MN scouting trip

[Bob Peters]

Not wanting to let the grass grow under my feet, I packed up the dog and lit out for the hinterlands of MN Sunday before daybreak. Let's get the elephant out of the way(if this doesn't make sense, look up idiom, elephant in the room). Geographical location was my normal stomping grounds, primarily south central MN, but also a chunk of SW MN. Being MN is an irregularly shaped state, I'm not sure exactly where SE, S, SC and SW MN have their boundary lines. East/West River much less complicated. Burned up a lot of gas and rubber, saw a lot of country. Honestly barely saw a pheasant on the road. I ran the dog a few times before it got hot and she popped up some birds as I knew she would. Really I was just looking to get a feeling for the cover and some new spots more than bird numbers. I took a wrong turn and half mile later saw the classic WMA signs. I didn't think there was one around, checked the electronic maps and they didn't show any state land. Perfect. A new spot to check that hasn't been beat to death. Looking at crops, ponds, creeks and grass things seemed a little on the dry side, but nothing that made me worry. A few of the spots I walked I noticed that the grasshoppers were thicker than thieves. The dog slept like a baby on the way home. I did see a pond loaded to the brim on public land with ducks. It'd be a good place to teal hunt this weekend but with the scorcher weather, no way I'm going duck hunting.

 

[gimruis]

It'd be a good place to teal hunt this weekend but with the scorcher weather, no way I'm going duck hunting.

Early goose and teal hunters are gonna be sweating bullets if they venture out. I can recall about 10 years ago on the general duck opener it was in the 80s and very humid. That was just nasty wearing neoprene chest waders. I thought they had sprung a leak because I was sweating so bad.

 

[Munster927]

Early goose and teal hunters are gonna be sweating bullets if they venture out. I can recall about 10 years ago on the general duck opener it was in the 80s and very humid. That was just nasty wearing neoprene chest waders. I thought they had sprung a leak because I was sweating so bad.

About 5 years ago or so me and some buddies went out early goose hunting and the day before we all ran and picked up camo shorts since it was so hot. We'd have the waders on to throw the decoys out then take the waders off to sit in the boat. Seems like shorts are in order again this year.

 

[BRITTMAN]

Roadside counts are run very early in the morning when there is dew on the grass. The wet birds come out to the roads to dry and pick at gravel.

 

[BRITTMAN]

I hunted teal the last fall I lived on the Gulf Coast. It was the first year open after a few years of closure. It was hot. We had our teal by about 30 minutes after sunrise and back to the ramp an hour or so after sunrise. No hiking with decoy bags and no waders. Not so bad. Threw the birds on ice and drove home.

I have been waterfowl hunting in ND in October with the afternoon temps hitting upper 80s. Birds flew well early, but that was it. Too hot in the PM to do much. Chasing sharptails and partridge were out of the question.

 

[Bob Peters]

Roadside counts are run very early in the morning when there is dew on the grass. The wet birds come out to the roads to dry and pick at gravel.

Yeah, trust me, there was dew on the grass! I was driving through a london fog just to get to my first spot. The dog was running in the grass and it looked like she had just jumped in a lake! I didn't see much on the road but I know the birds are there.

 

[Bob Peters]

Early goose and teal hunters are gonna be sweating bullets if they venture out. I can recall about 10 years ago on the general duck opener it was in the 80s and very humid. That was just nasty wearing neoprene chest waders. I thought they had sprung a leak because I was sweating so bad.

I do some trout fishing. The breathable waders work a treat for warm weather hunts. I remember two years ago on duck opener it was about 70. My buddies face was flush and he partially peeled off his waders. I had the breathables on and was quite comfortable.

 

[BRITTMAN]

It can take a month or two for signs to be placed on a new WMA or new addition. I believe it is closed to access until those signs are placed

It can take a year or more for the DNR maps to be updated.

There are other ways to see the new adds….