It's Duck Season!!

[RFeyoMN]

Last weekend was our opener here in Minnesota, and most surrounding states.

It was as good as it's ever been. Easy limits for us...and most people I encountered.

The mid continent has been plagued with a week of cooler temps and strong NW winds. The ducks are on the move early again this year. Those further south that open soon should have plenty of small ducks to kill.

[TomzRanger]

Well that's great to hear as the last few years it's sucked here. We don't open for a month, so leave a few.

[Parnell]

Let bring this thread back to life. Our opener started Thanksgiving day. Due to our wet summer. We had plenty of water and ducks. Back in sept wood duck season. We hunting this back water timber spot. Normally is dry from may-winter. But this year held water all year. We noticed this big white wing duck flying. Didn’t know what it was. I think we killed 6 wood ducks and a teal in sept. The water held but went down to about an acre of water and it was loaded with ducks. A week before season there was a bird watch group from another state had tri pods with huge camera lense lined up on the road over looking the duck hole. My hunting buddy stopped by and asked them what they was doing. They said there was a black bellied whistle duck in there. He called me and said he knew what we seen back in sept. My buddy told them come back next week. They may get to see it really up close. (I asked him if he should have seen what their thoughts was as far as recipes.) So after researching making sure it was not endangered and legal to harvest. opening morning we get set up. And here came white wing duck gliding in 2 min after shooting time. It glided by buddy on right like 10’ over his shoulder. Landed in decoys 15 yds from me. Had 2 other buddy’s on my left. I knew we wanted to mount so I didn’t shoot him that close. So I kicked water and said “kill that black bellied whistling duck” I let it get out there and fired first shot and slowed it down then me and buddy shot same time and hammered him. Then all hell broke loose with the wood ducks pouring in. Followed by the mallards non stop. I had to cease shooting as we let my dog start picking up ducks. And they was still coming in and get an account what we had. He brought back the whistling duck and BANDED. We get all birds on strap with a count. We was still well shy but scratched out more ducks. Finished with 19 ducks. We got back to truck and brought out the quarter. This is my 4th coin flip for a band. BUT this is 1st one I have ever WON!!! Anyways. Killed in ky banded in 2018 near New Orleans.

[RFeyoMN]

That's pretty cool! I've yet to kill any of the tree ducks...but i've never hunted TX or LA. Oddity in Kentucky, for sure.

This season has been odd, for me. The areas I hunt here in MN have been very dry, and not holding many ducks. I've actually been travelling south since the 3rd week of our season...to better habitat, and more ducks. Racking up the miles, but i'd rather drive to excellent hunting than sit here and hope for the best. After the cold blast we had mid October, we lost the bulk of our small ducks. Now, i'm just hoping the weather stays mild enough to squeeze out another 5 weeks of hunting before having to move farther south. Nothing but stupid park ducks for us now...which is better than nothing.

I'll post some pics later.