# SCOUTING YET?



## FACE (Mar 10, 2003)

Anybody started doing some serious scouting yet? I just got back from taking my three year old son out on a 150 mile "drive" checking out some of the places I've hunted for the upcoming MN early hunt and not one goose anywhere to be seen!!! They seem to have dissappeared! Anyway, I've got my permission for some good spots, I just hope the geese started gathering up! :huh:


----------



## MNhunter (Oct 20, 2002)

Im findin em.....been scoutin everyday....there definatly here


----------



## mallard (Mar 27, 2002)

Heading out today to meet with farmers and see what kind of bird numbers are around.


----------



## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

I did a loop from Pittsburgh to Valley City, nothin much the birds are still in there family groups. Plus there is alot of small grain standing. With in the next 2 weeks alot of the grain will be cominded.


----------



## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Well this probably does not do the ND crew any good but I have seen an increase in Canada Geese and lots of ducks up here in AK. Although I hear that they are letting the natives and people living in rural areas start early (like today). I guess the Feds sent those who are eligible a letter. Not sure on the facts. Still researching. This could put a damper on thigs for me this season but heck it aint soooo bad. This time next year I will be in ND! :lol: 29 more days and a wake up!


----------



## mallard (Mar 27, 2002)

Met with a few farmers today and secured permission for the up comming season.Heck,One of the farmers told me "why drive all the way back to Fargo when you can stay here when you are up here hunting".One of the other guys invited me in for supper and told me about other friends of his that would most likely let me hunt on there land.I seen about the same thing GB3 saw today,scattered family groups here and there.Next time I get out scouting will be when the grain is all combined.


----------



## FACE (Mar 10, 2003)

Just got the new MN early goose regs and the dnr expanded most of the state to include hunting over water during early season. I've heard many hunters here talk about hunting the water roosts now so it sounds like the "local" geese won't have much of a chance here! Got some soon to be picked sweet corn fields locked in alrealy so I'm getting stoked!


----------



## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

A lot of small grains coming down from Dickinson to Fargo, but it's about a week or so early from seeing the flyways. On Friday I saw 8 flocks flying over Fargo so it should be anytime now.


----------



## prairie hunter (Mar 13, 2002)

Young of the year geese and molting parents have just begun to fly over the past week or two in the Twin Cities.


----------



## FACE (Mar 10, 2003)

Starting to see many geese gathering around farm ponds now, so with the grain fieilds coming out now I would expect the big movement to start shortly!!!


----------



## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

I saw 7 flocks tonight playing softball...

27 days to go!


----------



## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

Hustad I got a HOT TIP from a buddy of mine. PM If you want details.


----------



## FACE (Mar 10, 2003)

Out for another stroll this evening and WOW!! the geese are stackin' up fast!!! I suppose the more fields coming out the more opps the geese have to start moving. Counted 90+ darks in a recently picked greenbean feild tonight so I had to ask the landowner. Get this, he says there is always geese in those fields all season long and noone has asked to hunt before! So he said the field is mine,yes, ALL MINE!!!! Problem is season is 31 days away!!!!!!!!!!!!! :******: For some reason it is too inconvenient to open on a Monday in MN! :******: 
Have fun scouting!! Face :beer:


----------



## FACE (Mar 10, 2003)

Just lost my greenbean field today to some guide outfit :******: :evil: 
The landowner called to "appologize" but they offered some good money to hunt his land exclusively! So I guess hunting is really on a downward spiral everywhere! GREED, GREED, GREED!!! It really bites when you do a lot of scouting, find a good spot, then BAM! someone buys it out from under you! :******: I almost feel like sitting in the right of way and pass shooting geese as they come off the lake into their decoy spread!! What do you guys think of that? Probably pretty dangerous for me, huh?
Anyway, I suppose I can hit the roads again!
Face


----------



## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

Face I would pass shoot'em without a dought. No sence in watching the guide take the birds when you can get them right off the roost he leased up.


----------



## FACE (Mar 10, 2003)

Been debating wether or not to do that still. Stopped by the field the other day watching to see where else the geese might be moving and the geese where getting up off the lake and flying about 20 yds directly over my truck when I was parked in the field access! Boy how tempting that would bee to ruin a guides hunt like that! I think it would be fairly easy to pul out a limit when they fly over like that and less setup too! But I do enjoy the feild hunts more..it's more relaxing! Have found some other promising feilds as well though. So it looks like things should work out! I don't know where they are coming from but every day there are more and more geese gathering together! It's amazing what a few days makes!


----------



## mallard (Mar 27, 2002)

I planned on fishing yesterday when a buddy called the night before and told me about a hot bite.I was ready to hook up the boat when I noticed on the weather channel a line of strong thunderstorms bearing down on the lake I wanted to fish.I switched to plan B and went scouting instead.I ventured into areas that I have never been to before and found four roosts :beer: .One had a lot of birds ,while the others had anywheres from 75-250.There is still a lot of grain standing and some areas where nothing has been cut.I will get out scouting again next weekend to check out more areas.Mallard


----------



## Fetch (Mar 1, 2002)

I used to think - Just go find another place (used to be easy) why risk the hassles - but nowdays ??? IT SEEMS IT'S EVERYMAN FOR THEMSELVES !!!

:eyeroll:

Man!!! their has got to be alot of stress / anger/ frustration in hunting in most States

I wonder what percentages use guides or lease or go public - & success rates in those States ??? :eyeroll:

I was thinking about more fall fishing & Bow hunting for one in Velvet

But the urge to hunt waterfowl & scout is a hard habit to break


----------



## FACE (Mar 10, 2003)

How's the search been going? Has everybody got their hot spots reserved yet? Been watching the geese move for the past week now really good! Happily, I got an oat stubble field and a soon to be picked sweetcorn field that the farmer was more than happy to let me have for the entire season! Best part is, the field is only four miles away from my home! 
Happy hunting! FACE


----------

