South Dakota Duck and Goose Hunting Report Archive

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.

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