What A Sleeper

Did not do well at all this morning. Went back to the same spot as yesterday thinking that we would still do decent. Half moon and strong wind over night must have kept them moving. We had a lot more hunting pressure on the lake this morning but nothing to shoot at. Sat for 2 hours and only saw about 15 ducks total. There were a few groups getting very little shooting but we watched as they all chased crippled ducks for a long ways. Had one "pro duck caller" down the lake from us, that I would have loved nothing more than to tell him to shove the call where the sun doesn't shine, but I think that is where he already had it based on the calling. I do not understand why some people think that continuously blowing the call will bring ducks. Overall we should have gone to "plan B" lake. We only hunt this lake once a year but we didn't even fire a shot his morning. Talked with a buddy that just got back from Canada yesterday who said that there are "a ton of birds" up there still. Just have to wait for the next wave!

Hello Winter

When I got up this morning and looked out to see snow covering my lawn, I was thrilled and sad at the same time. Her we are in the 2nd week of the season and the weather in like mid November.
We battled through the wind and icy roads this morning and made it to our spot in spite of getting beat to the landing by several people. Right before shooting time I was calling in groups of mallards like crazy to the decoys. With 5 minutes to go I had them land right in front of my brother and then take off. I told him to get ready because I was calling them back around for him. I really wanted his first weekend out for the year to be good. Sure enough I called them back around but they were right in front of my dad and I cupped. I let the first one go by for my dad and took the rear on. We each hit on the first shot. Great blind retrieve on the second by King on the 2 drakes.
Shortly after that I had 1 green wing teal shoot down the shoreline right in front of me and before I could tell them there was a bird it was dead. Now by brother is frustrated so he moves closer to me to get in on the action. Right after that I call in a small flock of mallards that circle right over where he was standing! Now he is frustrated and confused but he stayed put. About 20 later we had 1 hen canvasback circle, again where my brother was standing, and come around behind us. My dad and brother start shooting at it but when it got to me I shot and hit her thinking that she would hit closer to the water. Not so. Myself and the dog climbed through and over some of the thickest cattails you could imagine with no luck. On the way back to the blind I spotted a teal flying right at my dad and my brother so I yell TEAL! I hear shooting and see the splash so I take the dog down there to get it. When I get there I find out that my brother set his gun down to warm up his hands and didn't get a shot.
After awhile things slowed down and we decided to pick up. My dad and my brother started picking up when a big flock of mallards got up I watched and noticed that 2 strays ere behind but catching up to the flock so I hit the call hard. They broke off and turned around right at us with my brother standing in the decoys with a bag picking up. I told him not to move and was able to hit 1 of the 2. A nice hen wigeon. With the exception of almost getting frost bite on my numb fingers that started turning blue, it was a good morning. My brother did come through with a military trick to fight off the frost bite that most likely saved my fingers.

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Old Duck Hunting Article from the Strib

This article was from 2003 but it's worth a read today...

