MN Fowl Free Lance Spring Hunt

[cstemig]

Let's try it mid-week, Tues-Thurs. The temps show a warming trend with milder weather. Again, I'm planning on the Aberdeen area. We should be able to find some within a short driving range. I'll be leaving early Tuesday morning for some scouting and possible afternoon hunt.

[9manfan]

are we out there ?? killing any ??

talked to a guy that was in the Desmet area and according to him there was lots of white devils around there.....

[h2ofwlr]

It's a roller coaster ride weather wise for eastern SD. Its snowing out there right now with a stiff N wind. 50/60s for the weekend and back to 30s for highs Mon-Tues.

[greatwhitehunter3!]

Anyone heard from Chuck?

[cstemig]

Just got back an hour ago. I fought a blizzard and very icy roads from Webster SD to Marshall MN. It was some of the worst driving conditions that I have ever experienced.

Well, after a day and a half of it, Geese One, Chuck Zero! I didn't even fire a shot. I hunted near the Groton SD area, where we hunted the past few years. Very few "local birds." I was anticipating a good migration push yesterday with the 50 degree weather, but that didn't happen the way that I wanted to either. Last night at 6:30, there were several large, honey-combed flocks of migrators flying up in the stratosphere. I couldn't tell if they were adults, juvies, or both. I could hear them, but couldn't identify them.

That part of SD is very dry. They received very little snow this season and hardly any rain. Traditional sheet water places were dry as a bone. I hunted in a corn field, with two sheet water ponds in it. That still wasn't enough to draw what birds there were into my spread. Another group of hunters with even a larger spread as set up about 1 1/2 miles to the south of me. I didn't see a bird in their area or hear a shot either. It was still all good anyway.

p.s. Most weather predictions for that area were way off with their predicted wind speed. What was predicted as 10-20 mph wind, turned out to be gale force winds. I initially put up several flyers and some Real Wings, but took them down shortly afterward. Too much wind!

[cstemig]

So fellow goose killers, what is next? If someone else has a plan, please post up! Obviously I don't have all the answers.

[h2ofwlr]

For what is is worth... IMHO since you are not out there now, if it were me still in town and planning to head out, I'd take a wait and see attitude these next few days being a major blizzard is brewing for the Dakotas. Maybe by Tues the snow depth and what the geese did will be known and then hunt the last 1/2 of the week when the weather stabilizes.

[tornadochaser]

So fellow goose killers, what is next? If someone else has a plan, please post up! Obviously I don't have all the answers.

Wait a week for the next snow to melt and adults to gtf out of southern SD. Never seen so many adult birds in the area i hunt this late in march.

[h2ofwlr]

I'm curious as to what are you going to do Chuck? It looks like the weather is settling down after today.

Warm temps by this Sunday.

[cstemig]

Well, I am contemplating another trip out there possibly next week. I'm going to watch the weather forecasts and read some of the migration/hunting reports. IMHO, if the birds have not already pushed through SD, there still may be time for some hunting. I have not planned for a ND trip.