Another new year! Lets hope it's better than 2020! Post your reports, hunting trips for, hopefully, a successful Season. Stay Safe, Shoot Straight!
Waterfowl Hunting
2021 Waterfowl Reports
Displaying 30 to 44 of 107 posts
I like seeing those Herters model 72 and 81 mallards on the water Griz.
I hunted Saturday. I was expecting to see more birds coming through ahead of the snow front where I was. I fired 3 shots and got a drake mallard and drake lesser scaup. I had a few other opportunities but elected to not take the shots and potentially cripple something. A couple groups were hunting near me and crippled/lost several after long boat chases and multiple shots being expended on the chase to no avail.
This morning I had every intention of going. I got up early and looked at the heavy snow squall coming down and decided I didn't want to take the long boat ride across big water in low visibility conditions. So the ducks got a reprieve from me today.
Finally had some success on my 22 and 23rd hunts of the season between northern and southern zone, SE WI hunting a private lake we got our 6 geese and a couple ducks sat am and we got 5 geese and a couple ducks yesterday am, was great to finally get some shooting and have birds actually work and dump into the spread, this cold front late this week, maybe the final hoorah, for the migration, cant wait!
goodhuntin all!
My son called and asked me to come and hunt with him in Iowa this weekend. So I took a road trip on Friday. While he was still finishing up some work obligations late Friday afternoon, I glassed over the wetland complex he told me he was hunting before sunset. I saw hundreds of puddle ducks setting down into the wetland for the evening. I texted him as to where specifically he was hunting and he sent me a satellite image of where he was setting up. It looked like a long walk, especially carrying all of the gear in.
Saturday morning we hoofed in just over a mile carrying 2 guns, 2 marsh stools, a slotted decoy bag with 5 floaters and a spinner, and a blind bag, all while wearing neoprene waders. We set up and it became apparent that we were going to see plenty of birds. Prior to shooting light we could hear tons of mallards, teal, wigeon, and pintails vocalizing. Once shooting hours began we had plenty of ducks piling into our little spread; mallards, teal, wigeon, and a couple of shovelers. We missed some shots and could have limited out, but we ended up with 10 birds on the morning hunt. Definitely had the most shooting of any group in the area. While on the hunt, my son took a hike to check out some other spots. 3.6 miles hiked total on morning hunt.....with the extra weight of 10 birds on the strap on the way back. I was bushed...lol.
We elected to go out Saturday afternoon for the last 1:15 to try and get the last 2 birds. Great evening, but we didn't fire a shot. 2.25 miles in the waders.
Went out this morning and hunted for an hour before I had to leave to drive home. Had a bunch of ducks in the decoys before shooting light. After LSL, we had a couple small flocks of teal zip through the spread. Missed a few shots and he got one green-winged teal. 2.4 miles today....and 8.2 miles total.
Overall, a great experience. I could have sat there all weekend and just watched. It would not have mattered to me if I got a bird or not.
Did my milk run of scouting wed and last night SE WI geese are around but isolated to certain fields and flight paths, even checked out the big pond and didnt see any flocks out there, normally this time of year there is lots of mergansers and scooter around but not yet, did find a decent number of ducks mallard and woodys which is surprising but ofcourse its the dagaba swamp that they are dumping into which I have no ambition to try and traverse.
be out on a small pond in the AM hopefully get a honker or 2.
Goodhuntin all!
I hunted for a couple hours each morning the last 2 days. No full limits, but was able to harvest mallards, teal, and buffs. Saw a nice variety yesterday...mallards, teal, gadwalls, canvasbacks, bluebills, and buffs.
With the birds I saw yesterday, I decided to go today as well, although I knew the early calm wind conditions would make decoying birds and finishing them on big water tough.
It was a beautiful morning today...great sunrise. I was able to scratch out a half limit. Gotta love buffs when conditions are not ideal and you need some birds. Pics from today.
Fowler—- yeah, the spot remains good because birds feel safe and I am the only one I’ve seen hunt it for last several years. Never shoot birds leaving at opening time until last hunt of season. Try to get in and out as quickly and quietly as possible. Being able to let birds work without them flaring due to gunshots across a public marsh is great. Very lucky to have this spot within 30 minutes of home and able to hunt midweek.
Fowler, I know your pain. I used to hunt pool 9 the weekend before gun deer season and most of the time hit the can migration with other divers mixed in. Last time I was there got there to late to hunt the first day so just sat at the landing watching a steady stream of cans flying up river. Next morning it was bitter cold and the whole bunch decided to leave over night. The only thing that saved the trip was the cold weather froze up all the ponds and pushed the mallards to the river.
Sounds like an awesome honey hole Wacky!
Non hunting report as I will be punching the time clock til Thurs.
Good bunch of birds settling in the Missi river valley. Temps on the rise as the week goes on. State should hold some birds. Last season was thumbs down with the freeze up as the migration was peaking.
Displaying 30 to 44 of 107 posts
