# Pressure!!!



## recker

Since you are having problems with huge pressure and I read your site alot I would like to share my frustration.Being from minnesota we do have hunting pressure and always have but most used to be on the big well know areas. That is why I avoided them and did very well on smaller areas which I found through scouting. I am 32 and over the last ten years did scouting like you would not believe to find smallers public spots with no hunters. Most were about 2 to 3 hours from the cities which is fine and worth the drive. Never ever saw any hunters at these spots until the last few years and this year is crazy.Pretty much all my scouting trips are for not now as all someone has to do now is blab on the internet and they invade an area. Last weekend hunters at every spot I went too which this time of year is unheard of in the past because most have moved onto other things by now.They say hunter numbers are dropping but i dont see it. I know it is dry this year but the past few years where the same.I dont even want to get into south dakota but the tag was never an issue then I was shutout last year and only a three day this year. All guys I talked to there this year were first timers who heard about it from someone.Just read a report on waterfowler from a field editor in wisconsin apologizing to people who usually hunt a marsh cause he gave reports on the forum and all of a sudden it was opening weekend every day now. He said the hunting has gone to **** since the birds cant rest.Also another report from an Iowa guy who I have read in the past saying how the pressure has gone crazy in the last few years and the birds have just become too smart now.And like he said you have guys taking 100 yard shots well I think that will educate the birds pretty quick in my book.I guess my point in all of this I really liked the waterfowler.com etc when they first came out for us real waterfowlers to share info but i think it really has hurt us all in the long run. You now have people everywhere and most seem to have no ethics from what i have seen and read. They seem more like shooters and not real hunters. Having to drive two or three hours out of the cities to hunt is fine but not to face all this pressure with limited time etc and a family to get back to in a few days. It takes all the fun out of it. Also part of the problem is a guy comes to north or south dakota for the first time and even with the pressure thinks it is great compared to home.So then they go home and tell twenty people how great it is. However, I have been going to south dakota for twenty years and can see the decline even with the 1000 more tags they issued the last few years. so they will not understand this.In north dakota with unlimited nr you see it even more. I really never thought it would come to a pay to play game but with a good 30 plus years left i hope to hunt i wonder what else it will be. Yes i am a little bummed on the situation and know it is not as bad as I say but i dont see it getting any better unless everything dries and alot of these guys give up.The internet is a great tool but can also work against us in my book.


----------



## Field Hunter

recker,

Good post.....pretty much sums up what everyone in has been trying to say. The stories are endless on how the internet, print media and hunting shows on cable have all contributed to the decline in the quality of the sport. I will say that the internet does inform a limited amount of hunters to certain areas but word of mouth and the endless parade of "hunters" doing duck shows on cable tv and in print media have done far worse.

Here's a couple of stories from my own log book, I'm a lifelng ND resident...this is not whining, just the facts. 1. The Waterfowler magazne did a couple of stories...might both have been in the same year. One story was on a little known area in ND and one was a well known but slightly used area in Saskatchewan. The next year the spot in ND, which I've hunted for 30+ years was completely over run, over hunted, and in the end leased by NR hunters. It's completely dry now but I hope the leasees got stuck big time....hard to hunt dry marshes. 2. The second area was in Central SK. The year after the article the area had the same thng happe to it...forcing many hunters including ourselves to move on to greener pastures. One thing that I see is that many people upon hearing about a spot will hunt that area day after day after day and never try to spread out. 3. I gave information to a friend from out of state who had asked me where might be a good location to duck hunt wit his 2 sons the following year. I told him where to locate and they had a great time......the next year he returned with 2 brothers, his father, and his two sons....more guys but not a big deal....only now two rooms in the local hotel that resident hunters had rented for years were not available....not a bad thing in and of itself but shows the lack of available rooms for busy weekends. The next year the purchase a house and bring 20 guys to the area I was nice enough to show them. Now they return yearly and when they are not there, they rent the house to help pay for it to MANY of their friends from back home.

As I said the stories are endless. Everybody has them. My guess would be with the tighter restrictions on NRs in ND from now on that MN is going to see even more increased pressure on it's own resources.....hell, I'm looking forward to hunting the new marsh in central MN that the DNR has been so kind to inform us of through the tv and print media. Supposedly this marsh/lake used to hold thousands of canvasbacks and redheads during the migration......I hope they are successful in returning the lake to it's glory days........but can you imagine the frustration level when there is a decoy spread every 200 yards on opening day?


