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Waterfowl Reports


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North metro this morning. Lots of geese flying, but they knew where they were going and it wasn't to us wink

Did have two mallards come in perfect, and we got them both. Those were our only shots, and we really didn't see many ducks flying, less than expected. Two flocks buffies, four bills swimming way out, and maybe two other small groups of ducks, that was it!....

Two other groups on lake, saw one goose fall, and the farther group group got a couple birds right after shooting time. Slow morning, but how the ducks did come in made the 7 dozen dekes worth it, hahahaha!!! crazy

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Hunted out west yesterday and shot a couple mallards and a bunch of spoonies and a goose. Lots of mallards flying but would flair at about 60yds. Was using a mojo...first time ever and I am thinking this might have been the problem. Anyone else having this happen?

Im 90 percent sure it was the mojo. Not sure about other factors like brdhunter stated...because it could be something else, but i would say it was the mojo. Iv been using a mojo for 11 years and in the last 5 years iv almost exclusively stopped using them over water. They arnt as effective. The mallards will see them from a distance and come take a look, then flare at 60 yards. If ducks wont commit the mojo is the first thing to come down.

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Hunted the Winnie area this morning.

Not alot of wind and I think stuff that had been iced up is opening up and causing the birds to spread out.

My buddy got 3 goldeneyes and he's putting an awesome drake and a great hen on the wall. All I could hit was a pair of hooded mergansers.

Headed back out in the a.m. to close out the North zone season. Wish we could hunt through the weekend as the weather forecast looks awesome this weekend.

Brian

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The refuge outside of town started to fill up with the most mallards I have seen in a few years. Sounds like many hunters are having great success. 3 man limit of mallards on Sat. Watched alot of birds going out to feed. Someone posted earlier that they thought maybe the mojo was flaring the ducks they were hunting, we had 8 spinners going and they were dropping in from way above.

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water or field ? I had a couple flocks do the same a week ago came from the nose bleed section , circled twice and sailed at the last turn when the where cupped and committed . landed 75-100'yds out.

I'm quite certain it was the 3 mojos and 1 wind decoy . I never called cause they where working perfect ,But if I had picked up the call at the end Im convinced they would have finished.

had a 12 pack of bluebills do the same. next day

Im not sure if ill use them again this year.

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Thought north wind would bring some fresh birds. Maybe a few geese. Mallets fuged up for the most part. Getting beat up. full-283-26624-2012_11_1913.11.29.jpg

Still some imatures around though. Contemplating tomorrow.

full-283-26625-1119121442.jpg

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luckycrank we were in the fields all wkend. I forgot to mention that in my post. Not sure how the guys are doing on water, looks as if most to all are having luck in the fields...pig and a poke though, the mallards are changing fields daily, hard to stay on them.

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Decided to giver er one more shot this morning to close out the season in the North Zone. Set up in a shallow, rocky sandbar just north of Duluth with just 8 mallard floaters and a robo. Had 2 flocks and a single decoy without second thought and had 2 limits laid out in 20 minutes!

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we were up on shore hidden in some bushes and our boat was about 300yds away. I am planing on going Saturday again and will start with the Mojo and take it down if I have the same problem I guess. Must work better at the beginning of the season I am assuming? Thanks for the help!

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Glade to see people getting them..

Im trying to decide if this cold push will have more in my area thurs morn. or fri morn?

What you do you guys think would be best for the lakeville area?

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Sounds like the colder weather will coming in while we watch football on Thanksgiving?!?! Might make for an interesting weekend and upcoming week! Supposed to get somewhat normal temps and chances of snow...

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I will be watching the weather and letting it tell me whats up.

I think the next push will happen thrusday/friday but we will see.

Sifty

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I think a small push happened sometime beetween monday and today. from what I've noticed there not every where but there are pockets of ducks if one does a little scouting

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Im going to be out the next 4 days on and off , I think this weekend will be the push in southern mn and a couple days into next week. My worst season ever, kind of hunt same area all year, due to very little vacation time . Ducks have never shown up here all season in the minnesota river valley. I hope there is alot more water next year.

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I hunted the last 2 days to close out the North Zone season.

Monday was OK w/ 3 goldeneyes and 2 hoodies. Missed many other shots due to poor shooting. mad

The fog Tuesday morning had us shore bound till noon, not to mention ice at every landing we checked out.. A buddy and hunted Winnie and the only shooting/chance we had was on a hen mallard. 1,000's of diver out there rafted up, but with little/no wind they weren't flying around at all.

