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Waterfowl Reports


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Hunted this morning in the field, wind was INSANE! Lots of geese still around, did not see as many mallards though. All the lakes are frozen this morning except parts of the refuge. She is about done here boys! Couple hundered geese landed in the field, we were hunting for mallards and only seen a few small flocks.

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turned around at the landing today after seeing the ice, it was open in the middle but breaking ice in a kayak with a paddle isn't fun. Saw all kinds of ducks on the way home in the north metro. Thinking about heading to the river this weekend.

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@ booger. Stopped at Men ards and got a kayak this morning. Never used one before. Not the best day for a maiden voyage but I had to try. Kicked 100 geese off lake at 8:00. Saw one flock of migrating ducks and 2 small flocks of geese moving. Left at 10 when goose butts started tipping over in the wind. That thing is a little scary. It will fill a niche in my fleet though.

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I have the beavertail phantom, so it is pretty stable. Its probably pretty funny watching me get around I have a good size bag of duck decoys with about 2 dozen and usually take 6 more goose decoys, and I'm not a skinny guy. That along with my gun, a spotlight, shell bag. Its crowded. But I can pull that sucker up in the cattails, sit on the cargo area and disappear.

And my friends aren't as into hunting as I am so it allows me to get out more than 3 times a year smile and hey if you ever want to go out, send me a PM.

I'd love to get a motor and trailer as I have a 12 foot newly camo'ed boat just sitting around. But by myself it's too much to carry.

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Made it over halfway before getting report of freeze up. Didn't think the ice would form in all this wind. Time to hang it up. Could hit one of the local lakes but think I'll give those birds a pardon. Hard to get ambitious about having a good day and seeing a dozen birds. Rochester geese next project.

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Stayed on shore this am to be safe. Didn't see much migration while sitting out. Hoping to make it out in the am. Good luck and be safe out there fellow greenhead chasers

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Took a drive yesterday to the Alexandria to fergus falls area looking for pheasants and ducks, found no pheasants, and very few ducks. Have a private field in the south metro where we have done well, but I am picking up a new puppy tomorrow. Hopefully Sunday!

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Was out this afternoon for a bit by Pelletier saw VERY FEW ducks. Lots of geese though. Talked to a few other guys and their reports were lack luster as well. Anyone else hear the fat lady warming up?

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Picked out a nice un-tilled field for tomorrow. Have 9 dozen geese and mallards to put out. Last hunt of the season for this guy frown lets hope it goes well!

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Decided to give it one got it this am. Most lakes are turning hard but Parts of Centerville are open. Ended up with one goose. Saw maybe 10 ducks. MA Nature won though and pushed all my blocks into shore so I'm going to call it a season.

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Field in Scandia. Nothin flying. Saw one small flock of divers flying at sunrise. 3 Trumpeters went right over my spread. Drove by lake and there were 100 geese standing on ice. No open water left there. Geese never got up. Wrapped it at 9:30. Too cold for napping in a field this morning.

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Made it out, 1 bill for the effort. I worked way to hard for it. Boat was froze in. So that was a chore and on the way in not much water spitting so shut er down in hopes for non blown head. Not much flying but did see some birds smile

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All done around the cabin here in Tumuli Country. What isn't already frozen is on the way to being solid. Time to lay away the .12 guage and break out the augers n' stuff.

Unless you want to shoot some tough- as -a -tire old goose or two.

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Lakes are frozen here, the mallards and geese have a hole opened up still on the refuge. New mallards pushed in last night. A good 2-3k mallards going out to feed. Guys that are able to scout and get permish are shooting limits. Days are very limited now, especially if the ducks and geese can not keep those couple holes opened up on the refuge. Was out scouting and asked a couple farmers for permish but denied both times. Its never easy getting them in the fields, first you have to find the mallards, then get permish, then hope those birds want to use that same field which lately in this area off the refuge they have not been.

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went to the river, saw about 30 swans, a few in range but I like my gun, truck, boat smile

After shooting time saw quite a few ducks and geese. All the other lakes I drove by on the way were frozen over or close to it.

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Shot two greenies and a couple of honkers Friday including one of those four pound cacklers. I'd put up a picture but can't get if off of Photobucket anymore. Everything was froze up this morning.

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Our season is done up here north of 210 but while on my deer stand this morning I heard 9 different flocks of goldeneyes fly over, time to start hunting them with the Cannon, almost as pretty as in the Spring... These were shot south of 210 on Wed.

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And a crash landing...

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anyone familar with the belle plaine area, Im new to the area, and was interested in hearing fr someone who hunts around here

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GREAT shots Todd!

I like that last one, looks like the drake is bracing for some trouble.

Mike

That last one is pretty sweet. I know I've looked at my wife like that a few times... grin

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anyone familar with the belle plaine area, Im new to the area, and was interested in hearing fr someone who hunts around here

I hunted thursday morning and thursday night with no luck in the BP area the two lakes I scouted where both locked up.

