Author: Webmaster

Posted By:
John-Donelon
Field Editor

S.Dakota 12-03-2008 14:05
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Not having any Field editors does not help matters. I hunted two years in a row in the Webster area,got all the information I asked about and it saved me a lot of scouting and helped my gasoline bills.I found the majority of farmers I spoke with were really good people and did not run into any real problems in getting permission to hunt their land,on a few occassions I was not given permission,I understood,family used the ground,but both farmers thanked me for asking first.I don’t believe that residents don’t like out of state hunters and that is why no inforfmationis given,more information given by members means more for your local economy.Anyone from any of the states wanting information on hunting here in Missouri,just post it on the web page and I will do my best to get the information back.What hacks me off are the out of state hunters,just going right on the land to hunt without permission,this riles a lot of Missouri Farmers.

Posted By:
spirit
Web Member

12-02-2008 22:08
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south dakers hate out of state waterfowl hunters so they will not post. I was a member of a local waterfowl club until they sent my money back and refused membership based on where I lived.

Posted By:
PlatRvrJake
Web Member

12-02-2008 05:47
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does anybody even hunt in SD anymore or just too busy shooting ducks to report?

Posted By:
wbduckman
Web Member

11-18-2008 19:38
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Whacktherat,
Could’nt help but read and feel your pain.
Guides have completly destroyed Duck Hunting opportunities here in Arkansas.
Animal Rights Groups are not threatning Hunting. Guide and Outfitters are !
Canada is next !

Posted By:
whacktherat
Guest

Sand lake, Putney Slough, Scatterwood 11-17-2008 13:29
Cloudy, High Winds – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
Hunted last week around Britton, Groton, Aberdeen down to Scatterwood. Some areas had good numbers of mallards and divers. Snow geese seemed to be most anywhere but SW of Aberdeen there were alot. Noticed on Saturday night a push of Snows leaving the scatterwood area but right about the time you think they were going south you would see some coming back North. If SD stays above freezing during the day hunting should still be good but you have to scout to find the sweet spot. The James River flowing south of 12 seemed to have snows sitting around it as they probably use the river system when things freeze hard for 2 consecutive days. I’m sure this is the tail end of migration but right about the time you think that you find another gaggle of mallards swarming corn fields. The pheasant hunting is really tough as walk in lands are pounded and the birds are getting out 200-300yds ahead. Stopped by many farmers places to ask for permission to hunt for pheasants and they said “would let you but leased it to guides”. Guides are getting $150.00 to $250.00 a day for guided pheasant hunts. Spoke to someone with the SD game and fish and he mentioned hunting pheasants is becoming the Kings hunt. I really hope they do something about the problem as I would really hate to see kids no longer being able to go and enjoy hunting pheasants. Not to many kids I know can afford $750.00 for a 3 day hunt and that does not include lodging, meals, transportation. Sorry, had to get that off my chest. It was another enjoyable waterfowl hunt in South Dakota but may just skip it next year as all the leased land has left a bad taste in my mouth. Shoot straight and be safe.

Posted By:
Dicky Duck
Web Member

central sd 11-10-2008 09:42
Cloudy, High Winds – 25-30 Degrees – Ice
hunted 11-7 to 11-9- Did not see many ducks on the 7th, shot a few red heads. I scouted the rest of the day. There were groups of mallards on lake Thompson and holed up in small ponds with cover. Driving the back roads and scouting was a trick.
11-8 we set up in a east west pond with lots of shelter on the northwest end. The ice and snow had built up on the edge and I worked up a good sweat just getting my stuff through the cattails and snow.Divers and gadwells were dropping into the decoys as I was setting up and I had a lot of shots but wanted to wait for the mallards. by 10am I had my mallard and was cold and wet, time to get to the truck and some coffee.
11-9- I tried a deeper pond today. The dog and I had to break ice to set up the decoys ( thank God for my Avery dog stand, the old dog was about frozen ) We shot four mallard and missed a bunch but agian I was cold and wet, me and the dog had had enough.

I hope this is not the end but if the ice keeps building up I think that we puddle snipers will have to wait till next year. I hope to try some field shooting but without the time or connections to scout it may be a waste of time.

