2015 Waterfowl Season

[O.T.C.]

I'm out daily in October AM and PM, can scout from my yard, eventually hunt a bit. This year, seeing more wood ducks then usual, no teal and few mallards in east central MN. The woodies can't figure out because dairy farmer chopped his corn 3 weeks ago and it usually is then a magnet for ultra early woodies or late but they are flying from one spot in the river to another a 1/2 mile away and none are hitting that field this year ? I typically leave their roost alone, easy to find them in a chopped field vs. that river and the tall stuff around it etc. but might have to go jump em I guess. I wonder at times if we see so few Mallards because driving by Lake Onamia they were thick over it the other day and it's a massive rice bed, I'm to the south of it 15 miles but idk lol. 

[Neighbor_guy]

Early report from Ely. Just local birds at this point. No migrators and no flood of divers. 

Two guys manages a mallard, goose, and ringneck hen. Not much moving. I will let you know how the rest of the week shakes out. 

Addmitedly we were hunting from past experience this morning without a chance to scout yesterday. But in scouting this afternoon we didn't come up with much. Just singles and doubles here and there. 

[Neighbor_guy]

Haven't seen a bird in two days. Hours of hunting and scouting. Nothing doing. 

 

Packed up up and moved north and west. I will let you guys know if I come up with anything from the us/Canada border. 

[Todd Caswell]

Haven't seen a bird in two days. Hours of hunting and scouting. Nothing doing. 

 

Packed up up and moved north and west. I will let you guys know if I come up with anything from the us/Canada border. 

You gotta love MN Waterfowling. But I have to ask why the Ely area?? I agree if you haven't seen a duck on a duck hunting trip in two days you have to move. And you have to go west, and as far west as you can..

[TylerS]

Hit 25 degrees in Fargo last night. If the BWT weren't gone yet, they are now. 

But I doubt many birds moved out. Takes a lot more to convince them to leave such a bounty that are the harvested fields around here. 

Plan on hitting a WPA that I haven't hunted for years. Gonna be an adventure! Hopefully the wind forecast for Sunday morning stays the same, otherwise we'll have to punt. 

[Neighbor_guy]

Past history of years and hunts gone by put me in Ely. It's gods country where the only time you see people is if you want to. It's mid October. The ducks should be flying and the pike should be up shallow and on the feed. However, in both cases I was wrong. So if I'm going so salvage anything out of this vacation it was time to change the scenery. 

[easyrider25]

We saw divers today.  First time back out hunting since the season opened back up for us in southern MN.  Not a lot of shooting though.  Only 2 ducks for 2 guys.  Ringbill and a Bufflehead  Few Mallards flying around

[Kettle]

Ely can be good, I have hunted the bwca extremely hard work to portage and camp with duck gear. If there were million of ducks there, there still wouldn't be as many people there. It's hard work but can be worth it. Plus the bonus grouse

[Bryce]

23 degrees on the way in this morning. Water way down and birds thin on our area. High aspirations but low expectations. Got a different slough for tomorrow. Not going to be a wild shootout but enough birds to make us smile.

[TylerS]

That's a good looking drake gad, Bryce!

[Todd Caswell]

Bryce you in Nodak?? And I like Hamms..

Edited October 17, 2015 by Todd Caswell

[Bryce]

Little bit weak on the underside for mounting plus caught a full dose from an extended range patternmaster. Had to look it over a few times to talk myself out of it though. Seeing some dandy pintails refuged up. Hamm's is underrated. 

[Neighbor_guy]

Buffleheads are moving up here but that's about it. The drake is making the trip to the bird man. The rest are being invited to dinner. 

Not much shooting today. Lake is still scary rough for a duck boat. Scratching a few birds but no migration yet. 

[Bryce]

Into the Hamm's

This one's tired.

Edited October 17, 2015 by Bryce

[Kettle]

Nice looking Pins and wigeon.  My next bird that will be going on the wall is a wigeon prob is they are so hard to get with the full frost top.  Looks like a nice shoot of birds

 

Kettle

[Todd Caswell]

 

[MJ1657]

Had a fun morning. Taking these was a real treat for me.

[fishersofmen]

Awesome pics Todd.

[Bryce]

One more hunt to go.

[Neighbor_guy]

Had a fun morning. Taking these was a real treat for me.

traveled 100's of miles to try and find a diver shoot. Then you send pictures of getting in on a diver hunt at home.  That about sums up the week right there.

Nice looking Redheads MJ!!!!

[Neighbor_guy]

And that's a wrap... My 2015 "duckation" is over  

The decision to make the move from Ely to Baudette worked for me. I had to work for the birds, but it was fun. I actually did more paddling on L.O.W. Than I did in Ely, but the more I hunt out of the kayak the more I like it. I have actually started towing it out with the boat in the mornings then stashing the boat and paddling back to the decoy spread. My arms are sore, but in a good way. 

The only birds flying today was a flock of mallards and a flock of mergansers. Both came in to the diver spread. Interestingly enough, being I had a spread that only contained diver decoys I left the calls in the truck. And while there were only two flocks of birds that came up the bay this morning the decoy rate was 100% I just sat motionless and they did all the work. And as my good friend wanderer likes to say, wait until they stretch their feet out then, "shoot em in the face!!!" I suppose they got honked and squawked at by every group out there so they felt safe landing in with quiet birds. 

Edited October 19, 2015 by Neighbor_guy

[Todd Caswell]

NG  see and feel your pasion for WF hunting but I reccomend you take your time off and head west ( and or North)next season . MN waterfowling for the most part sucks and is a fill in other than opener and the tail end. If interested PM me and I'll help to point you in the right direction. 

[Neighbor_guy]

I've I've done the out state hunting trips before. Wyoming for white tails and Nebraska for coyotes respectively. Sadly neither lived up to the hype or expectations. I also tend to do much of my week long hunting trips on my own. 

I'm a MN boy died in the wool. I enjoy making something happen when others are struggling. From my north metro fights with 612'ers to the runs to Ely, Baudette, or Big Stone Co. I like hunting in MN. 

Someday I will put something together for a Dakota trip. But for now it's just not in the cards. 

I can do this in my back yard!!! 

Like I said, someday, but for now I'm just going to ride this out for a while and enjoy what MN has to offer. 

[Gissert]

Been pretty quiet in my neck of the woods. Heard almost no shooting on Monday, and the sky had very few birds in it. I'll give it a try again this weekend.

Its different hunting w/o a dog  - Lost the best one I ever had last week at 8 years. Lymphoma works fast....

[Ufatz]

Gissert I feel your pain. Lost my Annie to the same dam disease. The final days were the worst. Give it some time and maybe,  like me,  you'll have a new pal that is a delightful addition to your life.

It hurts, but it's part of the compact we make when we take those little rascals into our home.