Divers around?

[eyepatrol]

Anyone still seeing divers around? Up north yet?

Gonna head out this weekend and wondering if I should bring the diver dekes out or leave them at home.

Thanks.

[mpester]

I have been hunting in the metro area. I got a golden eye and four buffle heads on Tuesday. Today I got a ring bill and another buffle head. I did not see many birds besides the ones I shot at. I saw almost no mallards or other puddle ducks either day. If I were you, I would only bring the diver decoys.

[luckycrank]

eye patrol I have been shooting divers since week two of the season!

[hhguide]

yup I would bring them along!

[Dean Schellinger]

Goldeneyes and common mergies should be comin through these days

[IceHawk]

There's definately golden eye's around.

[luckycrank]

next question is thereor will there be open water

[swedishpimple]

Lake Bemidji still had decent numbers of Bills, Goldeneyes and Mergansers on it this morning,,,there are some mallards around too. The smaller lakes are locking up fast, today may be the last day of open water on many of the small to medium size lakes.

Lake Bemidji has some ice on the South end,,,,,if the wind were to die down it would freeze.

[rattlem'up]

yeah some of the lakes that i hunt should be iced up completely if the wind dies down. Kinda sucks, and i dont wanna try bustin through with the boat.

[luckycrank]

i DONT MIND BREAKING ICE IF ITS NOT REAL THICK

And if there is open water to set decoys

i reallly don't care to break ice if I have to make a spot for my decoys

[dan z]

I'm gonna break ice till my boat cant. then I'll start walkin to my spots and using land decoys, then again thier is always the river.

[rattlem'up]

the girlfriends brother already put a couple holes in the boat. He's telling me there from breaking ice. Its an aluminum boat so yeah maybe could happen. He got'er fixed for me so i'm a happy camper again! Thats why i'm kinda leary about breakin ice.

[swedishpimple]

South End of Lake Bemidji is now pretty much frozen....a few ducks were in the river..my guess is any divers in the area are now on Leech, Winnie or at 30,000 ft and motoring south.

[dan z]

I HOPE THERE ARE STILL SOME ON LEECH AND WINNI I DONT WANNA BE DONE YET

[jigginjim]

any of you, shoot the mergies. Or are they not any good for eating?

[Will]

i have not found a way to cook 'em to tame down their strong fishy, livery taste. i've done chili before and it was passable. tried jerky, just about knocked me off my feet!

i am thinking about trying the brick recipe - take one oven brick, cover with olive oil, stuff inside merg, cook at 350 for 2 1/2 hours, let rest, scrape bird off the brick, throw merg away, then eat the brick.

[tweedlap]

Let them fly. There is a lot of bull [PoorWordUsage] in the pasture, too, but you don't eat it.

tweed

[brdhunter]

i have not found a way to cook 'em to tame down their strong fishy, livery taste. i've done chili before and it was passable. tried jerky, just about knocked me off my feet!

i am thinking about trying the brick recipe - take one oven brick, cover with olive oil, stuff inside merg, cook at 350 for 2 1/2 hours, let rest, scrape bird off the brick, throw merg away, then eat the brick.

I'm with you! Same for Coot. We cook em on a 2*4, throw the brid away and eat the wood. Haven't tried the Brick yet, I'll put it on my list. But, Dam does it taste good!

[dan z]

hoods are stronger, but I will still eat em up just like the rest of them

[bassman222]

I HOPE THERE ARE STILL SOME ON LEECH AND WINNI I DONT WANNA BE DONE YET

Sorry DanZ, Winni is locked and Walker bay is that remains open on Leech.....

[dan z]

bummer, my mind still says go till the end I keep my chin up all season long going out ta mara. yes on open water

[Gordie]

was up in the longville area this past weekend and saw tons of goldeneyes winging around so there has got to be open water some were and I think leach is still open not for sure thou