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field reports


superfish2

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We had a slow opener on the snake river near pine city. I was just up there again this morning with a buddy and I was shocked to hardly even see a duck much less be able to shoot at one. Just about all of the resident ducks in this area have left with the arrival of the colder weather. I also talked to a guy who had hunted near hinkley yesterday and this morning and he reported some ducks yesterday and nothing at all today.

I sure hope therre are some northern birds on thier way down, because there is some slim pickinings out there now.

[This message has been edited by black max (edited 10-02-2004).]

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went out yesterday and shot
1 mally
1 bwt.
Today went out with
1 woody
1 Pretty ringneck( mounting)
1 nice woody drake

been a good season for me a the fellas that r in my boat at least three ducks a day except yesterday so far.
hope my shooting stays good if a flock comes in there is usually ducks on the water. what a good start to the season
All ducks came off of north middle lake (nicollet MN)

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Hunted this morning on north lake. Incredibly slow. It normaly sounds like a arty barrage out there. Only a handfull of shots heard. Very few ducks. Saw maybe 50 total. Lots of seagull pelicans and comorats though.

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went out to middle lake this morning and ended up with the first lost bird and 1 nice widgeon and 1 bwt
a lot of geese to be had, saw four hit the water.
still to many hunters around lots of decoying ducks but seems to me if you have birds coming in so does someone else and bang bang bang your screwed for that flock.

season is going real good for our party

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Hunting was mixed for us this weekend. I hunted Swan Lake (Nicolette) on Friday. Not many birds flying. Most were scrap ducks, with very few mallards. Saw two flocks of geese. 12 rigs at the NW landing. 0 ducks for two guys.

Saturday was much better. Ended up shooting 11 ducks and a goose for 3 guys. More hunters to move the birds around. Ended up with 7 different species of ducks (bwt, gwt, gadwall, wigeon, shoveler, ringbill, mallard). Nice to see some variety in the air.

Sunday was slower, with only 4 ducks in the bag. It's been a strange season for us this year. Can't wait for the migrants to get here!

Good Gunnin'

Duck-o-holic

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Went out Fri morning and saw 2 woodies and saw 1 mallard as we were picking up the dekes.

Sat morn, went to a different pond with 3 guys. Shot 7 Mallards, 4 BWT, 1 pintail, 1 gadwall. All before 7:45.

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Hunted large North Central lake, take heart folks in the south, there are birds coming after what I saw Sat AM. Cloud like flocks of Ringnecks off to the NE but they would get up fly around the lake and then sit back down, every now and then would get a small flock to break off and fly close, not interested in our area, did end up getting a nice colorful greenhead and a teal that I lost in the rice (bummer). A few teal left around, couple mallards but that was it. No woodies that I saw, definately think the locals have been blown out, gotta wait for Canada to freeze now.

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WOW,what a difference a week can make. had a very poor opener western mn. went back out sat. nice an cold, about 1/8 as many hunters as last weekend. two guys 4 gwt teal, 1 mallard,7 gadwall by 8:50 am. sunday morn dead calm and 45 deg. 9:00 am still have not fired a shot. wind starts to blow out of northwest very hard and the ducks started to appear again, had to quit at 11:00 to drive home. ended up with 2 geese, called in about 20 more just for fun. 1 bwt teal,2 shovs,2 widgeon,5 gadwalls.2 guys. we had a hole square mile to ourselves no hunters(public land), opener must have discouraged a lot of people.cant go out next weekend, but i start our fall family vac at the cabin the 16th. cant wait

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did well hunting around the sartell area...got our 6 woodies for 3 guys and i got a nice drake mallard w/ curlytails and my bro got a mallard too. looking forward to hunting out west this weekend.

S.A aka woodduckwizard from the MN Refuge Gang

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Didn't have a bad weekend in North Central MN:

SAT-
3 hunters: 7 mallards, 1 widgeon, 1 ringneck.

SUN- 2 hunters: 5 mallards, 2 woodies

Didn't see a whole lot of ducks, but the mallards decoyed really well!!-In yo' face!

Didn't get nothin this morning.

------------------
cut that sucka'

[This message has been edited by bassman222 (edited 10-04-2004).]

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Two guys on opener, plus a 7 year old that had his camo on by 3:30 a.m.

Saturday 7 teal, 3 woodies, 1 goose. The next Sunday 4 woodies, 1 mallard, and one more goose.

week1ducks.jpg

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went out this morning and nothing but divers but they are fun to shoot. they must be on the move or there is a lot of them around this year
seems to me we always have some kind of fish eating duck in my boat barely any mallards around

2 rings
1 Redhead

Look out fella's there are cans in south central minnesota could shot one today. but couldn't because of the crazy limited season
tommorow is the 1st full day and there are not to many puddle ducks around whattta a bummer

motion decoys can be used tommorow also good luck

[This message has been edited by set the drag (edited 10-09-2004).]

