Any thoughts on when the Blue Bills will show up????

[joe_stack20]

I have a great point to go out and shoot some bluebills and other divers in the fergus falls area, just wondering what your guys' thoughts are if this cold snap is gonna send a few birds down, if its worth setting up for them yet, I know its early, but this cold snap has me thinking about bills!!! Lemme Know

[Mark Christianson]

One never knows. I wish I could predict when to go after the birds, but its a crapshoot.

The only way to know for sure is to go out and give it a shot.

Someone on FM posted last week about shooting at gobs of 'bills on the WI opener this year. Seemed really odd to me, but he had the pics to prove what he shot.

[ChuckN]

I've shot my first bills consistently around MEA weekend in West Central MN. That would be about another week or so. Not many, but last year on one morning of a 4 day hunt, it was bills galore. Shot my first Greater Scaup drake that is going on the wall.

It is pretty early yet. One front is not going to push those hearty birds south. The best migrations are early November through ice up IMO.

[hanson]

While not being Blue Bills, we were hunting many, many flocks of Ringnecks on the opener in the NW part of Minnesota. We actually had some very, very good action on the divers.

[IceHawk]

I have had my best diver hunting in central MN around the week of deer-hunting. Alot depends on weather but I would guess the last week of Oct to the first week of Nov.

[set the drag]

i love hunting south central minnesota when slug hunting starts becuase everyone is out chasing bambis and im on the lake shooting the (Contact US Regarding This Word) out of everything that flies. I cant waite.

[lawdog]

I'm just guessing here, but I think a day or two after they leave Canada...

Sorry couldn't resist.

[bmc]

A buddy and I were out today doing some scouting before tomorrow's hunt and saw a drake bluebill and a hen canvasback, not to mention a ton of ringies. Maybe they're starting to trickle down a bit?

Brian

[eyepatrol]

In southcentral MN, usually we start seeing the 'bills show up the 4th weekend of October or the first 2 weekends in November. Really depends on the weather though. Typically I watch the weather to see if there is going to be a fair amount of snow and/or cold weather up north around the Grand Rapids and Alexandria areas. Cold weather being highs in the mid 30's and lows in the low 20's. Ice-making weather pretty much. Also, a big cold front with a big northwest wind late in the fall (end of Oct. or early Nov) is a good indicator for me. Sometimes it's the first big chill of late fall, sometimes it's the second or third one.

What I can tell you from my location is this...after the 3rd weekend in October, my eye is glued to the weather on a daily basis. When they predict a big cold front with big NW winds, I'm going to be out there with the bluebill decoys. Sometimes it's been a north wind and sometimes it's been a northeast wind, so whenever the big coldfront comes with big northerly winds, I'll be packing 'bill decoys. Around here, they typically move through in one big wave and then it's done. That's why I try to be out there each time there's a big NW wind, because it usually is a one day ordeal. After they've moved through, it's back to working the northern mallards and big canada's. We'll see a stragler flock of divers, but typically after the big push is moved through, they're done.

I guess what I'd do in your situation is bring your bag or bags of diver decoys along, if you can, and if you see a flock, get the bags and set them out. It's convenient I guess for me 'cause my folks live right on the lake we hunt and it's no more than a 2 minute boat ride from where we're at on the lake to their shore. So, for us, we can have the diver decoys out within about 15 or 20 minutes. But, I always have them waiting at my folks' house just in case I see a flock of divers.

Sorry I got so winded here. Just hope this helps a bit.

bc