Has anyone been out duckin the river these last few day’s ? I heard some ducks are coming down now and I heard they are picking up in N.Dakota as well. I plan to go out this Thursday near Wabasha and hunt a few days. Anyone got reports ? Oh and was that the Vikings on Sunday or just a team dressed as them? 
Wing_Nutt
Was out on the Mississippi over the weekend, but had little success. Shot 14 ducks over the weekend with 3 guys. Guess, I forgot to tell you that 8 of them were green wing teal. Duck kill count could of been better, only because the consumption of alcholic beverages each night was way up. Guess, you have to do that when you meet up with some old pals from school. Did see some bigger flocks of mally’s and some divers move in and out of the area though. I would say it is just a matter of time before it gets good. Talked with a buddie who lives in Sidney, NE and he woke up to snow this morning. Hope we get some of that soon… 
Was out on the Mississippi over the weekend, but had little success. Shot 14 ducks over the weekend with 3 guys. Guess, I forgot to tell you that 8 of them were green wing teal. Duck kill count could of been better, only because the consumption of alcholic beverages each night was way up. Guess, you have to do that when you meet up with some old pals from school. Did see some bigger flocks of mally’s and some divers move in and out of the area though. I would say it is just a matter of time before it gets good. Talked with a buddie who lives in Sidney, NE and he woke up to snow this morning. Hope we get some of that soon…
Was out on the river two weeks ago. Pretty dead. Not much flying, and not much shooting around us either. I think the birds will start showing up soon though with the cooler weather starting to move in. I am kind of new to the area. Are there any decent spots around the Wabasha/Lake City area if I wanted to jump some ponds looking for ducks?
Was out on the river two weeks ago. Pretty dead. Not much flying, and not much shooting around us either. I think the birds will start showing up soon though with the cooler weather starting to move in. I am kind of new to the area. Are there any decent spots around the Wabasha/Lake City area if I wanted to jump some ponds looking for ducks?
The Beer Professor and I hit Pool 4 this morning. Not much movement. We did end up with 3 Woodies, and I also shot my first Ringbill. One of the better shots I’ve made, too.
BIG PUSH of swans today. Not sure if it means ducks may be on the way or not ????
The Beer Professor and I hit Pool 4 this morning. Not much movement. We did end up with 3 Woodies, and I also shot my first Ringbill. One of the better shots I’ve made, too.
BIG PUSH of swans today. Not sure if it means ducks may be on the way or not ????
I agree with nubbin….I was out this afternoon and all I saw were SWANS 
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I have been out scouting 8 of the last 10 days and have yet to find a spot that’s worth getting up to set up on 
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But don’t worry, next week is deer hunting, so I’m sure they’ll show up in hords…….every year, never fails
I agree with nubbin….I was out this afternoon and all I saw were SWANS .
I have been out scouting 8 of the last 10 days and have yet to find a spot that’s worth getting up to set up on .
But don’t worry, next week is deer hunting, so I’m sure they’ll show up in hords…….every year, never fails
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next week is deer hunting, so I’m sure they’ll show up in hords…….every year, never fails
your right on!….lol……….i deer hunt the river bottoms…so i see alot of ducks on the stand, and every year i wind up duck hunting 1/2 the deer season still(WI)
i dunno why i deer hunt even…………i mean come’on !! deer dont migrate…so whats the fun!??? 
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next week is deer hunting, so I’m sure they’ll show up in hords…….every year, never fails
your right on!….lol……….i deer hunt the river bottoms…so i see alot of ducks on the stand, and every year i wind up duck hunting 1/2 the deer season still(WI)
i dunno why i deer hunt even…………i mean come’on !! deer dont migrate…so whats the fun!???
The swan mallard correlation is usually pretty high. The front tomorrow, while void of precip and not super cold, will likely trickle some more down.
If the weather forecast holds for next week (BIG if), it could get real good then. More Clipper type systems from the NW forecast then.
The swan mallard correlation is usually pretty high. The front tomorrow, while void of precip and not super cold, will likely trickle some more down.
If the weather forecast holds for next week (BIG if), it could get real good then. More Clipper type systems from the NW forecast then.
I was wtching over the river this afternoon, about 3:30 and saw a major migration taking place, flock after flock moving down, I am located on pool 8, should make the hunting much better.
I was wtching over the river this afternoon, about 3:30 and saw a major migration taking place, flock after flock moving down, I am located on pool 8, should make the hunting much better.
