Nodak

[outdoorsmanwilly]

I am planning my first trip to Nodak this fall, and am planning on going around the end of October. I am plan on going to the bottineau area or valley city. I'm not looking for any spots but any tips or suggestions would be much appreciated as I don't know what to expect. 

 

Thanks!

[monstermoose78]

You could be a little late if we have early cold snap

[Kettle]

Moose could definitely be right.  There is a possibility that you could hit freeze up.  Last several years it wasn't until mid November, I think that you will be fine.  If you are there during the start of freeze up it will be magical.

Good luck

Kettle

[outdoorsmanwilly]

Thanks guys! I will definitely keep that in mind as we set the dates, and if it freezes up there, then just might have to chase them around home!

 

Thanks

[monstermoose78]

I am so jacked up youth day is September 9th and my nephew is more excited than I am. This is going to be fun

[outdoorsmanwilly]

I'm excited to get on some geese in 4 days! Got the lock on a field with 300 birds using it. Also lots of ducks in the area so thinking should be a good year. That's awesome moose, always great seeing the smiles on the kids faces.

Edited August 29, 2017 by outdoorsmanwilly

[monstermoose78]

great news on the geese good luck.

[outdoorsmanwilly]

Thanks Moose! I will give an update after the weekend on how we did.

[fishuhalik]

I wouldn't even bother going to NoDak before Nov 1. Too many yahoos. There's still plenty of guys up there later, but at least most of them are legitimate hunters

[outdoorsmanwilly]

Fish thanks for the heads up, We have it planned for next week so at least I'll Miss the MEA weekend yahoos.

[1lessdog]

Im from N.D. and guided for many yrs from Sask to Texas. And why anyone would go to N.D and hunt  waterfowl is a mystery to me. Canada has the best waterfowl hunting  I have ever seen. You only have to drive  500 miles more. There is no posted land and no hunters. Its a waterfowlers dream.

 

We averaged 69 Geese a day for 15 yrs plus I never counted the  Ducks  in the decoys in the mornings. In the evening clients would sit at a slough and shoot ducks while I found a field to hunt geese in the next morning.

 

Pretty good chance you would shoot more bird in one day than in N.D. in a week.

[Wanderer]

@1lessdog

Might have to make that an option in the future.

@outdoorsmanwilly

Any report from your trip?  I just found myself in talks about heading to the VC area for a couple days next week.  We assume birds are in.  Been hearing there is water but it's been lower than normal.  

I'm on a Wandererabout for better than a week and my range is anywhere from central MN to central ND.  I do HAVE to be in VC on Thursday though so I thought I'd check.

[Deet]

Judging by the weather through Southern/middle Saskatchewan and Manitoba yesterday, I can't imagine ND is anything but choking full of birds right now.

[Wanderer]

I’ve heard the small ponds are freezing over.  Bigger water or fields sound like the plan.  Lows just below freezing and highs just above make it tough to predict for someone who has no history out there.

Guess we’ll take all the gear and stay flexible.

[outdoorsmanwilly]

We hunted Thursday Friday and Saturday with every day improving shot 10 light geese 3 canadians and 25 mixed ducks over those 3 days for 4 guys, lots of migrators coming down, the sloughs are very dry and most of the smaller ones froze up on Thursday night which didn't help. All in all a good trip.

 

Will 

Edited October 30, 2017 by outdoorsmanwilly

[Wanderer]

Thanks Will.  That’s about what I’ve been hearing.  Sounds like we might be able to get into some fields along with water.  We’re taking the kitchen sink with so pretty much all bases should be covered.

Leaving in a few minutes to do the overnight drive thing and be hunting when the sun comes up.

[Wanderer]

Well we weren’t hunting when the sun came up.  It was 11 degrees!  Almost all the water was froze over.  The weather forecast has been calling for 10-15 degrees warmer than what actual has been.

We scouted most of the day and didn’t actually hunt until 2 pm.  We managed a 3 person limit on ducks by quitting time.  The birds are well conditioned to most typical hunting efforts.  Most of the ducks around are still the locals.  

You have to do a lot of looking if you’re not already tied to something that is still producing.  We did enjoy the day and are hoping the birds we’ve been watching will do what we think they will in the morning.

[Wanderer]

We had a good field shoot on mallards Wednesday morning and my buds got connected with Fallen Outdoors on Thursday through a friend.  They enjoyed their morning afield while I was in an all day work meeting.

[Wanderer]

Posting.  Cuz I can’t sleep worth a dump.  Gonna be a MEA yahoo for most the rest of the week.  I’ve heard good reports from the friends that are already out there. They took the whole week so I’m driving myself out Tuesday night.  

 

Just getting the the back of the truck filled with dekes got me too revved up.  Gonna be hard packing anything else besides waders, layout blind, guns and shells!  Who needs food and more than one change of clothes for 5 days anyway?!

Edited October 16, 2018 by Wanderer

[MJ1657]

7 hours ago, Wanderer said:

Posting.  Cuz I can’t sleep worth a dump.  Gonna be a MEA yahoo for most the rest of the week.  I’ve heard good reports from the friends that are already out there. They took the whole week so I’m driving myself out Tuesday night.  

 

Just getting the the back of the truck filled with dekes got me too revved up.  Gonna be hard packing anything else besides waders, layout blind, guns and shells!  Who needs food and more than one change of clothes for 5 days anyway?!

Looks like a good time 

[minky]

Good luck on your hunt, let us know how you do!

[Wanderer]

First problem: work.  Had something come up last minute on Tuesday that required I come in Wednesday.  Finally out and ready to get some rest before hitting it for 4 days instead of 5, but I’m here!

 

Birds have been disappearing this week on the strong winds but there are still pockets and presumably more on the border areas/ice line.  Nice weather predicted for tomorrow and a good bunch of birds were scouted today.  We’ll see what happens.  I hear we’re in for a big blow this weekend.

[Wanderer]

On 10/16/2018 at 3:16 PM, minky said:

Good luck on your hunt, let us know how you do!

 

It hasn’t been a hay day but I’ve managed a limit of ducks each day plus a couple geese today.

 

Its always impressive coming out and seeing birds literally by the thousands but they aren’t fools!  Plus, anyone who hunts out here knows, you have to work to be rewarded.  Lots of scouting, lots of decoys, and lots of analyzing.  And then, lots of patients can come in handy.

 

40 yards out here looks 20 in Minnesota. 

Its amazing.

[minky]

Congrats on the successful hunt! As I grow older i really try to enjoy myself each time out and make great memories.

[Wanderer]

Thanks @minky.

 

i did have one more day to go, or morning anyway.  Just adding to the information bank on how those birds can twist and turn your day around was the main theme, unfortunately.  I didn’t have enough patience on my morning setup and bugged out for plan B when the roost appeared to be heading the opposite direction. Tick tock goes the clock on the last day, gotta make some moves, I think...???

 

Long story short, the dark geese schooled me.  A chance encounter with light geese in the late morning made up for it though.

 

Dont know if I get to go back this year but I’d sure like to.