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Me too. But it’s over now. All day sit today. Spent much of it watching an 8 pointer chase some does, then bed down where I couldn’t get a shot at him. He left just before 2pm. This guy came out at last light. I love deer hunting but I was ready to be done.

Finally made it back out on Vermilion today. The ice is in much better condition than I expected. The spot I fished last Friday (3/8 mile out from McKinley Park which had only 3-4 inches of ice) had 9½ inches of ice today (top 1½ inch was frozen slush). I walked out a little over 1/2 mile to fish and found 9 inches of ice (top 1½-2" was white ice). I found large patches of slush at 1/4 mile out and 3/8 mile out from the landing, and then didn't find any more. A couple of vehicles found slush at the landing as shown in the attached picture. Any locations with large accumulation of snow are likely to have slush underneath (even after the -20°F temps the last 2 mornings up here. Most of the surface was snow free or hard pack thin snow, very easy to walk on. Lots of ATVs and sleds running around out from the Park, even as far as Ely Island and the small island before Birch Island. A couple of ATVs dragged a small wheel house and a small skid house out of McKinley Park bay on the east side. I'm sure that there will be a lot more vehicle traffic this weekend. I'm going to wait until late next week to drag my lightweight skid house out with my sled. Fishing was much better today than last Friday. Caught 50% more walleyes, and they were much larger than last week. Caught 4 eyes over 16 inches including the 22 inch pictured. I caught one eye at 20 inches exactly but didn't dare keep that one, even though I think my adhesive tape scale measures fish longer than they actually are. Started fishing at 9am and didn't catch an eye until 11am. Then I would catch a couple about every hour. The best bite was around 3pm. If you venture out, be cautious of the ice condition, courteous of other anglers, pick up your trash, and good luck.

Checked the ice at McKinley Park Monday (Dec. 2) afternoon. There was quite a bit of open water before Birch Island and I found only 2-3 inches of ice 10 yards out from the landing. If the lake doesn't freeze over tonight it may not happen until Thursday morning after the snow stops and the wind dies down. I was hoping to walk out fishing Thursday, but I may wait until Friday to be safer. To be very safe I may just wait until next Monday (Dec. 9). The winter is long. No need to rush it.

Made it out fishing Friday, December 6th. The ice thickness at the landing was 5 inches, quite an improvement from the 2-3" on Monday. I kept testing the ice with a chisel, then checked the thickness 1/4 mile out. Found 4 inches so I continued to go out further. At almost 1/2 mile out from the landing I drilled a hole and found only 3 inches of ice. I decided I went out far enough. It didn't appear that anybody else went out that far. After fishing in that location for 3 hours, the heat in my fish house had created over 1/2 inch of water on top of the ice. I decided that I better move before I weaken the ice in that spot even more. Moved 30 feet out further and found 4 inches of nice black ice. Finished the day there. Proof that the ice can vary a lot in a short distance. Fishing was quite slow. Caught only 6 walleyes in 6 hours of fishing (9am to 3pm). 4 of them were caught between 1:40-1:55pm. The biggest was only 14". If you venture out, be VERY CAREFUL. The ice is very marginal and this weekend is only going to get warmer. They are predicting 6-10" of snow on Sunday so that will make the ice even more unpredictable. Looks like next Tuesday-Thursday will be very cold so maybe I will go back up the end of next week.

Found a lake with 6-7. Did some catch and release. We must have caught 20 over 9 inches. Biggest 10.25"

It's definitely winter, we have about 4-6 inches of fluffy snow on the ground which has predominantly blown off the ice. I have several friends out on the ice as of late 5-6 inches of ice. I work the next two days, will get the gear together Saturday and go Sunday. I'd be completely fine if we have an early spring like earlier this year.

For any of you who have met me I need 5 inches of ice to feel good to fish on.

I used to run an auto and this is the truest statement. I also realized the importance of good cleaner and lube. The cheap stuff really holds dirt. A well cleaned gas gun can operate sub zero Temps. Even an interia driven auto dirty with bad lubricants can fail at 70 degrees.

Hate to post this right before dinner, but I had to break out the Pot roast on this cold day for dinner! Tender!

How bout da grill,? Couldn't find it Grilled pike. Kinda like poor man lobster... only more gooder!

Cube up the meat, wrap in bacon, pin with a toothpick and crockpot with brown sugar for a couple hours. Great appetizers.

I keep close track of my possession limit so that I'm always a daily bag limit short when I go hunting, first and foremost. I also give a number of them away to friends, co-workers, and family every season. I vacuum seal mine so they last months without getting freezer burned. Pheasant is very similar to grouse, just a little bigger. Tender white meat like chicken. You could make it just about any way you prepare chicken. My personal favorite recipe is in a cast iron pot slow cooked with a can of cream of mushroom soup. A crock pot would also work, but it just takes longer.

Smurfy LOVES catchin’ bass!!!!

I went fishing with my old man and we caught and released a few fish. Next time I will have to hit my normal lake.

Haha - nope! Still been chasing those deers! I was super glad to have a doe donated to us by my buddy last week so we had something, but really wanted a second. Plus there’s that piece where a guy just wants to fill a tag himself! Pic is in moose’s thread. A friend in the area heard my shot yesterday. He came to help with the recovery (low blood to start and it got dark). As soon as we got done with the high five at the recovery I said “Now… I can go ice fishing”.

I made this Wednesday evening. Dang good chicken pot pie!!

Finally a Vikings blowout sort of. Been waiting a long time for this.

Been seeing some more deer during daylight hours again. Seems to be getting back to normal after rifle season

Happy Thanksgiving to you all as well. We had ours yesterday because our RN daughter in law had to work today. So I'm trying my hand first time ever at turkey stock for soup later!