----------



## djleye

You know...the drought periods used to be good because then we didn't get so much pressure. People would skip their trips to ND because they knew it wouldn't be so easy during a dry year, It was like when the stock market was a no brainer and every stock did good. Everyone wanted to be an investment advisor. We lost a lot of advisors when the markets went bad because it wasn't so easy anymore. It seems now though that a lot of people either didn't believe us that the state was so dry or else they didn't care because they show up anyway and there is that much more pressure on the birds. I used to want dry periods because a lot of people would not hunt waterfowl. I had some of my best hunts back then. You find water you would find birds....and lots of them. Now there are too many people pressuring the few birds we had and then they get froze out early at a time when there weren't as many NR hunters around so there is that much less business in the small towns. I imagine the early snow is also the fault of us greedy non residents!!! :eyeroll: :eyeroll:


----------



## FLOYD

Ten years ago, either you knew how to hunt or you didn't. Now anyone can just go on the internet to a site like this, (not a shot at the site Chris, its a great site) and some clown will tell them how awesome they did yesterday morning. Most of the time locations aren't given, but that doesn't matter when you log on and read that a group generally shoots 300 geese and 150 ducks in a season. Do you realize how astronomical that sounds to these people? Like they're not going to come. Oh well


----------



## Ron Gilmore

I had a conversation with a freind of mine back home about pressure. He commented about all the ducks and good water in late Sept. I asked him to do a drive on or about Oct 10th and compare duck numbers to the opener.

I have not talked to him about it yet but plan to this weekend to see if he saw what I did. Sand Lake is my barometer of pressure ND opener for Res showed little change at Sand lake, but a huge jump in numbers after the NR opener.

We that hunt understand the concept of pressure and it's effects. Those that are setting our laws only understand campaign contributions.


----------



## GooseBuster3

Floyd,  shooting 300 geese and 150 mallards isnt as easy as you think it is. All we do is scout, scout,scout!!! We spend more time scouting then hunting, and thats why we are so successfull. Then there is the decoy placment, calling ect....... It isnt like shooting fish in a barrel if you know what mean. :lol:


----------



## FLOYD

gb3,

You don't have to tell me that. Last year my friends and I were actually close to those numbers, this year was slower. My point is if people log on and tell everyone, why wouldn't every single person from other states want to come here. People can blame magazine articles all they want, but they need to look in the mirror and not brag about their kills then too.

The part that bugs me is that there is all this talk about how incompetent all these hunters are, but I believe people are making it worse by saying hunting is great. Now everyone wants to get out there and get some of those ducks and geese, whereas a few years back, before the internet, either you know how and where to hunt or you didn't. And if you didn't, it wasn't even worth your time, because by the time you figured things out, you would give up. Now all one has to do is shoot out a few inquiries accross the internet, and you will be told all the info you need. I am not saying this is bad in all cases, i.e. someone who wants to learn more and be a true die hard waterfowler, however most of these people just want you to tell them where and how to do it. How many posts this fall were worded, "is the hunting any good at ........" Then someone tells them. The people who spent the whole week or so scouting that area probably aren't real happy because now some guy in Fargo, GF, or other state is being handed basically the same info he compiled in a weeks worth of scouting. And I am not ripping on Fargo, GF, or nonres. people, I live in Fgo.
Anyway enough of my ramblings. I just think in a weird way, sites like this, which I love, are having a different affect on hunting than what is intended. Its too bad because I think the premise and design of this site is outstanding.


----------



## MRN

Excellent thread!

The same guys that started warning of the exploding numbers here in ND in the mid-90's were at the same time warning about the indiscriminate spread of information via publications and the web. I was skeptical then....

I thought everyone learned this lesson in the first grade: Boast about something you have, someone else will try to take it from you.

I believe these websites are excellent for discussing policy, not practice.

M


----------



## gandergrinder

Floyd,
I couldn't agree with you more on the effect that the internet is having on hunting. I myself during the season get emails and PM's asking me where the hunting is good which areas are holding birds. I will no longer be posting numbers of birds shot or locations of where I hunt. It just doesn't seem worth it anymore.

