# Lots of hunters?



## diver_sniper (Sep 6, 2004)

I noticed a lot of guys talking about having trouble with groups doubling up on fields this weekend, I was just wondering if you guys noticed a little more hunting pressure than normal in your area? Obviously I'd prefer you not announce what area you hunt. I'm just wondering what you ran into.

I know I saw about 3 times more hunters than normal while I was out. I didn't have any trouble ending up in the same field as anyone else, but they sure were out and about, no question there.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

sat, and sun morning we saw one group, and we were already set up and they drove into the field we turned to lights on the truck on and they left. Sunday night we hunted were there was actaully some good bird numbers. AKA 1,000 in one roost and about 100 in 6 sloughs within a mile. and there was no one. Didn't even hear a shot! We had them all to ourselves!


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Having issues with other groups in your field almost seems to be the norm from all the friends Ive talked to..  Takes away a lot of my desire to get out there since I know theres a lot of people that are probably looking at the same stuff.. Hopefully last weekend was just bad.

We got lucky with our field saturday. Many others in the area were having issues with others in their field.

edit: P&Y, want to meet a new hunting partner or two :beer:


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## BANDCOLLECTOR (Oct 13, 2006)

in the area i was hunting there was a hunter on almost every field!!!
i never seen so many goose hunters!!

hopefully though once deer hunting starts, they will all deer hunt!!


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

USA,

Meaning you want to know where that roost is? Or go out with us? :lol:

Where are you from?


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## nodak4life (Feb 19, 2007)

There was definitely a noticeable increase from last year to 07. Everywhere we drove, there was pickups driving around. Every time a field was found, there was multiple groups sitting around looking, so we just took off. A group of friends actually had 3 other groups in there field!


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## HonkerExpress (Sep 23, 2005)

Saw lots of hunters out this weekend. Alot of people trying to set up in the same fields as well. Even had a few hunting on posted land that they didn't have permission to hunt on. Led to some very P.O'd land owners. Guess some people can't read signs anymore, lmao. Oh well, we killed 20 geese on saturday (4 person limit) in about an hour and monday we got 22 out of a possible 25, over all a good weekend. :beer:


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

hunt4P&Y said:


> USA,
> 
> Meaning you want to know where that roost is? Or go out with us? :lol:
> 
> Where are you from?


Both 8)

Im in fargo.. I was just kidding around but in all seriousness i'm always up for meeting new people/hunting partners. Ive become a much better hunter from networking as much as possible.


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## northerngoosehunter (Mar 22, 2006)

I have talked to more land owners this year who have already given permission than I have any other year. I think one major reason for this increased pressure is not an increase in the number of hunters, but rather a decrease in the number of wheat fields.

The same amount of hunters as years past have considerably less wheat fields to chose from so hunters are forced to double up on fields.


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## huntingtim08 (Sep 17, 2004)

There is hunters all over my area. Sat morning we were at the field by 2:30 and barley beat two other groups. We were all setup and ready to go and it was about 30 minutes before shooting time and two vehicles drive around us and towards the big slough where all the geese are roosting. There out there shining there headlights on the slough and planning on setting up directly inbetween us and where the birds are, which was only about 500 yards away. We could hear that they scared alot of birds further down the slough. We got over to them told them to leave and ended up shooting 14 geese between 7 people. We could've had more but it was still a good hunt.


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## waterfowl stocker (Sep 13, 2006)

we had a total of four groups in our field, still got to shoot a few birds though, we slept in our pickup overnight on friday to get the good spot though


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Just listening to the stories, were alot of you down in SE ND? By the refuge? It seems like we always run into problems like that down there?

Thats why I now steer clear!


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

It really felt like we had free range in our area and we had no problems getting on posted land, even considering what my last name means in that neck of the woods. We had an extremely enjoyable weekend. Like others have said though I think that the amount of wheat and barley makes the biggest difference in the concentration of hunters. I couldn't believe the amounts of corn. It will be interesting to see how October goes down when the snows are in the neighborhood. Normally there isn't any corn for them to eat in the central part of the state. It will be interesting to see what food they will choose corn, wheat, or barley.


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## bighunter (Oct 25, 2005)

YES...

