2004 Year in Review....

[mwktrapper]

No bassman, I spend a lot of my fall in western MN. I shot a lot of geese in the GR area but not a lot of ducks. I love hunting the GR area because of the scenery but there just isn't the numbers that we find over there.

Are you going to school at ICC here?

[Ybone]

Maybe everyone is too polite to say anything but does anyone think that it's excessive to shoot 75 ducks or 128 ducks + 49 geese for 2 guys or as one guy said so many we'd think it's BS and ask too many questions about where he shot so many. Even if you could eat them fast enough to be legal it's got to be hard on the resource. Some hunters practice restraint and don't shoot 4 or 5 possession limits a year just because they can. Perhaps the decline in the duck flight over Minnesota can be blamed on overharvest as much as habitat loss.

[lawdog]

I don't disagree Ybone. I've had that thought myself reading some of these posts. I feel the same way with guys that go out and shoot 50 roosters.

On the other hand, the way they slaughter the geese down south, I'm not sure it would do much good to lay off them up here...

DU used to preach voluntary restraint a lot. I think its a concept that's obviously lost on some!

[BarTender]

Here is something to think about.. The birds we kill each year are the weak and young birds. most would have died this winter anyway.

another thing is they say that like 80% of the birds are shot by 10% of the hunters. so me shooting 100+ ducks this season and 5 guys shooting 20 ducks this season will still only equal 200+ ducks which will hardly impact the resource and will not effect the #'s of ducks flying through the flyway.

As for eatting the birds, you dont need to eat duck every day to stay under your poss limit. jurkey usese up alot of birds as well. and if you have three friends over, or have 4 people in your family, one meal a week of duck will wipe out a limit.

you guys can choose to not shoot birds, and I will do my best to pick up your slack.

[lawdog]

"Here is something to think about.. The birds we kill each year are the weak and young birds. most would have died this winter anyway."

HUH??? You are just killing weak and inferior birds? And you somehow know most of what you shoot would die over the winter anyway? Come on, that's just bunk!!!

[BarTender]

Havent you read any articals at all? How about heard of studies of birds being shot where they send in the wings so the biologests can study the age and conditions of birds???

the main reason they ban spinners is due to the effectiveness on YOUNG birds.

Also there is the study on the affect of hunters vs. the natural dieing off of birds. I dont have the time to post you links, but if i do get the time, I will. there are many on the net and many others in magazenes.

[MattKeller]

YBONE. How do you figure? You think 128 is a lot. You'd hate to hear how many our group has shot. That's not the point though. If you shoot 5 birds or 100, the important thing is that these birds don't go to waste. Like Phil Robertson says, "a duck is good for one thing, bringing us enjoyment by shooting and eating it."

We shoot so many ducks and geese because we love to, and we love eat them. We're never over our possession limit and our birds don't go to waste. I would imagine most guys that shoot less than 10 birds can't honestly say that.

[The_Duckslayer]

Hey BT... I would choose to get some birds as opposed to not get any. I live just south of the cities and am available to hunt anytime! Heck, I'll even do all the hard work if ya bring me along some time! Promise I will not come back with my buddies and hose your honey hole up! I hunted 9 different sloughs and lakes this year and only got three birds. Guess I will keep looking next year! Have a good one and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[duckbill]

I don't think that 200 ducks for 4 guys is a lot of ducks at all. If you consider we hunted 25 days. That is pretty poor. Neither do I think 50 geese for 4 guys is a lot for the season. Like some said you can make a lot of the goose into to jerky. We made 20 geese into jerky (early) opening weekend and it was gone by the next weekend. As far as ducks go we make up like 30 at time when we get some fellas together and have a couple beers. The meat goes very fast.

As far as the season goes it was pretty average. I saw more ducks last weekend than I saw all season. We missed it by a couple weeks. Dang! That is the way it goes some seasons. What I can't understand is why SD and WI get to hunt 2-3 weeks longer than that hunters in MN. That seems odd to me.

Duckbill

Time to start ice fishing.