Dennis Anderson: Ducks shortchanged, not short-stopped Star Tribune Oct. 20 is a date I remember well. Dawn broke cold and heavily overcast. A cold wind blew from the north. Snow slanted from a low, gray sky. In Minnesota, a perfect duck hunting morning. Or so my young son, Trevor, and I hoped. We were north and west of Willmar, in what traditionally has been one of the state's best areas for autumn overflights of mallards, widgeon, gadwall and teal, as well as the divers: bluebills, redheads and canvasbacks. Having met up with a couple of friends, we shuffled to blinds on a pass that separated a large marsh from a small lake. There we loaded our guns, looked to the sky and waited. It wasn't that long ago that a Minnesota waterfowler afield on Oct. 20 could count on taking a few birds, even a limit, within an hour or two. If he (or she) were lucky, a mallard or other dabbler might be among these. But typically the peak of the diver migration through Minnesota occurs about the third week of October. So usually the bag would feature bluebills, redheads and, along the Mississippi River, canvasbacks. But Minnesota duck hunting has changed -- mostly because ducks in the state are ever fewer. So marked is the decrease in duck numbers in the state that some experienced waterfowlers -- Don (Duckman) Helmeke of the Twin Cities is one -- in recent years haven't fired a shot on opening day. Still, when Trevor and I awoke that cold Sunday last October and made our way to the truck to exercise the dogs, we couldn't help but think that on this cold autumn morning, ducks -- eager to seek warmer climes down South -- would fly. So we waited. And waited. Finally, when it became apparent the morning would be another in a long string of Minnesota duck hunting disappointments, we headed home. Few ducks seen, no shots fired, the dog still dry. But it's not news to report that Minnesota duck hunting isn't what it once was. The news is that, last fall, Minnesota waterfowlers weren't the only ones who saw fewer ducks. Southern duck hunters, particularly those in Louisiana and Arkansas, had the same complaint. Many of those waterfowlers, looking for someone to blame, cast an eye north, saying hunters up here somehow short-stopped "their" birds, keeping them from flying to their traditional wintertime haunts. Right. To their credit, Louisiana and Arkansas waterfowl managers have explained quite specifically what forces combined last fall to produce so (relatively) few birds in those states. Weather peculiarities were partly to blame. So was a lack of quality habitat, particularly in Louisiana, where two major tropical storm systems last year compromised the duck-carrying capacity of large swaths of coastal wetlands. The fact that ducks experienced poor production on northern prairies this summer and a greater proportion of birds that flew south were adults also reduced hunter success throughout the Mississippi Flyway. But problems cited in an Arkansas report about duck hunting in that state underscore challenges duck hunters face throughout North America. These challenges won't go away anytime soon. Consider: • In the past 10 years, the number of Arkansas waterfowl hunters has risen from 39,000 to 95,000, with increases also in commercial hunt clubs and non-resident hunters. (Increases during the same period in hunter numbers also were recorded in other states where ducks congregate, including North Dakota.) • Average days hunted per active adult in Arkansas have increased from 10.38 in 1976-80 to 14.52 in 1996-2000. • The mallard harvest in Arkansas increased between 1976-1980 and 1996-2000 from 523,160 to 871,100. The average total duck harvest in Arkansas for the same period was up 50 percent. The upshot: If ducks (and duck hunting) are to be saved, not only must more and better habitat be made available to them where they nest and winter, hunter pressure on ducks in those areas must be mitigated. Minnesotans can do their part by beginning the hard work of restoring biological integrity to the state's relative handful of remaining wetlands -- no small task considering many of them in recent decades have been recast as storm-water holding ponds. If that task were completed, Minnesota hunters could again hunt ducks near their homes. Note to Southern waterfowlers: We're not short-stopping your ducks. We're shortchanging them. And have been for a long time. -- Dennis Anderson is at danderson@startribune.com.

A Far Cry From Yesterday

In past years the second day has yielded more birds than the first. After all the birds we saw on Saturday, but didn't necessarily get to shoot at, we went back to the same spot thinking that a sunrise shoot would be great.
On the lake behind us they started shooting 5 minutes early and once again you could tell that many were not hitting much. Two groups were so close together that you could almost count 4 seconds between when the birds would fly past one than the other. We listened as one guy chased a cripple around the marsh.
As for us we didn't see a flock, or any birds, for about 20 minutes than a small flock riding the water line popped out. I pulled up to shoot hitting one on the first shot but tried to hit it again with the second as it sailed out. We watched it hit the water and immediately dive never to return to the surface. Nothing worse than having to tell the dog "no bird buddy". About 20 minutes after that we had another flock of wood ducks get up and fly by but they turned out of range for me. My dad got off 2 good shots folding up one nice drake. Then the thing I hate worse than sky busters showed up. A fisherman. With the whole lake available, he choose to fish 100yrds outside our decoys. After not seeing many birds, almost none at all, we decided to call it a day before 10am.
Hopefully next weekend we hit on a good spot. Sounds like wigeons and gadwals are on the move in the area. Had a buddy get a few in Mora today along with a greenie, teal and a hooded. It is hard to do some good scouting with 2 kids under the age of 2, but I'm sure we'll eventually find the "X". I just hope sooner than later.

Great dog saves the day!