I would say that this wkend was the worst weekend i have ever had when it comes to early season..Me and a buddy got out to our field at 2am and the field was only 80acers but anyways around 4am we started setting up decoys around 430 a group drove dwn the road and pulled in our field driving right by us and setting ap about 200yrds away ..Then with around 6 30 am when it was just about shooting time another pickup and trailer drives out into our field setting up 50yrds away right in between us and the other group that was 200yrds away ..So me and a buddy went over to them and tried to be respectful about how we would wish they would move farther away or pick a different field and they blew up at me asking me if i no how to hunt and all this other BS..I gave it back at them telling them FOR me Its common curtesy when I get beat to a field i will not hunt it...alot of people see it different ways but if you take the time scouting getting up really early and get screwed over like we dihunting isnt even fun anymore ..we ended up with 0 and the group that set up 50yrds away ended up with 18...ALSO around 9 30 am the geese stopped coming so we said screw it since the people screwed us over so wewent and got the vehicles started packing up when a group of about 15started coming but left since we were in the field we are vehicles..then the people 50yrds away come over and start chewing us out telling us how we arnt good sportsman and all this otehr stuff HUNTERS please if you get beat to a field move to a different one or actually tlak to the group that beat you there and see if they would care..it makes it no fun watching all your time being wasted by A**holes when you put in many hrs and GAS..thanks and good LUCK :sniper: BigHunter


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Can nonresidents hunt statewide in the early season, or is it just richland and sargeant counties?


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

What types of fields did everyone hunt? Peas, Beans, stubble? How many other types of fields were available? Did (or does) there seem to be much less choices for the geese due to all the additional corn being planted?

I wonder if this isn't all due to the huge increase in corn acreage...

Thoughts?

Ryan


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## PJ (Oct 1, 2002)

Just Richland and Sargent. It doesn't help that the opener was on a Saturday.


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## bowhunter04 (Nov 7, 2003)

According the Game and Fish website, non-residents can hunt anywhere in the state during the entire goose season but it counts against their 14-day limit unless they hunt in Richland and Sargent counties. If they hunt these two counties, it does not count towards their 14-day limit.


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## bornlucky (Jul 24, 2007)

My group had permission to hunt a posted field Saturday morning. Got there at 4:30 and a PU and a tent were out in the middle of the field. We set up a mile away as plan B. Would sure like to know who they were. They weren't local as we would've recognized the pickup.

As it turned out, we only heard them shoot at one flock. So sometimes people get what they deserve.

Not many geese in our area. So much corn and soybeans that we felt they have probably gone north to find the small grain/peas.
We will catch them on the return trip.


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## justund223 (Aug 28, 2006)

sorry for getting a little off topic.... but is just me or are more people complaining about having thier field taken or what? If you got there after someone else it is just the way it is. That is why you should have back ups. On the other hand being from mn orginally it is kind of sad to see nd getting to the same point as mn. Having to camp out just to get a field. hopefully the pressure will go away a bit. sorry for the rant

it was much busier this year than last and made the geese a bit wierd. back on topic


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

justund223 said:


> sorry for getting a little off topic.... but is just me or are more people complaining about having thier field taken or what? If you got there after someone else it is just the way it is. That is why you should have back ups. On the other hand being from mn orginally it is kind of sad to see nd getting to the same point as mn. Having to camp out just to get a field. hopefully the pressure will go away a bit. sorry for the rant
> 
> it was much busier this year than last and made the geese a bit wierd. back on topic


You still have to understand that it is frustrating to scout for a week plus, spend a couple hundred $$ on fuel so you can secure permission from a landowner on a posted field only to have someone else give another group permission.

I agree on unposted land, get there first. If you aren't there first, be courteous enough to talk to the group that was to see if they are willing to combine forces. If not, well they got there first so..


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## jwdinius1 (Dec 14, 2006)

hunted the same area i hunted last year, we got permission to hunt a pea firld of a bout 150-200 birds, i was worried about one other group who wanted to hunt it, come to find out 3 other groups of hunters jumped in a barley field b/w us and the roost an tried to run traffic, we ended up with only 10 and one band but it's hard to decoys birds that have already seen 3 spreads in a matter of 60 seconds, so yea imo there was a lot more hunting pressure this year


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## justund223 (Aug 28, 2006)

i understand where you are coming from usa i would be mad too, but we stayed at the field the whole night before just so that wouldn't happen. We were on posted land also and had guy look at our trucks and turn around. I figured if i spent that much time scouting and money i could stay at the field. I was a good thing we did too and we got are limit in like an hour. If you read the second half of my post i kinda empathized for nd getting to this point.