Pool 4, Nelson Bottoms, did not see the heavy push of birds that 8 did. My 2 brothers and my dad hunted from 2:00 till close and got down once. That’s right, “GOT DOWN ONCE” This is the worst year I have seen in 21 years of hunting the Nelson Bottoms. I don’t know if it’s the totally outlandish pressure that that swamp has seen, or someone is lying about the duck counts to keep us spending $$$$. Today was a perfect migrator day. High/Clear skis, NW Wind 15-25mph = WHAT, no new birds. I am at a loss here. It’s sad to see your home stomping grounds get over run and go to HELL! But, it’s public hunting and that’s the way it goes. All I can say is “fishing is never crowded”, so that’s what I will be doing. Fried Eyes mmmmmmmmmmmm!
Pool 4, Nelson Bottoms, did not see the heavy push of birds that 8 did. My 2 brothers and my dad hunted from 2:00 till close and got down once. That’s right, “GOT DOWN ONCE” This is the worst year I have seen in 21 years of hunting the Nelson Bottoms. I don’t know if it’s the totally outlandish pressure that that swamp has seen, or someone is lying about the duck counts to keep us spending $$$$. Today was a perfect migrator day. High/Clear skis, NW Wind 15-25mph = WHAT, no new birds. I am at a loss here. It’s sad to see your home stomping grounds get over run and go to HELL! But, it’s public hunting and that’s the way it goes. All I can say is “fishing is never crowded”, so that’s what I will be doing. Fried Eyes mmmmmmmmmmmm!
Whatever happend to all the “secret spots” in the Nelson Bottoms, everyone know’s them now! There is so much great water to hunt over there. You got the big lake for divers and the back sloughs and channels for the rest. I agree this year is a bad year, Don’t I say that every year now? It has been a few years since I have had an “awesome” day of duckin on Pool 4. I know I am in the right spots and all that jazz. I just truly think the flyways are changing. I would have love to hunted the haydays of the duck hunting on the river, but that was before my time. Anyone recall any of those days you will never forget? Please do share since the rest of us need some uplifting this year. I guess if it was for the ducks I would have called it quits awhile back. Just something about going out early in the boat and all that other stuff that goes with the sport. I just keep coming back for more, but the duck’s don’t.
Whatever happend to all the “secret spots” in the Nelson Bottoms, everyone know’s them now! There is so much great water to hunt over there. You got the big lake for divers and the back sloughs and channels for the rest. I agree this year is a bad year, Don’t I say that every year now? It has been a few years since I have had an “awesome” day of duckin on Pool 4. I know I am in the right spots and all that jazz. I just truly think the flyways are changing. I would have love to hunted the haydays of the duck hunting on the river, but that was before my time. Anyone recall any of those days you will never forget? Please do share since the rest of us need some uplifting this year. I guess if it was for the ducks I would have called it quits awhile back. Just something about going out early in the boat and all that other stuff that goes with the sport. I just keep coming back for more, but the duck’s don’t.
I think the last few years have been down on the river for steady action, at least for me, but in each of the years there has been 2 or 3 days that have just been awesome. I’m hoping those days are still to come this year.
I think the last few years have been down on the river for steady action, at least for me, but in each of the years there has been 2 or 3 days that have just been awesome. I’m hoping those days are still to come this year.
i dont think its going to be that bad of a year, just the weather is way behind. its november 6th and i was wearinga t shirt enjoying the 70 degree weather. at this rate we will be watching the ducks migrate through on our christmas days off
i dont think its going to be that bad of a year, just the weather is way behind. its november 6th and i was wearinga t shirt enjoying the 70 degree weather. at this rate we will be watching the ducks migrate through on our christmas days off
I am just getting disgusted with the terible hunting so far this year. I am only getting 3-4 ducks per morning and I have been all over pool #4. I see plenty of mallards and woodies before legal shooting but most morning by shooting hour they are all headed to the fields. Combine that with all the flooded grass to hide the ducks and the lack of hunters to kick up the ducks. It all makes a very tough hunt. It is getting sickening.
Oh well, I’ll be out there tomorrow morning too….and the morning after…and after. There is supposed toi be a good NW wind tomorrow.
Thanks for letting me vent and good luck in the last half of the season all.
Lenny Jamison
I am just getting disgusted with the terible hunting so far this year. I am only getting 3-4 ducks per morning and I have been all over pool #4. I see plenty of mallards and woodies before legal shooting but most morning by shooting hour they are all headed to the fields. Combine that with all the flooded grass to hide the ducks and the lack of hunters to kick up the ducks. It all makes a very tough hunt. It is getting sickening.
Oh well, I’ll be out there tomorrow morning too….and the morning after…and after. There is supposed toi be a good NW wind tomorrow.
Thanks for letting me vent and good luck in the last half of the season all.
Lenny Jamison
I agree gator, you see the birds early and then they disappear. This is when the work starts. 
