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2019 Duck Geese Goose Waterfowl Opener (2018 Too)


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Anyone else planning buck the weather and get out this weekend?  I’m leaning on it.  It won’t be pleasant but I’m hoping there will be more birds to make me forget about being wet.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders
3 hours ago, Wanderer said:

Anyone else planning buck the weather and get out this weekend?  I’m leaning on it.  It won’t be pleasant but I’m hoping there will be more birds to make me forget about being wet.

I am Saturday morning 

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The geese piled in this week. As soon as we got done chopping corn sileage they showed up. 

 

I'll be out there getting wet. 

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Heading to border country myself.  Counting on the birds to move with this system and reports from central Canada say they’re starting to bug out.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders
1 hour ago, Wanderer said:

Well it hasn’t been stellar but it hasn’t been a waste of time either this morning.  What I’ve been hearing is the hatch was poor in prairie Canada so we should see fewer but more mature birds.  Seems to be true today.25355005-99B8-45F5-AF6F-D9AD4AB0135C.thumb.jpeg.ecbaa11b982fbb13402eceb120909bea.jpegB77DB8D1-4A94-43CE-8270-4B39413491A4.thumb.jpeg.233f509638bb3f740c64569834ba626b.jpeg


Better pic of the black duck.  Bucket list bird.

A1124291-3645-404A-B417-9F24B9A3350A.thumb.jpeg.fb44d65fc3f9ec31ab4a8cb089dffe3d.jpeg

Pretty ducks

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Sunday was interesting but but not productive for putting birds in the bag.  We saw birds but they avoided us just enough.  New water Sunday is always exactly what it’s supposed to be: a learning experience.  
 

Number one comment for the day: Guess what?  What?  It’s snowing again.

 

1D1AE8C8-2888-4513-B15F-0A7255628056.thumb.jpeg.6222c3e99e722856412503bc412001d4.jpeg9572B507-5CBA-4BBA-8947-595166C017E0.thumb.jpeg.f3eeca1135481d44f6424aff6935b5cf.jpegA0F529A0-0077-4695-89D7-0F5060AC0A17.thumb.jpeg.b918b4f8e6d69e8f93a6a0b00d2c6940.jpeg

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  • 1 month later...

Getting to the end of the line here in a hurry.  What a bummer of a close out from central going north.  I know a few people who crushed em here and there but most have experienced a mediocre season overall.

 

Anyone still out, and on birds?  There should still be some good fields going on.

 

I just popped the latest wood duck I think I’ve ever seen.  A young bird too so I can’t give it credit for being a Wiley old timer resisting the flight through the gauntlet.  

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

I would like to hit big water for divers a time or two yet

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18 hours ago, monstermoose78 said:

I would like to hit big water for divers a time or two yet


I think most of them moved on with the full moon last week.  I hear SE MN is still good I.e. Lake Pepin.  Reports from Mille Lacs/Leech/Winnie have been quiet.  I know some people that have been looking.  Haven’t had much of report from western MN for a week.  

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Drove past the west side of Mille Lacs today. Large areas of ice with a few open areas and even a boat fishing, looks like they busted ice at the Garrison access to get out. Saw a handful of goldeneye and mergansers but that was it

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I enjoyed my hunts during the MN season even though it was a lukewarm year.  Pretty disappointed with the early freeze up but I’m lucky enough this year to be looking forward to a trip west to WA for sea ducks in January.  
 

I’ve been doing research on that for the past couple weeks and feel like I ain’t quite done yet!

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FYI - these are on sale at MACK’s for a hundo.  Just opened mine up to check it out.  It’s gonna work out real nice for those longer walks to the hide or just as a single bag to load/unload from a boat.  My blind bag can’t cover the carry all job duties and tweaked my back on my ND hunt (long walk).  Shotgun carry strap included.  I can feel the relief already.

912EDBF2-6135-46E4-8292-AC7BC70768E9.thumb.png.61a58735fe92afc2bf8d6a46ae04544d.png

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  • 5 weeks later...

5 goldeneye working the ice line on the river this afternoon.  Latest I’ve seen ducks here.  Best pic I could get through the spotting scope.  Yes leech, there were 5 total. ?

