opening weekend

Heading out to west/west central MN to pound the public land, like we do every year. Hoping the crops come off early, the wind is calm, and the air is crisp. Can't wait.
 
I will also be out to west/west central MN pounding public land. Corn still has some green in it around my house. I think crops will be a factor. Off to SD the following weekend for their opener.
 
I will stick around southern Minnesota to hunt some private and public for our opener. Then it is off to SoDak the following weekend.
 
will be going to west central, just north of bigstone a few miles, ALL public for us; cant wait!
been hearing corn has been coming down
 
Way ahead, Joel.

Google USDA crop report - MN. 12 day's ahead of 5yr average. Harvest (some grains) @ 8% 2wks ahead of 2017.
 
Thanks, Joel.

Recovering from rotator cuff surgery (8wks) and hope to shoot the week of Oct. 22. Dr. gave me a green light last week, said I'm coming along well ahead of normal.

We did have a report from the farmer: appears the birds "may be" down from a dismal last year. We'll find out on the 24th.

Have a great season, esp with that great dog of yours!
 
Glad to hear some corn is coming out. Around my house I'm still seeing corn with some green in it and it continues to rain.
 
How crazy does it get in SW MN during opening weekend? I plan on getting to a public spot around 6:30 or 7am both mornings. Is it easier to find spots to hunt later in the day and for the evening hunt? I have stayed close to home in central MN and them went to west/SW later in the season for a couple trips, but I would like to try SW around Windom area for opening weekend this year. I will be hunting solo on Saturday and then with a buddy on Sunday. Any advice would be great.
 
hey Btup; we used to hunt West of Marshall a few years ago on opener and then bigstone area. I would say both had plenty of pressure opening day, I would recommend getting to your opening spot by 745-8 at the latest. Last year I didnt get out until 815 or so and I was too late, but you certainly can find a different public chunk, just not your first choice. Later in the day its easier to find roosting spots, still guys driving around but not as bad as opening morning. sunday morning it thins out a hair, and by noon sunday the pressure subsides big time, if you can stay until sunday's roost, i would imagine you would have your pick, but I'm usually home by then :(
 
I would say that if you are to your spot between 7-7:30 you should be fine. Remember depending on the spot you picked you may encounter people showing up at 8:50, parking on the road and just walking in where ever they can just to get in. This has happened numerous times to me on opening weekend and it sucks but I get it, I personally just keep driving if I see someone at a spot I want to hunt. The windom area is extremely busy opening weekend, even though there are tons of public pieces to hunt it seems like any open 100yd spot along the road will be filled with a truck by 9am and you will be hunting a spot with multiple groups. Good Luck!
 
I would say that if you are to your spot between 7-7:30 you should be fine. Remember depending on the spot you picked you may encounter people showing up at 8:50, parking on the road and just walking in where ever they can just to get in. This has happened numerous times to me on opening weekend and it sucks but I get it, I personally just keep driving if I see someone at a spot I want to hunt. The windom area is extremely busy opening weekend, even though there are tons of public pieces to hunt it seems like any open 100yd spot along the road will be filled with a truck by 9am and you will be hunting a spot with multiple groups. Good Luck!


Do you know of any areas that might be a little less busy than Windom sense it always seems to be a hotspot? I open to going anywhere. Do you think the Madelia area would be better or possibly farther west towards the Slayton area?
 
what waterdog said is dead bang on, any little spot in those popular areas get hit; it gets discouraging to walk a different chunk after the morning spot because you know it more than likely has been walked already. I myself like to find either large chunks of pieces to open, or very small chunks where someone who drives by knows you pretty much have that spot taken
 
I find on opener it can be a shit show. Last year i was on a bigger plot and was there at 7. by 9 4 other trucks parked at random spots and hunting the same area. The year before was the same in that field.

This year i thought i would try a new area for opener. Was thinking west central but now i see some others had the same idea. decisions decisions
 
I never have much luck opening morning but that doesn’t stop me from trying. I think most birds are in the corn by 9am. Expect people to drive up at 8:50 and park 100 yards away and sprint ahead of you and cut you off. The afternoons are usually less crowded and the birds are coming out of the corn. I remember an opener in Marshall where a guy was in the process of cutting me off and I shot a rooster that his dog flushed. Lucky for me my dog marked and retrieved it.
 
I will be gladly missing the Saturday opener. I am younger than most, but wise enough to not compete with the idiots.

Might go out on Sunday afternoon, but really I am looking to get out on the weekend after, should be plenty of birds left after the initial rush.

Have a great season you UPHers, we are generally the ones who "get it". Too bad there are the other ones who just dont respect other people and their hunts.
 
I never have much luck opening morning but that doesn’t stop me from trying. I think most birds are in the corn by 9am. Expect people to drive up at 8:50 and park 100 yards away and sprint ahead of you and cut you off. The afternoons are usually less crowded and the birds are coming out of the corn. I remember an opener in Marshall where a guy was in the process of cutting me off and I shot a rooster that his dog flushed. Lucky for me my dog marked and retrieved it.

agree, thats what happened to me last years opener, never flushed a bird first field, but later in the day it seemed to get better
 
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