I agree with you that there are many hunters who think that limits come easily in ND. That is just not the case. Many people go on the internet and see pictures and hear about the number of birds shot. The problem is the hunters doing this are not the average waterfowler. Many of these people are the best of the best. These are the guys who if they wanted could probably put alot of the guides out of business. These are the waterfowlers who are probably very successful in other things in life because they are willing to go that extra mile to be the best. I don't care what anyone says about hunting. Some of us hunters are a competitive bunch. Numbers are the only gauge we know how to measure success with. I am guilty of it and I know alot of other guys I hunt with are too.

Lately I have been thinking about hunting and what I enjoy about it. I look back at the hunts and don't really remember the number of birds shot. I do remember who was there and the great people I have met while hunting. That is really what I like about hunting and I have to remind myself of that every once in awhile. I always tell my girlfriend who thinks I am barbaric when I say "I need my testosterone time" Call it male bonding if you want but the bottom line is that hunting is like a drug for me. An escape from the every day things that stress me out. For a few hours a week I don't think about what is going on in my life. I get the quiet and the sunrise and some friends telling jokes or laughing about whatever ugly conquest some friend had that night.


----------



## gaddyshooter

Not what this thread started to be about, but.. A couple of you guys mentioned that the large numbers are credited to scouting, hard work, etc, and I don't doubt that it is after the first few weeks of the season, but I have been up there for 4 years in a row, and no I didn't limit every day, but duck hunting up there, at least in my experience, is way easier than anything around here. Now, I don't mean to offend any of you, and imply that you guys are not skilled hunters and don't know how to hunt, I am just trying to get you to understand why the great number of NR hunters are flocking up there.

You guys have no idea how good you have it up there. I hope that the G/O and leasing problem is somehow fixed up there. The only public hunting left where I live (where the Illinois River and Mississippi River join in Illinois) you have to go to 3 year blind alotment drawings, and compete with thousands of other people to try and draw a duck blind. If you don't get one for the three year alotment, or don't get a good blind, you are basically screwed. There are daily drawing for the blinds that are not checked out, but all of the blinds that are doing good are usually checked out every day. There is no such thing as freelance hunting. So just know when you guys are talking about the "dry years" etc, that is still better than most other areas of the country.


----------



## FLOYD

And what you said is the same as what I said earlier. People from other areas can hardly comprehend some of the amounts of birds people brag about. That's why they come.


----------



## old dl guy

If you are suprised at the amount of hunting pressure after you post pic after pic and describe all the successes of your hunts in ND...all i can say is,..........wake up.....! We can complain all we want, but let's face the facts, we are partly to blame for the whole hunting pressure problem. We need to keep our mouths shut just a little or if you can't do that, just lie and direct people to a different part of the state. Try and look at things as an outsider, and if all you would see is pics of limits of geese and ducks and here all the stories of the great hunts, who wouldn't want to come up here and hunt? If you still cannot find yourself keeping quiet about how great your hunt was and want to show 10 pics about it to everyone.......please don't complain when your honey hole all of a sudden gets overcrowded. I have noticed the ones who seem to complain about the hunting pressure of nr's are the ones who turn around and boast the most about how good it is here. Seems rather stupid to me and self defeating.

That's just my opinion, i could be wrong.


----------



## Matt Jones

First off, who has been posting pic after pic giving out the locations of their hunts???

The reason why people come to ND is because even when hunting is bad it's still a far cry better than where they are from. Not because there aren't birds there but because the vast majority of hunters are very LAZY and aren't willing to work for their birds. Even lazy dip**** hunters can do well in ND, going out and shooting a limit of ducks that consists of a couple teal a couple gadwall and a couple spoonies isn't hard. That's why people come and will keep coming until shooting a limit goes from being easy to something you have to work for.

Let's face it, there was no way ND was ever going to remain a secret. Internet or no internet it was going to be found out; even though I think other media sources were a much larger factor in bringing hunters to ND than the internet. However, I think you've seen that no one posts where they are hunting anymore besides maybe giving a very general location.

Word of Mouth is what has brought most hunters and will continue to bring most hunters.


----------



## tb

I must agree with old dl guy. When someone asks how hunting has been, why not just tell them you had a good time? Why brag that you limited on greenheads? Why brag about the early season candas? Why post these pictures? Review the posts on this site back to 9-1-2003. There's been a ton of boasting. Maybe mostly boasting. All that does is draw a bullseye around the spots we enjoy, or used to, that is.


