# Ponds frozen? Now what?



## weasle414 (Dec 31, 2006)

I'm going up north to go duck hunting tomorow and my dad was saying all the puddles and ponds are pretty well frozen over, now what? If they're all frozen will it be worth going? Will there still be mallards on the lakes around there or will they have all moved on? So the big question, should I hunt tomorow morning, or call it a season?


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

Last week for sh!ts and giggles I took the chainsaw and cut a hole in the ice that was 15yards square. Stuck my mojo in the center and shot 4 drakes in less then 10 minutes. Build it and they will come. :beer:


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## Bandcollector02 (Oct 4, 2005)

I'm going to the river tomorrow. Should be pretty good. There were just hundreds of ducks and geese stacked along the river banks where I drove by this morning. I talked to a couple of guys that hunted this morning and they clearly saw a lot of migrators. One guy claims he saw more swans than he has ever seen. Everything was sky high though. I was outside about seven and could hear swans flying. With this cold tonight, everything is going to locked up in the morning except BIG water and of course the river. I hope its good!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Weasle the season is never over till the feds say so. What I am getting at is my buddy is still killing mallards in Interior Alaska. So there is bond to be ducks somewhere where you are heading. Don't call it a season because next thing you know you will be at a Delta Waterfowl Banquet in March and you will hear some guys talking how the were killing the ducks late in the season in the area you were planning on hunting. Go find them they are there!!!


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## rednek (Dec 29, 2006)

hey alex go to the bigger water. i went out today and shot alot of ducks. there still here. this is my favorite time of year just because ducks are looking for open water and there alittle easyer to predict.


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

Field my friend FIELD! The fields are going to be hot around the open water. Find one set out deeks and grab a camera it is going to be a show!

Seriously. there is alot of birds around just find them!


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## greenwinger_13 (Oct 6, 2005)

My concern all day was watching my lake slowly start to glaze over... Home for thanksgiving and the lqake i live on has around 10 miles of shoreline so its fairly decent size compared to most potholes and water in the area I hunt... I just can't imagine that even the good sized water I have hunted by lately is going to stay open... How late does devils lake stay open does anyone know? Last year it seemed like i hunted by devils and 2-3 weeks later i was out there on 10 inches fishing eyes.. I really want a few more hunts but I am biting my fingernails...


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

Well, there's alot of choices.

1.) Frozen over pond. Place a blue tarp as "open water", that can work.

2.) Big water.

3.) Flowing River.

4.) Fields.

Good luck.

:sniper:


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

Does anyone around here ever set any goose shells on the ice for late season birds? We use to hunt geese like that in Ohio and had mallards coming in all the time.
Good luck,
Dan


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

This was a hunt from earlier this week where we broke open some water, set goose shells and fullbodies on the ice and packed the open water with duck, canada, and snow floaters. We also used around 140 snow fullbodies and around 40 canada fullbodies. We could have shot 20 canadas easy between two guys and we could have shot our limits of ducks too it just seemed like every time the ducks came in there would also be a 1000 snows locked up overhead.

Anyways we got 6 Canadas, 8 blues, and 4 ducks. It is true that if you build it they will come.


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## Bandcollector02 (Oct 4, 2005)

Went out this morning. Hunted the river because it was all that was open. Lots of big mature mallards. Saw a few Golden Eyes too. We snuck up on this group of mallards as we walked around this island. Shot two mountable drakes. Just beautiful, mature ducks. Sorry, no pics.

Lots of ducks around, but boy were they flying high and seemed very skittish. Hope to get out one more time before the season closes up.


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## carp_killer (Nov 24, 2006)

we chopped a big hole in the ice this morning and had a bunch of mallards come through while we were reloading from shooting at pigeons that flew past so we didnt get any ducks but they are still out there so go get um


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## greenwinger_13 (Oct 6, 2005)

Went out with high spirits today after t-day break.. all water I found was frozen besides devils lake which is starting to and we saw very few birds on the lake.. I hope someone is still hammerin um.. shoot some for me because my duck huntin stuff is probably going into the closet.. just about time to charge up the fl-20


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

greenwinger_13 said:


> Went out with high spirits today after t-day break.. all water I found was frozen besides devils lake which is starting to and we saw very few birds on the lake.. I hope someone is still hammerin um.. shoot some for me because my duck huntin stuff is probably going into the closet.. just about time to charge up the fl-20


We did the exact same as you on Friday, put on 200 miles and then ended up hunting the shore of Stump Lake. We got a couple blues, but I'm pretty sure we are going to have to call it quits here soon.


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## slough (Oct 12, 2003)

I think the birds mostly left the East DL area on Wednesday. We had a corn field loaded with birds for Thursday morning but went out and didn't see a thing. Went over to the water and it was pretty empty too. 10 degree nights will do those kinds of things. Darn.


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## chris lillehoff (Jan 9, 2006)

slough, i know where you were. And you are right, you didnt see any birds.

I know where they were and no one but the land owner and jesus are getting on it. Period.

I tried all the schmoozing in the world(an hours worth) no one hunts but him.


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## SDwaterfowler (Mar 2, 2006)

slough said:


> 10 degree nights will do those kinds of things. Darn.


And don't forget the full moon on top of that!


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## weasle414 (Dec 31, 2006)

Well, I went out, it was a great time, altough I didn't even shoot. I went down the Gull River in my jon boat. I saw a couple of crippled ducks that waddled into the reeds before I got in range and chased a canvasback for a good half hour. Now the season's over here in MN and I don't have a whole lot of duck in the freezer to show for it, but it was a great time none the less! I just can't wait untill next season when I'll have a bit more experience and knowledge!


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

weasle414 said:


> Well, I went out, it was a great time, altough I didn't even shoot. I went down the Gull River in my jon boat. I saw a couple of crippled ducks that waddled into the reeds before I got in range and chased a canvasback for a good half hour. Now the season's over here in MN and I don't have a whole lot of duck in the freezer to show for it, but it was a great time none the less! I just can't wait untill next season when I'll have a bit more experience and knowledge!


I think I'm with ya on that. We still have some season here in No Dak and there is a few geese around yet, but I've shot enough this year. Think I'll wait till spring and then, maybe, try the snows when they come back north. Other fish to fry over the holidays anyhow. It's been nice, but I'm sorta glad that it's pretty much over. Time to plan and plot for next year and recharge the old battieries.

Happy Holidays,
Dan


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Dan does that mean your not going to join us on the committee hunt? oke: :beer:


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## honkerslayr (Dec 14, 2006)

well this last weekend i found the motherload of mallards. I hadn't even seen this many ducks during the migration. They just kept piling in by the hundreds in a huge tornado all day long  . They were coming off the missouri and they tend to stay there throughout the winter so it looks like i'll be hunting them all throught December.


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

Leo, Why are ya poking me in the head...that hurts. :lol:

honkslayr, Good luck to you with your Missouri mallards. Bet they're big cuss' at this time of the year.

Good hunting,
Dan


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## honkerslayr (Dec 14, 2006)

ya they can be a big cuss, but if you find them they will come, same thing with the local canadas there, lots of big boys


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