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Waterfowl Photos


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Wow, what a day today!!! Went out with bottom-bouncer today and lets just say the migration is on like Donkey Kong in Western NoDak right now!!! Tens of thousands of snows and just as many mallards. We started out on a big slough that I had seen thousands of mallards at earlier in the year, and this time the mallards were sitting in the limited open water (everything else is frozen) along with a MESS of snows. We watched the snows get up for a while, heading to a field to feed, and decided to follow them. After a couple of miles, this is what we found. Sorry for the poor quality, but all we had was our cell phones. Those little dots are all snows, and this is about 10% of the birds.

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Bottom-bouncer dropped me off at the field since he didn't have a license and watched from a distance. I just layed in the field next to a haybale and watched as they circled all around me, just out of range. Finally a few came in range and I let loose. First 3 rounds hit 1 bird but it was a little far away and only took some feathers off. They kept circling. Next volly was only 1 and again, a couple feathers but no worse for the wear. Next volly claimed a snow and spooked the birds a little. I got up, ran 100 yards to where they started circling the field again and just laid down in the 8" tall stubble. They contined to circle and I dropped another one. Now they were finally spooked and took off.

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We drove around for a while and found another 10,000+ snows in a field but were denied access for tomorrow. We started driving some more and found a field just next to the slough that was FULL of mallards. I belly crawled up to em and when I was about 60yds away they spooked. I pulled the trigger twice and on the first shot dropped 1, second drop hit 2 birds. I left em alone after that and will be returning tomorrow to see what I can get actually being set up in the field. Wish me Luck!!!

All day there were thousands of birds in the air. Every time we looked there were birds flying all around us. Mallards, snows, lessers, greaters, and a few divers but not very many. All around it was just an incredible day to be a waterfowl hunter, and one I won't forget any time soon.

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And Tyler, great pics! It's not always about how many you kill, but the experience. Kill pics just can't capture the feeling of fully committed mallards coming into a spread!

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Here is a group shot from our trip to North Dakota from 2 weeks ago. Camera batteries died so this is really the only pic I got. This was our first day up there and we got our 8 man limit. The coolest part was that we shot 14 different species of ducks that day. Coming back to MN and seeing a fraction of the ducks sure is depressing!

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Awesome pic Todd!

Here is my first Black Duck, a monster drake i shot on Lake Michigan on monday. Also killed a really nice bull can the evening before but failed to get a pic.

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Lots of birds flying through Central/East Central ND.

We had a great few days of hunting in the snow. If you have the opportunity, now is the time to be up there. full-33631-25965-trailer.jpg

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Was fortunate enough to get out with the local diver freak and had a 4-pack of scoters buzz us. We each dumped one. Awesome memory!

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Following morning we lit up the ringers with a few hoodies and bluebills mixed in...

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That second pic is cool, but you guys must have held your breath for a long time to stack all those ducks under the boat! grin

As always, great pics Matt. Glad to see your still chasing waterfowl!

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Awesome photos Matt, hopefully those divers make it down my way soon grin Congrats on the scooter, thats a big one. Happy Hunting

Kettle

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Bryce,

Good to see Jez is still in action. Diamond retired - arthritis. Pepper - the replacement dog - (middle of the 3 below) is doing very well in her first season.

A day in Nodak 2012:

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I see that Matt shot a nice scoter, and I thought I would post the one I got last year. Looks different but for sure a scoter. Any ideas of what type?

scoter.jpg

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The orange inside the nostril is almost blaze when they are freshly killed. You can kind of see the orange nostril on the duck in the photo on the top.

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still leaning ruddy .... come to faribault theres about 100 scoters then I am no sea duck expert . however I see your case size and nasel post still not that of a scoter.

but bill and size doesent really match a ruddy either . scoters are not that un common throughout Mn I have seen a couple killed ..evan took an oldsqauw personally last fall in southern mn. and nephew took a surf hen last fall also 50/50 on the matter

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • 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. 
    • Wanderer
      Kinda depends on if you want magnification or quick target acquisition.   More magnification options and better accuracy with a scope.  You get what you pay for too so get comfortable with a budget for one.  Tasco and Bushnell work but I find they lose their zero easier, have low contrast and don’t gather light well in low light conditions.  That said, I’m still using one I haven’t replaced yet.  Vortex has been the hot brand for the past several years for bang for the buck.  Good products.  Nothing beats Swarovski though.  Huge dough for those.  Burris is another decent option.   There are some specific models for shotgun/slug hunting in the economy brands and bullet drop compensation (BDC) reticles.  Based on experience I’d recommend not falling for that marketing ploy.   Red dots are usually lower magnification and easier to get on target.  Reasonably accurate but don’t do well with definition, like searching the brush for your target.  I put a HAWKE red dot on a .22 for squirrels and it’s been good.  For turkey, that’s probably the route I’d go.     If your slug shots are normally not too far and too brushy, I’d think a red dot could work there too if you’re only buying 1 scope.  You’ll be better off dimming the reticle to the lowest setting you can easily use to not over shine the target and get a finer aim point.   If you don’t have a slug barrel, you might appreciate one of those.  I had a browning with a smoothbore slug barrel that shot Brenneke 2-3/4 inch well.  The 11-87 would well fitted with a cantelever rifled barrel. 
    • 11-87
      Looking for recommendations on scope or red dot    I basically hunt turkey and whitetail, live in southern MN. So it’s all deer/ shotgun    looking to add a scope/ red dot as my eyes don’t work like they used to to with the open sights.    my gun options are 11/87 12. Browning BPS 12    not looking for the most expensive or the cheapest    pros and cons of one over the other
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