Category: Vermont

Posted By:
andy
Guest

08-13-2003 11:51
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Hi Rick;

Thanks for taking on the field editor job. We needed someone. Anywy…I live in Bennington and most of my hunitng has always been in NYS with a few exceptions. I know the CT river is supposed to be good. Now that I have a boat with a reliable motor, I was thinking about giving it a shot (so to speak). Any recommendations or ideas. From what part of the Ct River Valley do you hail?
Appreciate you help.

andy

Posted By:
rhiggers
Guest

NONE 07-20-2003 21:44
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
There’s a great movie out that should be of terrific interst to most of the folks that might check this forum. It’s called “Winged Migration”- it’s a small independent (unfortunately French made)film that really depicts what true athletes the waterfowl we pursue really are. I got tired driving 500 miles trailering the boat to go shoot the Eastern Shore in the Jan. 4 snowstorm last year. Look for and watch this flick and think of the 10 million plus wingbeats a year it takes to keep a northern pintail in business. A movie for waterfowlers well worth the price of admission…or rental. Great aerial footage…

[Edited By rhiggers on 2003-07-20 21:46]

[Edited By rhiggers on 2003-07-20 21:47]

Posted By:
rhiggers
Guest

Update 07-20-2003 21:38
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
JUST IN from our State Waterfowl Biologist Bill Crenshaw: PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THE PUBLIC WATERFOWL MEETING AND MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ATTEND!!!

The F&W Board set the September
seasons last Wednesday. They are:

Canada goose – September 2-25, 3birds/day (statewide)

Youth Waterfowl Weekend – September 27-28 (statewide)

The Annual Public Waterfowl Meeting will be on: Wednesday, August
13, UVM Billings Student Centre, Burlington (same place as in recent
years), 7:00-9:00 P.M.

The F&W Board will set the regular seasons (waterfowl, woodcock,
snipe) at their regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, August 20.

If we follow tradition, this will be a Saturday opening this year.

(Looks like the makings for a nice early liberal season…)

Posted By:

No Hunt: Wet Spring-Abundant Fall 07-02-2003 10:57
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
There’s been a real abundance of waterfowl in the CT River Valley so far this Spring and early summer. I’ve haven’t seen this many brooding Canada geese locally in many years- the area is just teaming with them. The wet spring was probably a good sign of things to come this fall…we can only hope. The Ottaquechee Chapter of DU will be holding its annual Sponsors Dinner on Thursday, September 18th, 2003. Save the date and please be in touch if you’d like more information on attending.

Posted By:
Forum Moderator
root

02-24-2003 15:40
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Dear Waterfowler.com Members,

Waterfowler.com is currently looking for more Volunteer Field Editors to participate in Waterfowler.com’s Volunteer State Field Editor Program in your state for the 2003/04 season.

Each Waterfowler.com State Field Editor will have his or her photograph and biography posted on their respective state page. Based on your level of participation we will renew your membership to Waterfowler.com website and Waterfowler.com Journal for free.

If you have time to volunteer by posting daily or weekly reports and are interested in participating in our program, please email me a short paragraph/biography which includes the number of years you have been hunting, the reasons why you have enjoyed this sport over the years, if you are involved in any organizations related to hunting and the reasons why you wish to participate in our program.

Please send your email to: vfe@waterfowler.com

Chrystel Eisenlohr
Director, Waterfowler.com VFE Program
vfe@waterfowler.com

Posted By:
DUCKMENVT
Guest

Essex, NY 12-09-2002 21:47
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Mark, I havent hunted down that way lately. We have done real well up near Burlington though. Dad hunted down by the bridge and saw the same thing though, well they didnt get the limit of mallards either! A lot of ducks but they were all out in the middle. They said there were flocks of hundreds of mergansers too.