Sifty

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Season did not end with a bang for me. Never shouldered the gun. Saw quite a few birds. A trio of eagles were working the lake and kicked up about a hundred mallards.None came near me. No mojo.No calling. Got burned by a pair of bills that I never saw because they were below the trees the whole time.Flock of about 20 got flushed up by a helicopter. Had some chances to shoot but passed cause they were not decoying. Used to measure the success of my seasons by the number of ducks taken. Not anymore. All in all a good year. Quite a few memorable hunts without ever firing a shot.Never shot a duck all of November. Last taken were a pair of mallards on Halloween. Did manage to reach my goal of 40 hunts for the season. All of them less than 5 hours most less than 3 after work. Might get after the geese but have a hunch ppl will be on the ice before the weekend. I will be one of em!

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thanks for the feedback sifty, could ya give me some more info or point me in the right direction perhaps. Any info is appreciated. what 2 lakes ? i drive to chaska along the river daily at 7am and 4pm and dont see hardly much. Like I said we just moved here so im green to the area ,but would like to try it. I know guys do the river thing, but aside fr that.I was just wondering what else is productive in BP.Ive seen some public land too i guess

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hey in my area don't try Upper, its bone dry. Geneva is iffy, low waters and the ducks stay in the middle. Plenty of ducks around coming off the refuge to the south but you will have a hard time obtaining permish. Now that is an honest reply.

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There are some nice duck hunting opportunities down in the MN river bottom lakes and backwaters around BP and Jordan in the early season for woodies and late in the season for mallards. If I were looking for lakes, the Montgomery area is littered with decent lakes for getting out for a morning hunt on a Weekend morning or week night. Also keep in mind the waterfowl feeding and resting lakes all around that area...no motors allowed, but good hunting at times you have the boat to paddle out there. You can get info on these lakes thru the MN DNR website and doing a search for water fowl feeding and resting lakes. Good luck to you!

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i seen this small lake/pond in this small township near clear lake in le center but never see anyone on it. Looks decent ,lots of weeds etc

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Hunted morning and evening today with a couple of buddies on Pool 7. Probably saw a few thousand birds but 90% of them were Cans hanging around the refuge. Ended up with 3 Cans and 2 Mallards for the day for the three of us.

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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
      On the South Shore...  The focus for many this week is the ongoing deer hunting season which is a big tradition in these parts, even for avid walleye anglers.  There were some that either already harvested their deer or are more into catching fall walleyes than hunting.     Those that are fishing are taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and excellent walleye and sauger bite that is happening across the lake.  Cold weather is in the forecast in the upcoming days and weeks so that is also getting many excited. The best depths on the south end of LOW are 22-28 feet of water.     Vertical jigging with frozen emerald shiners is catching most of the walleyes, saugers and jumbo perch.  Depending upon where on the lake you are fishing, some slots and big trophies are in the mix as well, but most reports are talking about good numbers of eaters.    Jumbo perch are coming in good numbers this fall which will serve ice anglers well.  Watch out for an occasional pike or even lake sturgeon mixed in with the walleyes.      There are good numbers of walleyes and saugers across the south shore which is setting up nicely for early ice.   On the Rainy River...  There continues to be good numbers of shiners in the river, and consequently, there are good walleyes in the river as well.     Walleyes along with saugers, pike and some sturgeon are coming in up and down the river.  Most walleyes are being caught in 10-25 feet of water in various stretches of the river.   Jigging with live or frozen emerald shiners is the key. Some anglers are also still slow trolling crankbaits upstream to cover more ground and find fish. Both methods are producing solid results. Sturgeon fishing remains strong.  The catch-and-release sturgeon fishing is open into the spring when it changes to the "keep season" on April 24th. Up at the NW Angle...  As temps are getting colder, most are in the woods hunting and not fall fishing, however, for those who bundle up, fishing continues to be excellent.     A nice mixed bag with walleyes, saugers, perch, pike and crappies being caught. Very good muskie fishing with the colder water temps and shorter days.  Some big fish and some good numbers are being caught amongst the islands.  Both casting and trolling is getting it done.  
    • 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
    • Wanderer
      20 ga has become a real popular deer round in the last 5 or so years.  The rifled barrels are zinging those sabot slugs with rifle like accuracy out to 100 yards easily.  Some go so far as dialing in for a 200 yard shot but really, by 150 they’re falling off pretty low.   I have a single shot Ultraslug in 20 ga that shoots really well at 100 yards.  Most everyone I know that has bought a slug gun lately has gotten the Savage 220 in 20ga.  Problem can be finding the shells you want.
    • leech~~
      My son always bugs me about getting a nice light over-under 20ga for grouse hunting.  I say Heck no, I'm getting a 3 1/2" 10ga so I can put as much lead in the air that I can!!     So, I'm keeping my 12ga.  
    • 11-87
      That’s almost exactly what I was thinking.  Have slug barrels for both   One for turkey and one for deer.      I have a 20ga mosseberg as well. (Combo came with the scope but never used.   I always liked the 12 better
    • 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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