[BLACKJACK]

lawdog, now you're treading on my turf when you complain about people shooting 50 roosters in a year! Back in the early 80's when I was younger and lived down by Rochester and there was lots of good CRP, 50 birds was an average year for me! I had permission to hunt over 1000 acres of CRP, I had two labs, and my goal for the first two weeks of the season before the time change (which stopped my capability of getting out in the evening) was 28 birds. The key was that I spent a lot of time pheasant hunting, every night for awhile, I hunted prime time, and I had good land to hunt. I gave away birds, sent them home with guys that didn't hunt much, and cooked a lot up - my wife is still burnt out on pheasant in mushroom soup!!

These guys that are bragging about shooting lots of ducks and geese sound like they put in their time and are good at it - why shouldn't they shoot a lot of ducks?

[duckbill]

Opps. Lawdog.

I missed your little snip on DU. Trust me when I say that I give plenty to DU. I give time and money. Some people give money to their church. I give mine to DU because that is where I spend my sunday mornings.

Most times people say that is to many because they don't shoot that many ducks. If you could hunt 25 days out of the season are you telling me that you wouldn't? If your answer is no, I have to question your concept of a true waterfowler.

It is the love of tradition, see ducks in flocks of 100+ over the decoys, watching the dog make great retrieves, spending time with good buddies. Time spent working to get birds is often rewarded with good hunts.

Duckbill

[lawdog]

Gluttony; one of the seven deadly sins if I'm not mistaken...taking 28 roosters in the first 14 days of the season, obviously gluttoneous in my opinion.

You just don't need to be that hard on the birds. I shot 22 roosters last year, the most I've ever taken and I'm sure the most I ever will. Several times when I was out hunting though, I didn't even carry my gun. I just worked my dog for my nephew who is just learning. I enjoyed it every bit as much as if I would have been killing those pheasants he wasn't getting...

[lawdog]

Duckbill, I think the same applies to your post as does my post in response to the pheasant question. I'll hunt all the time I can, but I'm not going to pound every bird I see into the ground if I ever have the opportunity to spend that much time hunting... I just don't agree with that philosophy. That sure as heck doesn't make me less of a hunter!

[duckbill]

Lawdog-

I don't pound every duck I see. If fact we don't shoot hens at all. Yes some get knocked down. Saying 200 ducks for 4 guys is to many is not right. That is 2 ducks a day per guy at 25 days hunting. That is not pounding ducks. That is a poor season for the amount of time that I put into waterfowling. The guys out there hunting the most are putting more back into the ducks than that guys that just hunt a weekend or two. A lot of the bucks we spend goes back to the ducks..

Duckbill

[Stratosman]

So one guy shoots 100 ducks a year and the other 9 out of 10 shoot 5-10 for the year on average. I guess I don't have a problem with it, I just wish I was in on the action too! Look at the southern states, I wonder what the average kill per person is south of the mason/dixon line compared to us less fortunate minnesotans? I would wager a guess and say that they kill twice the amount of birds per hunter than we do. So if a guy around here puts in the time and effort to be successful, more power to him, you're not affecting my hunting. And if the DNR was concerned about it they would put a season limit instead of a daily and possesion limit in the reg's. Just my 2 cents on the subject.

[lawdog]

How about 129 ducks and 49 geese for two guys? That's a whole lot more than 200 for 4 guys. I didn't point out any one specific group such as the 200 you mention by the way...

What about a guy that shoots 360 ducks (60x6)? Give em all away that you don't eat and that's cool for the ducks? no way...

[duckbill]

No I don't think that 129 ducks for 2 guys is to much as long as they are taken legally and someone is eating them. 49 geese for 2 guys. No that is not to many. I know that there was a field in Wright county that 57 geese came out of opening weekend. As long as they are taken legally and people are eating them there is no problem in my book. It some wants to shoot 6x60 more power to them. I would love to be able to hunt that much and get that good of shooting everyday. Again as long as there not going to waste.

Lawdog. I respect your opinion. Have a good weekend.

[BLACKJACK]

Gluttony, huh?! I call it good dog work, good spots to hunt, and good hunting. One of the seven deadly sins? Please send me the bible verse so I can read it and feel properly chastised.

You state that you can't understand someone shooting 50 roosters, but you shot 22. If someone spends 2-3 times as much time hunting as you, why wouldn't it be ok for them to shoot 50 roosters? Being kind of hypocritical, aren't you? Same way with the guys that spend a lot of time duck hunting, getting up early in the morning, busting there butts throwing out 5-6 dozen decoys, busting ice later in the season, why shouldn't they be able to shoot ducks for all their effort. Good hunting and lots of effort go hand in hand, whatever type of hunting that you're doing.