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## universitywaterfowler (Jul 15, 2007)

Yea and you scout non stop. Unlike me.
I feel sorry for the guys that were in one of the fields next to us.
didn't get a bird til we left. :beer:


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Ryan,

Yes I would say it is because of the increase in corn. Where we were hunting they had three options, Corn, Beans, or a very select few harvested wheat fields. It made the scouting easy. Look for wheat, find birds!

Anyone else see this?


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## averyghg (Oct 16, 2006)

yeah i was pretty much raging after our morning hunt should of ended up with an easy limit but ofcourse didn't because the guys that set up in the field in front of us tried sky busting the geese because they were mad because we got there first in the field that they wanted and i know that this is a run on sentence so if you are still reading this u should stop...............now


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## Quacker Wacker (Oct 12, 2006)

USAlx50 said:


> justund223 said:
> 
> 
> > sorry for getting a little off topic.... but is just me or are more people complaining about having thier field taken or what? If you got there after someone else it is just the way it is. That is why you should have back ups. On the other hand being from mn orginally it is kind of sad to see nd getting to the same point as mn. Having to camp out just to get a field. hopefully the pressure will go away a bit. sorry for the rant
> ...


Are u saying that if there is a no hunting or a no tresspassing sign that u hunt without permission or what. Not trying to be a jerk just a misunderstanding?.?. Do u hunt it without asking if there are no signs? Just wondering? Thanks!


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## adam noble (Nov 11, 2005)

My group was scouting a field for three weeks, gained permission, at the time nobody had asked the farmer at all. Not knowing the farmer that well we decided to go early. 1 hour before shooting a group came in and set up 150 yards up wind! This field was seriously HUGE. It is very frustrating to have that happen. Why would anybody do that?


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Quacker Wacker said:


> USAlx50 said:
> 
> 
> > justund223 said:
> ...


Nope, I am saying that in the area I scouted/hunted Saturday that If I did choose to hunt a field that wasn't posted, I'm positive at the very least 1 other group would have been trying to hunt that same field in the morning, probably without permission.

The farmers I have talked to this year that didn't have posted land left it unposted on purpose. They didn't want to deny hunters access, one didn't seem to want to even be bothered by people asking (and no he didn't care if people hunted it). Nice breed of people the nodak farmers are. Trust me, I try to do everything I can to keep hunters in good relations with farmers.


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## Commando (Jan 13, 2006)

I understand the frustration of having other guys beat you to a field but isn't it entirely possible that they put in just as much time and money into scouting that location as you did? Maybe you should have gotten there earlier to make sure you got it first? :roll: People entering a field that you're already set up in and not giving you space is an entirely different issue. :******:


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

:withstupid:

All I'm saying is it sucks you have to have that anxiety not knowing if someone will be in the field you worked so hard to find when you get there at 3 AM. Not pointing blame.

And yes, people who pull into the same field as you without you inviting them to join :******:


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

What I am sick of is people coming in to a field when they can see another group is setting up or already set-up. This is happening all the time these days. If I show up to a field and there is a group already there I move on. I don't drive up wind and set-up a hundred yards in front of them. It is getting fricken ridiculous. I have pity for the next SOB that tries this on me again. :******: :sniper:


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## justund223 (Aug 28, 2006)

some guy pulled into the field we were already set up in 20 minutes before shooting time this morning. Then he continued up to us and tried to tell us it was posted and then we said we knew the landowner, he said well i posted every other field for the guy except this one. to make a long story short he left after trying to intimidate us into leaving. i can't believe there is this much competition for fields this year especially on wednesday.

would have ask him to join except he was being real jerk and last year he got caught for hunting in posted field and shooting twice his limit. needless to say i wouldn't like to hunt with a guy like that


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

It sounds like a couple guys got doubled up on posted property???

If thats the case, and you have premission to be there, go over and ask them if they too have permission, if they do, the landownder doubled you up, if not, tell them to get out or youll call the warden.

Theres no reason to put up with this, just because this is the way its been in MN for years doesnt mean thats the way it needs to be here. Early goose should be resident ONLY, and we should limit the number of NR's during the regular season. If im ruffling you NR feathers out there, TOUGH! Its getting regodd*mn rediculous and needs to change or we might as well get used to doubled and tripled up fields, intimidation tactics and landowners that dont even want the drama of dealing with hunters.


