state that want to hunt late season mallards on the river? Iowa has cheap licenses and lodging and is open in Decemeber. Have at er!

[leech~~]

Well after many years of hunting I hate to be a party poooper, but I'm done! I have way more other things to do that time of year. Look on C/list soon for all my duck gear! It was fun for a while.

[Gordie]

Well after many years of hunting I hate to be a party poooper, but I'm done! I have way more other things to do that time of year. Look on C/list soon for all my duck gear! It was fun for a while.

I said I would never quit until I couldn't hunt anymore but , I did not say that I wouldn't quit hunting in this state and If it means spending money dollars in NoDak and south for late season birds that's what it may come to.

As for the season here its a good thing ducks can't smell cause there will a lot of bug spray stinking up the swamps this year. Be careful not to get the bug spray on your gun as it ruin the blueing.

[paceman]

I don't duck hunt as much as I use to with the poor duck numbers around here the last 10 years. If they move the season up a bit I might get out more, hopefully get some of the locals before they zoom away, also the warmer weather may be more enjoyable for my kids. Up here most years the lakes/ponds are pretty much frozen by thanksgiving. If they move the season, fine by me, if they leave it as it has been, fine by me. I will make the most out of the oppertunities we are presented.

[Feathers Rainin]

If it means spending money dollars in NoDak and south for late season birds that's what it may come to.

You hunt North Dakota late November?

[Feathers Rainin]

Well after many years of hunting I hate to be a party poooper, but I'm done!

If you quit because the season got moved one week earlier I would say you do not have the addiction like most duck hunters. More ducks for me!

[rbs]

I like the idea of a early start but if it is at the expense of our later dates I am not for it. I thought it was bad enough to open the early goose season that early (and not let sw MN in on it)

[leech~~]

[Jared_P]

Well you maybe partly right there. After 30 years and not many ducks around to cover the cost.

I could be: Bow hunting, Grouse hunting, Pheasant hunting, Dual Sport riding, Walleye fishing, getting the sled and ice gear ready etc, etc. So I don't think that I will be bored!

There is ALWAYs plenty to do in the fall

JP

[Gordie]

You hunt North Dakota late November?

I'll be heading south then, Nodak will see me in Oct and early Nov

[Feathers Rainin]

[Gordie]

Well that doesn't make sense because according to you guys all the ducks will be in minnesota when you head south. ?

What good is it iffin you cant hunt them when they are here?

[Smuts]

MN Duck Hunters,

The email I recieved from Cordts stated that the season will end the Sunday before Thanksgiving in the north and central zones, and the Sunday after Thanksgiving in the southern zone. Since he is intimately involved in the decision-making, I have to assume what he told me is accurate.

I regret where this post has gone. It is just my opinion that we should be able to hunt ducks through the Thanksgiving holiday, and I gave my reasons for having that opinion. I then asked anyone who shares that opinion to contact the DNR because they seem to be operating under the assumption that no one has the opinion that I do, so I wanted them to have accurate hunter opinion data to work with when they make their decision. I am not trying to force my opinion on anyone else, and have no intention of having anyone else force their opinion on me. I did not intend for anyone to insult the DNR or anyone else as a result of this. The argument about when there are more ducks around is moot--that varies from year-to-year depending on weather and duck populations. The assertions made by some in these posts that there are no ducks around in late November is not accurate from my experiences. I can recall several years whee I have seen and shot more mallards over the long holiday weekend than the rest of the season combined. As far as hunter migration reports determining if there are any ducks around, there are likely less hunters out in late November, so hunting reports would not neccesarily be an accurate reflection of the migration. It is unfortunate that the "My way or the highway, I'm right and everyone else is wrong" people had to rear their ugliness in this post. If you would like to see the duck season run through the Thangsgiving weekend, then pelase contact the DNR and let them know. If you disagree, then contact the DNR and tell them that. Please don't attack and insult anyone that has a different opinion than you, and understand that this is a matter of opinion and there is no right or wrong. Thanks!

[walleye18]

Why did the DNR split up the State in the first place? How dumb is that. Lets have a starting /opening day - and a closing date - seems simple to me.

ND - as well as probably all the other 49 States in the US have a starting date and an ending date. And Yes, there is influence from the Feds on Waterfowl seasons, which impacts MN.

Just can't agree with some of the logic and decisions the DNR makes.

Very frustrating at times!!!!