Canada geese cupped and committed.
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Here it is the middle of February and the lake has about 7 inches of ice on nearly 90 percent of the lake. Most fields are still snow covered and we are getting freezing rain as I type. The good news is the forecast calls for strong southerly winds the next three days and the temps are going to be into the fifties. Reports are that the cooling lake at Baldwin and Coffeen are holding the birds that did venture up this way. Looks like most of the snows are going to be travelling through during the month of March. I plan on getting over and checking out the lake tomorrow and see if there are any early visitors.
Scott drove around the entire lake on Saturday. Never saw one chicken.
Do you know of any good spots to hunt snows
Last year this time we were putting a hurt on the white geese on Carlyle. This year there is 6-8 inches of ice on 90 percent of the lake and this morning temp around -5. Snow is covering most fields in the area and whatever white geese we had have made an about face and headed back south. It is going to be a late season on the white geese lucky to have the ice on the lake gone before the end of February. We are ready to roll but waiting for mother nature to give us the green flag. A little warm up next week at least above freezing for a change.
Reports in far southern Illinois and SE Missouri are that they had some very good numbers of geese early but they too have lost some due to the ice and snow. Heading up to the Henry Illinois decoy show over the weekend and visit the DU convention in Peoria then going to spend time in the pit and watch the snow and ice melt and wait for the arrival of the white and blue creatures.
There’s chickens there Kevin…..Don’t ShIt yourself!!! Better get out there!!!! Good numbers feeding south
Yeah Stevo, saw them there, there were a lot more before this last cold snap, they were at the south end of the lake and feeding south, unfortunately I am 10 miles north and a bunch of ice between me and them. We are getting a few NB but the majority are south. A little better forecast in a few days may get some of those early birds moving along.
thanks for the info!! This is what i figured was going on, been way too quiet down there. I was thinking about coming down for a hunt, I think I’ll just wait a while.
After the recent blizzard with snow totals around 14 inches and below zero temps the geese have finally arrived south of I-70. Reports from 70 south are good with geese finally showing up in places that haven’t been for years. Most areas have ice but those with pumps and ice eaters are having goose hunts like they did in the 70’s and 80’s. No real warm up in sight the dark goose hunting should remain good till the end of the month.
The weather has been pretty steady the last few days and whatever geese that traveled south has been sticking around. Most everything is iced up unless you have pumps or ice eaters. A little warmer today before the next clippers sends the temps down again. Don’t really know what to wish for with 11 days left in the dark goose season, a warm-up or another artic blast. There are good goose numbers throughout the southern third of the state, more than we have had in a long time, specks are here as well. So keep the water from getting hard and get out there and enjoy the show.
Nothing in the far north except locals that don’t know how or where to migrate. The winds have kept the snow off of high ground in enough fields to keep them from starving.
Post up pics of those specs when you bag a few. Good luck.
Limits of geese the last 3 days here in Grundy County. Looks like it might all be over now with all this snow falling. Saw lots of birds the last 3 days.
Where you hunt at in Grundy?
Sorry about pic.
We own 2 places, One just south of Morris, and one east. I haven’t been able to get out for a couple of days, going out this weekend. Nice dog!!
Are you still getting geese? Just curious. I live in Minooka. Still see in some birds. Btw my dog thanks you for the compliment.
J.C.
Sorry abouit the delay in getting back to you. I get a bird or two fairly steady, but I holed up for this last cold blast. I’m probably gonna go out today, later. I found a good flight path that they have been using lately, and I still hear some shooting up west on the river, or near it. I live in Mazon. How have you done this year?
Ice is in most places, I don’t expect it to leave anytime soon. Hunted private property at the north end of Carlyle Lake on the 31st and about the only thing I saw was a boat stuck in the ice that had to be retrieved by an airboat. Getting reports of Canadians and Specks around but they weren’t in our viewing area. Hunted Highland on the first and saw a few migrators southbound in advance of the weather up in the northern third of the state, did get my limit of geese only because the pump was running and open water enticed them to stop for a visit. We picked up a couple inches of snow last night but a more significant snowfall north of us should have the goose population on the rise, although the wind chill then next few days is going to be a factor.
Happy New Year and hope the first month of the new year and the final month of the dark goose season is a good one.
We have really been getting into the geese here in Grundy Co. since the 15th. Sorry for the late post. Many full limits since then.
With the recent cold snap and the snowfall here in the area and north the geese have been more active. The last two days there have been more southbound geese as a result of the weather. Flights of geese over S/W Illinois have resulted in some decent success finally. Most water areas are frozen unless your pump or ice eater is kicked in. We have used the pump more this year than all of last year, temps should be warming a bit for this upcoming week. Ducks have been slow.