----------



## old dl guy

matt,

You seem to be passionate about hunting, which is good. I once went through your (desire to hunt everyday) phase and i was very much the same way when i was younger. I have certainly shot my fair share of ducks and geese and have many pics and stories to tell, which i share and cherish. I wasn't trying to link all the pics with specific locations tips, but more importantly the cumulative effect of pics and related or unrelated stories of how wonderful ND hunting is. Are most people general in their locations........sure, but our state is gettting smaller with the use of cell phones, internet and the o'l standby just driving around. Today, its not that hard to find a general hot hunting area on the internet get a topo map and put the miles on and find the concentration area of birds. Luckily some of my old haunts are still uncrowded, but if i gave a very general local i would bet, the following weekend i would have company in the area maybe even the same field or slough. Its amazing but some people just have radar and can find your honey hole even if you give them just a tiny bit of info. Its natural to want to boast about your great hunts, but with the good also must come the bad. I now only bring people with me that i know i can trust that they won't blabber to everyone where the good hunting is. North Dakota has always been a great place to hunt and has never been a secret place, but a person unfamiliar with the state will search out where to start looking to hunt when he gets frustrated with where he currently hunts and if he finds an area like devils or grand forks etc...with alot of people posting about it. He will concentrate his attention there. My point is, noone, i repeat noone has the right to complain about the nr pressure on ND if they contribute to that pressure in some way by maybe telling stories to anyone who will listen (ie, sitting at the bar), or posting pics on the internet to brag about how good it is. I have caught myself on a few occasions talking to strangers and have kicked myself after another area is flooded with hunters. As soon as you realize that you might be part of the pressure problem your anger and frustration changes perspective and so will your desire to boast.


----------



## Fetch

I used to be so proud of ND - But I try to restrain myself now

This is one of the most true & honest threads I have read in along time.

Sad but Soooo true

& it will take the people who are in charge, years to figure this stuff out & lots of $$$ to study it :roll:

Great posts by all


----------



## Matt Jones

I understand what your saying but don't think that I'm not already aware of this supposed 'phenomenon.' In total I've posted two pics on the duck hunting page...both have been within the last week, when 95% of hunters (Res and Non-Res) have already packed it in. I didn't post a single pic from the first few weeks of the season and didn't even mention how we did...and mentioned repeatedly how few ducks there were at the time. Also, let's just say I'm not worried about the Grand Forks area becoming overrun with people. :roll: and the DL area has long been exposed. Thank the DL chamber of commerce for that one, they've been plugging it for years.

A couple years ago I would have replied to everyone of the umpteenth threads title "Looking for Advice On Hunting ND", as would most people on this site. Now I don't even hardly look at them. Although in most cases the people are coming whether you like it or not (or if you reply to their post or not); educating them a little so they don't downwind you or another hunter while they're here might not be a bad idea. Let's face it, the "There are NO Ducks in ND" slogan just isn't going to work at this point in time...pandora's box has long been opened.

Either way, I understand what you're saying and I don't think I'm speaking for myself by saying that things have been toned down a lot this year. Part of the fun of the site is being able to talk to friends and let them know how you did. I guess boasting is one way to put it. I've made a concious effort not to post too much stuff and I think most people have done the same. From now on I'll just say we had a great time...which I guess is the new slang for "We Piss-Pounded 'Em." :wink:


----------



## scissorbill

Old dl guy has nailed it. Iknow its great to brag and boast but you guys are youre own worst enemy. The internet is ultimatley going to prove to be a great detrement to this sport. Things are on the fast track down as we speak not trying to be negative just truthful.


----------



## 4CurlRedleg

Great Thread!
I too was once in my twenties and boasted of my conquests and concurs.
It would be easy to rip young men like Matt, Chris,and GB3 as well as others on this site for there hunting exploits, but I find it rather difficult to shred a generation of ND Hardcores. NR that see and hear this do not have clue what it takes to get into the birds.

Floyd, I have posted the very same as you and and got a chewing for it, but I still stand behind it, posting pics of dead fowl is a magnet to wannabes. We can't rely on our politicians to help so we will have to police it amongst ourselves. It is the craps it has come to this.

Fetch hit the nail on the head, it is not easy keeping your achievements under the hat, but it is almost critical now.


----------



## Matt Jones

Ok, I guess I'm confused here...so I'm going to ask the same question I posed to you before...