Well, it took me almost all week to get the pattern of the mallard flight down, but I had 2 great days of hunting this weekend. Finally got to the field where they have been snacking in the morning. Friday was the first day I discovered there snacking grounds, but with plenty of work that needed to be done, I gave them one more day to either move on or be prepared to die. :grin
While sitting at work Friday, I decided to give some family members a call. After a little bit of basically promissing them they would get there ducks I got 4 of them to come visit me for the weekend. With 5 of us laying in the mixed of 4 dozen full body mallards and big foot geese on Sat. I think they all began to doubt me. Well, it didn’t take long and there minds had changed. First flock was spotted coming and we all took cover. This isn’t your normal flock, we are talking 100-150 birds dropping on top of us and for a 1st flock I think it was pretty good. We ended up shooting 9 drakes, 1 black duck and 1 drake shoveler out of it. With a little more practice we should of been able to lay them down, but I guess that is why it is called hunting instead of just killing. For about the next 15-20 min. I would say it was a steady stream of ducks coming in here and there. Anywhere’s from 1-50 birds coming in at a time. Ended Saturday with our limit of ducks and I would have to say it was one of the better hunts I have had. We had 19 drake mallards, 1 hen mallard (cousin said he thought it was a black duck), 3 black ducks, 1 drake and 1 hen shoveler and 5 gadwell. Did shoot 2 geese as well, but they were the only pair to come in. Not sure where they all went to, but then again that is why it is called hunting and not killing. What a great day…. 
After a over kill comsumption of acholic beverages 
we were running a little late come Sunday morning. Ended the morning with 8 drake mallards, 3 hen mallards and 2 gadwell. Some of us were setting up decoys and others were shooting, so it was a bird here and a bird there type of day. Didn’t see anywhere close to the amount of birds we did on Sat., but then again after getting shot at a few times I probably wouldn’t go back either.
If this hardwork hadn’t paided off, I might of had to hang up the waders for the year…o.k. maybe not that far, but it has been a real slow year for everyone by the sounds of it.
Good luck to everyone the rest of the year. It is just a matter of time, but I would say the end of the month it should get good. Just a gut feeling.
I agree gator, you see the birds early and then they disappear. This is when the work starts.
Well, it took me almost all week to get the pattern of the mallard flight down, but I had 2 great days of hunting this weekend. Finally got to the field where they have been snacking in the morning. Friday was the first day I discovered there snacking grounds, but with plenty of work that needed to be done, I gave them one more day to either move on or be prepared to die. :grin
While sitting at work Friday, I decided to give some family members a call. After a little bit of basically promissing them they would get there ducks I got 4 of them to come visit me for the weekend. With 5 of us laying in the mixed of 4 dozen full body mallards and big foot geese on Sat. I think they all began to doubt me. Well, it didn’t take long and there minds had changed. First flock was spotted coming and we all took cover. This isn’t your normal flock, we are talking 100-150 birds dropping on top of us and for a 1st flock I think it was pretty good. We ended up shooting 9 drakes, 1 black duck and 1 drake shoveler out of it. With a little more practice we should of been able to lay them down, but I guess that is why it is called hunting instead of just killing. For about the next 15-20 min. I would say it was a steady stream of ducks coming in here and there. Anywhere’s from 1-50 birds coming in at a time. Ended Saturday with our limit of ducks and I would have to say it was one of the better hunts I have had. We had 19 drake mallards, 1 hen mallard (cousin said he thought it was a black duck), 3 black ducks, 1 drake and 1 hen shoveler and 5 gadwell. Did shoot 2 geese as well, but they were the only pair to come in. Not sure where they all went to, but then again that is why it is called hunting and not killing. What a great day….
After a over kill comsumption of acholic beverages we were running a little late come Sunday morning. Ended the morning with 8 drake mallards, 3 hen mallards and 2 gadwell. Some of us were setting up decoys and others were shooting, so it was a bird here and a bird there type of day. Didn’t see anywhere close to the amount of birds we did on Sat., but then again after getting shot at a few times I probably wouldn’t go back either.
If this hardwork hadn’t paided off, I might of had to hang up the waders for the year…o.k. maybe not that far, but it has been a real slow year for everyone by the sounds of it.
Good luck to everyone the rest of the year. It is just a matter of time, but I would say the end of the month it should get good. Just a gut feeling.
I forgot my camera, but my cousin had his 35mm. As soon as I can get a hold of the picturers I will try and post them. 
I forgot my camera, but my cousin had his 35mm. As soon as I can get a hold of the picturers I will try and post them.
Sounds like a sweet hunt BM. Congrats!! 
Black ducks are cool.
I wish we had more successful field hunting around here. I just very sledom see ducks in the fields, which is odd.
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