The Big Push!

[Bailey]

The ducks aren't down yet. Things are gonna get good soon.

So I hear but was really hoping to shoot some more chit ducks and not just mallards, hell I have yet to see a spoonie this year. Then with killing bills before Halloween is an oddity, having 15 flocks work the spread in a morning before Halloween is unheard of. Looking at the forecast we'll be froze up by the time the mallards push past. One calm night and over.

To tell the truth on dove opening weekend. I already knew that it was going to be a quick season.

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Devils lake lows won't get above 10 all week for lows. North Dakota is toast.Winnipeg is currently 10 degrees.. Not to say ducks won't still come like divers but I would think the mallards would be on the move now. Buddy is South Dakota said a lot of even the divers bugged out overnight. The river in se mn should still be fine for awhile but places like marsh lake are probably toast.

[Duckman23]

Sounds like the past few days in central ND was the place to be to hunt mallards and snow geese! Some friends were up there until yesterday and said it was the most birds they have ever seen, feeds of mallards pretty much in every direction. With the temps forcast for central MN might be early end to the season but who nows for sure. Late season goose might be tough also.

[h2ofwlr]

If any of you take Bullets posts seriously, you need to go to a shrink and be examined.

Gimp when you saw 15 flocks of Bills a week ago - that was the push.

4" of ice 600 miles NNW of here in MB on Sat as they are now ice fishing, all waterfowl was gone by last Friday.

It was 21 here this AM. It's all over as far as I'm concerned as I just plain don't like to break ice with a thin skinned F7 and I'm getting just to old for the cold temps with my arthritic hands.

It's heading to upper teens Thurs AM and 12 for Fri down here.

As Dandy Don would say: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtGxusvUT3k

Those that want the 12 day split in the South zone - I have a message for you all - FU! As you all have selfishly screwed us out of another week of open water hunting AGAIN!

[9manfan]

It was probably the best hunt we have had on opening day of deer season in quite a few years, shot alot of divers, ended up sick Sat nite so didn't go Sunday but they limited out then as well, but it's a ice skating rink today and not a bird in sight....

[9manfan]

.......and Phuck that stupid split

[lanyard]

If any of you take Bullets posts seriously, you need to go to a shrink and be examined.

Gimp when you saw 15 flocks of Bills a week ago - that was the push.

4" of ice 600 miles NNW of here in MB on Sat as they are now ice fishing, all waterfowl was gone by last Friday.

It was 21 here this AM. It's all over as far as I'm concerned as I just plain don't like to break ice with a thin skinned F7 and I'm getting just to old for the cold temps with my arthritic hands.

It's heading to upper teens Thurs AM and 12 for Fri down here.

As Dandy Don would say: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtGxusvUT3k

Those that want the 12 day split in the South zone - I have a message for you all - FU! As you all have selfishly screwed us out of another week of open water hunting AGAIN!

Al, please advise us what you saw while hunting this weekend.,...

Christina was loaded with divers, including rafts of canvasbacks.... The guys ducking over lunch yesterday, if their shooting was an induction, had an epic hunt. Every body of water that wasn't frozen, that ever holds birds, had 30-200 mix of ring and blue bill. Literally, saw thousands of ducks from my deer stand from Sat morning through Sunday evening between Alex and Ashby.

I could have shot wood ducks from my deer stand. Chased a freaking woodcock off the road Friday morning.

There is a lot of hunting left for those with the interest/time/etc. What will mess things up is a thaw that opens everything back up. SW MN could be done, but guessing Lac Qui Parle area will be productive for people capable of hunting late season.

Anyone that can get out this week has potential for great hunts. Gimp's 15 flocks were the start, moving through peak divers now. Mallards and geese will hold and keep water open. River systems will hold birds for awhile.

If you are trying to get out i'd look at a line from Wheaton to Milan.

I agree with Al on the 12 day split, combine Central and South zones and give the SE the 12 day.

Oh yeah, that big river that separates MN from 'Sconi seems to produce birds. And I'd bet some poor sucker will be sitting them on Winnie, Leech, etc.

Yes, your wee wittle boat might be moth balled, but I was breaking ice and retrieving ducks with a kayak Friday.

The birds are here now so stop giving a shit about Canadian and North Dakota weather and go shoot them. More are coming but will increasingly be harder to get at.


As Bluto says, it ain't over, https://youtu.be/V8lT1o0sDwI

[Hansen]

Awesome weekend of hunting, plenty of birds around. The past two weekend have been spectacular hunting honestly. It's the weather we dream of. Hope it holds on for a little while longer and get a field hunt or two in before I shut it down for the season.

[Nershi]

It was an epic weekend to be a waterfowler in MN. Great reports coming in from all around the state. My dad really enjoyed getting on some good diver shoots. Reminded him of the old bluebill days at Red Lake.

Sounds like Al was at home checking weather forecasts during the big push.

I plan to hunt until the north zone closes. Should be able to head out ice fishing after the hunt this coming weekend. Skim ice on the lake out back this morning.

[Bailey]

If any of you take Bullets posts seriously, you need to go to a shrink and be examined.

Gimp when you saw 15 flocks of Bills a week ago - that was the push.

4" of ice 600 miles NNW of here in MB on Sat as they are now ice fishing, all waterfowl was gone by last Friday.

It was 21 here this AM. It's all over as far as I'm concerned as I just plain don't like to break ice with a thin skinned F7 and I'm getting just to old for the cold temps with my arthritic hands.

It's heading to upper teens Thurs AM and 12 for Fri down here.

As Dandy Don would say: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtGxusvUT3k

Those that want the 12 day split in the South zone - I have a message for you all - FU! As you all have selfishly screwed us out of another week of open water hunting AGAIN!

It is not over for me. I will hit the river several times in the next three weeks before she closes. As for Bullet I hear he is currently standing on the ice at Marsh Lake and picking off greenheads as flocks of 200 to 400 drop onto the ice from hundreds of yards high. They are currently 2 short of a 9 man limit. The birds love Marsh Lake so much they will land on 12 inches of ice if need be.

Buddy in SD says they are freezing fast and will have a low of 12 tonight. Glad I hunted last week as it was EPIC as some like to say.

[lanyard]

It was an epic weekend to be a waterfowler in MN. Great reports coming in from all around the state. My dad really enjoyed getting on some good diver shoots. Reminded him of the old bluebill days at Red Lake.

Sounds like Al was at home checking weather forecasts during the big push.

I plan to hunt until the north zone closes. Should be able to head out ice fishing after the hunt this coming weekend. Skim ice on the lake out back this morning.

Fingers crossed at Thanksgiving we'll have ducks until 9:00, pheasants until lunch, then popping holes until an hour past sunset in SW MN.

The cold does suck, though. Buddy shut the water off at his cabin so had to bucket flush the toilet. Walking down to the wide open lake watching ducks fly every freaking direction while filling buckets from skim ice shoreline which all opened up with the NW wind yesterday.

Things are going to freeze, but to Hansen's point, this is the BEST freeze we've had in a long, long time. Nice and gradual with enough wind/weather. Wish I hadn't lost 6 hours on Thursday to a freaking household issue, would've made for a "blast" to hunt Thursday afternoon!

MN's Big Water issues might be a boon with NoDak and SoDak icing over. Better than any wind, no water in ND/SD should mean better hunting here. I should also add that the ducks I saw flying last night were heading North West, into the wind, for food and roost. Your honey hole might be locked up, but the game isn't over.