First bluewings!

[123fish]

We saw our first flock of migrating bluewings last evening on the local sandpit. A group of about forty or so. Last year I saw the first group on Aug. 16. It's getting closer.

[Sartell Angler]

where are you located?

those must be some pretty skittish birds...temp gets down to about 50 at night and suddenly they're on the move. Hoping for some mild weather the fist week or two of the season this year to keep those and the wood ducks around a little longer.

I've been seeing a good number of blue wings and woodies in the central part of the state. Not a whole lot of geese but in town there should be enough to keep us busy on early goose opener.

[dan z]

could be the first fliers you have seen, I know bwingers migrate earlier than most ducks but why do I stll shoot some when people are wearing blaze orange. I think most of them leave for pressure reasons.

[123fish]

I'm located in southwest Minnesota. I'd bet anything they are migrators because they show up every year about this time on the sandpits and I'll guarantee they are not raised out there. They all had bright blue wing patches and my understanding is that the drakes migrate first starting about now. Another week or two and you'll be seeing reports of them on the southern coasts already.

[Sartell Angler]

yeah I definitely believe the bulk of them move through our state before we have much of a chance to hunt them. In past years we've had a cold snap a week or so before duck opener and it has caused quite a few birds to bug out prematurely. That's not to say the hunting pressure doesn't have an impact--I'm thinking that just speeds things along.

If you're shooting them during deer season you're getting the stragglers...by then the southern states have already had their early teal season

[wooduck26]

yeah I definitely believe the bulk of them move through our state before we have much of a chance to hunt them.

Wrong. Only the Mature Males migrate early.