A09CE2C1-8011-4887-B239-BFE7A581115E.thumb.jpeg.aa38ef5e74d0aa80479ff5df9d2b43ba.jpeg

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  • 7 months later...
30 minutes ago, mulefarm said:

Looks like a great goose hatch! Could be a super early season.

 Same.

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I may end up hunting MN if they don't open the boarder by Oct. Had some good hunts here but no doubt it takes a lot more work 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Must not have done a goose round up in the cities this year. Haven’t seen this many geese for at least 10 years. Also a lot of swans.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

Starting to get pumped up!! I have been working Finn most days and now I need to start working myself up for hunting. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have a feeling that there are going to be more duck hunters out here and in ND this season.  If the same pattern continues as it has all season with more people fishing and camping, there will more people hunting overall.  Not a great thing when you add in the inexperience and gun factor in my opinion.

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Yeah, I’m thinking ND will be pretty crowded this fall.  I was planning on going a couple times but not sure if I’ll make it after all.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I’ve been reading some complaints that they’re already moving but don’t know what parts of the country they’re coming in from.  But I think NO.  If they’re not on a pond you’ve been seeing them on, it doesn’t mean they’ve migrated out.  Look at other ponds.  No reason for them to vacate yet. IMO.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

I am hoping to find a youth to take out on youth weekend 

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4 hours ago, monstermoose78 said:

I am hoping to find a youth to take out on youth weekend 

This is awesome and incredibly admirable Moose 

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
      With the early ice out, how is the curlyleaf pondweed doing?
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   The big basin, otherwise known as Big Traverse Bay, is ice free.  Zippel Bay and Four Mile Bay are ice free as well.  Everything is shaping up nicely for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th. With the walleye / sauger season currently closed, most anglers are targeting sturgeon and pike.  Some sturgeon anglers are fishing at the mouth of the Rainy River, but most sturgeon are targeted in Four Mile Bay or the Rainy River.  Hence, pike are the targeted species on the south shore and various bays currently.   Pike fishing this time of year is a unique opportunity, as LOW is border water with Canada, the pike season is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. Back bays hold pike as they go through the various stages of the spawn.  Deadbait under a bobber, spinners, spoons and shallow diving crankbaits are all viable options.   Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay and Zippel Bay are all small water and boats of various sizes work well. On the Rainy River...  Great news this week as we learned sturgeon will not be placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.     The organization had to make a decision by June 30 and listing sturgeon could have ended sturgeon fishing.  Thankfully, after looking at the many success stories across the nation, including LOW and the Rainy River, sturgeon fishing and successful sturgeon management continues.   A good week sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.  Speaking to some sturgeon aficionados, fishing will actually get even better as water temps rise.     Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River near the Wheeler's Point Boat Ramp is still producing good numbers of fish, as are various holes along the 42 miles of navigable Rainy River from the mouth to Birchdale.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  A few spots with rotten ice, but as a rule, most of the Angle is showing off open water.  In these parts, most are looking ahead to the MN Fishing Opener.  Based on late ice fishing success, it should be a good one.  
    • leech~~
      Nice fish. I moved to the Sartell area last summer and just thought it was windy like this everyday up here? 🤭
    • Rick G
      Crazy windy again today.... This is has been the norm this spring. Between the wind and the cold fronts, fishing has been more challenging for me than most years.  Panfish have been moving in and out of the shallows quite a bit. One day they are up in the slop, the next they are out relating to cabbage or the newly sprouting lilly pads.  Today eye guy and I found them in 4-5 ft of water, hanging close to any tree branches that happened to be laying in the water.  Bigger fish were liking a 1/32 head and a Bobby Garland baby shad.   Highlight of the day way this healthy 15incher
    • monstermoose78
    • monstermoose78
      As I typed that here came a hen.  IMG_7032.mov   IMG_7032.mov
    • monstermoose78
      So far this morning nothing but non turkeys. 
    • monstermoose78
      Well yesterday I got a little excited and let a turkey get to close and I hit the blind!!
    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
    • monstermoose78
      How is everyone doing? Holy moly it’s chilly this morning I stayed in bed and will hunt later today when it warms up.
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