It is that time of year

[monstermoose78]

It is about time to start scouting for deer.  I have been seeing lots of deer hitting bean fields. The deer have been using a trail near the pond at my dads and this is good for me seeing I can hunt on the down wind side of this trail. Is anyone starting to get the itch to sit in a stand waiting for deer to come by?

The oats and wheat field are be harvested and the geese are starting to fly around looking for the harvested ones.

I have been looking for ducks and have been finding a good number of wood ducks, teal, and mallards around for now. 

I will be getting some practice time in with the crossbow, so I am ready for the first day of deer season. I should get out and shoot some trap as well with the shotgun to get ready for the goose season.

[monstermoose78]

Yesterday I went by a fresh cut hay field and the geese were in it. I would say there was around 100 geese feeding in it.  Another field that was wheat  had around another 100 geese in it. I know we are a month from the goose season here, but it should be a good one.

 

 

[monstermoose78]

Sandhill Cranes are using the baseball field in Mark Park in the mornings. It was just a family group for now, but that is how it starts most years. Then more cranes followed by the geese. 

Been seeing lots of deer moving around while doing getting things done on my to do list. Lots of fawns running around with their moms.

Seen a family of grouse on the trail at my dad's place. 

 

[monstermoose78]

The geese seem to be here one day and gone for the next few. When I have been out they in cut grain fields or hay fields. 

With the number of ducks I have been seeing flying around this should be a good early season for ducks.

I have not been seeing as many deer moving around lately. Kind of because about 2 weeks ago the deer seemed to everywhere.

Bears have been spots all around the area. The old guy next door to my dads has had 5 different bears in his yard. A sow with 2 cubs, a brown colored bear, and a big black one. His garden and bird feeders are no more. I wish I had @Boar passion for hunting bears. The dog groomer is having a bear knock over the garbage can every week. My uncle who lives east of town has a bear breaking down his apple trees. Talking to my nephew to see if he wants to shoot a bear.

[Neighbor_guy]

I've been keeping and eye on my area for deer. Very few seen. It's going to be a slow deer season mor me I think. 

 

ducks are are starting to group up a little bit. Teal and wood ducks are forming loose groups of 8-10 birds in the evenings. Smaller 3-5bird groups during the day. Most seem to be on rice then finding calm water to loaf on. 

 

Geese are hanging out where it's quiet. If they get bumped from a spot by activity they are going elsewhere for a day or two before coming back. 

[MJ1657]

I've been seeing quite a few deer. Good mix of bucks and does browsing the apple pile by my camera.  With all of the rain the woods are thick and the vegitation is tall. 

Noticed the cranes are starting to gather. We need a season on them. Big numbers and they are hard on the crops. 

[MJ1657]

Lots of geese hanging around Bradford this morning. 

[monstermoose78]

The geese are flying from town north to some fields to feed around 630-7 am. 

I have been seeing some ducks as well from 6-630 while I let the dogs out.

Bear reports from my dads south of Princeton are still coming in. My sister did not shut the garage door and a bear was in there eating her dogs food. She was mad and scared at the same time. 

Deer are still moving around and the bucks I have seen are still hanging together.

Lots of Turkeys on my way to st cloud. Looks like they had a great hatch this spring.

Only seen 2 groups of pheasants so far.

Good Luck this hunting season and make sure to share your stories.

[MJ1657]

Farmers should be getting in the field and chopping corn soon. That always seems to get the geese moving around my place. Lots of free easy meals for them. 

[monstermoose78]

Poor goose hunters around Princeton!! They all came into town now. I seen more in soccer fields, the field behind shopko. and the softball fields. 

[MJ1657]

I was out yesterday morning at day break chasing geese. 

 

We had a few geese fly over and very encouraging duck numbers. Spent the afternoon brushing a couple shooting lanes. Deer action on my camera slowed a bit. I'm not surprised due to the heat. 

[monstermoose78]

The number of geese is growing everyday in town.

I agree MJ the number of ducks around has me excited as well. 

I have been driving in the morning and have been seeing a good number of deer. between 8-23 deer each morning. This morning was 19 on the way to St. Cloud.

Still so many cranes flying around the area. 

Bears are still bugging my dad's neighbor and my sister's dogs food. 

 

[MJ1657]

Geese have been a little scarce the last week or so. I went to put a new trail camera out this evening and came acrossacross 11 little turkeys sranding together in a cut oats field. 