Posted By:
markchap
WFC Sponsor

Addison 12-06-2002 17:10
Cloudy, Snow Flurries – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
was wondering if anyone on lake champlain is getting any wistlers . four of us hunted from daylight to aprox noonish and we did ok on big ducks we each got our limit but the only divers seen were flying up and down the center wich is unusual for where I hunt ? how have you been doing duckmenVT?

Posted By:
DUCKMENVT
Guest

12-01-2002 19:02
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Hey you might have me convinced! Are licenses expensive? Motel costs? I am going to check on flights, if not for this year maybe next!!

Posted By:
Zeke The Zen Puppy
Guest

South Platte River (South Park) – Colorado 11-30-2002 21:38
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
Bagged two whopper greenheads today up in the Pike National Forest in a region called “South Park.” (No kidding.) I almost missed them because I was watching a herd of big horn sheep pick their way down a small mesa to feed and drink along the South Platte.

“White goose” season (snows, ross’) peaks the first week in March. It is really good from mid-FEB through the end of MAR. No limits on number of birds. While the average day is 8-10 birds each, we’ve had 70 bird days – each. (Yes, I eat them: pepperoni and GREAT jerky!)

Canada’s are solid action from about now, reaching its best in early JAN thru mid-FEB and tapering off at the end of FEB when the season closes.

W.P. “Bill” Sullivan
State Merchandise Chairman
Colorado Ducks Unlimited
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Posted By:
DUCKMENVT
Guest

11-30-2002 20:32
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Sully,

How is the hunting for white geese later, like feb and march? Around here of course its just the 2 weeks as they migrate back through.

Posted By:
DUCKMENVT
Guest

11-30-2002 20:26
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Mark, I typically use about 15-25 whistler decoys and 15-20 mallard/black decoys when hunting from shore blinds. On the big lake we use as many as 200 including bluebill, whistler, mallard, blacks, mergs, brant, geese, scoter and oldsquaw decoys. Some are handmade sleds(silloutte type decoys).

Posted By:
markchap
WFC Sponsor

Addison 11-28-2002 17:27
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 10-20 Degrees – Open Water
The wistlers were flying up and down the middle of the lake was able to bag A couple of mallards and a few wistlers . those huning L Champlain was currious how many deks you are using I have been using about 10-15 deks ?

Posted By:
Zeke The Zen Puppy
Guest

Southeast Colorado 11-25-2002 15:17
Cloudy, Snow Flurries – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Come on out. Bring lots of shells, though.

The third duck split is 14 DEC-late JAN, thru end of FEB for canada’s. White goose season is in March: no limit, no limit on possession, artificial calling is OK. The snows, rosses, blues and specks are all full of “rice ‘n beans” from the gulf coast wintering grounds.

We’re finishing up the last week of the second duck split – ends FRI after Thanksgiving. This weekend we all shot 5 decoying drake whistler apiece. we let all the hens go by.

PS: My son Ben (still in VT) shot a 170 lb 6 pointer in Groton on SAT. Had a 19 inch spread.

W.P. “Bill” Sullivan
State Merchandise Chairman
Colorado Ducks Unlimited

Posted By:
DUCKMENVT
Guest

11-22-2002 21:10
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Hey Sully when do we get invited out there sounds like you need some help controlling the populations!!!!!!

Posted By:
DUCKMENVT
Guest

NY 11-22-2002 21:05
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
In 2 days of hunting the big lake up near B-town 2 of us shot 15 whistlers, 3 blacks, 1 mallard a gadwall and a bunch of mergs for the dog!

clkbasil wich blind did you hunt closest to the creek or furthest?

Posted By:
Zeke The Zen Puppy
Guest

SE Colo. – Arkansas River Valley 11-20-2002 15:12
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 10-20 Degrees – Open Water
Howdy, DuckMenVT! Have some Tabasco on those eggs when you eat out at the Bridge!

I’ve been really having fun hunting out here in Colorado. Each day we hunt we limit-out early morning w/o trying to shoot hens. (We are pretty good about it too!

