2008 regs

[norwall]

What is everyones thoughts on the regs in place for this season as far as bag limits,days,closed canvasback season,bluebills etc just curious on what every1 else thinks

[morefishplease]

almost makes a guy just want to stop hunting

[CrappieKiller01]

i myself may end up going out for early duck season for woodys and teal. then maybe hit up some fields when the mallards start coming down. More walleye fishing time for me. seen so many blue bills last year it was crazy,but if this is what we have to do to keep hunting these wonderfull birds around so be it.Anyone ever thought if they closed hunting and fishing for one year, how good it would be the following year.

[Sartell Angler]

Anyone ever thought if they closed hunting and fishing for one year, how good it would be the following year.

Just speaking for waterfowl, it would make very little if any difference...which is why the logic used by the USFWS is so completely bogus / biologically unsound.

[dan z]

if they closed the whole flyway it would make a differance but just minnesota would not matter they would just shot a little farther south IMO

[Scott M]

I agree with the sentiments expressed for the most part. A little disappointed in federal management on biological grounds, but it has not, will not, and will never stop me from hunting. Like many Minnesota duck hunters, I don't like the inequity amongst northern and southern states in terms of harvest and season length.

Like the G-Man and Sartell Angler say, I pity the duck hunter who goes for ducks alone. I pity the duck hunter who has not filled his being with the dawn magic. I pity the one who cares not, or knows not, what he has killed...There is a great deceit in duck hunting by which men count their sport in terms of 'limit bags' and 'good shooting.' Be not fooled. These same men would greet the rising sun in season though they knew their chances of killing even a single duck were very, very poor indeed.

I was hoping to get a nice can this year, but it can wait. I might just be unlucky, but haven't seen too many bluebills while sitting in a blind with gun in hand. Off season or while not hunting I have seen them. So I guess that doesn't affect me much.

Still waiting on Minnesota's bag limits, but I'm guessing they will stick with 6 birds, and keep the sixty day season from October 4th on.

[eyepatrol]

It sounds like the 60 day and 6 bird limit will stay in effect, but we'll see when the regs come out.

The bluebill regs is a tough one. Ringies and 'bills look so darn similar in flight. It almost makes me want to pass up on those opportunties at ringies. For me, shooting at ringies is like walking on eggshells as it's very tough for me to identify these birds unless they're darn near sitting on the water.

As for cans.....that's a little frustrating as well since last year you could get 2 if I remember correctly. Now with the limit at zero, I'll have to be especially cautious as to whether the birds are cans or if they're redheads. It's easier for me to tell the difference on these than it is between 'bills and ringies, but still not always easy.

Also heard the limit on woddies might be 3? Not sure why they'd change it from 2, but whatever. I'd rather it stay at 2 and just let them really populate.

I guess what it boils down for me is....for the bluebills, ringbills, canvasbacks and redheads....I'll just have to wait until the sun is high enough in the sky and the birds are nearly sitting on the water before I decide to shoot or not. Going to have to pass up any early morning shots.

[dan z]

They all look the same in the pot. so shoot em on the water if you have to I know its redneck like but are we not rednecks? if you cant identify just waite till thier swimming and then wack em

[glenn57]

i have seen some of the new regs in the paper, but ive been trying for 2 weeks to get the regs at a few els stations and they dont have any. are they out yet?

[BigWadeS]

Glenn I don't think they have officially released the state bag limits and such yet, I've been looking too

[Sartell Angler]

they are printing them this week and should be available very soon

the state is opting for just 2 wood ducks and 1 hen mallard even though the Feds are allowing states 3 woodies and 2 hen mallards

[Jaspernuts]

its online now at DNR HSOforum. Thankfully we have gone conservative on the limits (only 2 wood ducks instead of the 3 we were allowed and 1 hen mallard instead of the 2 we were allowed)so that people in Arkansas and Missouri can shoot more.

[slabchaser]

i dont mind the new regs. Although a couple of years ago I saw a lot of cans in southern mn.

[Sartell Angler]

I'm guessing you'll mind the regs when a big ol' bull can comes bombing into your decoys this year and all you can do is sit on your thumb.

[morefishplease]

Exactly. I just love watching cans and bluebills crash into the decoys and not even shoulder the gun. I think the USFWS is trying to turn us into bird watchers haha rather than hunters.

[norwall]

lol... I just like being out in nature in general weather i pull the trigger or not n pay $ for a lic...............NOT it a bunch a [PoorWordUsage]!!

[eyepatrol]

It's confusing to me how they allow 2 cans last year and now zero this year. Would be nice to have some consistency.

I won't be bothered much by not being able to shoot a can this year. Letting one go through the dekes or sit in the dekes isn't going to make or break my day. Bird watching ducks can be fun. In fact, the live birds in the dekes make for some pretty good attractors to other ducks! What better than to have the real deal, right?

[riverrat56]

We were just talking about this at the local bait store, same question about Can's came up, the whole flyway is closed right? If not then it really doesn't make any sense. And the limit of 2 down to 0 is also a head scratcher....? It shouldn't effect me much, I have seen only 2 cans while ever out hunting, but I'm sure this will be the year that they are all over the place....

As far as the bluebills and ringneck thing, I have seen very few bills in the last few years, I've only harvested 1, but this will sure make me look harder before pulling the trigger, most likely if one duck from the flock drops, I will stop at that and make sure of the species. Anyone got any tips for telling the two species apart on the wing?

[Sartell Angler]

I look at the bill...try to shoot drakes only and the bluebill's bill will be blue (makes sense, right) while the ringbills will be black with a white ring around the base of it.

You'll see quite a bit more white on a bluebill than you will on a ringbill too...

As to whether or not passing up a bull can bombing into the dekes will "break my day"....I would say that it definitely would!

[eyepatrol]

I guess I've shot my fair share of bull cans over the years that it wouldn't bother me at all, but I can see your point.

I've only shot 1 goldeneye in my life and if we couldn't shoot those and I had a pretty drake buzz through, that would be a little disheartening. Those drake goldeneyes are a gorgeous duck IMO. I put them right up there with the drake woodie.

Oh, and one other way I distinguish between 'bills and ringnecks....the ringnecks are a bit smaller and have more of that aerodynamic jet-like body shape. Otherwise, it's like SA said....the bill and the amount of white.

[Sartell Angler]

yeah goldeneyes are a cool looking duck! love hearing those wings whistling first and then trying to spot them. got mine for the wall 4 seasons back.

[slabchaser]

Sometimes its nice just to watch em. it wont hurt too bad a if a bull can comes crashing into the dekes.

[norwall]

2 each their own I guess. I myself enjoy rolling those birds n there dang tasty as well. If its bird watchin ur in2 go out n about durning the spring n watch away, but come Oct. its called hunting 4 a reason!

[eyepatrol]

Yes, but a person can "hunt and release" much like "catch and release" too. Both can be enjoyed.

It would be nice to have the opportunity to bag a nice big maroon headed bull can this year, but alas, we'll just have to bird watch them this year.

Hopefully next year it'll be different.

[norwall]

Sooo just how does this so called hunt n release thing work ?