Leaving the waders at home

T

TerryB

New member
The non resident waterfowl draw took place yesterday and our group crapped out. It really sucks when you look forward in anticipation to hunting both pheasant and ducks for 5 days. I guess I shouldn't complain. It's still going to be a great trip but from the time you leave you have 365 days to plan and look forward to doing it again and you get kicked in the mouth. I'm not sure I'm too thrilled with the preference point system. Sounds like those people who are first time applicants or those who didn't get drawn the year before are virtually assured a draw. I'm assuming with all the rain the great pot holes we hunted last year are going to be teaming with ducks......
 
we just found out that we were drawn this year. took a year off and went to se ndakota last fall to chase waterfowl around the first week in november and had a great hunt. keep that in mind. sorry to hear that you didn't get drawn but look at it this way, now you can sleep in and play more poker at night. best of luck this fall.
 
One of the problems is that MN. DNR is really non existant right now....even residents cant purchase anything......there was a HUGE increase in people applying for South Dakota because people who either reside or were planning to travel there to hunt fear they wont be able to get get a license.......good point on sleeping in........bring less steel shot and more vodka!!!!!!!!!!
 
i'm looking forward to the waterfowl hunting. pheasant hunting has always been my favorite but when you have a year like this past year you have to be able to change on the fly and thats exactly what i'm doing. i bought my mn small game and my pheasant stamp in may so i lucked out. if the shutdown keeps on going i might be the only one out there hunting pheasants this fall. the whole state would be mine!!!!! wishing. best of luck in sdak i'm sure the numbers out there will be ok.
 
I read this morning that MN came to an agreement and that things may be back to almost normal next week........We are only a half hour from the MN line....we may check into waterfowl there
 
Pretty much shut out too

eight people I know applied, some repeats some new, only one was drawn for 00B86, what was the reason for the huge increase in applicants.
 
D.U. Is reporting a near record of ducks. Mostly due to a large increase of nesting birds in eastern South Dakota, and eastern North Dakota. Nearly a record number of potholes as well, proving that habitat begats ducks! Huge increase in BW teal, Pintails, and Redheads. We haven't seen these numbers since 1974. Not to begrudge the waterfowl, but I wish they were quail!!!
 
we had 6 groups ranging from 3 to 6/group and all but one got drawn. looking forward to going out again this year. we would like to do a combination - upland hunt, but i'm afraid the best upland hunting wont happen until late november due to the crops. all the farmers we are talking too are wet and they were late. so, we are hoping for a warm fall for a early to mid november duck hunt. As far as hunting NE SD. the area around webster and north and west has alot of walk in areas. the aberdeen area produces a lot of birds and after deer season its not that difficult to get on good land. the far NE is hit and miss for upland. traveling a little farther west is better. Like i said, check out webster to aberdeen area after deer hunting season. Britton can be a good area too but once again its tough to find land early. great area for waterfowl.
 
Our group of 5 got picked. We are staying in Gettysburg for the Thanksgiving week. We have never hunted this area. How do ya'll rate our duck/phez chances on public land in that area?
 
Go north or south from Gettysburg. First road on the East side of town. There are some wetlands near Hoven. Good pheasant areas east of town. I've seen a lot of waterfowl at Cottonwood Lake to the south. Decent pheasant hunting at Cottonwood Lake.
 
its a great area but i'm not sure how much public land there is. the river is high so your going to be limited there. when the river is down walking the creek beds and alongside the river can produce a lot of pheasants. i'm sure you will do fine. i've never hunted the mo river for waterfowl. we usually hunt east of aberdeen and redfield. best of luck to ya
 
first time applicat and I didn't get drawn for the statewide either. I sure was looking forward to it as well.
 
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