Posted By:
Dabble
Gold Sponsor

ne sd 11-09-2008 21:20
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I hunt over the border in mn, RU sure there are still alot of birds? I`ve been getting reports of the birds being blown out of the area. News to me. I drove through the area and didn`t see much. www.waterfowljunkie.com

Posted By:
whacktherat
Guest

ne south dakota 11-09-2008 19:37
Cloudy, Snow Flurries – 25-30 Degrees – Ice
not much time to talk but alot of birds in the area. Water is freezing but birds still around in force.

Posted By:
Straygator
Guest

Sully County, West Prarie, Sutton’s Bay 11-09-2008 17:42
Arctic Blast – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
Hunted Nov 6-9, right before and during the blizzard

Nov 6, Ducks feeding in harvested corn field, weather was slowly deteriorating toward blizzard, set up on open water pond and limited out on Mallards, Bluebills and widgeon, SAW canvasback, pintail and redheads on the pond all day but as usual at the other end. Saw one flight of Canada geese and several flights of snows

Nov 7, blizzard conditions set up on the pot hole and shot 4 mallards, 2 geese, 2 bluebills but the number of birds seen dropped. Saw migrating snows in the late afternoon

Nov 8, Water was still open, went back, shot 2 ducks, did not see any thing after 8 am except migrating snows, Canada Geese and ducks at altitude, everything was heading south.
The Lake is open and that evening the feed bag was on as ducks and geese came out to feed, Plenty of corn available and lots of unharvested fields. Should be very good shooting this week

Finally got after the pheasants on Satuday and took our limit as the birds were huddled up in any cover they could find

Posted By:
spirit
Web Member

11-08-2008 20:25
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the NE game and park duck counter at the boat ramp said the boat duck kill average was 4 per boat, appx 1 duck per person.
Ducks are south. By the way the nr rules in ne will be diffrent next year.

Posted By:
steveandzoom
Guest

Day County 11-07-2008 21:19
Cloudy, Snow & Rain Mix – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Hunted Day and Marshall Counties from 10/31 to 11/7. Weather started out in the 50s, climbed to the 70s, and finished with a snow storm and incredible winds. A few ducks are in, but not the bulk of the migration by the time we left (11/07). We shot mallards, ringbills, bluebills, and GW teal. As a sidebar, we also hunted pheasants. A few snows and blues were spotted on 11/05. Canada geese were seen, but that is always the case. Species seen, but we made no attempted to shoot, were lots of shovelers and ruddy ducks. Very few gadwell, no widgeon, a few redheads and cans were seen. For the first time, I saw no pintails.
Hunted after the storm (11/07) but we did not see a noticeable increase in birds. If they come through, it will be this week as the forecast is for very cold weather. I suspect most, if not all, the smaller water will be hard by Thursday morning, if the forecast is accurate.
We had a terrific time, regardless of the general lack of birds. Compared to seasons at the same time, we saw about 33% of what is consider typical for this time of year.

Posted By:
steveandzoom
Guest

Day County 11-07-2008 21:19
Cloudy, Snow & Rain Mix – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Hunted Day and Marshall Counties from 10/31 to 11/7. Weather started out in the 50s, climbed to the 70s, and finished with a snow storm and incredible winds. A few ducks are in, but not the bulk of the migration by the time we left (11/07). We shot mallards, ringbills, bluebills, and GW teal. As a sidebar, we also hunted pheasants. A few snows and blues were spotted on 11/05. Canada geese were seen, but that is always the case. Species seen, but we made no attempted to shoot, were lots of shovelers and ruddy ducks. Very few gadwell, no widgeon, a few redheads and cans were seen. For the first time, I saw no pintails.
Hunted after the storm (11/07) but we did not see a noticeable increase in birds. If they come through, it will be this week as the forecast is for very cold weather. I suspect most, if not all, the smaller water will be hard by Thursday morning, if the forecast is accurate.
We had a terrific time, regardless of the general lack of birds. Compared to seasons at the same time, we saw about 33% of what is consider typical for this time of year.