Where are all these posts and pictures bragging about our 'conquests'? Also, where are all the 'location give-aways'??? Post 'em up...I'd like to see them because I don't think there are any. You guys keep talking about them so please show me exactly what you're talking about. I've already taken accountability for the two pics I've posted this entire season, but other than that there has been very few (if any); and the two that I posted were done conciously after the big influx of NR's.

I'm going to lay it out there because my feeling is that there are some comments pointed towards me (like FLOYD talking about clowns etc.)...I have said very little about how we've done this season, as have just about everyone. I have posted a couple pics in the last week after every fair weather hunter has already thrown in the towel (including most residents) and you guys are making it sound like there's been people posting pictures all season, bragging about kill counts and then telling everyone where they hunt. So I want anyone who's making accusations to back it up. There's a lot of guys who could have posted pictures all season long and didn't, for the same reason being discussed.


----------



## Fetch

Hey !!! I loved your pic from Monday - That was a amazing hunt - not many do that so close to GF  & for birds coming off our Lagoon they looked like quality birds to me k: & that was after the USFWS said most were gone. When I saw more Sunday than I'd seen all season :lol:

I drove by there this wed. & there were still a few ducks there

All you needed was a Buffalo & that would have been a hunt most could never repeat or copy :wink:


----------



## gaddyshooter

As one of the NR hunters, I don't think that sights such as this are as much to blame for the explosion of NR hunter numbers as are things like
word of mouth between hunters, ie someone that lives up there has a friend in Minn who is invited up to hunt. Minn hunter goes home and tells five people, who tell a few friends, etc. (not to pick on Minn, just an example) Other things that I think have more of effect are things like articles in national hunting magazines. I have been coming up there for four years and so I pay attention to any articles on ND. There have been numerous stories in magazines such as Wildfowl, DU magazine etc within the last 5 years or so. There have been also several hunting shows on ESPN and Outdoor Life Network that have featured hunting in ND and showing how good the hunting is. I also bought a video (cant remember which company made it) that showed ND hunting and showed guys doing the freelance style of hunting. These guys absolutely slaughtered the mallards in an afternoon hunt. Then after all the shooters had limited, the camera guy trades positions with one of the shooters and the camera guy limits out too. I think things like these have more to do with the numbers of hunters than small internet sights like these. (not a knock on your sight, cause I love it)


----------



## nodakoutdoors.com

scissorbill said:


> The internet is ultimatley going to prove to be a great detrement to this sport. Things are on the fast track down as we speak not trying to be negative just truthful.


Well I think that the session this spring proved how important the Internet can be as a media to hunting. The etree made a lot of noise, and we'll be over twice as strong for the next session. These days you MUST get active to protect your hunting, no matter where you live...and what media is more effective than the Internet??? With mailing lists such as the etree, people can be informed and educated at the right time to take action. Down the road hunters may need to get together to fight larger battles, or help out to fight the anti's in the other states. I like to say that this site is unique. It wasn't started to make a profit, it's main purpose was to protect our hunting and fishing.

I wish I had more time to put into this response, but I'm in the middle of a 50K convention and it's hard to write during a circus!


----------



## Dick Monson

Consider that the market hunters are working hard all year long to *MARKET * the resource. When hunting is over those folks don't slow down, they gear up to push future sales through conventions, expos, ads, direct mailings of HIP list contacts, etc. Add in the push by community developement departments and the ND Dept. of Tourism. That brings in a lot of customers. From personal experiance, the splinter groups bring a heck of a lot of people too. One friend brings his friends and those friends tell every living person. Spreads pretty fast.


----------



## recker

I agree word of mouth is what really spreads it as was posted way above. However, I think alot of these guys got the first word of great hunts from the internet and then they can spread the word of mouth.Hunting shows also contribute but it is so much easier to log on then having to tune in at a certain time on tv. But I will take tony dean as an example of how tv has really hurt as well. I remember watching his shows in the early 1990s to even 1995 busting snow geese near westhope and advertising it. Now it seems if you guys even get two days of a snow goose migration you are lucky.I am sure they were so pressured they said the hell with it we will stay in canada until the last minute.Now I hear with all the guides in canada even in central canada you might pull into a field and have three other parties set up after you are already in.They are only going to get smarter as long as this keeps up.


----------



## 4CurlRedleg

Case and point-Still birds! Under this forum it has been posted shot 2 geese and 5 ducks, river temp at 33 degrees.

