Thief Lake

[lzika]

I'm thinking about hunting Thief Lake next weekend. Has anybody hunted it recently? Is it primarily ringers and redheads at Thief?

Thanks!

[CANOPY SAM]

Izika,

I live only a few miles south of Thief Lake, and I haven't hunted it in years. That being said, I hunt fields almost exclusively since the majority of our potholes and wetlands have been drained up here.

There are some birds around, but I don't think many have come down from Canada yet.

If you check the MN Dept of Natural Resources web site you can find weekly waterfowl reports from the refuge, and public hunting grounds up here. They would offer much better info then I can report.

Good Luck!

Sam

[zero]

I've been on the lake a number of times this year. this past weekend with MEA going on was a little crowded, but still got a few birds. ringnecks made up the bulk but we were out on the edge. a buddy got a few mallards in close in the morning, should get better the closer it gets to deer season. really haven't seen a big push yet. I field and water hunt, find the right field and the mallard shoot has been really good.

you should be good for this weekend.

[lzika]

Sam and Zero,

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it! A few friends and I will be hunting there this weekend. It's always a fun place to hunt-usually see quite a few ducks.

Thanks,

Luke

[lzika]

Seven of us hunted Thief Lake this past weekend and we didn't do very well. We averaged 2 ducks per day/per hunter. We did better on the east side of the lake than the west side. We shot a few big mallards, a couple ringers, a couple goldeneyes, a widgeon, a teal, and quite a few shovelers. I've always heard that goldeneyes and shovelers do not taste very good. We breasted them out and cooked them up...delicious.