Greenheads, widgeon, gadwall, whistlers, buffie’s, shovelers, pintails (now closed). Geese just opened and we bagged two snows passing over.

Hardly any woodies – no “woods” in the high plains! – and no blacks.

I’ve taken 5 banded birds so far this season: 3 greenheads, a drake shoveler, and a drake pintail.

It hasn’t rained here in a year, but it has snowed on and off. The biggest reservoir in the eastern plain is down 79 FEET!

Don’t forget to lead ’em!

W.P. “Bill” Sullivan
State Merchandise Chairman
Colorado Ducks Unlimited

Posted By:
CPKBasil
Guest

Near mouth of Otter Creek 11-18-2002 11:07
Cloudy, High Winds – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Report for Sunday, November 17th

Add to that weather description a mix of rain and snow (light). There was slush along the shore in the AM.

Despite the weather, it was a great day to be in a blind, and if my shooting had been better it would have been a bad day to be a duck. Bird activity was fairly steady until about 9:30 am. We saw a fair number of divers. Bluebills seemed to predominate, but there were a few buffleheads and scoters around. Quite a few blacks showed but we couldn’t connect.

There were numerous flocks of ducks flying south down the main lake using the tailwind to their advantage. Also noticed a few geese in the early am.

We only bagged two bluebills.

Posted By:
DUCKMENVT
Guest

Addison 11-17-2002 20:39
Cloudy, Snow & Rain Mix – 30-34 Degrees – Ice
Still a few mallards around. Chapman I saw a pretty good flock right by your blind! I did get a black and a teal today. We got a mallard and 2 other teal in the blind. Still teal with 2 inches of slush on the water!

You might want to check out refugeforums.com
Good sight.

Posted By:
DUCKMENVT
Guest

Lake Champlain, Addison Cty. 11-14-2002 19:38
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 40-45 Degrees
Hunting is still spotty but we are seeing a lot more whistlers. Shot 5 in the blind wed. Many black ducks and a few mallards around.

Hi to Sully in Colorado!!! From one of your past students. We have had breakfast with you and Ross many times at the bridge. JIM M.,small world this internet thing! Hi to Chapman as well.

Posted By:
fshrdan
Guest

Alburg / North Hero 11-13-2002 21:42
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 45-50 Degrees
Hunted Sunday. Had a pair of divers land in the decoys while setting up. Took one black and saw a ton of divers. The day was just too nice. The wind picked up around 10:30 and the lake became “interesting”. Whose ideas was the 24 hr day I need more daylight time!!

Posted By:
mspradlin
Guest

East Creek, Orwell 11-12-2002 11:34
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 45-50 Degrees
Hunted the mouth to East Creek. Shot Greenwings and Mallards. Saw Black ducks but did not shoot any. We also saw some Canada’s but no luck on them. Did not see as many flocks as I thought we would. Overall a good hunt but nothing to write home about. Did see two flocks of divers but they were to far to identify, they looked black and white just skimming over the top of the water.

Posted By:

Sand Bar 11-12-2002 11:26
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There’s a decent amount of divers, with Mallards an blacks around also. Hopefully, the weather will turn cold again to freeze things up.

Hey Mspradlin- How did you do hunting around Orwell when you were up here? I used to spend alot o time in that area and it could be hot.

Posted By:
markchap
WFC Sponsor

addison 11-10-2002 15:00
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 35-40 Degrees
hunting potash bay sarting to see some whistlers on the lake and some bluebills haveseen more blacks than I have seen in a long while the pounds and potholes have opend up but still seeing greenheads just enough to keep u intresead look for the white patch and pop em!!!

Posted By:
markchap
WFC Sponsor

addison 11-10-2002 14:58
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 35-40 Degrees
hunting potash bay sarting to see some whistlers on the lake and some bluebills haveseen more blacks than I have seen in a long while the pounds and potholes have opend up but still seeing greenheads just enough to keep u intresead look for the white patch and pop em!!!

