First duck woohoo..long read any help?

[ColdColdCold]

hello all.. I just moved ti Minnesota two years ago and started duck hunting this year. Been working a slow progression through much of the great hunting and fishing Minnesota has to offer.. Angling, Ice Fishing, Pheasants.. and this year I am trying Duck Hunting..

First my First duck story... then a few questions

I hunted some public area in Morristown (actually I was hunting pheasant with my Lab ..steel shot of course) MY dog and I were gettign soaked with no bird sign or sight!... Then a loan duck flew overhead... shot..Missed.. took a little more time and shot again.. The bird fell but kind of glided first.. so the bird was well over a hundred yards away..landng in a field/treed area.. I marked it the best I could, and sent my lab.. This is her first year of hunting anything.. She was a champ though and swam accross a small brook and found my duck... ( she finished it off..) but I couldn't get her to retrieve it.. she was a little scared... No matter.. I knew where it was now and went around to find my first bird.. A woodduck hen..pretty colors!... I would never ever have found it if My dog didn't do the work I was soo proud..

okay now for the questions...

I think I am hooked now.. Can anyone email me or tell me a few duck hunting areas close to the south side of the cities? I have a new baby so pretty much have to go on weekends only..anyone need a hunting partner? I bought a WMA map..but it has been useless.. went to three spots on the map that don't exist for hunting... would really like to find a public spot with some water that I could try to find a duck or too... sorry for the long read any help would be appreciated...or send me an email to rkilbourn22(at)aol.com

[Eric Wettschreck]

ColdColdCold,

Welcome to the wonderful world of waterfowling. Be very careful however, it's addicting. If you keep it up you may find yourself sitting in a duck boat, in the yard, in July, wearing a parka, practicing duck calls. The rest of us duck hunters will understand what you are doing, but you may get some funny looks from your neighbors.

The best advice I can give someone starting out weather they're 40 or 14 years old is to go with someone else. Not only will you pick up a ton of tips, but you will have a witness for when (I said when, not if) absolutely crazy things happen.

After deer hunting if you want to road trip you're more than welcome to come with us. I say the more people involved in this wonderful sport the better.

Good luck

[ColdColdCold]

thanks... I am looking for anyone to give me some tips..I know next to nothing..can I dentify a few ducks.. have the reg books and can shoot just okay... so basically I am a newbie... any southern metro people want to help along a 36 yr old rookie... (shhh don't tell my wife she likes that I don't have anyone to hunt with yet )

[Eric Wettschreck]

Dude, if ya want Mrs Cold happy about you duck hunting, BRING HER WITH!!!! At least make the offer, trust the boilerguy on this one, it helps.

[ColdColdCold]

I've offered she says...no gross... I got her to take a picture of me the dog, gun and the woddie today..Thats a close as she wants to get to duck hunting...

[Eric Wettschreck]

If it was just a no gross.....there is hope. Now if you got a OHMYGAWD...ISHY-POO....YUKY.....GET THAT DEAD THING AWAY FROM ME.......Then it would be hopeless.

Keep workin on her, man.

Find a hunting buddy. Go out with him a few times, or do what you did last time. Find some water, throw out a couple of decoys, hide nearby, and shoot em when they come it. How complex it gets for you is entirely up to you.

[WalleyeWeasel]

Boilerguy, when the snows start flying south i'll pick him up and we'll come down............sound good??

[R Buker]

I agree. Get her involved. You might start with some target practice with a .22lr. It's fun to shoot, easy on the ears. Move up to a 20 gauge shotgun. Again fun and easy to shoot.

Then, suggest the hunting thing. Having your wife along is a ball.

Here's a shot of me and my wife with a double she killed a week or so back.

I have to go now, we are heading for the duck blind.

[hokeypokey]

Cold, I'm not a huge fan of hunting myself, but my husband lives for it, so I go out every now and then. Your wife doesn't have to bring a gun but can just hang out and watch a pretty sunrise and drink from a thermos. Just don't make her gut anything the first few times.

[jblabsnduck]

Cold, shoot me a e-mail,([email protected]) my guess is that I can help you out.

I live in shakopee and have some spots close by. If you want to try goose hunting then you realy want to get a hold of me. I have a field that is 7 miles from my house and others that are 20 minutes from my place and now that the corn is out all I have to do is wait for the birds to show up.(and they will)

I am always willing to take a new person out and help show them the ropes. I have all we would need for hunting weither it be ducks, geese or pheasants.

Boilerguy, do you see many snows in the fall?

If so let me know when and maybe we could hook up and put a hurtin on them.

Also I am going to be down that way the weekend of the 12th if you are going to be around we could maybe hook up for a hunt or a beer or both.

[Tom Wilson]

JBLabs,

I live in Cologne, and I prefer Geese to ducks. I would be interested in possibly trading some field hunting for some water hunting if you're interested, (or some top notch Bass fishing in the spring). I would also love to bring my camera gear along. Matter of fact if you have any large parties going out, That might be all I'd want to bring. Consider it, then let me know.

Tom Wilson

(952) 466-3825

[Tom Wilson]

Congratulations on your first Duck. I remember mine fondly, a blue wing teal hen. Brings back a lot of great memories. Thanks for that...

Again Congrats,

Tom W

[Eric Wettschreck]

Fellas, I haven't seen a snow yet. Way more snows in the spring than in the fall around my house.

Having said that, when they show up and I see em, I'll let ya all know and we can shoot them.

[jblabsnduck]

Tom, I will take you up on that offer if you can wait till the birds show up?

Last year I had a field that was holding a couple thousand honks in the late season. Of course I found it the last weekend of the season.

If we get a push of birds my other field will produce.

You are more than welcome to bring whatever you wish camera/gun.

I also have an extra blind if you need one.

I don't like hunting with a lot of people, 4 is about the max I hunt with.

I will put your number in my cell phone.

Here is my email also [email protected]

Hit my e-mail that way I will have your also.

Keep in touch so we can figure something out.

Seeing any ducks out your way?

Birds have dropped of big time in the shakopee area. As soon as some cold comes in that will all change.

Talk to you later.

[MIKE IN lINO III]

ColdColdCold,

Welcome, I started Duck hunting this year and I shot my first Duck (Drake Wood Duck) the weekend after opener. I am absolutely hooked. I don't hunt around town, we have lake property up north, that's where I go.

I know what it is like to just get going.... I have a dozen or so decoys you can have if you want. They are nothing special a few pintails and hen & drake mallards. Reply here with your e-mail if you are interested.

Mike

[ColdColdCold]

Mike in LIno...

Yes I was so excited I told my wife I was heading out to buy some decoys... she said..oh no your not.. ..well we have established who wear's the pants in my family!.. I would be very interested in the decoys..the generosity of people in Minnesota has been astounding.. I moved here from Massachusetts..a whole different world.. My email [email protected] would love to hear from you...

[MIKE IN lINO III]

E-mail sent.

[Tom Wilson]

JB,

You've got mail.

Tom W