Posted By:
spirit
Web Member

11-07-2008 20:00
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Check out ther MO site but not before you leave money behind.

Posted By:
spirit
Web Member

11-07-2008 19:53
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Dave like most things in life a few are rich, afew are good looking and a few in the know. Please help the local economy and spend all you can. The Ne duck counter gave a two duck average per boat today. This was at 5:30 pm.

Posted By:
kpsriverdice
Web Member

11-07-2008 18:48
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Spirit…What are you smoking?

Posted By:
spirit
Web Member

11-07-2008 10:38
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That was before the drought that has devistated the dakotas the last few years.

Posted By:
whacktherat
Guest

11-07-2008 06:16
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Spirit,
I was out in South dakota about 6 years ago when it got a foot to a foot and a half of snow. We hunted migrating birds for another 5 days. When you say they are gone are you referring to the ones in your back pond?

Posted By:
spirit
Web Member

springfield 11-06-2008 23:41
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well they flew over but that is all. I remember when ron weinike (or however you spell it) talked of the great passage. I beileve that is what just happened. Weather is so bad SD is in state of emergencey and the ducks are gone to Kansas or missouri- lucky bastxrds.

Posted By:
Dicky Duck
Web Member

north of Bridgewater 11-06-2008 08:05
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
Friday 10-31 — shot three mallaeds and two gadwells in an hour and a half.
I was travaling all weekend and did not hunt.
Wednesday 11-05– shot two teal and one gadwell in four hours. Did not see anything flying. I scouted the rest of the day. There were a few ducks on shallow ponds but nothing on big water. I did see some koots. I don’t know where the ducks are but I do know they are not around here. I hope the bad weather will bring some birds down, but if it snows the birds will fly through the state.

Posted By:
cdickinson
Guest

Mo River Springfield 11-03-2008 10:39
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
Took the nephews for our annual river hunt Saturday and Sunday. Obviously not the right time, but when you have to schedule 60 days in advance you take what you get. I arrived on Friday afternoon and spent three hours in the boat scouting. Didn’t look good. I never saw a group of more then five or six ducks anywhere, most of the groups I flushed were twos and threes.

Saturday we had slow but steady action all day and should have had close to a limit, but ended up with six due to young shooters learning the game. Five mallards and one wood duck. We scouted again and decided to move toward the main lake on Sunday. Not the right move, should have went further west. Ended Sunday at 10:00 with three, two mallards and one Widgeon. Hard to hunt when it is 80 and no wind.

Couple of interesting things; we saw several small groups of mallards that were all drakes, no hens at all? Groups started shooting on Saturday, twenty minutes before legal shooting time. Never will understand? Sunday they did better and waited until ten minutes before shooting time. Slow weekend, but still a great time with young hunters.

Posted By:
Ktownwaterfowler
Guest

Webster, South Dakota 11-03-2008 10:28
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just got back from our first trip to So Dak and had a great time. The duck hunting was great. Three of us took home our 30 birds and we ate a few while there. The pheasant hunting was really tough with the amount of corn still standing. We did not push the pheasants real hard as midday hunting was nearly pointless. Finally figured things out the last afternoon and hunted later and got into some birds when they came out of the corn to roost. Overall a great trip and will definitely be out again. Thanks to all from this great state.

Posted By:
spirit
Web Member

mo rvr 11-02-2008 20:32
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saw very few ducks and lots of untalented hunters and game wardens at boat ramp and they said they will be there every day this year. Time to go where the ducks are!

Posted By:
tcsduck
Guest

missouri river 10-30-2008 14:32
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 50-60 Degrees
Hunted last 3 days, very poor, few ducks, waiting for weather chance and big push from upnorth