[snowgoose]

I want to commend the hunters that spend 25 to 30 days a year in the field to harvest 200 birds. That is a lot of work. I am afraid to post how many birds we took this year. All legally by the way. I hunt the early season here in Minnesota. Then 6 of us go to Sask. That is uasually a 300 or better bird trip. Then I go to Manitoba with 4 guys and a local. We alway harvest at least 100 birds there. Do all the birds get eaten? You bet your &^$ they do! Nothin better than goose jerky on the lake in Febuary.

I have also hunted in Texas and Arkansas. It does not even compare to hunting here. A hunter in the south that take 5-10 birds a year probably only went out 1-2 times.

I guess what I am trying to say is. Minnesota duck hunting is not that good because we don't have the natural habitat it takes to support them.

You guys that hunt Mn 15 times a year! Save that money and go on a couple quality trips. You'll be hooked.

[mwktrapper]

Lawdog; My brother and I shot 128 ducks and the goose numbers are still rising. That definitely wasn't the best year we've had. We had to work our butts off scouting and walking into spots that were far out of reach to most people. Duck hunting is just what we do and we'll go through anything to get inot a good hunt. If I had the chance to hunt every day, I would. I'd shoot birds every day if I could and I would eat every one of them. I love to eat duck and I love to kill them. We practice good sportsmanship and we refrain from shooting hens if we know we're into a pile of birds that day. Once you lay under a flock of 1000 mallards that are tipping up side down and wing tips are so cupped they're almost touching, it's all you'd want to do for the rest of your life. Like you and your pheasants, I've been in the field where we've had such huge flocks coming in that we've laid down our guns and just watched. We're not savages like you make us out to be, we're just the ones that are so addicted to doing what we do that we will do it every chance we get.

[MattKeller]

Snowgoose.

Thank you for leaving our state to hunt ducks and geese.

And even more, I hope that you will always think Minnesota duck hunting is poor.

I've hunted many states for waterfowl and few compare to what I have hunted here in NW Minnesota.

When I have to drive 800 miles to get "hooked" on waterfowl "hunting", I'll pick up a new passion.

Matt

[Dean Schellinger]

Well said Matt, there is a lot more to waterfowling than goin somewhere with so many birds you would have to be shooting blanks not to limit. If you spend the time to scout and plan and set up a good spread you can hammer them here too. I think that is more rewarding than going somewhere and just slaughtering them, basically because your wallet is big enough to pay for it. I shoot plenty of birds here in MN and I am just a poor college kid. And I am "hook" you might say, prolly more than you are to your uneducated, unlimited Canadian birds.

[snowgoose]

I am sorry if I affended anybody. I was only trying to state that you could go on a really good trip for the money you put into talking a couple of trips here.

As far as my wallet goes. It is not thick! I save all year to do these trips. I am very fortanate that I have relitives is Canada. The cost of the license, gas and shells is what it cost me to go.

I was a college kid a few years ago myself. I know how tuff it can be.

Matt, not everyone lives in NW Minnesota. It would cost me plenty to hunt the areas you do. Probably more than going to Canada due to lodging.

[jblabsnduck]

Snowgoose, I understand what you where trying to say but there are guys here that will tell you if you think the hunting here is No good then you are not hunting or scouting good enough, I would be one of those guys.

This year was my worst by far but I only blame the weather for that. I have a buddy who grew up in ND so he knew what duck hunting was. I took him to a couple of my spots and his exact words to me where " who needs ND with duck hunting like this" we banged limits all three days within 30 minutes each day(last season). Now I would like to hear someone tell me that the duck hunting here in this state sucks. I will say I know ducks where hard to come by this year for a lot of people. If I had that many guys with me on each trip I know we would have killed just as many if not more. Not trying to sound like a arse here but that is what you will get from the hardcore MN BOYS who love to hunt in this state and have no need to travel to kill birds.

[snowgoose]

I do understand you put a lot of work into your hunting and that there are birds here to be had. I have spent a lot of time in the Winnie, Bowstring area hunting. When I was a college student at ICC and many years after that.

