2016/2017 Duck Hunting

Use this post to track the migration, post pictures from the blind or of your hunt.
DT

Great idea DT. I’ll be watching for you to let me know when I should call in sick and head northwest.

Still working on the diver rig. Getting ready for the early goose and a trip to Canada last week of September.

Nice looking Dekes!

I’m getting pumped. I added a very nice diver set up last year and another 2 dozen full body goose decoys to my already 10 dozen I have. We should have another great year on the honkers as always.
I can’t wait it will be here soon.

We are gearing up for our opener trip! Cleaning dekes, washing down the boats and canoes, messing with the blinds, re-packing blind bags and making sure the waders are in good shape! Can’t wait, it’s the best weekend of the year! Retired the longtail, as the motor was fried so i’m stuck with a standard outboard this year…

It seems I buy an early goose tag every year but never manage to make it out. If anyone would like a tag-along for a day, send me a message!

Even though the title is ducks, a picture of some geese won’t hurt. The early goose season started good on a hot barley field. Sunday was also good. Monday was a rain out.

Lots and lots of ducks! Probably the most ducks I’ve ever seen around at this time of year.

Here is opening days take.

I should have titled it “waterfowl”. That’s a great picture. You’re the second person to say they had lots of ducks buzzing their goose spreads. Makes me even more pumped for the season. Kicking it off Saturday with youth day.
DT

Getting the Kayak all ready and itching for the opener!!

MN youth waterfowl day. Wrong wind and low bird sightings but it was nice to get out.
DT

It was nice wearing shorts under the waders.
DT

I like the red shack next to the water. If that’s what you guys stayed in, even better. Lots of memories made with that kinda stuff cause we used to do in tents. That would be such a huge upgrade for us.
If not, please forgive my post DT

Well at least you got the boys out. I heard very few shots on Saturday. Normally there is quite a bit of youth shooting. Just a couple of weeks ago there were ducks everywhere, this weekend we hardly saw any.

Anyone here still in need of a duck boat? Price reduced on this one!

https://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/duck-boatfishing-boat/

I made it out for the early goose opener with some buddies over by Elk River and had a Great hunt. We shot our 30 birds and were back at the trucks before 10:00. We did not see many, but the birds we saw came right in.

I took my son out for the youth hunt on Saturday and was disappointed by the lack of fowl present. I believe the final count was 22 ducks and 6 geese and we sat until almost 10:30. My son did manage to get a nice goose and a bluewing teal. The goose circled twice and was feet down at 15 yards which added to the drama. Don’t know if the birds are spread out because of all the water or just not around?? Hopefully we can get some cooler/dryer weather and maybe opener will be ok? Good Luck!

Getting pumped to head back to Central North Dakota for the Non-resident opener in a couple weeks.

We got on some geese and ducks the second day last year.

Was up for our last trip of fishing this weekend. Saw a lot of geese flying and filling a few hay fields. Also a ton of ducks on the water Sunday and Monday. Opener should be a good one.

Finished the early season with a 4 person limit and the wife got a banded bird. Overall good early season. Didn’t seem like as many birds as the last couple years. Heading to Sask. on Sunday for a week.

Good start to the season Bill.
DT

We ended up finishing early goose one short of a 3 man limit and got our first band of the year YOY bird traveled about 80 miles before its dirt nap

I feel so unprepared for tomorrow. I don’t have my blind back on my boat all the way yet. I may end up using my small boat to get across the lake and then just hunt in my waders. Stupid SE wind!
DT

deertracker wrote:

I feel so unprepared for tomorrow. I don’t have my blind back on my boat all the way yet. I may end up using my small boat to get across the lake and then just hunt in my waders. Stupid SE wind!
DT

I’m in the same boat (pun intended)…We bring my toy hauler ice house out west each year for opener and this year I was so unprepared, i literally threw everything into the ice house and I’ll figure it out tonight when I get there…I sure hope I didn’t forget anything important…I have the gun, waders, ammo, canoe, deeks and paddle…I suppose I could at least make it work with those few items!

I’ll be sure to post our opener success, or lack there of…

deertracker wrote:

I feel so unprepared for tomorrow. I don’t have my blind back on my boat all the way yet. I may end up using my small boat to get across the lake and then just hunt in my waders. Stupid SE wind!
DT

Just give me your spot DT and I’ll go out tonight and save it for you Actually the SE wind would be great for the island on that one lake

Probably the most unprepared I have ever been too. I spent 3 nights this week fixing motors for the boats.

Good luck to everyone and be safe out there

A SE would be good for Lake X but I will have two of my boys with and I’m too cheap to buy my 9 year old waders. I’ll let you know when we hit it though.
DT

Deer tracker and 690 reece, great kid/dad pics!

Was able to get a couple youngsters out for the MN Youth day. Not many birds around, but they were both able to get their first ducks. They had a blast. Good luck to everyone heading out this weekend and be safe!

Thankful for online license sales right now. Its 10pm the night before the opener. I have been so concerned to make sure my boys have their licenses that I never got mine. Could have been an interesting morning.
DT

Sounds pretty quiet out there this morning. I have a backwater Slough close to the house that seems like it would get hunted hard.

3 short of a 4 man limit near Fergus Falls 6 mallards, 8 bwt/gwt, 1 spoonbill, 3 gadwall, and 2 wood ducks. No geese. Should of had our limit very early, but poor shooting. No lost birds either which was nice. My one year old chocolate lab with little training did good retrieving 12 or so birds that landed on open water. Ducks in the cattails where more difficult for her. She got better as the morning went on. Should be a good year.

Fun opening weekend overall in western MN. Nice mixed bag the first day consisting of bwt, gadwall, woodducks, and a pintail. Second day was more of the expected bwt and woodducks. Love this time of year!