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Well, I finally got to be out for first light today and I saw nothing but geese. Not a real bad thing, but I shoot a 20 guage with 3" mags. Even with #2's I wouldn't feel comfortable taking a shot unless they were within 30 yds.

I didn't see a single duck all AM. I was in a WPA for most of the morning and the guys in the same lot shot 1 mallard and 1 goose in a different pool.

I was sw of the metro. I can't wait for this week. I can hunt after work now and it looks like some ducky weather coming.

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Duck hunting sucked HORRIBLY this weekend! I saw a grand total of 6 ducks this weekend all were a mile high. Saw more seagulls(terns) then anything. The worst weekend ive had in my life. But on a lighter note, better then working. I hope next weekend improves..

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Seen a couple of ducks-VERY FEW. Not many new geese around but did get 3 Eaglehead Blue Geese and 2 Juvie Blue Geese saturday. Amazing not one Canada Goose came in??!! Skipped today.

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Went pass shooting in North metro saturday morning. I shot one shell and got one duck, a big drake mallerd. There were a few birds around but they dident come our way. Went hunting on a lake near Mille Lacs this morning and dident fire my gun, Barely any ducks.

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Pass shot in SW metro, fired two shells and missed a good sized mallard. I saw a ton of teal, and woodies. There were a lot of birds flying 30-60 mins after shooting hours. The skybusting idiolts and the stupid people shooting over my head were an added bonus. I got a nice steel shower. There were morons shooting at 6:30 and I sware I heard 4 shots with the same sound and pause come from one gun. It was slopy in my opinion, but I guess I will hunt more inaccesable spots next weekend.

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Hunting has been so slow for me this season that I shot a coot this weekend to see what they taste like. I saw four ducks on Saturday. I should have had some dove loads with me all year out on the lake.

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Hunted a WMA in meeker county on Saturday. Didn't get to shoot. Heard lots of shooting on the bigger bodies of water in the area though. Saw three huge flocks of migrating geese. Slept in on Sunday. This weekend looks about perfect for some hunting though. Have a good week everyone.

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Went fishing...will be out duck hunting this weekend when everyone else is out chasing Pheasants.(ah...eexxcceelent) smile.gif

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did not fire a shot but still ened up with one bird that someone did not see go down there were some skybuster up the shore line from us nand the lung shot one and it sailed a ways and feel like a wet rag watched it float across the lake those people left and I got a free duck. It eneded up being a woodie. pretty slow this weekend only eneded up with three ducks and only shot 5 times.

this weekend looks fantastic can't waite to hear the wind blow!!!

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Hunted around home (OT County) Saturday morning, good hunt. No wind, sunny and too nice for ducks. I saw a lot of Mallards, wood ducks, unknown flocks of birds about 60 yards up. Saw a couple flocks of birds I thought were ringbills.

I picked out 2 nice drake woodies, and the mallards just didn't commit within the range I prefer, but some shots I probably could have taken.

Sunday morning I didn't feel up to hunting, but I heard quite a few shots from hunters.

[This message has been edited by ChuckN (edited 10-11-2004).]

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Hunted near Backus Fri. morn. Saeen seven ducks total. 3 flew right over our heads above the rice. Never fired a shot. Bonus: Had seven trumpeters fly 30 yds over head. Fixed up the deer stand.

Hunted south of Marcell Sun. morn. One wood duck and one merganser frown.gif . Not much flyin around.

Ron

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Got a cackler on Saturday, and a honker on Sunday. I am surprised how tender those cacklers are. mmmmm

decoy

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We are still shooting a few mallards in south central part of the state. The teal I have been shooting at were not around this past weekend. The water in our cornfield is still holding on and the rest of the area is drying out. Sweet. It will get better. Flip

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I drove from Marshall to Detroit Lakes and back this weekend. Saw no bird with the exception of two teal on Friday. Sunday was a whole different story. Almost every pond I passed, had 2-12 birds in it. The woodies were very thick between Detroit Lakes and Pelican Rapids. I also say a high concentration of birds between 94 and Elboy Lake. Went by a small lake north of Morris that had about 100 geese and some mallards mixed in. I had to take a second look because I originally thought it was a decoy spread there were so many of them. A lot of geese flying low around the Morris area. The birds tapered off between Morris and Montevideo and they were non existent the rest of the way to Marshall. Hope some of this helps.

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Wednesday there is finally going to be some decent duck weather if you believe the weather man. Im off from work so ill either be hitting the wilmar area or staying closer to home around the metro havent decided yet. anyone else heading out wednesday. Adam

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I didnt hunt this weekend, but I do live near Sherburne Natl Wildlife Refuge.

I heard very few shots in the mornings this weekend. The past couple years, typically is hard to sleep in, with gunshots going off.
Very very quiet in the Big Lake area over all.

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Went out last night in the SW metro, got one teal, a blue. Only bird I saw, but the mosquitoes forced me to retreat a half and hour early. Spoke with another guy who was down on the Minnesota river bottoms, said he saw birds al over the place. I have been hearing that a lot.

------------------
"What the old man trade for these guys... A used puck bag..."

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