# Foster and Stutzman Counties?



## kaiserduckhelm (May 26, 2005)

Have been going up to this area for the last couple years. Last year it was pretty dry, just wondering how the water looked up that way this year.


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

There are tons of maps around that show the drought and how it has affected each county. Other than that get out there and do yoru scouting, should be able to find some birds.


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## woodpecker (Mar 2, 2005)

I can give you a little info. I helped hay a few sloughs that held water last year in eastern Foster county. They've got a little rain lately but nothing that is going is going to fill any sloughs. Very dry year!
Take care. :beer:


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## DakotaDog72 (Sep 27, 2005)

Boy djleye you are helpful...my guess is he was planning on doing that anyway. You would think a guy would 100 posts on a site could warrant a little respect. It's responses like that are what irritates me.


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## jhegg (May 29, 2004)

DD,
A guy with 50 posts requesting respect for a guy because he has 100 posts from a guy with 2876 posts. What's wrong with this picture?


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## ND_duckman (Feb 17, 2006)

Why not respect everybody no matter how many posts they have?


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## kaiserduckhelm (May 26, 2005)

I have contacted some locals (that don't hunt) and some federal guys from the nearby refuge and they say its dry but that could mean alot of things. I am not looking for bird numbers, towns or anything like that. Just looking for alittle help from fellow waterfowl hunters, if its drier or about what it was like last year. I don't even know why I put this on the duck page we go up there to kill geese, we don't even bring our waders.


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

ND_duckman said:


> Why not respect everybody no matter how many posts they have?


Yes Duckman in a perfect world we should be able to respect anyone that has any # of posts. However, that being said, it does somewhat matter. Until you have posted here sufficiently enough, noone knows who you are, your experience, wisdom, or personality. The only thing many people have to go on is your history of previous posts.

When I moderate any of the forums I belong to, I constantly use prior posting style, habits and tone to determine whether someone is asking a question, being a smarta$$, or trying to cause trouble.

Now in this example, knowing Djleye based on his previous posts here, I think he did a great job of answering the question without coming down on the new guy. He very easily could have been harsher. Instead he gave him some basic initial advice, and was probably waiting to see the response to determine if he could/would want to assist more. I know Djleye based on his many hundreds of posts.

I however don't know the other posters as well. This is by no means disrespect towards them, it is just the fact they haven't been around long enough yet to develop a repertoire with the Forum.

However just like Djleye, I too get frustrated when all I see on many of the forums lately is "How is _______(fill in your city or county here) doing for water/birds/etc"

This has been covered before about the proper ettiquette for not posting this type of question in the forum because it eventually leads to heated posts about not revealing info on a given area when guys are spending $$ on gas to go find out for themselves. Come do some scouting if you want the information. PM someone directly if you know they are from that area. Don't start another post asking that question. It seems that almost invariably, the type of person who posts this question has less than 10 posts. E.g, they are brand new to the site, eager to know, and likely haven't browsed all of the forum yet and definitely haven't done a SEARCH on the keyword topic of their question. Often times if they would simply spend a half hour searching NODAK Outdoors website, someone has asked that question in the past few weeks, as things here are quite cyclical.

So to answer your question ND_Duckman, yes I do put some credance into those who have more than 500 posts on the site. It is likely that I know them, trust their posts, and have read earlier posts from them to judge their credibility.

Since it is impossible to "hear" their voice inflection, body language, or message tenor through words it is often the only thing another reader has to go on when judging posts....

On another of my forums I had a member who summed it up by saying that you can learn alot about the board by simply paying attention to those with more than 500 posts. Anyone who puts in that kind of time on a forum obviously has a passion for their cause.

Words to chew on.....

Ryan

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## SCHUNTER (Sep 26, 2003)

I agree DD72. Thank the lord Canadians aren't like many of the NoDak people you run across. We leave Canada and a host of friends and we feel we are entering enemy territory when we get across the border. :eyeroll:

Kaiser check the areas in red, paying particular attention to the areas in yellow. Our scouts tell me those areas are going to be pretty good this year. Good hunting.


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

kaiserduckhelm said:


> I have contacted some locals (that don't hunt) and some federal guys from the nearby refuge and they say its dry but that could mean alot of things. I am not looking for bird numbers, towns or anything like that. Just looking for alittle help from fellow waterfowl hunters, if its drier or about what it was like last year. I don't even know why I put this on the duck page we go up there to kill geese, we don't even bring our waders.


Hey Kaiserduckhelm

Thanks for the clarification(s).... to answer your question... Yep it is drier than it even was last year.

I just got off the phone with one of the wardens. Today was a District meeting for them and they all agreed it is drier than it has been in quite a few years. Guys are going to have trouble finding any substantial huntable water to hunt ducks/geese.