Why not just plug in GPS coordinates right away!! It would help those Mn's and Wyoming hunters I seen scattering birds from their roosts today using the Merc attack method!!

Wake up people!!


----------



## james s melson

Any time birds sitting on the water get jumped by NR's its busting a roost, anytime birds sitting on the water get jumped by ND's its good scouting, planning and hunting skill.


----------



## FLOYD

Matt,
I have absolutely no idea what my clown comment a week ago has to do with you, you hadn't even been a part of the thread at that point.

I also don't think we need to get into examples and show me where this happened situations, that would be silly. We all know there is a fair amount of boasting that goes on here, and there is nothing that will change it either. I have felt fairly strongly about this for a while now, and I was happy to see someone else start the thread. Its not like anyone else can make people not put that stuff on here, and there is no reason they can't. Its also irrelevant if the internet is the biggest factor or not. The bottom line is we are contributing to the exact problem which has been the underlying theme of this entire sight this year.

There is nothing more enjoyable than recounting an awesome goose or northern mallard hunt with friends you can trust. Sadly I have found over my 26 years that the number of people you can actually trust is smaller than desirable. Good luck to you guys still out bangin' em.


----------



## dblkluk

I understand that the internet hasn't helped reduce hunter pressure, but lets get real! I have a photo album because I love to look at the other guys pics of their hunt and in doing so, I feel a little guilty not posting a few of my own for guys to look at. It also helps put a face to the people that post here. 
Most of the pics and talk on this site is about ND(Thats why I like it!!). If you surf around there are alot of hunting sites posting pics and talking about their success in other parts of the country. Lets face it, Some guys have awesome hunting in Oregon or Oklahoma, etc. Just because I see that some group of guys have a new picture up every Monday am showing great weekend of hunting, I'm not planning a trip there!!! :eyeroll: 
Like GB3 said, No matter where you are, ND or other wise, There are always going to be guys that are consistantly successful, those are the guys who put in the most work, too! 
I think our pressure problems run alot deeper than the internet, I think they run all the way to the governors office!!!!


----------



## Matt Jones

Floyd, I wasn't sure if it was pointed at me or not but thought it may have been since I've posted a couple pics on the forum. Sorry for my mistake, I hope no offense was taken by it.

dblkluk brings up a very good point, there are some really great hunts from just about every state if you look on a national site. Since this is obviously predominately a ND site most pics and hunts are going to be from ND. If you go on a lot of sites you're going to see pics that are as good as any on this site taken from all over the country.

Another thing to consider is that the internet could have very well been responsible for bringing less hunters to ND this fall. I don't think anyone sugar coated bird numbers this fall and were very willing to say how few ducks and geese there were compared to years prior. The guys who weren't online came anyways and a good amount of the guys who were checking reports decided to stay home.


----------



## recker

The more I think about it there is much more to it then the internet but it is still big. I think what did us in about south dakota was 7 years ago when the fishing started big time.People came out to fish and saw how god it looked to duck hunt.In fact afrom wisconsin told us this year that is how he found out about it.Then you had tony dean doing shows on it and magazines telling about it.I am going to be critical of tony as I was above as I believe his shows have really exposed both dakotas.I know he is in a business and has to make money so I am not going to blame him per say but the show in general always ends with you look up my friends at the devils lake chamber of commerce or the aberdeen chamber of commerce and they will put you in the right area.As I said this is his business but I dont see him doing any snow goose hunts anymore like 7 years ago.Fishing is different with regs and so forth and is still great but hunting is alot different when birds get pressured. I remember him talkingabout westhope and bottinou if I spelled that right and saying come on up and just ask farmers they will let you on almost everytime and the gesse really use the refuges around those towns.Correct me if I am wrong since you hunt in north dakota but do the snows even stay more then one or two days anymore in big numbers. I know I went after tony and I have meet him a few times and like him but just wanted to take one example.Exucuse my spelling errors it did not seem to let me correct them!!By the way still shooting a few birds about an hour west of minneapolis the last few days . Everthing north of here frozen stiff even stuff south these are just deeper fishing lakes but a few mallards anyway.

P.S. I wish deer hunting could start in october. It started this weekend and every duck hunter I meet wanted to sit around and bs and all were full of respect of each other. Seems like everyone was a diehard and a real duck hunter which if we had this all year would be like it used to be but at least enjoable for now!!!! I will take it.The hunters are out and not the shooters!!!!