Posted By:
Zeke The Zen Puppy
Guest

COLORADO 11-08-2002 15:40
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I miss hunting Lake Champlain in the West Addison area (and breakfast at the Halfway House and Bridge Restaurant!) but I can’t complain about the hunting in the Lower Arkansas Valley of Colorado.

We hunt ducks thru January and geese thru March 30th. (From FEB-MAR there is no limit on white geese: snows, rosses, blues.)

We have a three-way split for ducks and its stretches it out nicely. The second opener just started and I’ve limited every day w/in an hour: 5 greenheads and a drake whistler. No bluebills yet, and I have resisted the urge to take sandhill cranes.

The best part is hunting divers in DEC, something I longed to do on Champlain!

Support Vermont Ducks Unlimited!

W.P. “Bill” Sullivan
State Merchandise Chairman
Colorado Ducks Unlimited

Posted By:
DUCKMENVT
Guest

Addison County 11-05-2002 22:42
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Starting to see the divers on the lake, whistlers, oldsquaw, and scoters. The days are still hit or miss with no fast and furious action yet. The marshes are starting to freeze up on the cold days. The snow geese are on there last leg with about 2500 on the reserve.

Posted By:
JDSURESHOT
Guest

Clarendon and Champlain 10-31-2002 15:50
Cloudy, Occassional Rain Showers – 35-40 Degrees
Spent the last weekend in October up in Vermont chasin’ waterfowl. What a great way to spend this time of year. Champlain had plenty of ducks to offer but not as many geese as the early season. The change in weather has got them finally off the roost and on to the feeding frenzy. With opening day of the split Honker season we set out in Clarendon and there were geese everywhere. Not to many ducks but still got a mallard and a couple woodies. Dress warm and hope for bad weather and keep those waterfowl comin’!!

Posted By:
mspradlin
Guest

Going to hunt near Orwell, East Creek and Lake Champlain 10-31-2002 08:24
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
Wanted to know the the report of ducks and geese in the area. We are planning to hunt there from November 8th to the 11th.

Posted By:
fshrdan
Guest

Alburg – Dillenbeck 10-28-2002 09:00
Cloudy, Occassional Rain Showers – 35-40 Degrees
We hunted the bluffs and saw a few flocks of skittish mallards early, then nothing. There were a few good flocks of high flying geese heading south. About 9:30 -10 three huge flock of ducks came up from the sand bar and went in to the refuge. Not much flying. We scouted down the Alburg Pass and saw a few mallard loafing around but not much. One of these days one of those big flocks is going to dump into my decoys.

Posted By:
gddduck
WFC Sponsor

lake champlaine 10-21-2002 16:23
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 45-50 Degrees
went out first day with son got a few shots got 1 green wing teal and 1 blue wing see more tealthis year than last but weather is much wormer

Posted By:
fshrdan
Guest

Addison – off lake 10-14-2002 11:25
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
The 9th – looked good early with lots of Mallards and Wood Ducks, though once the sun came up things slowed down. Hunted to about noon. We took two woodies; wow am I a bad shot. No teal, lots of geese! Heard the northern part of the lake was hot.

Posted By:
fshrdan
Guest

Connecticut River – Bellows Falls 10-08-2002 08:19
Sunny & Clear, Morning Fog – 45-50 Degrees
Hunted first light to about 9:30 or so, on Saturday the 5th . We took two woodies and one mallard. There were a fair number of birds around, mostly wood ducks and teal, but lots of pressure. Once the sun came up things settled down and not much was flying. Lots of high flying geese heading south. Tomorrow is the big day on the lake!

Posted By:
JDSURESHOT
Guest

Addison County 09-23-2002 09:05
Sunny & Clear, Morning Fog – 60-65 Degrees
Spent a week in Vermont tracking down the ever elusive Canada Goose. What did I find, plenty of geese. The skies were full along Champlain and the nearby East and Dead creeks. They would not respond very well to decoys or calling so strategic placement along flight patterns was needed. This means the locals are weary and it’s too hot for the migrating geese I think. So get out there, find a good place and happy hunting!!

