General spring waterfowl updates

[lanyard]

Not Waterfowl related, but the juvie white tails have apparently been booted with the new Fawn birth. 94 from Monticello to Fergus looks like a grindhouse

[Hansen]

Drove around the country yesterday, man are there duck broods around. They range in size from full grown to puff-balls. The grasses around central MN looks tall and lush, with great water conditions. I think the Dakota's are as dry as a pop-corn fart, could be a really good fall boys.

[Hansen]

Drove around the country yesterday, man are there duck broods around. They range in size from full grown to puff-balls. The grasses around central MN looks tall and lush, with great water conditions. I think the Dakota's are as dry as a pop-corn fart, could be a really good fall boys.

[h2ofwlr]

It'd have to get REALLY dry for at least a couple of years before the flyway would shift back east to MN. As still lots of water out there of newly formed lakes from the last 20 years that would need to dry up to get back to "normal" water conditions.

I agree, lot of ducks this year in MN from I've seen too in S MN.

[9manfan]

Been seeing alot of little ducks last few weeks, and the little geese are not soo little anymore, dam they grow fast.....

[h2ofwlr]

Low and behold.... Last night I crossed 101 bridge in Chanhassen/Shakopee, and here the 2 Swan had 2 young cygnets. They were sitting on the old rat hive where they were a month ago. So they did hatch before the the area flooded.
If traveling towards Shakopee, they are about 1/2 way across the slough area on the right side out about 150' from the bridge right before the biggest open water area.

[Quack]

It'd have to get REALLY dry for at least a couple of years before the flyway would shift back east to MN. As still lots of water out there of newly formed lakes from the last 20 years that would need to dry up to get back to "normal" water conditions.

Not to mention the 20 generations of ducks and geese hatched in the dakotas and Canada that have established a solid tradition of not migrating through MN.

[h2ofwlr]

Imprinting is definitely a factor as you pointed out.


Like it or not, the best thing for Mn hunting in the fall is Westerly winds as it pushes the flights more Eastward.

[lanyard]

There is a drain tile plugged in Douglas Cty, probably an acre of sheet water surrounding the an inlet... and it's full of ducks. Some sort of irony in that.

UPDATE:
Got a pic driving by tonight, about 1/2 the ducks that were in it earlier. Doing this via phone, not sure if the pic will come through..

[h2ofwlr]

Just imagine in the WSW 1/2 of MN that if every drained/tiled low spot looked like that - as it once did 100 yrs ago. There'd be NO complaints of no ducks in MN.