# HONKERS still around



## snowkiller (Mar 19, 2005)

Still thousands and thousands of honkers on the river from the dam to washburn,lots of mallards too.Wish they would lets us hunt later in the year


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## snogeezmen (May 28, 2012)

snowkiller said:


> Still thousands and thousands of honkers on the river from the dam to washburn,lots of mallards too.Wish they would lets us hunt later in the year


That is nothing new.......happens every year.

The federal framework allows for "x" amount of days to hunt waterfowl in the state starting sept 1st. Aug does not count against this. For the season to be open later they would have to close it down at some point during the regular season. They already close the river zone 1 week earlier to allow the extra week on the end.

Do you really think they should add more? What dates would you suggest subtracting to allow this?

Leave it as is. Can't please everyone.


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Snow goose.... exactly. Now if they allowed 10 more days in the north.... the birds would get shot at 10 more days down south. It is a catch 22.

The real tricky thing is now some of the northern states are opening up a "teal" season. So that will subtract from the days you can hunt in the fall. I know MN is trying a teal season next year. Just wait... it will push lots of the local ducks out of the area faster and people will complain how there are no ducks around. People just don't understand that even though you are not pulling the trigger on mallards you are pressuring them by kicking them out of their feed area's, loafing area's, roosts areas, etc. They will get smart and move to area's where they are not getting harassed. But again they are trying to please a select group but it will hurt the mass. Typical government. HAHA.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

This year there are a lot of birds around but this time last year the numbers were down. When you start talking about going into January in this area you are really taking your chances with the weather. Probably best left as is..................


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## bwfsh (Feb 12, 2009)

I would personally much rather hunt geese in January than geese that can't fly in August. I only hunt fields, but I still feel ashamed watching geese learning to fly drop into the decoys and seeing those little puffballs stacked up in the back of trucks. I still take the decoys out without a gun a couple times during that time because I like being in the field, but I have a personal starting date of October 1 before I actually "hunt".

They can get around the number of days set by the Feds by setting special "conservation" seasons. We already go beyond the 60 days allowed. They could set a certain amount of days in January have an early conservation season in August/September/first part of October for people that like to hunt goslings, then open the regular season for a stretch another special season in December.


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## snowkiller (Mar 19, 2005)

They should not open the missouri river zone until Oct then we could hunt well into Jan.As for geese being around theres always geese on the river no matter what the weather is.


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## Rich102065 (Mar 17, 2014)

Send tem our way lol. Our numbers are really low around Pierre this year.


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## aplon150 (Sep 24, 2013)

> The real tricky thing is now some of the northern states are opening up a "teal" season. So that will subtract from the days you can hunt in the fall. I know MN is trying a teal season next year. Just wait... it will push lots of the local ducks out of the area fasterand people will complain how there are no ducks around. People just don't understand that even though you are not pulling the trigger on mallards you are pressuring them by kicking them out of their feed area's, loafing area's, roosts areas, etc. They will get smart and move to area's where they are not getting harassed


Exactly what happened in WI this year. Everyone was gung ho for a teal season but had the worst duck season in their lives (so lake-link tells me). Coincidence? People need to start using their noodle when talking about changing hunting regulations. Also saw lots of complaining that the hunting was terrible because there are refuges in the state and they should all be open to hunting oke:


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## snogeezmen (May 28, 2012)

snowkiller said:


> They should not open the missouri river zone until Oct then we could hunt well into Jan.As for geese being around theres always geese on the river no matter what the weather is.


So the rest of the state gets "crazy pressure" and flock all the hunters to the other zone? While very large flocks of canda geese go un hunted? Hmmmmmm just because there's large flocks of geese and you can't hunt them do you complain? There is Canada geese in ND every single day of the year regardless of weather do you want to hunt them year around?


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

The idea of the August season is to reduce the number of local geese. Just because you see geese in January doesn't mean that they are the local geese that are causing problems. Many of them are likely to be migrators that choose to winter here and are not the ones the G&F want's to target. Most are probably not the ones breeding here and cleaning out the new planted fields.

I can't say I've hunted any geese learning to fly in mid August. Not sure it is any different than hunting snows in Canada in early September (which many guys do) as breeding on the tundra is likely to be 2-3 weeks behind when it starts here.


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## snogeezmen (May 28, 2012)

It depends on when you hunt em. Anyone that lives and works in the area we are talking like I do, knows exactly what I'm talking about. When the rest of the state freezes out and the waterfowl leave a majority of people beleive they fly south....not so for all the birds. I have seen it year after year nearly constant strings of migrating honkers from literally every direction pouring into the river. Some obviously residents to other states and canada some obviously resident geese of ND. The later the season goes the less resident geese you shoot and the more tall grass prairie, short grass prairie etc. how can you tell I know some of you are thinking and laughing? There a smaller darker goose. Still a giant canada but slightly smaller with breeding grounds in the Canadian prairies.

I guess my thought is there if flocks of 300+ birds from August through the spring why close the season or make any changes to it?

Just my opinion who has lived worked and hunted out this way for over 15 years now.


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## teamflightstoppersND (Feb 20, 2009)

River hunting Canada's sucked this year because Sak didn't freeze over until after the season. Hunting is better when the birds are confined to the river. Garrison area was posted as tight as possible so getting on a field was almost impossible. Oh we'll there's always next year! I wouldn't mind an extra week in January . I also saw some birds over by Fargo! Funny those ponds didn't freeZe over


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## snogeezmen (May 28, 2012)

Fargo generally holds geese year around or very very late. Sugar beet ponds in morehead don't freeze.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

The state could cut some of the early season and go later but they would probably consider it a loss of recreational hours because fewer hunters will likely be out..


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## natureddd44 (Apr 30, 2015)

id have to agree with Rich102065
senndd them awayyyy haha :rock:


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