If you think going to Canada to hunt birds is a automatic limit! You are wrong. Don't tell me that I don't scout or put my time in. I work harder on those trips than I do the rest of the year. Yes, we hunt productive areas. Only 1/2 of the time there is spent hunting. The rest is spent scouting and finding birds that Minnesota and other state hunters don't have permission to hunt. We put on 2000 miles in 9 days this year scouting.

Please read my first post again.

1) I never said hunting in Minnesota sucks! I said we don't have the habitat that it takes to be a great waterfowl state. I do relize that we do have some good areas. But, by no strech of the imagination, does Minnesota compared to North Dakota.

2) My original post commends the efforts put in by waterfowlers that go out 15 to 20 times a year. I in no way critisized your effort. I myself hunt that many day a year. Just may be in a different state or providence than you.

3) I personally would rather hunt geese than ducks. I find it very challenging to get 100 to 1000 snows to commit to your spread at a time. Putting out the right spread of decoys takes a lot of time. When snow hunting it is not uncommon to have 800 - 1000 texas rags out. That is not counting 10 dozen siloquets, and 5 dozen shells. Do I spend time putting out decoys and nice spreads? You bet! On average, we set decoys, brush blinds, and prepare to hunt for 2 hours evry morning.

Again, I apologize if you have taken this a critisism in any way, shape, or form.

Good Luck

[jblabsnduck]

WOW, snowgoose, I think you took my post the wrong way. I was trying to say that you can find outstanding hunting in this state but you have to look for it. it isn't just down the road. I never said you didn't scout or you don't know your stuff. I was pointing out that you do not have to leave this state to find outstanding hunting. As you pointed out that we should save up our money and head some where else to kill big numbers. I can kill big numbers all I want here in this state and yes I have to work my arse off to do it. your average hunter here in MN is not going to find that to be easy. As to compare MN to ND, to each his own. I have hunted ND and yes it is very good hunting but I have done just as good if not better here in MN.

I laugh when people tell me I have to go to SD or ND or even Neb. to kill snow geese. I can go kill them here in MN. I have had better hunts here in MN for snow geese than I have in SD. I have hunted from MN to CA so I know what hunting is all about. As you said about putting out decoys, Yes we put out about 2000 for snows. Some days a little more some days a little less.

I was pointing out as to why you may have rubbed some people the wrong way by stateing that we should save our money and go some where else. Some of us have no need to.

I ma not saying I never leave this state to hunt because I do, I go for the thrill of hunting a new place not because I think that place has better hunting to offer.(Argentina excluded)

[snowgoose]

J

Enough said.

I would be more than happy to hook up with a fellow waterfowler such as yourself. You are committed to the sport and are willing to do what it take to get birds.

I would like to know the area you hunt. If I thought I could do that well on snows here I might not leave. Not many people talk about good snow shoots here in Minnesota!

Point Taken

[bassman222]

Trapper:

No, I'm at BSU now, I Graduated from ICC 2 years ago.

Sorry I didn't see your question till today.

[honker23]

I think people that criticize those for shooting "too many" birds are just a little jealous they weren't there too. Some hear numbers like 150 or 200 and think it's outrageous because they hunt 4 time a year and complain about lack of ducks. This year was poor for many due to the weather, but there are always local birds to shoot if you go looking.

For example in southern MN we had 10-13 inches of rain days before the season, and the hunting in the sloughs was slow. If you were lucky enough to find a flooded field of corn, you could shoot a limit of birds in 10 min. I even shoot limits of woodducks out of flooded 7 foot tall standing corn, definately a first.

For two or three guys, shooting 15- 20 birds a weekend isn't too unheard of even during poor years like this, you may have to hunt 8 or 9 hrs a day, but if you enjoy it, great. Sure we may not have got to enjoy the flocks of 100-200 mallards working the decoys, flock after flock for the last 4 weeks, but that's hunting.

If you did get into them somewhere in the state, as a fellow waterfowler I think thats great and I wish I was there too.

I just get a little sick of people jumping on others that love hunting, and making them out to be the bad guys. If some are so concerned about the population, buy a license and support DU, but go shoot trap on Sat and Sun. For me, as long as the season is open, I'll be out chasing the ducks and geese without a guilty conscience.