# MN Guys having any luck in MN??



## Double Ott Buck (Oct 5, 2005)

Geese are piling up in Southern MN, not much for ducks though. Heard they're we a slug of ducks on the refuges way up north. 60 degree weather and a south wind doesnt help anybody.


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## Bandcollector02 (Oct 4, 2005)

Saw tons of ducks opening weekend. Last weekend was decent, got a few birds. We had so much rain though, I think the birds are really spread out. Some places had 8+ inches of rain. There definately are some ducks around. Nothing crazy. There are just a Sh%$ ton of geese around. They are just everywhere. I'm surprised they haven't upped the regular season limit of just 2. Leave for Nodak next Wednesday, can't wait.
Good Hunting, 
ted


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## PJ (Oct 1, 2002)

I haven't seen much for ducks since the opener. There is a ton of geese on 494 by the MOA.


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## dwshunt (Apr 26, 2003)

I was hunting up by Fergus Falls, lots of geese and ducks around. Most of the ducks were woodies, didn't find very many large flocks of mallards, shot a few blue wing teal too.

The woodies have been great, love watching them after you get your two bird limit.

Good Hunting.


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## MrSafety (Feb 22, 2005)

There are LOTS of flooded beans and corn........find them and you will find ducks......wood ducks, mallards, teal yet and some geese. I've shot more ducks in MN so far this year than I did all of last year......and I've never used more than 6 decoys........p.s. I watched the NODAK 4 seasons video last night............AWESOME!


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## Double Ott Buck (Oct 5, 2005)

a few newer ducks but all of the local ducks are about gone. Tons of geese around, as well as roosters and deer....their turn is forth coming.


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## greenhead (Jun 1, 2004)

The geese have really been moving around a lot this weekend.


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## Bandcollector02 (Oct 4, 2005)

Not much for ducks, tons of geese around. If anyone puts their scouting time in, they should have no problem limiting on geese.


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## mnbirdhunter (Sep 15, 2005)

i havent seen many ducks this week but last week i hunted on a sod farm that was about 2-3 feet under water cuz of the rain, and there were flocks of 10-30 mallards comin in about every 5 min, and there were tons of geese flyin around and they still are this week


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## matthewmn (Oct 17, 2005)

I hunted just south of Alexandria MN friday morning and got 2 buffleheads, 2 drake woodies, and a goose. Went scouting that night, took a friend out the next morning and we got 1 pintail, 2 cans, 2 gadwall, three drake woodies, and a couple geese. Then went scouting out that night after shooting at some roosters during the day and got a couple more woodies before chasing more pheasants during the day.

I have never seen so many ducks this early in the year around where I was hunting so I would say the MN duck hunting is pretty good right now (aside from a lack of mallards).


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## 4star (Sep 11, 2005)

My brother and his brother in law go out to the same lake every weekend day and don't leave empty handed...but that could because all the other lakes around it get pressured and they're are the only people hunting at that lake.


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## Bandcollector02 (Oct 4, 2005)

There's not many ducks around just north of the twin cities. I hunted Saturday morning and we got just 1 mallard and 1 woody. Didn't even see many ducks flying. There are just a ton of geese around though. We got 3 on Saturday. Just rediculous we didn't limit. Just needed one more goose. We had two flocks come right in, shot em up, could see we rocked em, but they just wouldn't fall. Went out to the new Cabela's, saw two fields in that area with 150+ geese. Leave for ND on Wed, can't wait.
Good Hunting,
Ted


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## Double Ott Buck (Oct 5, 2005)

Geese will hang until x-mas. Ducks will trickle in slowly, unless the weather really changes north of here. Then, as usual, every duck from canada will be coming through as I sit in my deer stand with a shot gun full of slugs. :eyeroll:


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## maple lake duck slayer (Sep 25, 2003)

Bandcollector02-
We try to harvest as many of those geese in the Rogers area as we can. They taste delicious. They spend all day loafing around the sewage treatment ponds along 94 there in Rogers. Mmm,mmm good. :lol: They don't taste that bad, we usually make them into jerky anyways.