Time to get ready for ice fishing season I guess and try to get a deer with the muzzleloader.

Brian

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Took the youngster out to a diver point for her first time. Managed to pull in some green as well. Better results than should be expected with no wind. full-283-26684-2012_11_2110.24.12.jpg

Headed home to regroup. Couple good meals will be nice. Stomache starting to rebel a bit against a diet consisting predominantly of breakfast bars and convenience store biscuits. Will be back out Friday until the finish. Should be a small push of the final birds.

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Should be the final push Friday/Saturday. Friday might be one of those days ya stay out all day as birds are migrating. Good luck to everyone going out for the final push. Still a good amount of mallards in southern mn if you can get out and scout where the birds are feeding. This is one of the first years in awhile where I can say that a decent amount of mallards moved in and stayed.

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6 degree wind chill with some heavy winds tomorrow morning around the metro. For those hunting water be careful.......can't stand seeing those bad reports on the news about unfortunate duck hunters.

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Put on a 140 miles yesterday, checked out all of the honey holes plus some other larger bodies of water, 0 ducks spotted, quite a few geese around and swans. The fields i have to hunt are cut and tilled so I sad thing for me to say is duck season 2012 is done for me frown time to start building wood duck houses. Happy hunting and Happy Thanksgiving

Kettle

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Gave up too soon wink 150 mile run for me tomorrow morning that I am confident will put green on the boat floor. I get the look from wifey every time she sees me checking weather reports. At least one of our credit cards will be kept warm this weekend.

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Next year I will be ready! I have a total of 42 days off next year during the duck hunting season, with trips to Canada and Nebraska! Hopefully will have a larger boat with a surface drive to add to the 14' with the ten horse, and hopefully have a better rice crop. Should have some more decoys and some more places to hunt. I envy you Bryce, I have such and odd scheduled I hunt solo mostly. Happy Hunting

Kettle

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The pond across the road from us in Big Lake that was full of mallards and honkers has only had honkers for the last couple days. Thinking its over for ducks boys! Still have a month of pheasant hunting in NoDak, time to start seriously expanding the tail feather collection stuck in the weather stripping on my pickup!!

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Went flying w/ a buddy yesterday over 3rd River, Winnie, Cutfoot Lakes, and Round Lake. Didn't see much for ducks at all, but we stayed on the north shore of Winnie. My buddy said it was no where near the number that he saw the Friday before rifle season opened. 3rd River was iced up to to the lake and most of the small waters were frozen, ice forming pretty good on the Cutfoot Lakes, and Round Lake as well.

Another buddy drove over Inger Bridge today and said the river was loaded w/ ducks. Go figure!

Brian

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For the north half of the state and all the waterfowlers there.......... The >>>>>> lady has sung. Se you next year, Today I personally had some good photo opps with the camera, but they were on edge, certainly didn't stick around long..........

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Haven't seen any big flocks of ducks lately but today I saw what had to be thee biggest flock of geese I've seen in years..... if ever around here. I would have to guess somewhere between 2 - 3000 birds, we've had good numbers around for the last month or more but this must be the last big push of the migration.

Even though I don't hunt waterfowl, it's still fun to see the ducks and geese passing thru.

Mike

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • monstermoose78
      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. 
    • Kettle
      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 
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
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    • gimruis
      I hunt in the rifle zone so I don't have a need to use a shotgun to hunt deer, but I would be looking at this if there was ever a need to.   There could be state legislation introduced next summer that eliminates the shotgun zone completely.  It has bipartisan support.  Wisconsin removed theirs years ago and MN is usually later to follow.  They've tried to pass it more than once and it came up just short both times.  Probably just a matter of time.
    • Wanderer
      Oh, h e l l no! 
    • leech~~
      Screw that, here's whatch need!  😆   Power-Shok Rifled Slug 10 Gauge 766 Grain Grain Weight: 766 Shotshell Length: 3-1/2in / 89mm Muzzle Velocity: 1280
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    • 11-87
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    • leech~~
      Wanderer is right on the money and covered it well.  I was wondering too if you had a slug barrel for one of your guns?  If so you could make that your slug gun with a scope, and the other your turkey gun with the Red dot.  As you can afford it. 
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