----------



## GooseBuster3

I get this feeling that alot of people that read posts and look at pics from our hunts think that we are only out to shoot a limit, and well that is not true. We have our bad days and great days, and they all come down to the satisfaction of being out in the stubble fields of ND. I can remember every hunt I have been for the past 3 years like the back of my hand. Also your hunting partners are what count the most. There is nothing better then sitting in your blind and ripping on your buddy who had this nasty chick after him that very night before. This was kinda off the topic but I thought it would fit in.


----------



## dblkluk

GB3, Sounds exactly like our group!! :beer: :beer:


----------



## Cabela's Boy

just remember every spot jones has found is because of me i show him his hunting spots and i jump on granades for him so if jones posts a spot i found it. :lol:


----------



## wingshooter-mi

:roll: Don't want to ruffel any feathers, but I am an out of stater from Mi. who comes out with 7 others,for the last 3 years. We too have noticed an increase in pressure, however it does't compare to most states. I do see however, your liberal hunting laws are going to be leaving us soon. More and more people are posting their land, leasing their land etc., which is fine but that is one of the things that made N.D. appealing. People were generally friendly and if you were courteous, picked up after yourself, and thanked them, all was good.Do any of you work or own a business that might just benefit from all of us out of staters that spend money at the hotels, rest., laundrymats, bars, grocery stores??? Yes its your state and your hunting season, but we all pay for the different programs that make duck hunting what it is everywhere!And it is a free country.(for the most part) We consider ourselves good duck hunters who also respect other hunters and landowners. There are people out there that give hunters a bad name but that is not just in N.D. We love hunting in your state and the people we have met.We will continue to do so I just hope that people remember its not all about how many ducks you kill, but the friends you make and the times you get to spend with your buddies away from home. Hunting liscense-85.00, motel-40.00, hunting in N.D. with your buddies- priceless!!! (sorry couldn't resist)


----------



## BigDaddy

This is a great thread! I agree that while the internet may cause some NRs to take a drive to ND, it's the hunting shows and articles in mainstream media that really have exposed how good the hunting is in ND. I would guess that some folks see a ND duck hunt on the Outdoors Network or read about it in Field & Stream, and then they use the net as a way to simply do more homework on where and when to hunt.

However, there is good hunting in other parts of the U.S. The duck hunting in Arkansas is great, a recent magazine bragged up the Canada goose hunting in Minnesota, and I always see South Dakota pheasant hunts on TV.  Why are folks coming to ND now more than ever?

Imagine that you are a freelance hunter in Michigan and you wanted to treat yourself to a week-long duck hunt without paying lots of cash. Where are your best chances of finding a spot to hunt: Arkansas or North Dakota?

I recently met some NRs that have only come to ND duck hunting the last couple of years. They were from Virginia of all places. I asked them why they chose ND. Their answer: 1) They can find a nice color PLOTS guide most anywhere to find public land, and 2) They know that it is legal to hunt any land that isn't posted.

We've debated this to death, but I still think that changing the posting law would make ND much less attractive for NR hunters. It should also benefit the hardcore residents that put in the time and effort to scout.


----------



## DJRooster

People flat out have a lot of disposable income to buy all the hunting equipment, pay for motels and travel a long distance for hunting, fishing, golfing, skiing, a snowmobile, a motorcycle or any other kind of recreation. If conditions are good for any of these activities people will spend the money to enjoy the resource. We would love to share our recreational resources with everyone but we don't want to be run over by everyone or be run by everyone. When it comes to hunting and fishing you need limits on the hunted and the hunters, the fish or the fisherman in order to conserve the resource. For the amount of money that people will spend to shoot a bird or catch a fish just shows how valuable the resource is and that it is something that needs our protection. Money talks and that really scares me because I'm just a little guy from North Dakota and you know what happens to little guys when there are bullies in the neighborhood! It's a scary world out there and we have a very scary future.


----------



## Field Hunter

Why would anyone want to make finding places to hunt more difficult. Yes, I'll agree that a posting law would make it harder for the freelance NR hunter to justify coming to ND to hunt but there are better ways to cut down on the number of NR waterfowlers than having all land posted. My parents and grandparents grew up in one of our best areas for waterfowling and I've gotten to know the majority of the landowners and their sons and daughter over the years. However it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find these people when the ducks and geese move into their areas. The majority of the landowners are absentee landowners in that land has passed to offspring and many of the owners live 10-20 miles away from the land they farm.

