The "big push" and tail end of the duck & Goose season for 2016

[h2ofwlr]

^^^ Add as such waterfowl numbers in Mn will continue to go down in future years as the cumulative effect of chemicals in the waters and then add the invasive species from carp to mussels that all continue to adversely effect the waters and thus the ducks # here in MN.

[gimpfinger]

^^^ Add as such waterfowl numbers in Mn will continue to go down in future years as the cumulative effect of chemicals in the waters and then add the invasive species from carp to mussels that all continue to adversely effect the waters and thus the ducks # here in MN.

Agree except I think zeebs will improve some places for waterfowl.

Take lac la parle lake, zeebs in there will definitely help it. Instead of pea green water there just might green weeds.

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[bobackwater]

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Ended it in Wisconsin today. Give my left nut for another week. As good as duck hunting gets this year.

[Bailey]

I thought the river was awful today. Very few ducks in the pool I was it. Major migration high and headed right over Minn and Iowa probably to the moist soil units of missouri. You to be much better on the river this time of year. Numbers 1/10 this time of year.

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[h2ofwlr]

lots of geese migrating today for sure.

[Bailey]

lots of geese migrating today for sure.

Mostly swans and geese but also saw 20 to 30 big flocks of ducks sky high going south.

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[Bailey]

Whoa.... I heard it ain't even happened yet!

The last two weeks of Oct and first week of Nov this state was full of birds and never saw a cloud or had a wind over 15 mph.

When Alabama opened they were shooting divers on the coast.

I'm not faking that the continental counts are real, there's some serious pixie dust there.

But it surprises me how many hunters think that there is a mystical 3 weeks or month where whenever they get a Saturday off to hunt, they will find a day or 5 that they are assholes and elbows deep in "northern" birds.... then everything freezesxand they don't see a bird again.

I've dinner it all over this state, in No Dak and So Dak, but stick around a decent duck area well after sunset. Watch the birds heading to roost in the twilight. Listen to the birds shout contentedly to each other.... maddening as hell.

Watch hunters fight for the same 10 spots in a lake. Watch the localized birds that know those 10 spots pull all the birds to them. See 9 of 10 rigs with the same fast grass scissors blind..... nothing wrong with it, but I had days this year watching thousands of birds going any damn place they pleased, very comfortably saying , "I see you ass hat", as they fly by, like the little kid that thinks they're hiding because they can't see you but their butt is sticking out behind the couch.

Minnesota generally sucks because our sloughs are holding ponds. Our lakes are not managed for their ecosystem but for their recreation. Our DNR is tasked as park managers. Our state leadership is a bunch of ninny knitting stocking darning metro slick chuckleheads that think a shower and trip for pheasants is a solid man card experience (with a couple exceptions).

The state's population is exceptionally urbanized to the point no one will move out state for manufacturing jobs, our average age is increasing, and the only population growth this state sees is Hispanic, Asian, and African. We are net loss on skilled workers and over loaded with college educated non-makers if things.

And given the slate of early candidates to replace Governor Mumbles, none of that is going to change.

I think the last best hope was when the DNR requested funding for 8 moist soil units and the vaunted Lessard council denied it. That shows you the priorities of duck management in this state. At this point the DNR no longer even pretends like there is any sort of plan to bring back ducks. Meanwhile Missouri laughs,at us as their most soil units hold like 60000 to 150000 ducks each. I did not even but a Minnesota license this year. I hunted two days in Wisconsin and 7 in south dakota. If I easy going to Mexico in a few months I'd probably take a trip to missourI or oklahoma.

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[Bullet21XD]

So having a couple duck parks is going to solve the problem?

Have you ever hunted Missouri public land?

Sure, having quality, well managed habitat could be beneficial. But, the MN DNR already tried it once, they failed. They lack the commitment to create a successful Moist Soil program. In the end, the DNR is virtually an anti hunting organization, they are not on the hunters' side.

[Bailey]

So having a couple duck parks is going to solve the problem?

Have you ever hunted Missouri public land?

Sure, having quality, well managed habitat could be beneficial. But, the MN DNR already tried it once, they failed. They lack the commitment to create a successful Moist Soil program. In the end, the DNR is virtually an anti hunting organization, they are not on the hunters' side.

I would agree they are not on the hunters side at all. When did they try the moist soil thing? As far as Missouri it seems lots of guys in fields and leased areas are slaughtering daily limits of birds that come from squaw nwr and the most soil units. We have zero refuges that attract and hold ducks in Minn. Heck lqp is lucky to get 10000 geese at peak in December. It's a joke.

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[lanyard]

The philosophy change at the DNR has to change from land acquisition to land management.

But until they own all the former prairie they're not going to stop. So, lots of land to hunt, nothing to hunt. They bust the drain tile in the slough, but let the remaining drain tile fill the slough.

Only 4 more years, eh? Then the DA prediction comes true and we won't have to worry about it any more and DA will say, "you know, if hunters only cared enough to save their past time....."