Posted By:
Dicky Duck
Web Member

north of Madison 10-30-2008 09:53
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 30-34 Degrees – Ice
wed. morning – WE had to break skim ice to set the decoys. We were set up by 7:15 and had to watch four flights of Gadwells and Redheads buss our spread, severl birds landed in the decoys before we could shoot. At 7:30 we opened up, by 8:00 we had eight ducks, four redheads and four gads.Brian, my other gun, shot the four redheads with two rounds. He said it was the Black Cloud effect. I did not get a shot and we had to watch several more groups of redheads land in the decoys. It was nine oclock before we got our last two gads.
The local game warden was at the truck when we came out. He said that there had been some Mallards feeding in corn stuble and that everone had the same story. A guick morning shot and no birds after 9 or 10. We scouted and pheasent hunted the rest of the day. There were good numbers of ducks on shallow, 4 th 6 inches, water but not many on the big water. West of Howard we saw a lot of koots, I hate koots,which brings me to think that the freeze was not over the whole state.
Pheasent hunting was tough. If we hadn’t had two good dogs we would not have flushed a bird. We ended up with five.
We are thinking about going farther north of Madison, does anyone have any reports of good shooting in the north central areas?

Posted By:
Paul-Burton
Field Editor

NE South Dakota 10-29-2008 11:16
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NE South Dakota Oct 24-27 2008

FIL Steve, his brother Greg and BIL Will made it to the resort that we stay at every year about 1 pm on Friday, headed right out to scout some of our productive spots from years past. While scouting we saw some birds, mix of divers and puddlers, but not an over abundance of them. Decided to sit on a medium size water on an island with 2 dzn mallard decoys and a mojo spinnin’. Saw a few small flocks drop into the other end of the lake, nothing wanted to be by us. Oh no, we are into educated local birds like last week in Madison area. Not a shot fired and off the water by dark.
Woke up Sat. morn to 35 degrees and light winds and clear. Took a short boat ride in the 18’ Canadian and set up in the mallard honey hole from shore with 4 dzn mallards and one dzn full body mallards scattered along the shore. Early action included a few single and double gadwalls but no mallards. We could see some birds working the main water of the big lake but nothing wanted in the honey hole. Great, we are dealing with educated local birds I thought to myself. Sat until 10:30 Uncle Greg and BIL Will had some shooting but I did not pull the trigger. Packed up, headed back to the resort and made breakfast and hit the road scouting. By this point, only 24 hrs into my biggest trip of the year I was discouraged. I slept of my disappointment in the truck and told the guys, “wake me if there is something to shoot or see.” 2 hrs of scouting, er sleeping, and I was never waken from my slumber. The boys saw some birds around but no large concentrations. Finally we found a series of small sloughs that were holding decent numbers of ringers, mallards and buffles. Decided to sit on the edge of one for the last 2 hrs and pass shoot birds coming to and from these small bodies of water. One buffle winged past. Will and I missed once, missed twice, and finally connected on my third shot. Both Will and I were excited to drop a bird, then the question was posed, why weren’t you shooting? What do you mean, why weren’t you shooting? Apperently we both fired all three of our shells at the same exact time and both of us connected on the third! 10 min later another buffle winged thru and Will had the shot, one miss, two miss and finally while his twisted body, and at the end of his swing, he connected with the bird and dropped it. Saw many other flocks of ringers and buffles, I think if we would have thrown out just a few decoys we could have had some closer, decoying shooting.
Sat. night winds starting building, and building. I woke up at 3 a.m. Sunday morning to the loudest, howliest winds I have ever heard in my life. Woke up late thinking nothing would fly in these winds. Got set up about 8 a.m. with the long line and two dzn loose divers in time to catch the last 25 minutes of ducks morning flight, we were wrong, birds were out moving in the 35+ mph winds! Like many other people have said in other field reports, once you shot at these birds, they would adjust there wings, and sail away. We ended up sitting all day, really no new birds but more shooting. Ended the day with 4 ringers, 4 cans (4 guys) and a buffle.
Monday morning was plain EPIC!!! Set up very close to were we were the previous day on very large water. Set up with the long line, dzn loose divers , side set of mallards, full bodies on shore and finally got the mojo working properly. Started slow right at sunrise with double and triple groups of mergies and buffles in the decoys perfectly. Then about 8:45 it started. Flocks of 15-20 mallards circling once and then without hesitation, right in the landing zone. EPIC! I have spent little time in mallard shoots, but this was unbelievable. Same size flocks of cans and gads did the same thing. These were for sure new birds that had come south with the nasty weather and they wanted to sit and rest. By 10:30 we had 20 birds for 4 guys. This morning saved our trip from being a bust.

