how many people did you deal with?

[Gordie]

I expected to have about 5-6 other groups of hunters on the lake we were hunting and it was almost to peaceful there was only one other group of hunters and they only fired about 8 shoots and sunday maybe 2 other groups out there and not much shooting from them and we didnt even see them guys at all. it was really nice not to have all that compition on the lake.

[Eric Wolf]

Too many! I counted 8 trucks at the access this morning. Gotta love it when the 2 groups closest to you shoot at anything in the air. 100+ yard shots. I couldn't take it anymore so I packed up an left early. That's opener I guess.

Eric

[nicolas hanson]

elwood, did you go where you said you were going?

If you get chance go over to miahs and check out the fishing box we made, it's sweet

[Rooster Chaser]

To be honest, this factor almost kept me from going out. But, my buddy played the "you wimp card" on me, and it worked. We hit a medium sized slough, there were four trailers parked at the access, and one guy walking in through a WMA, as we did also.

My fears were wrong: saw limited sky busting, and everyone was pretty spread out. The rain chased everyone else out early, lack of ducks after a 45 minute flurry of woodies chased us out.

I was pleasantly surprised.

[Twins 57 Fan]

i drove around numerous south metro spots checking things out and talking to different groups. Some of the bigger sloughs had lots of groups with few ducks to show for it. Many complaints about poor shooting choices on ducks out of range. I guess we all have to wait for a few cold days to thin out the real hunters.

I will start my season next weekend. Good luck all!

[SledNeck]

zero.

Last year I never even seen another duck hunter.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

less than anticipated, but further west of me my friends said it was a zoo. sheriffs had to come out and get on the loud speakers to have guys move trucks at one point because a custom harvesting crew needed to get 3 combines, 4 semis, and associated support vehicles into the approachs guys were parked on.

[HNTNBUX]

I usually hunt a very popular lake with about twenty different groups. This year a friend and I headed north and had a lake all to ourselves. It was the most relaxing opener I ever experienced, and the ducks decoyed great.

[AngelicFatum]

This afternoon, my BIL and I took the kayak to paddle some rice on the river, and try to jump some ducks. I was surprised to see a ton of other guys out today. We put in around 1 PM and counted at least 8 other groups hunting on about a 3 mile stretch of the Miss Managed 1 ring neck, and 4 woodies.

[Scott M]

5-6 groups. We were surprised that the usual tag team that sets up near us wasn't there on Saturday (or if they did didn't get much shooting). Sunday they were for sure there doing their usual thing...Shots to 60-75 yards, sailing birds, shooting at any birds that are circling the lake ruining it for the rest of us. The thing is our group tries secure a spot facing open water and drop everything in front of us. They set up behind us on a small spot surrounded by cattails. I can't imagine them finding too many birds, but maybe they have a dog or something.

[justlivin']

After much scouting and miles we decided on a place WMA where motors were permitted about 1 1/2 hrs from home Great weekend 5 geese, 4 mallards, 1 teal, 1 ring bill 3 other sets on water sat. and only 1 on sun. The only down point was a local person from the area stopped in access area and asked us where we were from and we told him and he responded with "why the #@@%$ you guys come way over here in our area" no pressure or sky busters and all birds were shot in decoys we responded.

On a side note when we found the area we were unsure if we could use motors so I emailed the DNR with our location and within 2 hours I had a response.

[slabchaser]

I got to my spot at 5. not a high pressure lake but the wind was from the SE and I wanted a particular area. at 7:45 a guy walked in from shore which was a good hike especially with waders and decoy bag but he decided to set up 30 yards from me. I explained that this was unacceptable due to the amount of time I had been out there. He moved another 60 yards further. He was a good shot though so hes batting 500. other guys took good shots. No one was calling. It was weird. Sunday I was the first boat again. Next boat didnt get there until 5 minutes before shooting time. the boat after him showed up a half hour after sun up. Stayed 45 minutes then left. it was weird why come late and leave even earlier. in other news my patternmaster worked like a champ. I didnt have to chase one cripple.

[tealitup]

Saturday a friend and I had a lake all to ourselves. Had shots at geese and woodies right at opening, but nothing after that.

