Where to go

[DLD24]

Me and a buddy are planning a trip for opener, and trying to decide where to go...We are between going by Bemidji or out towards the Detroit Lakes...If you could pick an area to go where would you go... This is only my 2nd year duck hunting and I'm hooked haha

[ClownColor]

I can't answer directly but maybe a couple pointers for you...

I'm sure there is better technology now days but I like maps...paper maps. I own quite a few PRIM maps in areas I typically hunt. This gives me a large perspective of the hunting layout and areas nearby. I usually shot for smaller ponds/swamps near heavy hit areas so birds will be flying around. Scout out a half dozen or so areas. come opener (or any weekend) you have options. Being it's only your second year out, many people go back to the same spots year after year. You have every right to be there but many camp over night or get there super early.

One of my favorite most productive spots was about 200 yards away from a HEAVY hit public swamp...this pond was also on public land but I could have thrown a rock across all sides...nobody ever hunted it. I limited out within an hour form all the mallards dropping in there. I literally had 3 decoys in the water.

[DLD24]

Ya I've been doing a ton of research on scouting and how to find good ponds. The last thing I want is to hunt a heavily hunted area... I'd much rather find an area that's hard to get to so we are alone... We shall see what happens ..Thanks for the tips

Edited August 31, 2016 by DLD24

[Neighbor_guy]

Both have their pluses. In the Bemiji area I would be looking for wild rice or flooded river areas. 

If your headed further west like Detroit Lakes, clean water potholes with shrimp. 

Scout scout and scout some more. 

[fishuhalik]

On August 31, 2016 at 11:44 AM, ClownColor said:

One of my favorite most productive spots was about 200 yards away from a HEAVY hit public swamp...this pond was also on public land but I could have thrown a rock across all sides...nobody ever hunted it. I limited out within an hour form all the mallards dropping in there. I literally had 3 decoys in the water.

2012 we found a tiny beaver pond about 1/2 mile walk through the woods from a very popular big rice lake in the Squaw Lake area. We were watching mallards and woodies fly off the lake and they were all going in a certain direction. Dead giveaway that they were headed into a beaver pond so we paddled the canoe to where they were crossing, threw 6 of dads 30 year old junk decoys in his Duluth pack (every good old-school duck hunter has a Duluth pack!) and started walking til we found it. Jumped a few thousand mallards and woodies out. Did what I call a soft jump. You creep up on em til they are just uncomfortable enough to fly but don't really know what they were flying away from. Threw out our decoys and 15 mins later they were pouring back in. About 5 mins later we had these

And here's proof that the newest camo and decoys ain't what kills more birds. This is my old man that day, and what he wears most days in the marsh. Find where they wanna be and dont pie face em and it don't matter what your dekes look like or what camo pattern you have. You'll have em landing at your feet 

Edited September 12, 2016 by fishuhalik

[O.T.C.]

First time in my 20 years in east central MN I'm seeing plenty of ducks, they did not leave like most years once your yard gets good crisp and brown they're gonzo. This year I'm still mowing every 5 days things are green, bean and cornfields are flooded and the ducks stayed put. Sounds like on the borderline of this next monsoon that's supposed to kick in tonight. Another plus, zero acorn crop in our immediate area so those woodies will hit chopped corn if the farmers can get at it without sinking. 

PS. Go Bemidji, lots of out of the way water around Bemidji where in DL that's like the metro area compared to Bemidji. My Pelican Rapids connections aren't saying much duck wise around there for some reason idk. Good luck, I don't bother early ducks, I hate shooting a nice greenhead only to pick it up and it's now a speckled green headed mallard, you guys can whack the locals up I'll take em on in a month lol. Honkers up till then.

[steve1111111]

Boy I sure wish I could go this weekend but coaching duty calls. You guys should knock the snot out of them given the mild weather the teal should be around like flies.