Anyone who hunted in the storms on Sunday and were discouraged, get back out there, I think it only needed a little more time for birds to move south.

No traveling for a while, hitting the local scene around Brainerd MN for the next week and a half, keep you posted.

Posted By:
cdickinson
Guest

Tripp County, SD 10-26-2008 11:18
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
Hunted Friday and Saturday. Had a real nice gadwall shoot on Friday, tougher time on Saturday with clear skies and no wind. We manage a mixed bag, but not limits.

We have seen a pretty good increase in ducks this week. Feels like the front end of the mirgration. Lakes I am hunting on are holding good numbers. Lots of Gadwalls, some mallards, wigeon, woodducks,redheads, bluebills, a few canvasbacks. We had about a 1000 specks on the lake when we showed up on Friday. In seven years of hunting this lake I have never seen a speck on it. They were gone on Saturday morning. We are still seeing Cranes migrate through.

I shot my firt Bull Canvasback Saturday, we don’t normally get them in this area.

I am really struggling with the hunters choice bag limits that we are in the test area for. I really have a hard time equating a hen mallard to a canvasback or pintail. I may start a thread on the state discussion page to hear others comments.

Posted By:
Paul-Burton
Field Editor

Madison and west 10-22-2008 21:30
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Duck report Oct. 18-20
Madison, SD area

Traveled just a short distance west from Pipestone, MN to Madison, SD with my father in law, brother in law and uncle in law.. Scouted Friday evening south of Madison, checking larger public waters. Found a small concentration of birds and picked it.
Woke up Sat. morn at 5 a.m. to a 10 mph SSE wind, traveled 15 min. to landing to find 3 other trucks! Put in the ol’ reliable Lund Ducker and headed out. Found a small point/corner on the lake and set up with 2 dzn mallards, a few teal and redheads mixed in. 6 geese set of to the side. Set the decoys in a looser, large group.
Some birds flew early and we were buzzed by some divers, finally I connected on a lightning fast teal and the game was on. Other birds worked us but were fairly spooked. I even witnessed birds flare at other rafts of live birds! Small flocks of teal, mallards and gadwalls. Worked the water and other groups did have shooting. We pulled out at 9 with 2 teal, 1 drake widgeon, 1 redhead. My thoughts on the morning bird activity was 1, lower than usual for this area, 2, Birds were spooked and I think had been shot at in the area. Scouted for an hour before chasin’ roosters and found a public piece we had hunted years past loaded with birds at 11 a.m.
Sun Morn we headed to that public spot that had produced teal and widgeon in previous years. ENE wind and 40 degrees and clear. Water on the piece was down roughly 1 foot, and using the ducker was useless. Due to lack of time till shooting, we compromised on a point/corner. Set the same decoys in two separate tight groups.
The start was slow with few birds on the water or even moving, finally about 745, flocks of 4-8 would wing in, working our dekes, working other groups of coots/ducks on the opposite side, back and forth for 3 passes each and the live birds won out. Took one lone teal, and watched small flock after small group drop into the opposite shore just a short distance away. Pulled out at 930 and Scouted before roosters. Found more water loaded with flocks of cans, widgeon, gads, mallards and a few teal. Hopes were raised and waited for the next morn.
Got to the new water we found nice and early and set up in the NW corner, 35 degrees and the 15 mph howling wind that we woke up to on lake Madison was nothing south of Howard. Birds poured in and lack of movement from decoys killed us. Mojo battery was dead. Finally stripped off cord from 4 decoys and made a quick jerk cord. Too late, birds were set and not flying. What do you do when you get busted- JUMP SHOOT!
Found a gadwall and a spoonie.

Over all thoughts are that all the birds we encountered were local birds that had been shot at and very decoy/cover shy. Tue afternoon while driving back to Brainerd was on the phone with any hunter I knew to get an idea on bird movements. Northern ND, birds moving in, Ole has also seen this. NW MN, lake of the woods, and south and west of that area has seen a HUGE influx of blue bills, and other divers, no mallards from what I have heard. Tue morn local brainerd report from my partner is sightings of Buffleheads, ringbills and some mallards. Wood Ducks are gone.