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## Double Ott Buck (Oct 5, 2005)

I was out this morning. No geese, but fair amount of woodies and good numbers of mallards. They are very wary....stayed close to the middle of the lake and flew very high out to feed. Somebody had educated them more than once this year!!


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## Powder (Sep 9, 2003)

MNbirdhunter,
Was that around Waconia?


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## Groundspounds (Jan 11, 2005)

Almost everytime I have been out duck hunting we have slaughtered em'. The key is to stay away from water. Its too warm and there are not the numbers on water. Find the roosting ponds and scout them. We have been hunting fields since opening weekend, and we usually pound em.


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## mnbirdhunter (Sep 15, 2005)

yeah, it was just west of lake waconia


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Slowwww... Numbers are really lowwww.....

Geese numbers are okay, but do not have a lot of time for scouting, hockey season is starting. :jammin: :jammin:


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## maple lake duck slayer (Sep 25, 2003)

Finally was able to find a good area for ducks. I took my little brother out last Thursday and we got 6 greenheads. Mallards were everywhere, it was fun trying to pick out the drakes. Really makes you focus on your shot. Went again on Sunday and got 3 more-should have had more. Mallards were thick.


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## Greg_4242 (Feb 21, 2005)

The Mallards are down early this year. We've been doing some field hunting and the ducks are everywhere. Too bad it was a blue bird day. We had about 300 dive in and land 20 yards from us about 20 min after sundown. It's just cool watching them work(even if you cant shoot). We even had a couple big pins come right in after dark. I bet we saw 1000 or more birds today. I've never seen the northern mallards down this early. Last year they didn't show up until 2 weeks after the season ended.


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## Double Ott Buck (Oct 5, 2005)

Greg, what region of the state are you in? Im seeing the same thing in So. MN


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## Bandcollector02 (Oct 4, 2005)

Anyone going hunting in MN this weekend? I'm not going to make it out. I don't think I'll be missing much anyway. It's supposed to be in the mid sixties all weekend. The only thing around where I hunt (northwest metro) is geese. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of geese, but I have shot so damn many already this year. I think I'm going to wait until we get a good freeze in Canada to hit the water again. That probably won't happen until after deer hunting anyway. As far as I can tell, no northern birds have migrated down yet. That seems to be the general consenus across most of the forums. A lot of guys are saying they are still pounding the ducks up in Canada. Keep me updated on the conditions. ND sucked last weekend. Encountered the most decoy shy birds I have ever seen. 
Good Hunting
Ted


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## prince (Oct 7, 2005)

i was out north of the cities on saturday night and limited on mallards & bw teal in 2 hours, small decoy spread and no calling, sunday morning went out and limited on rings & woodys in a very short amount of time, seen alot of mallards & gadwall around


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## Double Ott Buck (Oct 5, 2005)

Out this morning and there were very few still. Kind of skiddish also...seemed like they wanted to come in but didnt want to at the same time. It has been like this all year and my side of the slough I hunt on went from having all the birds in it consistanly to never having any in it....I dont understand it any more??
Has anybody seen many ducks consistantly south of Hwy 212 but still north of I 90???


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## Bandcollector02 (Oct 4, 2005)

I'm starting to definately see some migrating birds. Fully matured mallards are becoming the norm and just tons and tons of friggen geese.


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## Greg_4242 (Feb 21, 2005)

My 2 hunting buddies and I are up almost 150 ducks this year.
Haven't seen one week of the lull time between locals and migrants.
This season has been unbielivable!
Still hoping for a band!
Starting to get a little tired of eating duck though!


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## waterfowlwizard (Nov 9, 2005)

i am pounding the ducks on the st francis river in zimerman limits of greenies adn decoying shots into rice holes oh ya baby ill get soem pictures


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## Double Ott Buck (Oct 5, 2005)

If the ducks dont make a really hard push this weekend with the wind we had today and the 25 degree temps forecast for each night around Winnipeg this weekend also, I'll be shocked.


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## Shu (Oct 21, 2003)

I hunt the SW part of MN and this is the 2nd year that I will have shot more roosters than ducks. But I am picky...I try to only shoot greenheads. I hunt mostly public land....thank god for that since most of S/SW MN is tiled and farmed extensively.

