Posted By:
rick-hungerford
Field Editor
The entire State 08-20-2009 16:03
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Posted By:
BPage
Guest
Saginaw Bay 08-20-2009 13:31
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Just thought I would start out the new season with a “Thank You” to the Field Editors who report on line. I have watched this site for several years and greatly enjoy the reports from John W., Michael M., and John C. (and others). Since I spend most of my time hunting out of Bud’s Landing, I greatly appreciate the comments of Rick H. This web site has declined some the past couple of years but since I still work and have little scouting time all of your comments are welcome. Maybe, over the next year, we can generate more interest from those who take their hunting seriously.
Posted By:
Michael-Majcher
Field Editor
Traverse Bay 08-19-2009 22:44
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 60-65 Degrees
Pintails seen flying over M-37 on my way up to Munson hospital last week.
Today was the first sunny day in the last week and it’s started to rain again with the forcast to only hit the 60’s for tomorrow.
we have yet to see any real summer weather here along the Manistee. The Pine River is well off color and the swamps and backwaters are full. Ducks coming down will have no trouble finding the out of way places to hole-up.
Salmon should be in… I’ll verify this week.
MM
Posted By:
wwn1
Guest
08-19-2009 16:00
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Anthony Santoli, Ohio FE, has a second-hand report of high duck numbers on Lake St. Clair, including what sounds like a big jump in redheards. Any of our resident LSC experts care to weigh in with what they are seeing up that way? Good numbers of the big divers, if true, sure would be good news.
Posted By:
rick-hungerford
Field Editor
Saginaw Bay Fish Point Area 08-18-2009 12:02
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
Well August 15th has come and gone. And the Bay around us is already in preparation for the new season.
Early bird hunters have their blinds already started. And the cedar swamps have been trimmed for dressing up the blinds.
Water continues to be plentiful. As a matter of fact, there is a marked channel between Maisou and DaFoe. The first time in 5 years or more. Getting around the Bay does not appear to be a problem for this year.
But remember, the rocks that were in plain sight last year are now 1-6 inches below the surface. The unwarry will be spending a lot this Fall on lower units on their outboards. The best advice is to mark your routes with a GPS in the daylight and follow them in at O’dark thirty.
The cool summer has stalled the arrival of early ducks. Lots of baby mallards around, but the bluewings are just starting to show up. Geese are starting to return from the golf courses.
The high water and summer storms have wrecked havoc on the wild rice beds. But the wild celery and duck potatoe has flourished. Even zebra mussels beds on the inside have returned with the cooler water. This should bode well for the inside diver hunting which was very poor last year. Who knows maybe we’ll actually get a crack at some Cans this year.
I’ll be up this coming weekend, will give another report then, including conditions on the Managed Area.
Everything else is between seasons!
Posted By:
john-wickham
Field Editor
08-14-2009 14:38
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Here’s the season dates if you haven’t seen them already.
Duck seasons will run Sept. 26 – Nov. 20 and Nov. 26-29 in the North
Zone (Upper Peninsula), Oct. 3 – Nov. 29 and Dec. 5-6 in the Middle
Zone, and Oct. 10 – Dec. 6 and Jan. 2-3 in the South Zone.
There is an open season on canvasbacks this year as well as expanded
opportunity for scaup. The daily bag limit is six ducks to include no
more than four mallards (no more than one hen), three wood ducks, two
redheads, two scaup, one pintail, one black duck and one canvasback.
Early Canada goose season opens Sept. 1 and runs through Sept. 15
statewide, except for the Upper Peninsula and Saginaw, Tuscola and Huron
counties, where it runs through Sept. 10. The daily bag limit is five.
Regular goose seasons are Sept. 16 – Oct. 30 in the North Zone; Oct.3 –
Nov. 9 and Nov. 26 – Dec. 2 in the Middle Zone; and Oct. 10 – Nov. 12
and Nov. 26 – Dec. 6 in the South Zone, except for designated Goose
Management Units (GMU). The daily bag limit is two.
In the Saginaw County and Tuscola/Huron GMUs, the goose season is Oct.
10 – Nov. 12, Nov. 26 – Dec.6, and Jan. 2-31 with a bag limit of two.
In the Allegan County GMU, the season is Nov. 28 – Dec. 21 and Dec.
28-Jan. 17 with a bag limit of two.
In the Muskegon Waste Water GMU, the season is Oct. 13 – Nov. 14 and
Dec. 1-12 with a bag limit of two.
Elsewhere in the South Zone, the late season is Jan. 2-31 with a bag
limit of five.
Hunters may also harvest other geese during the regular and late goose
seasons in their respective zones. The bag limits are 10 snow, blue and
Ross’ geese in combination; and one white-fronted goose or one brant.
Hunters are also reminded of the Youth Waterfowl Weekend on Sept.
19-20. This hunt is statewide for licensed youths 10 to 15 years of
age. Youths must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or someone 18
years or older. The adult will not be allowed to hunt waterfowl and is
not required to have a waterfowl hunting license. The daily limits are
the same as those allowed for the regular duck season.
To learn more about hunting opportunities in Michigan, visit the
DNR’s Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnrhunting.
Posted By:
BPage
Guest
08-04-2009 20:14
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Citizens group meets Saturday and then the Commission meets next Thursday. We should have answers next Friday.
Posted By:
mallard 1 duck
Web Member
08-03-2009 11:43
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Has anyone heard about the bag limits for Mich yet? Should be sometime this week?
Posted By:
John-Cottenham
Field Editor
middle of the mitten 07-22-2009 06:14
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Concealed weapon vote today. Call your senator ASAP
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20090722/D99JEFTG0.html
Concealed carry in all states measure needs 60 votes today!
Posted By:
rick-hungerford
Field Editor
Sagniaw Bay Fish Point Area 07-06-2009 09:24
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – Over 70 Degrees
Fished around North Island on Friday. Came up just short of three limits in 3 hours. Didn’t get out early and got blown off around 2:30 PM. Had to work to find a feeding school, but then it was like ducks in a barrel, then just a fast they moved or stopped biting with a wind change.
Mid-day stay away from the pack and find your own fish. Water is warming and clearing, fish spook if they are chased too hard.
Still draggin meat, bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses (green and copper worked best) Did catch one nice fish on a long-line Hot-N-Tot, so the switch to plastic may be on soon. 15-20 foot, almost anywhere. 1.7-2.0 mph, slower and you get cats and drum. Look for fish to start migration to the Outer Bay in the next few weeks, water is warming 67 dgrees on the surface.
On Suday, I took a tour on the airboat with my two best girls, Judy and Bell. Stayed away from nesting areas, just ran open channels. Water, water everywhere. Had a mild S 6-10 mph. Areas that haven’t seen water in four years can now float light boats. Higher water is slowing the phragmite growth, this should bode well for cattail resurgence. Rough weather the past few weeks hasn’t helped the wild rice, but the celery and duck potatoe beds look great.
Saw a few early mallards and what looked like young redheads. Geese are on molt, so the only way you will see them is with a golf club in your hand.
Drove by the Managed Area, fields are all planted and appear to be healthy but behind the private fields surrounding. Most corn looks good all over, some late plants and soybeans got washed out. But over all it looks like a bumper corn year AGAIN!
Let’s hope the reports from Canada and the Praries are true and we get to see some ducks this year.
Drop me a line if you got questions.
Regards,
Everything else is between seasons!
