# Migration reports



## Rooster14 (Oct 31, 2012)

So has anybody got any news on new ducks in the area


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## ZSteckler12 (Jun 26, 2013)

The snow/slash rain that came through that had a strong north wind brought down new birds. A lot of the locals weren't where they have been so either they are gone or went somewhere else in the in the southern part of the state


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## Rooster14 (Oct 31, 2012)

any info on the central part of the state would also be nice


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

How can you tell if they are new ducks? What is a new duck?


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## WingedShooter7 (Oct 28, 2005)

Listen to BL he is the greatest hunter of all time


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## ZSteckler12 (Jun 26, 2013)

Ducks don't turn color over night. If all the locals have only had a little bit of green on their heads and when you scout the field and you can tell they have distinct greener heads I'm pretty positive they aren't locals. So there for they are new ducks to the area.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

ZSteckler12 said:


> Ducks don't turn color over night. If all the locals have only had a little bit of green on their heads and when you scout the field and you can tell they have distinct greener heads I'm pretty positive they aren't locals. So there for they are new ducks to the area.


So why would only "new" ducks have more green on their heads?


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## slough (Oct 12, 2003)

Well, this "reports" thread went in the tank pretty quick. Shocking for this site.

I would say it's pretty easy to tell when there are migrants around. 1, there's obviously more birds than there have been and/or 2. there are birds in places there haven't been (or maybe shouldn't be - sloughs next to roads, unposted fields, etc...). The colored out argument always makes me chuckle.

As far as reports go, haven't seen a big influx of birds. Some lesser canadas around now and quite a few that migrated through last weekend. A few swans around now which are usually a pretty good indicator that some migrating has/is taken place.


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## ZSteckler12 (Jun 26, 2013)

I was simply saying what I saw when I was scouting fields. Just trying to help other hunters out and give my feedback and then I get criticized. All I'm saying is that usually when you scout a few days before and the locals don't have much color and smaller, then you go back and scout around the area again and the ducks have greener heads and are larger birds I don't think the locals changed that fast and with the weather conditions that happened its a likely chance that there is new birds in the area. Just trying to help other guys out. Happy hunting!


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

slough said:


> Well, this "reports" thread went in the tank pretty quick. Shocking for this site.
> 
> I would say it's pretty easy to tell when there are migrants around. 1, there's obviously more birds than there have been and/or 2. there are birds in places there haven't been (or maybe shouldn't be - sloughs next to roads, unposted fields, etc...). The colored out argument always makes me chuckle.
> 
> As far as reports go, haven't seen a big influx of birds. Some lesser canadas around now and quite a few that migrated through last weekend. A few swans around now which are usually a pretty good indicator that some migrating has/is taken place.


I notice the same thing. Swans and divers to me are an indicator as well as lesser and snows. It seems like there is always a a small push, then it slows down, and they almost over night you are covered in swans and lesser.

The colored out argument and fatness of the birds as an indicator always makes me laugh. Where do people get that information or idea anyways?


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## tbossart1356 (Oct 4, 2013)

I have not been out for last 10 days, when I was last it was still warm and that storm had not arrived. So only thing I can say is the local ducks were still real uneducated and the geese, well they seem to have got some "college" during the early season. Plenty of both in the areas I have been hutning.

I agree with the silliness of using color as a guide to migration or newer brids, older maybe, but newer to area? and with more and or different species around as an indicator birds are on the move. Really, if ya want specific info on the pmigration, I say you need to know land owners in the fly way up on the ND/Canada border and you have to call them ....they know when the push is on for real. Pretty sure its not happening as of yet.


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## Scraper (Apr 1, 2002)

i'm with bl, usually lesser and snows are the indicators where we hunt. When they show up it seems that there are also more ducks and bigger groups of ducks ( I know it could just be locals forming bigger groups). We're heading out Saturday, i'm hoping to see lots of "new" birds in the area.


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## timberhole (Oct 2, 2013)

I just got back from our trip and we saw a small push of birds move into our area Thursday & Friday. The potholes that stood empty early in the week were full of mallards and the larger lakes showed signs of life with lots of divers. Also saw lots of swans, snows, specks and lessers while hunting over the weekend that were absent early in the week. The hunting was definitely better later in the week as well.


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## tbossart1356 (Oct 4, 2013)

timberhole said:


> I just got back from our trip and we saw a small push of birds move into our area Thursday & Friday. The potholes that stood empty early in the week were full of mallards and the larger lakes showed signs of life with lots of divers. Also saw lots of swans, snows, specks and lessers while hunting over the weekend that were absent early in the week. The hunting was definitely better later in the week as well.


Out this weekend in the south cenrtal part of the state...birds on on the move in thaat area. Many many swans, snows lesser and the birds are bunched up in much bigger numbers both in the fields and on the water. The swans and lesser are usually the key we look for. Out smaller water is empty with the birds mving off that into the bigger water and bigger gorups as it has gotten colder. The feed we scuuted on saturday was easily 1000 ducks and geese, so once the corn comes down its gona get wicked FUN!


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## teamflightstoppersND (Feb 20, 2009)

Went out this weekend. I would say the snow in Canada has pushed more birds into the state as I started seeing snows and lessers.


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