And I didn’t see one boat with lights on, use your heads people

Nice Jake! Just curious on how many socks you put out, that’s a good lookin’ spread! Also, what e-caller are you using? That has a really crisp sound to it.

Up at LOTW, there were birds moving in and out all season long which made for some good hunting and some tough hunting. We managed 73 birds and 11 bands for our group, down from 158 and 13 a year ago. The high winds and loads of water may make for tougher hunting come duck opener.

There has also been a push of short-necks in the area as well as a few snows.

Yup pretty pumped, our wheat field has 400 strong in there for the last week or so, they make a straight line for it every morning.

Its been a tough year. Some guys on different sites claim to be doing well, but I just didn’t see it when I was out. Yeah, you could find a pocket of less-pressured birds, but with so many adults and a bunched-up migration, there were just not as many scattered flocks. Every year we have some outstanding shoots, this year was totally different. My buds in SD do major scouting and when I went over there it was a total bismal. Not for a lack of birds mind you, but for a lack of workable birds. Also, for some reason the birds had a hard-on to get north. Last year our best shoot in SD was on April 2nd. After 400 miles of scouting my resources have barely seen any birds in SD as of today. I took 2 4 day trips out there and our group took a total of 77 birds. Usually we would have a 77 bird day.

So it didn’t even cross my mind to take any pics due to my let down of whitey this year.

I think the only “special” reg. is that of the new Olmsted county regs where you can only keep 1(if you plan on keeping any) but other than that regular bass opener, but remember, it is illegal to target the species out of season.

Just talked to a buddy who jsut got back from MO. They went down thursday to setup and hunted friday with minimal success(3). Saturday things started to thaw out and they ended up shooting 40. Sunday was their best day but they decided to leave at noon with 35. He said once the snow melted in the field they were in it was game on. 78 in 2.5 days isn’t too bad.

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Just recieved a call and the guide said some started to show up today.

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Those birds are fron Neb. and the rain water basin. The birds from MO aren’t even to Squaw Creek yet, the refuge is still iced over. Plus, there is still 30+ inches of snow in the northern half of SD, them birds aren’t going anywhere.

If there is one thing I’ve learned from snow goose hunting from the very first year is forget about the “First Arrivals” and hunt about 2-3 weeks after they start to show up. Then after they leave, wait about another 2+ weeks and you will have the best gunning of the spring hunt. I’ve hunted to the snow line, I’ve hunted the “Heart” of the migration, but the best I’ve ever done day in and day out is the tail end.

Don’t get me wrong you’ll shoot a couple adult birds and it is an awesome sight to see 1 million+ birds in a day. But I’ll take a 50-100 juvies day any day of the week, especially the way those birds decoy, I’m talkin landing on the blind birds.

Well then here’s what I’ve got: I have an Avery pop-up blind that I refurnished to my own liking. Took off their own netting and zip-tied some Tangle-Free reeds to the canvas and to the flip-down wings that cover the center.

I like the Avery to an extent. It is generally easy to deploy and take down, but it’s kind of bunk to ride with, corners can be trouble some. It is also recommended that you do not drive with it up, not that I would, but for chasing a cripple would be nice. I tried it once and it is a good idea to take it back down.

One thing is, after it is up, there is more room in the boat than any other blind I’ve been in.

Ditto.

I have a better than average boat blind and the only reason I have it is incase I HAVE to hunt from the boat. The shore and natural cover will win every time.

NOPE! Just ate some ducks and found out that I don’t have any to grill for the summer.

Ditto on the eyes and ears, that is the worst thing in the waterfowling world right there. We hunt the west side alot, I guess we should be more careful as well.

Well Sat was good we shot 10 for 5, sunday was just bad; bad wind, bad birds, we shot 5 for 7. Monday the birds were a little more workable and we shot 10 for 5 again. On a good note we have been landing most of the birds we are shooting at, so thats a good and fun part of the hunt. But a buddy followed some birds out and saw that they were landing in standing corn, I guess the snow is so deep that its an easy land for them.

Many, many new geese in the area. Hunted a field to the west of Rochester yesterday and 3 of us shot our 6 honkers easily. Landed birds in the dekes and was picked-up and back at the trucks in an hour.

Can’t wait for the 40 MPH NW winds on wed. and thurs. oh wait the MN season is over, never even broke ice out of any launch this year…..bummer

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They may only be “feeding” in the evening and just grazing in town during the morning and daytime hours.

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That’s what the geese in Roch. do every day

Shot 8 birds out of our Oronoco field tonight, not many birds around but there was a nice last half hour of light flury of birds. No ducks seen.

Heard from a buddy who just got back from Manitoba:

“It was like a kid in a candy store with greenheads”

Talked to a few very reliable resources one of which just got back from Manitoba and another from Peace River. Both areas are covered in birds right now and with nothing to move them down they are hanging out up there.

I haven’t picked in years, but I’m assuming that they are “done” for the year, aren’t they?

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No real cold fronts in the forecast yet, so unknown what will happen. When that big front does come, better find time to hunt!

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Love it when people say this……its white outside boys!

woodies, woodies and more woodies on pool 5. Very few mallards(maybe 10) and teal(maybe 15-20) seen, shot our woodrows and one blue-winger.

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Not much prettier than a male woody.

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Ummmmmmm —–say “drake” woody next time.

Lots and lots of cacklers moved into Roch the last couple of days. Saw them during the day and have been hearing them at night.

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Based on some older data I found from the MN DNR:

“Based on the percentages provided by [an opinion survey], it is estimated that 23,450 youths participated in the youth waterfowl hunt in 2005. On average,
2.72 ducks and 0.54 geese were harvested by each mentored group of youths [based on an average of 1.56 youths per group].”

That computes to 15,032 groups of mentored hunters with a harvest of around 40,887 ducks and 8,117 geese. I think that’s a good number of birds but hardly a drop in the bucket compared to opening day of the normal season.

The amount of youth hunters in the field on Saturday will be less than 25% of the total hunters (100,000) that are estimated to take to the field at any time during the normal waterfowl hunting season.

I think the impact is not as large as most of us may think.

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And why do you think that is?

It is because they take the kids out for that ONE day and that’s probally it. That’s why I’m on the fence about the season. If people really want them to get into the game it takes more than ONE day to do so. I don’t want people to defend the YWD, maybe/maybe not take a kid out that day and then not take a kid out the rest of the season, that’s hippocritical.

We took my buddy’s little bro out one year and he shot out 2 boxes of shells, but it didn’t stop there as we had him out atleast 5 more times that year. Does he hunt now? Yes, but very little because he doesn’t have the equipment and/or time, but when we go he always gets an invite.

First I’ll say that I’m on the fence as far as the Youth Day hunt. If people are really serious about taking a kid hunting there’s a 60 day season with plenty of opportunities for our youth to get out there.

NOT bashing, just saying that this isn’t the “only” day!

Just so you know it doesn’t close until the 22nd in MN.

Good Luck for anyone hunting down here in Roch. We’ve had birds in 3 fields we have permission on and now we haven’t even seen ANY birds in the air or on any fields.

Has anyone seen birds flying around down here?

Just Nature’s way of culling the population

I saw a roadkill by my house in Rochester last August. And while doing a job at the airport last summer the airport crew have traps set out and they told me they generally get anywhere from 2-7 every year.

Thanks guys!

I planted Rape, Clover, wheat and Turnips. They were in a “No Plow” formula, so I rounded up the soil worked it up and planted with the fertilizer. I just didn’t know if there was anything else I could easily do to make it grow better.