Good Luck to you... :beer:

Ryan

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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

SCHUNTER said:


> I agree DD72. Thank the lord Canadians aren't like many of the NoDak people you run across. We leave Canada and a host of friends and we feel we are entering enemy territory when we get across the border. :eyeroll:
> 
> Kaiser check the areas in red, paying particular attention to the areas in yellow. Our scouts tell me those areas are going to be pretty good this year. Good hunting.


SCHunter

I'm not sure who your scouts are... but that information is badly outdated. Just by eyeballing that map, I can tell you it is an old outdated map. More than half that water pictured does not exist this year....

You'll soon find out for yourself...

Ryan


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## SCHUNTER (Sep 26, 2003)

Wow Ryan, no kidding. :roll: Those maps are very old. That does not negate the fact that the areas circled still have some of the best gunning/water in those 2 counties.


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

SCHUNTER said:


> Wow Ryan, no kidding. :roll: Those maps are very old. That does not negate the fact that the areas circled still have some of the best gunning/water in those 2 counties.


SCHunter what is your real name by the way? Yep those maps are old. Yes it does negate the quality of the gunning/water if the said water doesn't exist anymore. Migrating birds are going to look for larger expanses of water to stage on....

All you simply did is stir up the pot by going to Google Earth, circling an area that "appeared" to have water and posting the MIS information up here for everyone to see....

It almost appears like a bit of intentional mis-direction to direct other NR's this way and away from your area... (ever little bit helps right? :eyeroll: )

SCHunter I'd suggest you not pass on any more third hand information when your "scouts" have dubious abilities at best....

Ryan

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## SCHUNTER (Sep 26, 2003)

I edited this message and sent a PM. This will be taken offline and discussed between you and I there. --Ryan

Nevermind. I am done here. Please disable my username and registration information.


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Back to the question at hand.

Based on this last weekend I would rate the water conditions in Stutsman county as good. I would estimate over 75% of sloughs that had water last year have water this year. Those are the facts Jack.

I see the problem with people that come to this site and request information and never follow up a provide feedback after the trip.


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## kaiserduckhelm (May 26, 2005)

Thank you deacon. :beer:

Sorry I started this mess.


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## SCHUNTER (Sep 26, 2003)

It's no mess Kaiser. Y'all have a great trip up there and get 'em. We will be over in your neck of the woods on the Platte late season so don't kill them all!


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## kaiserduckhelm (May 26, 2005)

SCHUNTER said:


> It's no mess Kaiser. Y'all have a great trip up there and get 'em. We will be over in your neck of the woods on the Platte late season so don't kill them all!


There are ducks all over right now!


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## DakotaDog72 (Sep 27, 2005)

My point is with the "100 posts" is the fact that there are guys who make 1 post who ask that same question and a lot of the times they don't know the attitude of this forumn.

I just get irritated when a person asks a innocent question and gets the "go out a scout you fool" response.


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## Almjeld (Sep 19, 2006)

You guys are gonna love this....coming from a guy with as many posts as I have but...I dont understand or follow why it stirs things up so much to ask about a particular spot...The first time I crossed the SD/ND state line I fell in love with what I see as the perfect state..unfortunately I am married with four children and can not pick up and move to North Dakota yesterday or I would..I just came across this website and thought it would be great to chat with and read about others experiences and help inform myself... I mean no disrespect to anyone I just dont understand?????Oh, and as a kicker...yes, I am from Minnesota.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

I keep hearing "the attitude of this forum" or that we are being mean to people that ask questions. Not true. You just need to ask it via. PM's

You may ask why. It is very simple this site gets thousands of hits per day by hunters. The vast minority are the ones that post. So I tell you that 2 miles north and 3 miles west of Podunk ND there is a good slough on the open web. It happens to be one of my favorite spots to hunt and is not posted. I go up there to hunt (landowner has become a friend over the years) and you probably do also, along with a few others that read the post, What happens???

This did happen! the landowner got ticked off that so many people were using this place that he posted it and said NO HUNTING Period. So by trying to be a nice guy and help you out we all lost a good hunting spot.

Now that being said North Dakota has ducks if you can not find a duck in ND you do not want to do your own scouting or you are blind. Not intended to be sarcastic it is a fact, Pick any spot in ND you wish and there will be ducks even out west! If you don't believe me go out and check for yourself.

I have posted Hunting and NR info, Up to date Drought monitor maps and other information for hunters to look at at the top of the duck hunting forum, Please read it if you have questions, after reading it shoot most anyone A PM if you have questions.

Good luck, Welcome to ND and enjoy your stay.

Bob


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Bob Kellam said:


> I keep hearing "the attitude of this forum" or that we are being mean to people that ask questions. Not true. You just need to ask it via. PM's


Bob, well said except new users to this site would not know who to PM.

