# Ducks in NE south dakota



## MallardMaddness (Oct 29, 2009)

i am going to go up in NE south dakota to hunt ducks and gesse next weekend 12-15th i dont know what will happen becasue south dakota is getting this warm weather and there is suppose to be a cold front up north will the duck hunting be good when we go hunting

Would galdy apperiate any helping to know if it will be good or bad
thanks


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

My crystal ball says baaadddd...


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## Andrew Bremseth (Aug 1, 2007)

You sure pushed that date late! Thats a tough risk to take with freeze up and stuff but if water is still open I think the hunting will be good.


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## jpallen14 (Nov 28, 2005)

Your pushing your luck. Why go so late, tons of birds around now!


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## snow (Dec 7, 2007)

I'm holding off as well,lots of birds still north,not to mention we don't hunt water and it sounds like the fields are still in  Also looking at the Sand Lake refuge report,not many birds as of last weekend,1200 snows!,20,000 mixed ducks...More on the way.


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## TrevorB (Dec 21, 2008)

You will be just fine, and the hunting will be great. The chances of the water being locked up by then are pretty slim.

There are plenty of ducks throughout November.

Good luck.


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## jpallen14 (Nov 28, 2005)

I would guess that Sand Lake will not have near the numbers it usually does. Way to much other water around to all be on the refuge. Why sit on the refuge when they can roost right where the food is? Don't judge the amount of birds in the area by what Sand Lake is holding. I just hope guys waiting until the 14th to start their tags don't get burned. All it takes is a couple days of calm cold weather or snow and they might be disapointed. I have seen it happen. Do not forget guys coming late will have to compete with deer hunters for access to land. Harvest is in full swing today, crops are coming off fast!


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## xTrMWtRFwLr (Jul 28, 2009)

Harvest is in full right now by the time the 12th rolls around you should be in good shape for field hunting. Right now there are good #'s of ducks around dont bass what the sdgfp have to say about the Refuge. They are all in there own little refuges with the flooded bean and corn fields around you shouldnt have any problem there. But just remember the weekend when you are coming is the opener for rifle so be very safe and good luck to you. :beer:


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## Andrew Bremseth (Aug 1, 2007)

xTrMWtRFwLr said:


> Harvest is in full right now by the time the 12th rolls around you should be in good shape for field hunting. Right now there are good #'s of ducks around dont bass what the sdgfp have to say about the Refuge. They are all in there own little refuges with the flooded bean and corn fields around you shouldnt have any problem there. But just remember the weekend when you are coming is the opener for rifle so be very safe and good luck to you. :beer:


Spot on....farmers are BUSY today! sure wish it wasnt MN deer hunting this weekend... would love to stick around and hunt birds.


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## MallardMaddness (Oct 29, 2009)

MallardMaddness said:


> i am going to go up in NE south dakota to hunt ducks and gesse next weekend 12-15th i dont know what will happen becasue south dakota is getting this warm weather and there is suppose to be a cold front up north will the duck hunting be good when we go hunting
> 
> Would galdy apperiate any helping to know if it will be good or bad
> thanks


 Thanks to everyone that had let me now how it would look


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## Franchi 9-12 (Oct 16, 2008)

I'll be up there around the 12-15 hunting ducks, I'm not to worried about the amount of ducks and geese up there. Its a huge staging ground. When I've hunted in the refuge for deer for many years and there always a ton of birds, and I snow goose hunted last year and it was contentious movement of birds all day.


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## teamshakeandbake (Oct 14, 2008)

should be around by then!!


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## Sd snow goose killer (Jan 20, 2007)

yea you should have no problem hunting then, thats not too late at all, things usually freeze up a couple days after thanksgiving. have fun hunting :sniper:


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## wildrice (Sep 11, 2007)

I've always admired the guys who hold out until late. Theres a risk to be sure but I'd be willing to bet the rewards are some pretty awesome hunts. Getting closer to retirement, when that day comes i'll take my chances on riskier late season hunting.


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## snow (Dec 7, 2007)

wildrice~

Yup,thats it,I perfer big mature greenheads over divers and brown ducks,its tough to get drawn for SoDak but when you do the reward is great,plus most non-res weekend warriors are done after the 1st two weeks of pheasant opener,what could be better,ducks/geese in the morning,roosters in the afternoon with few people hunting.


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## ducks4u (Sep 16, 2009)

Your timing will be about perfect!


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## ducksRus (Nov 4, 2009)

Was out there last week. Wet, Wet, Wet.....divers were around and pretty easy to get. However, the ducks (mallards) and geese were sticking to the flooded beans. Hard to see them scouting cause they weren't moving if they didn't have to. Too bad cause we wanted the greenheads. Heard closer to Aberdeen/Sand Lake NWR were more birds. Maybe if the crops start getting harvested, you'll have more luck.


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## MN goose killa (Sep 19, 2008)

snow said:


> I'm holding off as well,lots of birds still north,More on the way.


I disagree


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## duckp (Mar 13, 2008)

Snows and high mallards going south pretty much all day yesterday despite the SE wind.Was in Aberdeen getting a bow fixed last nite and at 9PM it was still 'snow geese talk' heading south.
Hopefully many more to come but....?????


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## snow (Dec 7, 2007)

Sounds like the havest is well under way in parts of NE SoDak,lots of birds moving in and with this mild weather most if not all should stick around,hopefully anyway.Lots of birds still holding in central NoDak,you/we should have a decent shoot next week


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## steveandzoom (Sep 8, 2004)

I hunted South Dakota last week and never in 48 years of waterfowling have I seen so many ducks in one area. Incredible. 1000s of pintails, widgeon, GW teal, and tens of thousands of mallards. This area was far from Sand Lake.


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## snow (Dec 7, 2007)

Its goin "hot and heavy" guys,forget about the boats,fields are flooded,small and large bodies of water are holding some divers,puddel ducks and geese are in the flooded fields BIG time,no way to get a spread in the fields but there is away to get at them w/o jump shooting,works like a champ too.

Tim


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## ducks4u (Sep 16, 2009)

This is not a normal year. Unless your hunting flooded crop you are most likely not into them as much as you could be. That said, I got tired of the mud and did a dry land set today and it worked just fine. Of course I had to get between two flooded areas to make it work but I did not get muddy. LOL


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## wildrice (Sep 11, 2007)

Man, you guys are killin me! Haven't been out to SD for waterfowl in like 3 years but one year, maybe 5 years ago found an area that got like 4" of rain the weekend before and found them at the peak of migration just like now. Take advantage and remember the times for later! Have some family out there now pheasant hunting, they certainly are now wishing they applied for the waterfowl permit last June!

WR


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## snow (Dec 7, 2007)

Pheasant were slim to none in the area I was,well they're there you just can't get to'em,all in the wet standing crops,seen a couple that were shot by road hunters,they had been in the water for so long there legs and feet were bleeched white.


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