Back to the thread.....The majority of ND resident waterfowlers don't necessarily want to limit the number of NRs.....they just want to see them spread out and dispersed more over the course of the season. We shouldn't have to stay home and limit our time in the field due to extreme over crowding by NR hunters just because the state of MN teachers convention falls during one of the best weekends.
By the way I hear the MEA weekend will be towards the end of Oct. this year....you guys that bring your kids will find out how good the hunting is later in the year.

The idea that the sloughs and marshes are drying up was made last year and to a great extent many NRs didn't head the warnings. If we don't get anymore snow than we have right now and then don't get Much in terms of spring rains it's going to be so dry, that I'd say we won't have a large production of waterfowl this year. If you all come at the same times as last year the overcrowding of the remainng water will be immense.


----------



## KEN W

Minn. Convention is Oct. 21 and 22.ND is the same time this year.

SO...Minn. hunters don't have to complain about not being able to hunt PLOTS during convention this year.Should be a real free for all that weekend.

It will be interesting to see if the number of non-res. goes down this year.A lot of them went home unhappy because of the dry conditions.


----------



## Field Hunter

Ken,

I was thinking the same thing....get your camping spot early on the PLOTS approaches...they be going fast!

Hey maybe you guys could get Pawlenty to get the MNEA weekend changed to an earlier date!


----------



## dosch

About a month ago their was a article in the Star Tribune saying with 
Labor day being so late next year they might cancel the MNEA.


----------



## KEN W

I have 2 brothers who teach in Minn.They said MN convention is Oct. 21&22


----------



## Field Hunter

I read an associated press story the local paper picked up in Minneapolis a couple of weeks ago that said Minneapolis may not participate in the MNEA weekend due to the expense and that other larger cities were thinking about doing the same thing,


----------



## Goldy's Pal

:roll:


----------



## Goldy's Pal

:beer:


----------



## manmallardkiller

the internet and magazines plan a very small part in where people go to hunt waterfowl!!! There has been many articles written about the area that i live and hunt. My hunting buddies and i have not seen any more hunters than before. The reason is the ducks are not here!!!! PEOPLE GO WHERE THE DUCKS ARE!!!!!!! So if you have more pressure than before its not because of the internet or magazines it is because that is where the ducks are. I have been to ND many times to hunt. I had a National tournament game for softball there. People will show up in ND with out the internet and magazines. Maybe you could pass a law that no one can cross the borders of your state and become your own country. But be prepared for your taxes to triple. Enjoy your ND hunting even with the pressure because you have it way better than you know!!!!


----------



## Goldy's Pal

This is a great sight to go around and round but as far as ever using this for finding a place to go hunting You've got to be kidding!!! How hard can it be for a resident?? My god if I had the time and access as a resident I Would have soooo many spots to hunt it wouldn't matter if there were hunters in half of them. I'll find my own birds thankyou very much


----------



## GooseBuster3

You know if we did post our favorite holes people would be all over them. Thats why we never mention a town, road or nothing. WE have these areas becasue the birds never get harrassed, and thats due to many years of maintaning hunter/landowner relations. We fnd an area that doesnt have pressure and we stick to that area. We dont go to where 5000 othe hunters are trying hunt 50,000 mallards of a refuge.


----------



## Goldy's Pal

Shoot'em in the eyes!! :beer:


----------



## KEN W

What do the last 6 posts have to do with Teachers convention?

Take it to the Hot Topics Forum.


----------



## GooseBuster3

Who cares we dont we dont have to stay on topic. :eyeroll:


----------



## Goldy's Pal

:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:


----------



## GooseBuster3

The topic isnt even about MEA weekend, it was about PRESSURE. I think Ken got alittle mixed up.


----------



## KEN W

Yeah...I just looked at the post at the top of page 2.

I still think this belongs on the Hot Topics page.


----------



## WhakGreenie03

All i have to say is that chris runs a pretty nice site. Every topic is covered and everyone on here is friendly. Forums usually include tips and techniques, not where someones honey hole is. I agree with most, that information via tv and magazines are what is killing the success and fun of hunting ND, and other states for that matter. Word of mouth at your local sporting goods store (scheels) can be a kick in the A$$ too. I watch what i say and who i take with to assure that i will have success in the future.


----------