Just like many of us do every year, freelance hunters need to do their research. It may be calling the local CO, checking weather maps and most of all scouting. I shared the story abot this year's youth hunt and how scouting put us in a field of over 10,000 ducks on Saturday evening that we hunted on Sunday morning, this spot was over 40 miles from the spot we hunted Saturday morning. Just for reference Saturdays spot on Friday evening was only holding about 500 ducks.


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

DD, You just don't have a clue!! :eyeroll: I have not ventured up into that area as of yet this year. I thought perhaps I could help eliminate some of the areas that don't need to be scouted since they are bone dry. And, as Bob said, if you cannot find ducks once scouting you are blind.

Where did I call him a fool in my post???



> There are tons of maps around that show the drought and how it has affected each county. Other than that get out there and do yoru scouting, should be able to find some birds.


Perhaps you could pony up the whopping $10.00 before you start deciding how this forum should be run DD!!! :eyeroll:


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## DakotaDog72 (Sep 27, 2005)

Before you jump to conclusions, the first post was directed to you. The second post was directed towards some of the people on the forum in general. Just take a second and look at some of the previous posts where individuals are simply asking for help. Instead, they get nailed to the cross. This person was just trying to get a idea on water conditions becuase unlike you, we don't have the luxury to go out and scout on a whime. If you don't know, then either say "i don't know" or don't post anything at all.

As for my $10...So your saying that if I pony up the dough, I get to run the show. Sounds great to me, but it doesn't sound like thats how it works.

As far as I'm concerned, this conversation is over.

Good luck with your season, and have a safe, and happy hunt.

DD


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Back to the original post. I live in the center of Stutsman county. It has not been this dry since 1992. There are ducks around, but on the larger more permanent wetlands. I don't often hunt waterfowl and stick mostly to big game. Still when I am out I see that the seasonal wetlands are all dry, and about 40 percent of the semi permanent wetlands are dry. The saline wetlands that are supported by groundwater still have water in them. Those to the west are dry.
Draw a line from Pierre, South Dakota, to Bismarck, North Dakota then to Jamestown. That triangle is very dry. The further north you go the more water you will find. 
If you look at a Palmer drought severity index we are in very bad shape. A few inches of rain will do nothing. Not only are wetlands dry, but the groundwater is in the hurt bag also. 
The field hunting should be ok, but your gong to have to drag a boat across 50 yards of mud to hunt the water. The emergent vegetation zones are mostly dry, and only the open water zones still exist. This means once your on the water there is no cover to hide in. I would suggest keep your hopes up, and look for a good field.


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

> This person was just trying to get a idea on water conditions becuase unlike you, we don't have the luxury to go out and scout on a whime. If you don't know, then either say "i don't know" or don't post anything at all.


DD, I am not done with the conversation. You think that because I live in ND I have nothing else to do in life other than scout. I have two kids, 10 and 6, that are in tons of activities. I do have to pay for gas when I scout, so you will forgive me when I get a littled pisssed off that everyone thinks that all I have to do is give out internet co-ordinates for hunting spots. Now I understand that is not what this poster was after but you can certainly see that it gets a little bit old hearing the same question day after day after day!!!. Gas costs money and scouting costs time away from my family which is my #1 priority. Don't you dare come on here and assume that I have nothing better to do than satisfy all the internet scouters that come on this board. :******: I was trying to let this poster know the best way to go about finding ducks once they got here and that is the best I can do since I havn't scouted that area. You don't like it, keep your mouth shut!!


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## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

> !!!. Gas costs money and scouting costs time away from my family which is my #1 priority.


I agree but as a guide we do this and get compensated and we are evil, go figure. :eyeroll:


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Djleye, for what it's worth I didn't find your post disrespectful at all, simply concise.

Bob Kellam, you exactly right. This was perhaps a nasty trick, but I will have to share a funny story. When fishing Devils Lake we joke about Minnesota fish finders (binoculars). In years past the CB was a great fish finder for some guys. One day we were set up by the towers on Devils Lake, and doing pretty good. People were crowding in on us, and the more fish we caught the closer they got. We moved off to the side and set up our portable. Then we got out a little handheld CB and I said "hey, buddy how you doing up in the north end of Creel Bay"? He said, sitting beside me and using the same CB, "oh man, I had to pull one line, I couldn't keep up with these big perch". Doors were slamming, cars starting, people hollering, and an exodus headed from where we were to the north end of Creel Bay. Afterwards I felt bad for pulling the hoax.

The internet is just like that. PM someone and you may get information, but put it on here and expect shoulder to shoulder people in your favorite spot.

By the way, welcome, and good luck kaiserduckhelm.


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Funny story plainsman...On that same line, I was hunting sharps early in the year out by Flasher a few years back...All we were seeing was pheasants...Pulled into town for lunch and notice a couple of guys cleaning a pile of sharps...Made small talk and asked where they got them...Took him for his word so we headed out...Needless to say, we saw not a thing but a Cow field...
Later that week back at home, I found out that these guys were friends with my now "EX" at the time and purposly sent me out on a "wild Sharp/Goose chase..." The joke was on me...I've learned not to believe anyones reports...I laugh about it now...It ****** me off at the time...


