Rate It

[JayRo]

I did a cursory search and didn't find a heading to summarize the 2022 season (my apologies if I missed it). How would you rate the 2022 waterfowl season? Based on a scale of 1-5 (1 being awful 5 being the best) how would you rate the season?

I would rate my season a solid 3.5. I saw ducks every outing and had varied game straps. That was not the case in 2021. There was more than one trip in 2021 when I saw more swans than ducks. I hunted MN, SD and ND this year. Redheads were plentiful everywhere yet mallards not so much. Good numbers of wigeon, blue wings and gadwall. Ringer numbers maybe slightly low. The lack of mallards would be the only downer in my rating . I just didn't see many mallards anywhere. That and Canada goose numbers being low from August until I put my stuff away in November - but that was to be expected with poor production.

What say you?

[Mallard_maniac]

4, maybe 4.5....

hard to not say 5 but it can always get better I suppose. Every year, sept- canada geese seem to get easier. Ducks was better than 21'. The only dip in my season was late Oct when we would normally get a new bunch of birds. Still shot a good amount but you could tell they had seen the song and dance we were throwing at them before. Once our teal/woods leave I turn into the mallard snob everyone seems to despise. I don't care.... Anyway I think there were actually some great hunts to be had right about then for divers but I didn't try any. I would see them on area lakes/water but my motivation to shoot divers is pretty low.

opener through Oct 25ish...was unreal good. About rifle deer season through close was good as well. Had only 10 days or so that made us "work" for em..... This is also the first year in a long time I didn't pull the trigger on a blackduck or two.

[Drunk_Dynasty]

3 for me. Tough season with weddings and social obligations. I barely got out. Did as good as legally possible on teal opener. Did okay mid October, and then only killed one duck early November.

Least I’ve gotten out since I started duck hunting. Just wasn’t my season. Next year I won’t have a big western hunt so hopefully I can get out more.


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[Nershi]

2021 was probably my worst year ever in MN. 2022 was one of my best so I’d say 4-4.5. Shot limits or close to most trips and caught the late mallard push up north to end the season during freeze up. Had almost zero pressure after opener and there were thousands of ducks on a big piece of public that almost never got hunted all year. It was odd but I’ll take it. Great first year at the new duck camp.

Canada was tougher than normal but that was due to timing of a blizzard and making a bad call to make a big move that didn’t pay off. First year not coming back with full possession of mallards and pins but had a couple big snow shoots to make up for it.

[lanyard]

Boom and bust, peaks and valleys.... 3.5 of 5 as it was damn near limits or bust.

For reasons to hunt other than shooting ducks: 4.5 out of 5

Was able to hunt some new spots and got out with probably the most "different" guys this year than I have since I started having kids.

Kid got on the board with his official 1st duck when he and I took a brace from a flock of gaddies (he's stuck with an asshat old man that doesn't bust his ass to get him out on YWD so he's stuck shooting at whatever flies on the days he can go). He seems to like it better than deer hunting as long as things are flying. He got his own camo and waders this year as he's fitting into adult sizes. His gear is small on me, except the big ass size 12 feet he's got on the waders. Will likely have to replace his kit next year, but got a deal at Glen's in Grand Rapids. Love that store.

All in- can't complain about the 'open door' the wife gave me, particularly since there were weeks I was gone for work all week. Could use a few extra vacation days to burn during hunting season so I could enjoy it a bit vs run-run-run all weekend. Changing from business clothes to hunting clothes driving up 94 gets old.

[Duckman23]

I would say a solid 3 for me this year. Opener weekend was good overall. October was surprisingly decent for ducks, hunted mainly small rivers for ducks with the low water everywhere. November to start was slow then late mallards showed up in good numbers for the last maybe week and a half. Late season goose was overall a bust for me this year. Went out Friday and geese all went out of town the other direction so it was a bust. Geese all pretty much left the area on saturday so MN season for me is over. Might get 1 last trip in next week for geese out west but will see what happens.

[Fish Felon]

I'd rate it a three out of ten.

[Quack]

I didn’t even turn my duckboat right side up on the trailer this year. Very disappointed but I focused on putting the puppy on upland birds and being a dad so I guess that’s my fault.

Had a few cups of coffee with friends and family looking at the decoys in various locations in Minnesota. My season was a 2 at best, which basically means I’m giving myself a D for effort. Most people who tried had a decent season from what I heard.

I will prioritize waterfowl more next year as the pieces of puppy and family are falling into place to allow more hunting. It’s fun to see the kids getting more interested/excited. My youngest really turned savage this fall, the oldest is waffling between princess and savage.