Sunday, the dog and I went south by ourselves. Got out early, but there was 8 cars in the lot. Found a backwater pond all to ourselves.

Sunrise came and two mallards down. Shooting all around us; but then some guy sits 50 yards from me on a hill. Full camo; no waders; maybe he needed the less weight for all of the shells. He was shooting at birds 100-200 yards away.

Two kids then came strolling in without decoys - sat another 50 yards to me in a perfect spot (I did not see the spot when I walked in at dark); ducks would lock on to my decoys and they would shoot.

Thank God for the rain storm - they left. However, I never did get another good shot for the day. I was kinda mad at some of these people. In this spot you have to walk about 1/4 mile and it seemed these parties noticed I had decoys so stationed themselves close.

And the guy who sat next to me without waders on the hill. I picked up that wounded teal you left on the water.

[kobear]

It was barren. Used to be three groups in this area now there were none. Much more shooting one-three miles away though then previous years. I walked less than a hundred yards across public land and pitched the dekes almost too easy. And I almost didn't go.

[wallter]

justlivin,

I'm curious how you even thought that any WMA or WPA or Whatever would allow motors. I had no idea that there were any. This of course is great news! It does sound like there was no indication on any signs that motors could be used. So did you just randomely ask or did you have some indicator that motors were allowed? Thanks.

[justlivin']

Wallter,

The public access was on WMA however the entire body of water was not surrounded by WMA. The no hunting leased land signs gave that away. So in reading the regs. that stated any body's of water fully surrounded by WMA's were off limits to motors with few exceptions. So I sent the email off even though I was fairly certain that I could use motor and I got response quickly

[311Hemi]

We only dealt with one group of yahoo's. We were out on the slew around 5:30 Saturday morning. These guys come out at 8:00, load their 14' jon boat with 6 guys (yes 6) and headed across the slew about 100 yards from one of our groups. They got set up a little before shooting time.

It's about 5 min to shooting time and they start blasting away while we watch everything get up on the slew with nothing we could do. Most of what was there flew off. They got their illegal shooting in....and screwed us. There were a decent number of shoots that could have been had.

They then packed up about 11:00 and took their sweet old time crossing the slew. Luckily they did not come out Sunday morning.

[tealitup]

Six guys in a jon boat with decoys - "hunts gone bad"

[MN Greenheads]

Hunted a N.E. metro WMA lake and all I can say is it stunk. 13 rigs there Saturday and people crowding in each other. Sky busting and I got peppered hard with pellets from someone 70 yds away. Saw some ducks early but they left and weren't there on Sunday. Oh well I guess thats what I get for trying to hunt the metro.

[HugoBox]

Hunted a N.E. metro WMA lake and all I can say is it stunk. 13 rigs there Saturday and people crowding in each other. Sky busting and I got peppered hard with pellets from someone 70 yds away. Saw some ducks early but they left and weren't there on Sunday. Oh well I guess thats what I get for trying to hunt the metro.

I think I hunted that spot 2 years ago for opener and saw 22 rigs. Gets a bit tiresome dealing with those crowds.

[ole matty]

Only hunted with 4 other hunting party rest of the wknd.. one of hunting party killed 2 geese at 7am n start blasting at woodies after that. I called tips n never saw the officers.. Not so great opener.. I think I ll going to next year opener up north.

[dan z]

was just south of the cities for the openner and thier was about the average number of people, someone did plop down pretty close to on of my buddies so that sucked for them.

I remeber a few years ago ago I went out to swan and thier were a couple dozen rigs on each landing and think of all the guys that have duck shakes, If I remember right thier were like forty rigs on time I went out thier I stay away from swan till the fair weather guys are done. so it'll be three weeks before I even think bout going out thier.

[stayman79]

None. We scouted and found a good looking, but hard to walk in to public spot in west central MN and had the slough to ourselves both days. It was great!

[hhguide]

stayman 79m,you weren't down by red rock were you? you can email me if you dont want to talk about it on here

[Hammer Handle]

No one Saturday.

Sunday, a boat was sitting in "my spot". We posted one on each side of them...and still got shooting in.

I assume they came over Sunday for we were doing all the shooting.