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

It was a very dry summer all over the state except along the Red River south of Fargo. North Dakota has not been this dry for many years so many of the small sloughs are bone dry. We have started to get rain in the last 3-4 weeks but when you are as dry as we are most of these rains have soaked in which is a blessing. Areas that have big water or deep water will be holding ducks so when they say the traditional areas are where the ducks will be they aren't kidding. For those that have only hunted here since the wet years and have experienced the best hunting North Dakota has had to offer for decades things will be different. And because the bigger water will be holding the birds those who bring boats will definitely be affecting where the birds will find a place to rest. Scouting is always the key so anyone coming from out of state will just have to change with the conditions because they have changed considerably from the last 15 years. Sounds like hunting doesn't it? You have to adapt to the changing conditions.


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## Norm70 (Aug 26, 2005)

geez guys chill out :beer:


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## Blue Plate (Jul 31, 2006)

I don't think anyone is asking for internet co-ordinates, whatever that is. The question at hand was how dry is a certain county? It's quite the leap to GPS coordinates.

Also, this whole notion about "street-cred" and number of post counts is totally ridiculous. On other forums I have 1,000's of posts. Should we all list them at the bottom on our signature, like a badge of honor?

I'm sure it's a little tedious answering questions about how dry is it/ where are the ducks/ where should I go in ND etc. Personally, why even answer? Let guys figure it out on their own by scouting.

However, It's nice to meet some real gentleman. I'll jump off my soap box now - before someone tries to put a rope around my neck.

DD - Don't worry I'll give you all the info you need.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

DJLEYE,
I want to hunt pheasants opening weekend. Would you please go scouting for me, then when you find them, put a large net over the strip of cover so I can be assured they are in there. Also, please make sure it is small area so that I can get my limit quickly!

Thanks!

Hahahahahah ~ Just felt like piling it on! I am to depressed to work right now (dark, cloudy, and raining out my office window  )


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

Remmi, You can have all the ditch parrots you want. I almost got my first rooster last night with the pick up!!!!


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## jhegg (May 29, 2004)

Dan,
You just gotta' stay out of g/o's pheasant patch!


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## DakotaDog72 (Sep 27, 2005)

djleye said:


> > This person was just trying to get a idea on water conditions becuase unlike you, we don't have the luxury to go out and scout on a whime. If you don't know, then either say "i don't know" or don't post anything at all.
> 
> 
> DD, I am not done with the conversation. You think that because I live in ND I have nothing else to do in life other than scout. I have two kids, 10 and 6, that are in tons of activities. I do have to pay for gas when I scout, so you will forgive me when I get a littled pisssed off that everyone thinks that all I have to do is give out internet co-ordinates for hunting spots. Now I understand that is not what this poster was after but you can certainly see that it gets a little bit old hearing the same question day after day after day!!!. Gas costs money and scouting costs time away from my family which is my #1 priority. Don't you dare come on here and assume that I have nothing better to do than satisfy all the internet scouters that come on this board. :ticked: I was trying to let this poster know the best way to go about finding ducks once they got here and that is the best I can do since I havn't scouted that area. You don't like it, keep your mouth shut!!


 :eyeroll: :eyeroll: :eyeroll:


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

I happen to notice that Stutzman county is mispelled. According to all the men who live there is should be Studsman county.


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## mallard (Mar 27, 2002)

Remmi_&_I said:


> DJLEYE,
> I want to hunt pheasants opening weekend. Would you please go scouting for me, then when you find them, put a large net over the strip of cover so I can be assured they are in there. Also, please make sure it is small area so that I can get my limit quickly!
> 
> Thanks!
> ...


Ask big hunter,He will put you on the birds :eyeroll:


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## lngbw (Sep 26, 2006)

You know that I have visited this site thousands of times over the last few years and find it very educational. This is one of the first time I have ever felt the need to respond to all of this fighting and nonsense. So I signed up.

It shouldn't matter how many posts you have or what state you are from. Every state has their problems with out of staters. We are all sportsman and have to stick together to protect the areas that we all love the most and be greatful that we live somewhere that we can enjoy these things.

As the years go on and the typical "outdoorsman" changes this site with many other forum sights across the country just make me more and more uke:

Whatever happened to respect to all


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

mallard said:


> Ask big hunter,He will put you on the birds :eyeroll:


Dean, BigHunter isn't even posting on this thread and you still take shots???

Another one locked. Some people just can't let it go and can't help themselves but to bicker.

You guys that know me tend to be the one's who feel you can get away with anything. I'm asking NICELY not to put me in these same situations time and time again.


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