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## ROOSTERSLAYER (Jun 9, 2007)

I'm sorry but my father must have taught me a little courtesy when I was a little hunter. If I pull into my field and notice someone is already set up I would ask them if they also got permission from this particluar farmer. If they did, I would be a little upset at the farmer but I certainly would leave the field and move onto plan B and move on.

Now on the reverse side of that. If I am in the field 1st and someone pulls in and sees that I am set up but still sets up within spittin distance,I am going to be a little upset. If you spoke to these idiots who are willing to set up in your lap and they are not willing to leave. Again I would move onto plan B.

Plan B now consists of shooting at any bird within 500 yards of either spread (because I got me some of those new Black Cloud shells and I heard they are supposed to reach out there quit a ways). I could care less if I or anyone in my party shoots a bird as long as the new guys in the field have zero opportunities.

Lets show each other some respect and all try to have an enjoyable season.


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## hydro870 (Mar 29, 2005)

We got permission to hunt a posted field. We showed up early Saturday morning and there was another group in the field. Because we were confused by this, we kindly went to see if the other group had permission as the farmer did not say anything about another group asking to hunt. The group already in the field were NR's but they were very nice. They said that the farmer told them we asked first and there was to be no bickering. They said we could have the field because we asked first and they went to another posted field owned by the same farmer. We both had excellent hunts. These guys were class acts.

Man law.............only one group of hunters per field.


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## dukegoose (Jul 17, 2006)

I was hunting an area of SE Nodak that I hunted last year. WOW what a change from last year. Had to pass on a great filed that I had permission to hunt from the owner. But I knew his son, who has let us hunt for a day here and there would be hunting. So we decided to stay in good with the son and pass. That oat field had 300 birds using it. Went to another area that has good traffic and set up on Sat morning. last year I heard three shots besides the shooting we did. This year it was like world war III.
We packed up about 8am and went for a look. There was a group on every field that was huntable. There is so much more corn this year it is unreal. We worked traffic during entire trip. The birds feed at night on Mon. and Tues. It was unreal. Still had a good time, and met a lot of good folks, but it is going to be hard to find a group to take out next year.
And the $3.20 gas was another great surprise. I have never seen gas higher in Nonak then WI. My new Feather Duster worked great, thank to everyone on Nodak that talked me into buying one.
The best of luck to everyone!!


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## 4CurlRedleg (Aug 31, 2003)

Just because the landowner gives you permission doesn't mean you have exclusives.
Ask the questions to the landowner as well as other hunters, find out who is going to be where and try coordinating with the other hunters. If you see the scouting caravan around the field you hope to hunt, rub elbows with the other party(parties) and get it figured out. 
"Most" will be cordial to hammer out a game plan. 
We shared a property with 3 other prospects knowing full well limits would not be had, but had a respectable/relaxing hunt with no troubles. Everyone wants a piece of the goose pie, might as well try and get your slice and forgo the whole plate because the table is getting smaller.


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Nearly everything described here has happened to me. That's why I don't even get excited about opening day anymore, prefer to hunt when the amatures are done for the year and wasting their Sunday's watching the Vikings.
One things for sure, ANYBODY who drives right into a field and sets up next to somebody is CLASSLESS!


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## james.hunter (Sep 5, 2007)

i agree with the last post . there is no reason to go into a field and setup when there is already someone there its very stupid. If you come to a field and someone is already there leave and go to your next spot. There is always another day. :******:


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## Mallard Island (Mar 5, 2006)

You decoy hunters, always complaining about something or someone. :fiddle:


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## greenwinger_13 (Oct 6, 2005)

So what are u saying? You don't use decoys because that would be overall a little ridiculous


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

greenwinger_13 said:


> So what are u saying? You don't use decoys because that would be overall a little ridiculous


Some people don't use decoys greenwinger

I grew up having rarely used them. I think my family only hunted around decoys a few dozen times in 5 years of hunting...

Ryan


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## Mallard Island (Mar 5, 2006)

I hunted with decoys for 20 yrs and now mostly pass shoot em, maybe hunt over the decoys 2 or 3 times a year, really enjoy shooting them between the roost and the food. A lot less aggravation for us as we hunt public land.


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