I would have to say that this was one of the best openers in recent memory.
We pulled into the landing very early and made it to our destination without a problem. We sat and watched as wood ducks flew everywhere. After we put out the decoys we sat and watched as flocks of wood ducks flew by and even landed in the decoys. Mallards flew past and one bouncing hen calls turned them around.
At about 9:10 the lake behind us sounded like a war zone. It didn't take long to listen and figure out that these were "sky busters". I hate sky busters.
Over on our lake things started out pretty slow. At 9:30 we had a flock of woodies take us by surprise. I knocked one down but it was not out. The dog just sat and watched as I analyzed the situation resulting in the decision that he would get her. He chased her down and she dove. I stopped him and we waited for her to pop up. When she did I whistled him to the right. He chased and she dove each time I stopped him and we waited. Then in his frustration for this duck he went under! He was down for a good 3 count before rising again coughing and spitting water but the chase was on. I left him on the chase because I could see the duck getting tired the further the swim. King was out swimming a duck in the marathon! The last time the hen came up he was right on her tail feathers. He lunged and she dove and he went down again! This time he came up with her. Through all this we had 3 flocks buzz us but I had to work the dog on that bird. I wasn't going to start the season with a cripple.
We watched a mallard migration that you would have seen in Nov. not on the opener. Flocks of mallards were coming into the lake by 20's and 30's but way high. I worked a few down but they chose the 1000 coot on the other side of the marsh. Yes I said 1000 coot!
Then the most amazing sight. We had a flock of 200 mallards in a "W" fly over the lake. Again way high and from the NW. I tried calling them just to see (and play with my new call) if I could make a dent. They circled the lake getting lower but still a mile high they left.
Things slowed down for awhile but then 2 big woodies came down the shore line right over the decoys. My dad pulls up to shoot gets a shot off and his gun jams. I pull up and go 0 for 3. Embarrassing!
After watching ducks fly around unwilling to decoy or even look our way we had a chance at redemption. A group of 6 buzz us from behind and head for the other side. I hit the wood duck call hard! They turned and came around but wanted to land a ways down the shore. I hit the call again hard! They pulled up and came right at us but turn into the thick brush behind us. My dad pulls up and shoots hitting 2 and I shoot once. We mark the birds and I realize that I shot his second bird right after he hit it. Now the dog needs to work. I line him up and send him in. He found the birds a long way in right away! You couldn't even walk through this stuff.
We packed up after that when everything stopped moving. The end result was 3 woodies.
Hesitation killed us today, as it does everyday. We should have had our wood duck limit and some mallards but shoulda woulda coulda.
The end result is that working, training, and knowing your dogs capabilities is key to having a successful hunting partner you can trust and he can trust. Never send your dogs into a situation if there is any question of his abilities, for your sake and his. Also reward your dog for jobs well done and stand your ground when he is in the wrong. It will pay dividends in the long run.

Hunting Partnerships

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Comment on this post AND contact us through our website with your contact info so we can match you up! (Please click the Facebook icon on the left to become a fan and meet other Junkies!)

MORE INFO:
Try a hunt exchange! Make arrangements with a Junkie in another area to host them for a hunt in your area and in exchange, they will host you for a hunt in their area.

Hunt exchanges can save you money and make your experience more enjoyable. When you do a hunt exchange you have a better chance of a more successful hunt than if you were to venture on your own because your exchange partner will be familiar with the area and can take you to the best areas. You won't need to pay a guide service and depending on your arrangements, you may offer to put each other up eliminating lodging expenses!

Not sure you are comfortable hosting a stranger? Remember to get to know the person through talking on the phone, emails, sharing some photos of your successful outings and swapping stories.

Still uncomfortable? Contact our Prostaff member in your area for advice on spots to try, lodging, etc. They may not give up their best spot but it's sure to get you off on the right foot!

A New Beginning

The new duck season is just 36 hours away! Hopefully you all have your plans made and spots picked out. The ducks seem to be moving more this week with the cold weather moving in. Last weekend the northern region of Wis. got it's start on their season and from the reports I have been hearing about it was pretty good. Many hunters had good success on Saturday but Sunday's storms made it a hard hunt with high winds and lightening.
Northern Wisconsin used to be my stomping grounds for duck hunting until recent years, but maybe this year I will make it back there for a late season hunt. I will be making it to southern Wisconsin for an exciting extended weekend hunt with my uncle towards the end of October, that is if he hasn't shot everything by then. {:>)
Looks like Saturday morning my dad and I will be trying to conquer the marsh in NW Chisago city. I am trying to be optimistic with the low water levels. This recent rain "event" has brought a lot of much needed water to the area, so hopefully it will be good.

I also hope you will check out the new web page! The address is www.Duckjunkies.com It was just launched this week and we are very excited. The site still has some fine tuning to do so any suggestions are welcomed as we hope to make this site very user friendly for all hunters. Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable opener with plenty of ducks. King and I have been waiting 304 days for this, the day we get our "FIX".

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Tic toc... MN duck opener is upon us!

Scouting

Was at 3M on Monday, and usually this time of year there are geese every where. I even had my license on me so that I could run one over "accidentally" driving through campus. To my amazement there were none. When we were coming out at sundown I saw 12. That was it. Going to give up on the early goose hunt for this year. Weather is too nice. Going to fix my truck on Friday night and Saturday morning instead. Its been a long time coming and it cannot be neglected anymore. When that is done I'm going to try to scout this weekend. With the extremely low water levels in the area and the lack of birds flying, I think that this season in east central MN is going to be a fly by season. There may be a couple of days that they stay, but the lack of food and water, not to mention the damn fisherman on the lakes that do have water, the birds will get pushed through fast and you will need to be on the "X" to have any luck.

If anyone else is out scouting, or know anyone out scouting I encourage you to sign up on this site. Its free to join and its easy to stay connected. Click to follow this blog on the lower left.