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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.

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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. ?

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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 :)

    • 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. 
    • 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. 
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