I am traveling to north eastern SD for ducks fri-mon, reported snow showers in that area and north tomorrow, hopefully fill up with the first big flights of northern birds.

Posted By:
Ktownwaterfowler
Guest

one week to go 10-22-2008 10:00
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three of us will be heade to So Dak in a week. we leave the 28 th and will be there through the weekend chasing ducks and pheasants. Any reports would be great. staying in the Webster area. PM me if you like

Posted By:
tlimoges
Guest

South of Sioux Falls 10-20-2008 13:43
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 60-65 Degrees
Finally some good numbers of ducks and geese around. Hunted pheasants this weekend but walked a field that normally holds small a small amount of ducks and to my suprise there was 30-40 on the water. Good Sign!

Posted By:
wigout
Guest

North Central 10-16-2008 18:47
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 45-50 Degrees
1000’s of cranes.

Posted By:
wigout
Guest

North Central 10-16-2008 17:53
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 45-50 Degrees
1000’s of cranes.

Posted By:
cdickinson
Guest

Tripp County 10-16-2008 13:09
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 40-45 Degrees
Hunted one of the local lakes this morning after scouting yesterday. We are starting to see some birds come into the area. I am sure they moved in on Monday and Tuesday with the north wind and the full moon. Mixed bag on the lake. Birds didn’t work well and were very content to raft and feed. They never left to feed and only flew when one of the dumb ones came to my decoys and I shot it. Then the lake would explode. Looks like the local geese are bunching up. Was able to harvest a limit of big Canadas. Just the front end right now, but we finally have huntable numbers.

Posted By:
MW-WaterFowler
Web Member

East of Lake Vermillion 10-14-2008 19:52
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 50-60 Degrees
Went out last friday in the afternoon with a friend. Decoyed a lil pond I have hunted the last 3 years, and it seems like this year there are fewer ducks in the area compared to the 2 previous years. Ended up with only one blue wing teal and a green wing. Went out Saturday morning, and saw a little more birds. Still only ended up wit only 2 birds. 2 blue wings. Heard shots all morning so I’m sure someone was gettin birds. Hope to go out this weekend again. I’ll let yall know how it goes. Happy hunting

Posted By:
schoff
Guest

SE SD 10-14-2008 06:05
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Hunted Saturday with not much luck….just a few teal. Did not see too many ducks in the area.

Posted By:
schoff
Guest

SE 10-10-2008 07:35
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Headin out tomorrow morning. Hope there are still some local quackers around yet.

Posted By:
Paul-Burton
Field Editor

madison area 10-08-2008 20:51
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well, i live in Minnesota but will be doing two hunts in two different locations in the SD.
First trip will be the 17-19 oct.
Madison area

trip 2 oct 23-27 further north near Lake city

keep you posted

burtfishmonger
chasin ducks 5 days a week in n. central MN

Posted By:
tlimoges
Guest

Sioux Falls 10-06-2008 15:59
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Went out yesterday afternoon. Not much flying saw 4 teal in 2+ hours. Did scare up a few ringnecks though, can wait for the resident opener this weekend

Posted By:
MW-WaterFowler
Web Member

09-29-2008 17:19
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HHMMM….. Is South Dakota a bad place to hunt waterfowl??????? It kind of seems like it when we don’t have any “State Volunteer Field Editors”. I thought last year, and the year before we had 3 or 4. I heard word last year that a big rig that rents alot of land from a farmer ran into a “Field Editor”, and there was a big conflict with him posting where the birds were and such. I thought this was America. Anyone else hear anything like this. message me…..

[Edited By MW-WaterFowler on 2008-09-29 17:19]

Posted By:
John-Donelon
Field Editor

Everywhere 09-21-2008 11:54
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Please read my report on Rick Nelson on the Missouri Web site.