The hound and I are heading to SD tomorrow for about 4-5 days of ducks/geese/roosters in the northern tier of the state.


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## hansonni (Aug 19, 2002)

waterfowlwizard-
I hunt that area, pm me and let me know where you are hunting and how you've been doing. I'd love to hunt with someone else for a change.


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## Bandcollector02 (Oct 4, 2005)

The boys on waterfowler.com said they have been hammering them across MN.


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## Goon (Apr 3, 2005)

Bandcollector02 said:


> The boys on waterfowler.com said they have been hammering them across MN.


Sounds like the Trib writer Dennis Anderson (I believe) is going to have to change his empty skies story to ducks filling the sky in MN.


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## Bandcollector02 (Oct 4, 2005)

Let me be more specific. The guys on waterfowler.com that hunted last Wed (with the 40mph nw wind) did damn good. Of the three reports I read, all limited out with in a few hours. The guys to the north seemed to be getting divers and the guys to the south were getting puddles. That wind definately pushed some migrating ducks through.


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## hansonni (Aug 19, 2002)

Any you MN boys go hunting this weekend? I hunted Friday evening, saw a few Northerns but nothing bit. Still not the numbers I was hoping for?


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## Bandcollector02 (Oct 4, 2005)

From the reports I've read and or heard, it has been hit or miss. Some guys are limiting out fairly easily and others aren't getting a thing. I think this week, for the most part, should be awesome with the cold weather.


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## Double Ott Buck (Oct 5, 2005)

Was out on Friday and saw birds. Deer hunted Saturday since I didnt want to get shot in the slough by some moron thinking I was a deer. Skipped Sunday due to the blue skies and 50mph winds. Went out this morning and they were all gone!! :******: 
What the *&%$??! Those bastards will be landing on ice if they dont come through by Wed.!! Can we ever catch a break in MN!! :eyeroll:


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## Shu (Oct 21, 2003)

If you're out west and want to shoot some geese, start at Morris and drive west on 28. Pretty thick from there to the SD border.


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## waterfowlwizard (Nov 9, 2005)

i was on the x on sunday. found a field with around 2000 honkers and 800 mallards using it heavily. problem was, honker season was closed where we were but we did shoot a few mallards. would have killed tons of geese if we could have. even heard a few specks mixed in wiht the honkers. frickin minnesota laws. closing goose season when we are trying to reduce the population. :******:


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## MnDiver (Oct 1, 2002)

> If you're out west and want to shoot some geese, start at Morris and drive west on 28. Pretty thick from there to the SD border


The Goose season is closed in this area. I can confirm that there are a ton of geese in this area.

I hope one of these years the DNR will let us shoot honks all season. I know the reasoning of the EPP goose population is on decline and that's the reason. But all U have to do is go 20 miles west and you can shoot 3!!

Gets Frustrating when out hunting ducks and you have big boyz landing in the decs all morining... [/quote]


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## Shu (Oct 21, 2003)

You're right! Sorry about that. I was coming back from SD and assumed that area was still in season.


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## turning green (Nov 22, 2004)

I went out today after school hoping to see some new birds in the St. Cloud area due to the big storm and was very disappointed. i think all the birds (the few that there were) that were here yesterday left. i dont know if this is going to be the storm or not. i thought that i would have at least seen one flock in the air this evening. all that i saw was a few geese (maybe 75 or so) and a grand total of about 10 mallards (and that is being generous). i just keep on waiting and wishing. :roll:


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## nwmngeesenducks (Apr 9, 2003)

We've been fighting with the same birds for some time now. We've managed to get a few. Hopefully tomorrow we'll get a few more...

saturday

friday

We were planning on going to LOW this weekend but we decided to choose life 

Actually, it's my anniversery so I'm going to have to kill some birds closer to home.

Anyone else making one last trip in MN?


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## d wiz (Jul 31, 2003)

We'll be killing birds up until the last day of the season. I'll either be breaking ice out in the west central part of the state or down on the southeast on the Miss. 8)


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## maple lake duck slayer (Sep 25, 2003)

As long as the lakes stay open, there will be huntable numbers around until the end of the season. In fact, I bet there will be a lot around well after the season. I am hoping the small water freezes solid along with a few lakes. Really gets them moving and concentrated. Also keeps a lot of guys home. dd: Saw absolutely nothing moving this morning near Maple Lake. 3 mallards in 2 hours=not good. The low temps coming up the next few days should help.