Posted By:
JDSURESHOT
Guest

Clarendon VT 09-10-2002 19:00
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
Early goose season and where’s the geese? Maybe to hot for the buggers yet. Would like to hear some new VT reports. Is there no one else out there hunting. Put your swimming trunks away and get out there! Just kidding,but I’ll be out there and hopefully will have some good news for you all soon. Good luck to all this season and keep your eyes to the sky!!

Posted By:
Stephen-Pratt
WFC Sponsor

None yet 08-26-2002 21:52
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
Well another season appraoches, The early Goose season looks very promising. I was at an area on Dead Creek and watched a few hundred Canadian Geese sitting in the Creek. The Waterfowl Season for the coming year is about to be posted, I know that it Starts on Oct. 9th and ends on the 13th for the first part…..I will update it later. Well enough for now….Happy Scouting…

Posted By:
another hunter
Guest

Enter Data Here 03-05-2002 08:54
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If you are unhappy about the new wma rules, e-mail your elected officials. The link to your state sen. and reps is:http://www.tennesseeanytime.org/main/government/legislative.html
Who will monitior the validity of the computer draw? the TWRA? Every sportsman license will apply, why not? At least put and additional fee on it to try to keep the number of applications reasonable. A fee would hopefully keep the applicants to duck hunters only. Our current chances of getting drawn have been reduced drastically.
I thought they wanted to stop the blind buying? This hasn’t changed that at all. Let your sen. and reps know that if we need tax reform, cut the TWRA’s budget since they are inept..

Posted By:
Duckhawg
Guest

Lake Champlain 12-15-2001 16:33
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
We hunted late Oct. and came up with only a handfull of dukcs. The mallards seemed to be smaller than usual. Not a lot of blacks, but quite a few pintails. This warm weather put a hurt’n on the Atlantic Flyway. The ducks that did come down were hiding in the back swamps.It wasn’t cold enough to freeze the swamps and bring them to the lakeshores.It’s Dec. and i’m now starting to see quite a few birds. Let’s hope for better duck hunting weather next year !!!!!

Posted By:
nelacres
WFC Sponsor

Enter Data Here 12-08-2001 18:54
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Well folks the season came to a close here in the Interior Zone of Vermont with no ice. The mild temperarures have kept the migration to a trickle and with nothing frozen the ducks are scattered everywhere.
The Lk Champlain zone could see some action this week with the approaching cold front. Also, I hold a P.Q. license and I will hunt ducks north of the border.
Good luck………

Posted By:
Stephen-Pratt
WFC Sponsor

Lamoille River, Sandbar area 11-25-2001 21:47
Cloudy, High Winds – 60-65 Degrees
Well it was another day of nice warm weather…yuck…need some cold weather to make these Ducks move. There were several larger flocks in the area. But they were staying in flocks and weren’t moving all that well. The Mallards and Blacks were landing about 20 yards of the newly formed sand delta just out side the Lamoille River. Some hunters have found the river a little tough to get through with out beaching it.

Keep the Ducks flying
Steve

Posted By:
Stephen-Pratt
WFC Sponsor

Lake Champlain 11-23-2001 12:10
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 40-45 Degrees
Well, this is a little late, but Hunting on the Lamoille River, can be a little on the fun side. Both the mouths of the River left and right are a bit on the shallow side so caution should be taken.

As far as the ducks, we watched a group of Bluebills playing around, lifting up and setting down. But they were not moving at all. The weather obviously is not good for good hunting too nice. There are also several groups of Blacks and Mallards in the area these birds are from the North we were there when they came in.

There are alot of Blacks mixed in with the Mallards so be careful when groups of ducks come into your dekes. I have only seen a couple groups of Whistlers, I am checking with a few other hunters to see if they have anything to report. Happy hunting.

Steve