Ducks

[Stacker1]

Lets start chasing them on there flight path. In north east wisconsin we have not seen the ducks piling up yet, but then again, if you have been hunting for more than 20 years, they will never be piled up like they once used to be. Geese were here until early season started now they are gone. 25th at noon is the kick off.

[MINK TRAPPER]

The geese are thick here in Beavercreek Ohio . They are in the cut corn everywhere .

[builder59]

We picked up 8 birds opening in Mi on private pothole. Mallards and Woodies. Today not a bird in the air. I have a question. Does anyone know how they determine the shooting time? It is far more dark in the morning start than the finish for the evening.

[RedNek]

Shooting time most places is
"O'dark:30" in the a.m. to "blacker 'en the inside of a cow" at night.

[j9f]

I have been told that there are a couple factors that play into the decision when they stop shooting time in the evening.

1. Available light to chase crippled birds.

2. Safety on big water. For instance the great lakes or Chesapeke bay. You are probably safe picking up 24 blocks in a pothole, but people have died picking up 200 blocks on the Chesapeake bay when a storm picks up in the dark. I've also hunted Lake Erie in Lake November, had ice break free and drift into my layout spread. What a mess. Glad it didn't happen in the dark.

The birds sure pour in once the shooting hours end though.

[Stacker1]

Shooting time varies state to state but the normal is 1/2 before sunrise to sunset. Now, check your local rules, every state is different. As far as dangerous on big water in the dark with small boats? Heck yea its dangerous and its all up to the captain as to when to stay and when to go. Don't push into unsafe conditions because, "There is still time to hunt", Common sense when in dangerous conditions. Just like walleye fishing.

Wisconsin report: The wolf river basin is yet to see any substantial movement of birds. Sporadic flocks of bills, cans, buffleheads, mallards have come through and are still here. Geese are still thin in numbers as well. Gadwall and widgeon and pintail have showed and left in our area as well. Will some one north of wisconsin report some better news? PLEASE!!

[ETT]

Shooting times in Ohio are 1/2 hr before sunup until sunset. This maximizes the hunters opportunity to take ducks while minimizing the potential for lost cripples in the evening.

[Stacker1]

ETT, we sure could start a debate on here about why they have set the hours at 1/2 before sunrise until sunset. Guessing that they have done that to minimize cripples is one way to look at it. In the old days it was closing time of Noon so the ducks would have a rest period. Do you happen to know when this changed? It may just be a good education for the NEW duck hunters to look back on the old days. Shoting ducks after 12 o'clock noon only came in after the Market hunters were finally put to rest and some rich guys decided duck hunting would a great gentlemans sport. However, they had to work, so afternoon shoots fit there schedules better and thus, the whole day shoot was born. Check with some of the old duck stories through D.U. and you will find this information. Sunset was a easy time for all states to follow as the federal goverment was setting up the USFWS with other rules such as 3 shells in a gun etc....

[j9f]

Interesting. I never heard of that before, really interesting. I'd be like to know when that changed too.

I'll ask my father if he heard of it. My Grandfather worked at a couple of the local marshes in SE Michigan managing them for "the rich guys". I think his biggest job was managing the Fisher Marsh which is where the Fermi Power Plant is now. JD Fisher told him, "give me $50 and I'll make you a rich man". Less then 5 years later Fisher Body became a part of GM. Of course he didn't have $50. You didn't make a lot punting, baiting, brushing blinds, cleaning birds and cutting marsh. Things picked up a lot when rat firs went to $4-5 a pelt during WW2 and you could pull 200 in a good day. They would give you trapping rights in the winter if you ran the duck side for them.

[Box]

Last weekend, there were finally some divers showing up out in West Central MN, but only on the main attractive and big lake in the area. The smaller lakes, where there normally should be tons of smaller rafts, still have nothing. We shot one lone greenhead, some bufflehead, a couple redheads, a ringbill, a big goose and a merganser...

Still some woodies around, and we saw a few ringbill. But pretty sparse. Here in the Twin Cities area there are tons of geese and mallards, but not seeing them in any "hunting areas". I hope everybody is doing better than us!

-Box

http://www.walleyecentral.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=103808

[Stacker1]

j9 I think market gunners were gone completely about 1920. I grew up on saginaw bay with all the history there as well. I have been to point mouille's duck weekend and it is quite the show when they touch off the punt gun at noon. I remember the old guys that are all dead now saying how it wasn't "Right" to shoot ducks in the afternoon. They were taught different. Sure wish we could teach all the "New" people that are getting into duck hunting the Old, Right Way to do things.

[chamookman]

Here in Central Michigan, the North Eastern winds brought TONS of Geese down. The picked bean and corn fields are overloaded! Bob WC#253.

[Stacker1]

After this weekend, here in Northeast wisconsin, I am wondering when the ducks will arrive.The birds have been trickling in and out and as you know, that makes for some very slow hunts. We need some weather bad to get the birds bunched up.

[j9f]

There are a LOT of blue bill in the SW corner of lake Erie right now. A bit early this year.

[Stacker1]

Anybody from the lacrosse area of wisconsin? I will be in stoddard on the 28th for 4 dayz, wondering what the count looks like.