[papadarv]

Canadian's been showing up in my back yard every day for past week. Sorta a safe haven as no shooting allowed. Came back from a Rochester camping trip about 6:00 they are back again a bit northwest of my wheelhouse and buddies camper. They must enjoy sand burrs cause that's about all that grows back there. Not as many today as usual in the AM.

[monstermoose78]

Well hunters Archery Season opened this morning as did small game. Who got out and for what? I did not get out as I slept in this morning and WOW did that feel good. Next weekend the fun really starts with the duck opener. I am excited about blasting away at ducks even though I do not hit many of them. 

Ducks Teal are forming into some groups or they might be just big family groups. 5-12 birds in a group. Wood Ducks are in small group family groups yet. Mallards are around in better numbers than most years.  

Geese are around but they have started flying before shooting hours and well into the dark. 

Deer are moving as I am seeing lots of deer on my way to my internship and good number of deer dead on the side of the road.

Turkeys seem to hatch a heck of hatch this year. That should make hunting them this fall pretty good and should mean lots of jakes for this spring. 

Pheasants seem to have be around in good numbers as well. I have seeing a more and more every week as drive around. 

I have not seen many grouse around here.

Good Luck during the 2015 Hunting Season and be Safe 

[eyeguy 54]

I got out and put up 3 cameras and picked raspberries.  

[monstermoose78]

Be Safe and show us some pictures of the ducks

[monstermoose78]

Well the duck season opened with bang for me. Sounded like there was a lot of ducks around as it resembled a war zone with all the gun shots.  Glad I did some scouting and hit the old man's pond this morning. Wood Ducks were around and I had my chances at mallards and teal as well. I still can not figure out how I can hit a wood duck and miss a big ole Mallard that is locked up. O well it was fun, but it was sad that my old man could not make it out this opener with me due his shoulder surgery. I can not wait to hear him complain that I hunted the pond. He thinks it should be a safe place for ducks and the way I normally shoot it is, but this year I showed them wood ducks a thing or 2. Maybe it was this camo hat I was wearing.

[MJ1657]

Fairly quiet on the duck and goose situation west of Cambridge. 

[MJ1657]

These guys aren't to thrilled that were duck hunting in their neighborhood.

[monstermoose78]

Saturday was not a good day on the lake I went hunting on either. There was 6 of on the lake and one goose was taken. Not much flying there. I knew I should have went to the pond. I will hit the pond on Saturday. I am still seeing good numbers of ducks on my way to my internship in the mornings. Not to many geese, but hundreds of Cranes between here and St. Cloud. They have been in 2 fields for about 2 weeks now. 

Deer activity has seemed to slow down this week and that seems odd. 

Pheasants I seem to see a couple everyday it may be the same ones, but it is nice to see. 

Turkeys look they had an amazing hatch. 

Good Luck out there and be safe

[monstermoose78]

Well today was a fun day of blasting away at ducks. Odd thing was people must thing you can shoot an hour before sunrise. I will be giving the local CO a heads up. The first shot I heard was over an hour before legal shooting hours. Still a good number of wood ducks around. If my friend and I could have hit the ducks we shot at we would have limited out in wood ducks, but we are good at missing. After the refuge I went over an hit my old man's pond and well 3 bluewing teal saw me and took off, but the drake and hen wood ducks were not as quick. I should have been ready because a few more were hiding in the weeds. I was shocked to see 2 woodies kicking and did not even shoot at the others. 

[monstermoose78]

The bucks are active are here. I called an 8 pointer that was around 110 inch or so and it was his lucky day I sent a bolt about 2 inches over his back. He came in on string and I got excited and blew it. I did not see the big one, but seen 7 deer total 3 does, 3 fawns, and the 8 pointer. I had a deer grunting in the corn field but he never came out just before dark. 

[monstermoose78]

Not much deer sign at my old man's house. I heard some geese and saw the neighbors who were muzzle loading.  I figured some deer would have been moving, but it is hard to now how many deer the neighbors have taken. In years past they have taken a lot of deer and he blamed me for killing to many. I have not killed a deer at my dads in 10 years.

[monstermoose78]

I have been seeing some deer just not the ones I want. I might end up taking a doe here soon. 

Pheasants are still around. It does not seem like many are even trying to hunt for them. 

Coyotes could used to be thinned out in some areas.

No ice to speak of so ice fishing is out of the question.