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## Bandcollector02 (Oct 4, 2005)

Hey Maple Lake, do you ever hunt in the Dayton area? A friend of mine has some connections over there and he was hammering the mallards in October after all that rain we had. I was thinking about trying that area for the late goose season.


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## maple lake duck slayer (Sep 25, 2003)

Never hunted there, I do hunt right next door in Rogers. I was ice fishing on Diamond Lake in Dayton 2 years ago, end of December, and watched hundreds off geese flying around, I figure they got off the river. I would think it would be a good area for late season. Good luck. I thought about checking out that area this late season.


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## maple lake duck slayer (Sep 25, 2003)

Hunted this morning, 8 mallards seen. How can it be this cold and nothing is flying through?


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## Waterfowlerguy (Mar 4, 2004)

I hunted water in the Dayton/Rogers area on monday, tuesday, and wednesday. Monday I saw birds of all types but nothing wanted to come within range due to a lack of wind. Swans, canadian geese, lots of mallards, a variety of divers, and what appeared to be a flock of sandhill cranes. Tuesday was a bust with very little flying. I saw no geese on tuesday which is strange because there are plenty in the area. Wednesday brought more birds and two of use had a nice shoot but conditions were MISERABLE! IT ROCKED! LOL. This morning the lake that was open yesterday appeared to be completely iced over. Hopefully things will open back up this weekend. Strange thing I noticed we shot mallard drakes on tuesday and wednesday that were still in eclipse plumage. Struck me as odd this late.


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## the Bender (Mar 31, 2005)

I had a flock of 75-100 Mallards work in on Tuesday, and there were a bunch of Drakes with brown chests but no green head. My buddy shot a Drake Woody too. I'm afraid many birds high-tailed it, never to be seen til next fall.


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## Bandcollector02 (Oct 4, 2005)

Lots of geese. Not much for ducks. :evil:


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## waterfowlwizard (Nov 9, 2005)

the geese and mallards are thick on the mississipi outside of elkriver!!!!!!!! :sniper:


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## goose nuker (Feb 28, 2005)

there are still alot of canadas, mallards, and diver's in the st. cloud area
hopefully going to get in a field shoot this weekend and maybe hit the big water thanksgiving morn. good luck.

:sniper:


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## PJ (Oct 1, 2002)

MN should increase the limits on geese but restrict the shooting hours. Like you cannot shoot geese after 2 except for on Wed and Sat. Then boost the limits to 2 were it is currently one and increase the limits to three were it is currently 2. 
Decreasing the limit to four ducks was a nice change. It seems to be working well for hunters on this post. 
:2cents:


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## goose nuker (Feb 28, 2005)

reducing the shooting hours is not going to help any, but increasing the canada goose limit is a good idea. like the late season limit that is 5 but doesn't start until mid dec. they should have made the change to 5 as soon as duck closes and we would have more success in getting rid of the bastards :beer:


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## Quackkills9 (Oct 25, 2004)

I agree, but oh well... deal with it. :-?


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## goose nuker (Feb 28, 2005)

went out thanksgiving morning and we shot our 8 greenies and 4 geese, just out of saint cloud, and it seems like more and more mallards and geese are filling in every hour. the lakes are getting full and the season is coming to an end, happens every year uke:let me know how everyone else is doing. going out again sunday, we've just got permissioin for the first cornfield out of town and it should be a shoot out. good luck


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## goose nuker (Feb 28, 2005)

went out thanksgiving morning and we shot our 8 greenies and 4 geese, just out of saint cloud, and it seems like more and more mallards and geese are filling in every hour. the lakes are getting full and the season is coming to an end, happens every year uke:let me know how everyone else is doing. going out again sunday, we just got permissioin for the first cornfield out of town and it should be a shoot out. good luck


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## Bandcollector02 (Oct 4, 2005)

Just read "Thanksgiving Slay Fest"  . Lots of geese and mallards around. Find em and you will hammer.


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