My buddy has a Chesapeake retriever but we don't bring him with crane hunting for that reason. They have an affinity for stabbing dogs eyes out. Typically if they aren't completely dead when they hit the ground they don't run like geese. I typically hit em with my barrel and that finishes them. I've had them try and stab me or kick me with their spurs. We killed one goose hunting with my buddies dog and it was dead. He wouldn't pick it up just barked at it. Must smell way different than ducks. I guess they have mites but haven't noticed them. Never seen them on them or the meat and never see "rice breast" on them. My buddies dog is named teddy after Teddy Roosevelt. He went 231/232 ducks and geese retrieves this year.

Walked today and yesterday, flushed 9, shot at two and got two. Hopefully next year I'll have a dog to hunt with. Still warm up here, skim of ice on ponds. Weather has been nice. Hopefully walk a bit more the next few weeks. Been pretty cautious walking for birds to not interfere with deer hunters. There sure are not the deer hunters there used to be

Wild rice hot-dish is my go too for picky eaters. It’s like a thick wildrice soup.

i've hunted and cooked pheasant........just curious how others do it!!!!! have some fussy eaters regarding some wild game. if i'm by myself i bake it after browning and eat it that way...... IF i gotta tend with fussy eaters i cook it then throw it in chow mein!!!!!

Had a tremendous hunt yesterday. Took about 2 hours at 2.5 spots. I took one of my Father's friends with, as he's been asking me to come with for a while now. The second spot had 26 birds, and I folded up 4 roosters there. Looks like the landscape is about to change though, with a decent amount of white stuff on the ground next time I go.

Chicky wings be pretty tasty too tho!

Worked for them today, buddy of mine fished 3 different lakes, never set up the shelter, hole hopped and went home with eight walleye between us. Pretty much 6+ ice on the lakes we fished. One had almost a foot

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Looks legit.... no FORD emblem tattooed in the rib cage! Lol!

But, but you said! 53 minutes ago, smurfy said: "i talked to one of the biggest BS'ERS this side of the sippi...."

LOL its gonna be colder then a witches mammary glands the next 3 days!!!!! so he's staying indoor as much as possible!!!!!!! i'm just curious if he's "hermiting"up alone!!!!! looking at the webcams up there doesnt look like that much.....and seems less on the lakes!!!!

hermit up?? not going to ask!!! LOL!!!

Skunked, we had about 4-5" on the ground, some melted with the warm weather over the weekend. But, overnight and it's still snowing, we're adding to the totals. I'd say we've got another 4+ so far. The railing was clear before it started snowing. Some wet spots out in front of me, I haven't checked the ice thickness yet. Hopefully, we're not in for another bad year with slush on the lake!

Just finished the game. Only thing better was getting some vennie cut up.

Just gotta use some common sense and have some ice safety gear. If I hadn’t duffed the shot on the buck on the last day of rifle season, I’d probably be on the ice this weekend also. Instead, I’ll still be chasing some vennie.

Good update. There has already been a host of idiots walking on the thin ice in the metro, with several rescues taking place. I read that a retired pastor in Duluth also went ice skating on thin ice and died. It's good to see that you're waiting a bit.

I’m seeing reports of up to 6-7 inches in the Brainerd area. Edward as much as 8 by shore and 4 still out quite a way. The big lakes might take that hit but I doubt the smaller ones will be affected, Man, it turned fast this year. This weekend there will be a ton of people out.

The lake i live on locked up Wednesday but it's pretty shallow and wind protected. I'd venture to say by next weekend lots of these little lakes will be sitting at 4-6 inches

In my area there has some guys out on the ice. It sounds like they are fishing on 3" inches of ice. There was two groups out here on star last night.

Been checking ice but most lakes still have some open water due to wind. I will be muzzleloader hunting for a bit seeing the ice isn’t ready.

I went on Wed early afternoon and got a couple more dumb ones at the first spot. Everything has hardened up good now so its much easier walking than the mudhole last time. Low lying areas with water had enough ice to hold the dog, but not me. There's a lot of birds out there. Maybe the most I've seen since I've had this dog, and she is 12 years old.

I have not eaten one, they are protected generally here in the states and Canada although there have been special seasons for population control but I don't think it was harvested for meat. I've hunted in countries where they are not protected and was with someone who shot one, I didn't eat it but it just stunk after I picked it up.

Yes! Enjoy your turkey day everyone!

happy thanksgiving to all!!!

They definitely are stinky birds, the cormorant that is. The Sandhills don't really smell. When you clean them it smells more like venison than waterfowl. We figured he wouldn't pick it up since they must smell similar to chickens and my buddy has trained the Chesapeake to not go after their chickens at home

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They are quite the dog. He's an absolute machine, well trained, never breaks early. They have a reputation for being stubborn and mean but that dog is just friendly and would hunt everyday all day if he could. Fortunate that he comes with on the trips we go on.

I went pheasant hunting for the first time this season on Friday. Started at 11am, and finished by 11:43 at the first spot. Raised 13, 5 of which were roosters. They were all getting up close and dumb. The entire countryside is a complete mudhole. Sticky, thick, wet mud and standing water in all the ditches and low lying areas. I'm looking forward to all of this hardening up good with colder weather soon. I use a Benelli that's inertia-driven. Far less debris for cleaner operation than shooting a gas operated autoloader.

With any semi automatic it’s keeping them cleaned

Flushed 3 pheasants today with Hazel but they were flushing 50 yards a head of her. Then we went by some little berries that looked black and hazels tail started going a brown bird gets up I thought hen then the bird banked and it was a grouse. It was good to get her out in the woods. I seen a few pheasants in picked corn fields.