Posted By:
tlimoges
Guest

Sioux Falls 09-19-2008 09:29
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Does anyone know of some good public land around the Sioux Falls area. I am new to the area and would appreciate any help I could get. I also have field equipment so any places to field hunt would be of help as well. Thanks in advance and good luck to all this season.

Posted By:
MW-WaterFowler
Web Member

SE SD 09-17-2008 17:40
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Hello all Waterfowl hunters!! Another season is on its way, can’t wait!! Has anyone been hunting the early goose season at all? How are the numbers? Hopefully good. Everyone good luck this year, and hope to hear some good field reprots. Take care.

Posted By:
Terry Wiseman
Guest

08-15-2008 18:34
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Cduk,when did this happen? When straight line winds hit here they are in a narrow line. What was the case up there? Just around Webster,outlying areas? Thanks for the scoop.

Posted By:
CDuklet
Web Member

Webster, SD 08-07-2008 22:35
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Just an fyi to those of you coming up this fall, the Webster and Waubay areas were hit very hard recently with a wind storm. 100+ mph straight line winds took most of the trees down in the area. A lot of the land owners lost crops, buildings and friends. If you are up here, give something back when you get permission to hunt. Send some money at the local businesses. Give a farmer a hand. The residents could use a little extra this year.

Thanks in advance,

Duke

Posted By:
Carp Master
Web Member

03-30-2008 21:30
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I didn’t make it out this weekend ( watching my 2 yr old grandson) but my two sons went out to the James River Valley east of Aberdeen and up to the Sand Lake Area. They said there are very large numbers around Sand Lake (SD GF & P say around 400,000 in this area) Very hard getting close enough to get any shots. They said they saw two groups of hunters trying to decoy, but they only tried to cow them on section lines.

Posted By:
FoldEmUp
Guest

03-28-2008 18:22
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jt- we hunt ND in October and the drakes can be scrappy. Check out my profile and it will give you an idea of early October birds in ND.

[Edited By FoldEmUp on 2008-03-28 18:24]

Posted By:
jtidmore
Web Member

03-28-2008 13:03
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Hey guys,
not a report but a question. I will be traveling to South Dakota October 16th of this next season. How will the mallards be colored and that time? I can push my trip back if they will not be in full plummage. thanks alot

Posted By:
stmichaelalou
Guest

03-28-2008 09:38
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Ealier this week – Highway 14

De Smet to Sinai.

Posted By:
Carp Master
Web Member

03-27-2008 21:48
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With the snow band running through the middle of South Dakota, where are all the geese hanging out at? Heard reports over in the Bristol area.

Posted By:
DU870
Web Member

03-24-2008 17:33
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Squaw Creek in MO is now saying 50,000 snows. There are 950,000+ snows somewhere. Anyone seeing them?

Headed to SD Thursday and I am itching to get in the field!

Posted By:
Carp Master
Web Member

Mellette (20 Mi. S of Aberdeen) 03-24-2008 11:30
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
Managed to get out Saturday (22nd), hunted in the Mellette area, birds seemed to be just starting to show back up after we had 8-14″ of snow here in Aberdeen on Thursday of last week. Managed just three birds, got in between two flocks feeding in the middle of a section. Walked the cows up the section line and sat down. The weather is supposed to be nice, but windy today and then chance of another snow event Wednesday into Thursday, should hold them south of us again. The southern part of the state is supposed to get rain. Keep shooting them to the south. Wouldn’t you know it the winds are blowing up to 30 and I am in my office watching flock after flock fighting the wind going south today.

Posted By:
kvillabob
Web Member

I-90 to 34 between salem and howard 03-23-2008 00:07
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 35-40 Degrees
Constant Stream for 2nahalf hours. Feeding Constantly

Posted By:
whacktherat
Guest

South Dakota 03-19-2008 14:56
– – 30-34 Degrees – Ice
Well, ended up finding a decent group of birds around Kramer east of lake andes about 50 miles. I would say the big push of birds has not happened yet for SD. When we drove back to the cities we saw small flocks on the way home but nothing large to speak of. My buddy hunted squaw creek and said the 1.5 million were still around. I would say not much north of Desmet as of Monday evening. Awaiting for reports of the large migration to start and hopefully we can hit them then.

