2023 MN Waterfowl Hunting Reports

[Troy Smutka]

The 2023 MN waterfowl hunting season is underway. Granted, wish it wouldn't have been one of the worst heatwaves of the summer with record setting temperatures, but we got out Saturday for the first day of the early teal season and the September goose season. Didn't see many geese with the high temps, but saw a few thousand ducks by the time we had enough of the heat around 10 am. Lots of bluewing teal from singles to groups of nearly thirty were moving early, as were a few wood ducks and a lot of mallards where we were hunting in central MN. Even saw a couple wigeon and some hoodies. Lots of hunters on the public lake we were hunting, and things got a bit hectic. Just a couple friendly reminders and suggestions...Shooting time for the early teal season in MN is at sunrise, NOT a half hour before.  This is to let it get lighter and make it easier to identify teal which are the only ducks we are allowed to shoot. We heard a lot of shooting thirty-five minutes early, and talked to a C.O. who said he wrote some tickets for early shooting. Also saw a group near us drop three mallards. Be sure what you are shooting at. Wednesday, 9/6 is the last day of the five day teal season. By next weekend, only geese can be harvested.  Also, please make efforts to be considerate and ethical while sharing private hunting lands and waters with your fellow hunters. Sky-busting at birds well out of range not only leads to cripples, but educates birds early to the dangers of decoy spreads and interferes with hunters trying to decoy birds into range during all of the unnecessary shooting. Also, it is not a competition--firing a random shot or two into the air when ducks are working the decoys of nearby hunters is also unethical. Please keep the loud profanity to a minimum.  Some of us are trying to introduce and solidify the sport with young children who don't need to hear that kind of language. On public waters, we can all be considerate and respectful of one another to make sure we all have a safe, enjoyable experience, and we should all respect our quarry and the rules that protect them wherever we hunt. Thank you for considering this, and get a new hunter, young or old, out in the blind this season if you can.

[mulefarm]

Thanks Troy. Sometimes hunting shows the worst in people.

[Wanderer]

22 hours ago, mulefarm said:

 Sometimes hunting shows the worst in people.

Usually during the early/bonus seasons it seems.

[gim]

Profanity, sky busting, shooting the wrong species, shooting before legal time, .  Ya what else could go wrong out there.  That would make me not wanna go again to be honest.

[Troy Smutka]

My son had a football game on Saturday, but my dad and I got him out Sunday for the second day of the youth hunt weekend. Ducks were a little sparse, but a few geese were moving around and we decoyed in two singles and a pair nice and close. Parker dropped his three with his 20 gauge, and although I am biased, he made some terrific shots, and we made some great memories. So blessed to be able to hunt and fish three generations of Smutkas together.  Good luck, be safe, and I will see you out there somewhere.

[Wanderer]

Nice job Troy.

 

We are happy with our opening day for ducks.  2 man limit of mixed species by 10am.  LOTS of people where we were today but that was expected.  Other than getting beat to our spot, no issues that would keep up away.  Not even the rain.

[Troy Smutka]

10/8/23     Cooler weather has a few new ducks arriving in central MN. We decoyed mallards, pintails, gadwalls, blue wing teal, shovelers, and wigeon this weekend. We also identified bluuebills, ringnecks, redheads, and buffleheads flying by. Singles to small flocks, so just getting started. Best of all, we weren't sweating and swatting mosquitoes. Reliable reports of lots of ducks in the Dakotas, so the calendar migrators should start showing up with W and NW winds over the next few weeks. Good luck, and I will see you out there somewhere.

[Troy Smutka]

10/24/23   Got some hunting done in the Hutchinson area over MEA weekend with my son, dad, and friends Cory and Cooper. Had dense morning fog three of the four days, but some Dakota ducks did trickle in and we harvested nine species of ducks and had a great time together. After the fog lifted, we had some amazing fall weather that I never take for granted. Good luck, and I will see you out there somewhere.

[leech~~]

Deposit made, in the memories bank!  

[Troy Smutka]

10/29/23   Some new ducks came down with the cold and wind Friday and Saturday. Saturday we hunted a central MN lake and saw nice flocks of cans, redheads, bluebills, and ringnecks, as well as some small groups of puddle ducks. Harvested cans, redheads, bluebills, a trophy ringneck drake, and a mallard. Slower Sunday, but managed a bluebill and mallard. Hope the water stays open this week as there are a lot of birds north yet. Good luck, and I will see you out there somewhere.

[fish_hunt_guy]

Great reports Troy keep them coming!

[Bruce Freeman]

Hi Troy, I was wondering if you had a recommendation for a place to duck hunt near the Twin Cities that I could take my son who wants to try duckhunting for the first time

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, Bruce Freeman said:

Hi Troy, I was wondering if you had a recommendation for a place to duck hunt near the Twin Cities that I could take my son who wants to try duckhunting for the first time

May I suggest 

Troy Smutka

Great Day on the Water Guide Service

[Hookmaster]

Got out last Thursday and Sunday. 4 each day. Thursday should have had a limit but didn't shoot well. Sunday I stopped after the 4 green heads. Way west central MN lake. Lots of mallards and swans. A few divers.

[Hookmaster]

One more pic from the last Sunday.

[Troy Smutka]

Finished the 23 waterfowl season over Thanksgiving. Got to hunt two days of the long weekend. Saw a modest number of ducks, and harvested mallards, bluebills, and ringnecks as the water began freezing over during the weekend. One of our tougher seasons with different migration patterns probably due to unusual weather patterns with constant fluctuating between well above average temps for a period and then almost instantly well below temps before going well above again, and so forth. Still will cherish the memories with family and friends and relive the sights and sounds of out on the water during fall. Will be posting ice fishing reports in the fishing report clubs as soon as the ice is safe. Happy Holidays everyone.

[mulefarm]

Really enjoy your reports

[Hookmaster]

Troy, What kind of blind are you using? It looks like some sort of scissor blind with cattail matting. Are the blind and matting commercially available?

I have been using a beavertail for many years but I know a blind like yours would be much more effective and have fewer ducks flare.

 

I appreciate any info you can provide.