This cold front is gonna turn the lake back into frozen tundra, is what it’s gonna do…Just got rid of the ice from the last one!!
Yeah…..Still married. Day 53. Not counting or anything….LOL!! So far, so good. She cooks, cleans, doesn’t BiTch too awful much about me being gone all the time, and above all…..remains horny.
Probably headed up Wed. evening to hunt Thurs – Sun. Been an up and down year so far…..With the ups being tremendous, and the downs being absolutely unimaginably dismal….
Mother nature was not good to us in the northern part of the state. No water, then water, then froze out two days later 😛
Good thing we have a month of goose chasing left 🙂
The duck numbers are not where we want them yet, but Carlyle hunters having some success in the walk-ins if they can find and open hole. Specks are showing up and groups are getting their fair share. The ice should go away for a few days until next weekend when another shot from the north makes the water hard. The dark geese still aren’t here although di manage a limit the other day when 30 tired migrators dropped in for a visit. The aerial survey hasn’t been kind thus far and hoping to get better numbers in the future. Kind of on again off again season so far, hope the best hunting is still in front of us.
18 days between posts ain’t gonna cut it, Stallard!!! LOL!!
Where you been? Figured I’d see ya around up there by now?
Specks took a beating this weekend…..
Going head over to your neck of the woods after this second gun season, been busy chasing buck henry, hope this new cold snap coming at the end of the week will put a few more birds in the area, may have to kick on the ice eaters…. Just wondering if yer still married, I thought she may have figured you out by now… Catch up with you later this month…
Its dusty just wondering if you got out at all this weekend. We hunted carlyle at the pit and saw very little. Wondering if no birds here or just working different side of the lake.
Good migration along the Illionois River yesterday, and with the cold temps ducks are hitting the fields. Late harvest in some spots have left a few fields unturned, and if you find those fields you should do well.
Starting to pick up more birds in the Northern part of the South-Central zone. Seeing mostly Mallards, Teal, and Gadwall.
Well the opener in the northern past of the South/Central zone came in with a lot of people asking where are the mallards. A common question but most did feast on the other ducks that are making their way southbound. Getting very good reports of bag limits on gadwall, wood ducks and teal that are here in good numbers. Some reports indicate bag limits quite common in the Carlyle Lake area just not filling them with green heads. Last nights front that came through dropping the temps some 30 to 40 degrees and a strong north-northwest wind should have the green heads part of your bag for several days to come. The mallard numbers should increase significantly the next several days.
worst opening weekend in over 12 years for me at Carlyle.
Another great day. 20 mallards by 930am. It has been a great season so far and the ducks really haven’t even showed up. private duck club along the Illinois river
Glad you guys got the water down there ~ ducks are just flying over the northern parts of the state where it’s still dry in many areas.
Awesome morning is the southern part of central zone. Kiled 18 birds before 8:30 mostly teal, and mallards.
New geese arriving McHenry County and activity is good. Wood duck numbers dropped significantly after those few blustery days but seeing a few more mallards than we did opening week.
The reports from the southern part of the central zone are mostly the same throughout the region. The ducks that were taken were some that have been loafing in the area for a few weeks. The bag was mostly teal, woodies and mallards. The geese that have been taken were mostly of the local variety, they got educated that is waterfowl season once more. Weather again is going to be the major factor in the long term success. Happy hunting
Kevin…..Saturday was a major flight day!! Lots of gadwall and teal moved thru/in. Not to mention the non-stop flights of specks all day long!! Great weekend over all….lots of killin.
Dirt, I heard that too, but the way it looks a lot of those birds, specks included didn’t stop, they kept on SB. Went over yesterday to check on a few things and saw some teal, and gadwall but not a lot of mallard numbers, should get a better report when the youth hunt kicks in this weekend.
Wood ducks-o-plenty but not much else on the opener. Only saw one distant group of local mallards in two days and zero teal.
The boys got some nice drakes — which means I get flank feathers for fly tying. It’s nice to have the season underway but drought conditions are again having an impact.
This will be the 5th season in a row that our marsh is bone dry for the opener. Last year it stayed dry the entire season. Hopefully we’ll see some serious rain soon.
Some of the local farmers are starting on beans this week. Goose activity and numbers seem to increase more each day.
It should only get better with the harvest starting.
Good news is we drew a blind at Mazonia..Webbie, I need a built in calculator to post, get on it…”.
Been a few years since I hunted at Mazonia. Late season there was always awesome when shallow water froze up.
I’ll get on that calculator. 😆
Once you scare off the locals gotta wait for the cold up North, and them to slip by the N. Il. Shortstoppers…