Posted By:
buffleheadchicken
Web Member

aberdeen 03-19-2008 09:42
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Any snows around was hoping to come out this weekend?

Posted By:
belanger
Web Member

Huron 03-18-2008 19:34
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Does anyone know if there are birds in this area yet

Posted By:
Dabble
Gold Sponsor

sand lake 03-18-2008 12:56
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Hunted Sat to Mon and I was bummed that I didn`t go south. Big old tough birds. Sat started very slow since the birds that were there Fri. went south and started coming back around 4PM. Sunday was alot better but the birds didn`t work very well. Monday they wouldn`t work at all. Ended up with only 9 birds.

Posted By:
whacktherat
Guest

southcentral/southeast dakot 03-15-2008 21:59
– – 35-40 Degrees
Drove thru watertown, Desmet, Howard, Salem and over to webster and was disappointed with birds on the ground. Found areas with 2-5 thousand birds on the ground but it took $100.00 in gas to find them and often times they were surrounded with hunters. Hopefully tomorrow will better. Spoke to friend in south of us a state or 2 and still lots of snow geese so more to come thats for sure.

Posted By:
superblackjack
Web Member

Turner County 03-15-2008 11:13
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I spent Thursday and Friday working in this area and both days the snows, honkers and specs were really pouring into and through the area. Huge flocks of high flying snows heading north on both days…..all day long. Saw a few fields around Dolton plum full of snows on Friday with the classic tornado coming down on them. I don’t mess with them in the spring but it sure is fun to see. I imagine Sand Lake is filling up as we speak.

Posted By:
kvillabob
Web Member

03-13-2008 09:43
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Looking to hunt kingsbury county saturday morning. Anyone know if they’re sitting on thompson yet? Any report from miner co. or surrounding area would be very helpful. Thanks Guys.

Posted By:
marcell
Guest

03-12-2008 20:26
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
anyone know how many are are around the brookings area

Posted By:
hard hitter
Guest

03-11-2008 10:18
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carp master, i heard that they are in the yankton area but with this warm weather they might be up in the aberdean area too. it’s too hard to tell now but they should be close.

Posted By:
Carp Master
Web Member

03-11-2008 10:05
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With the warm temps we are having, is there anyone out and about that can tell me if the birds are on their way to the Aberdeen Area?. My 12 yr old son is itching to kill something.

Posted By:
Wapiti
Web Member

Money Maker 03-06-2008 03:38
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I do believe the 18th-23rd is going to be good and in fact that is when we are heading out. All I can say is try and be flexible. When you see warm temps and south winds in the Madison area, that is the time to go.

Posted By:
moneymaker
Guest

03-05-2008 19:49
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I live in southeastern,MN and I am planning a trip northwest of watertown,SD around March 18-23 or the following week and was just wondering if anyone could give some guidence on which would be a better time to go. Any info is greatly appreciated.

Posted By:
schoff
Guest

03-04-2008 18:02
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Some adults but no big numbers yet. Sounds like a cold windy few days….it could be a week or 2 yet before it gets good.

Posted By:
dnb
Guest

03-03-2008 10:52
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any birds in the yankton area yet

Posted By:
kvillabob
Web Member

Pierre area 03-02-2008 19:09
Cloudy, High Winds – 30-34 Degrees – Ice
Shot 5 this evening pass shooting, mixed with lots of canadians,they’re on their way

Posted By:
MW-WaterFowler
Web Member

SD 01-07-2008 23:28
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I’m ready for snow goose hunting. Can’t wait!!!

Posted By:
brentbullets
Guest

12-23-2007 16:25
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Jeff, I wouldn’t drive very far. Ducks are few and well conditioned.

Posted By:
jeff206
Guest

Ok—-I get it! 12-22-2007 16:15
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Guess we’ll have to make do with what’s available on the Nebraska side. This practice is legal for Iowa/Illinois residents hunting or fishing the Mississippi river as long as you hunt on the side you are licensed for.

Posted By:
Art-Marshall
Field Editor

12-22-2007 08:18
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Jeff, go for it buddy. We’ll be standing on the bank rooting for you .