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Duck Hunting: It Only Takes One

By: Josh Dahlke
5 comments Mixed Bag with Josh Dahlke

Sep 26

Sometimes you "hit it" ... sometimes you don't. That's just the name of the game when it comes to hunting, whether it be birds or bucks. This weekend I didn't quite hit it in the waterfowl world.

With record duck numbers, I expected to have a banner opening weekend on one of my favorite north-central Minnesota duck sloughs. That wasn't the case. In fact, I saw less ducks Saturday and Sunday than I have in the past 5 years of opening-morning hunts.

The culprit? I have no idea. My only hunch is that the water quality of the slough has degraded too much from all the "waste" that the resident beef cattle continue to deposit. Thoughts? Ideas? Insight? Leave your comments in the box below. It's also possible that our good-luck streak for that opening-morning gem has simply faded.

Reports filtered in throughout the weekend from friends hunting 45 minutes north of me, and they were hittin' it. Text messages flew my way with stories of limits upon limits—the banner opener I'd hoped for. I only shot a half-dozen ducks all weekend.

The first morning, three blue-winged teal dive-bombed my decoys and landed before I could even grip my gun. I stood up. Nothing. I waved my arms. Nothing. I yelled at them. Nothing. I finally shot one on the water (say what you will)—but only one of the remaining two got up, which I then dropped from the air. The third bird stayed put. I shook my head, then decided to let the foolish bird add life to my decoys for the next hour. Eventually, it got up for no apparent reason and flew away. I was daydreaming about granola bars, but was able to get two shots off as his wings beat the air in the opposite direction. I missed. 

It may have been one of the slowest opening weekends in my record book, but it only takes one. I've got a "thing" for drake wood ducks. Check out the beautiful boy in the photo below. He was kind enough to land just outside my decoys on Sunday. I jumped him and delivered a finishing payload of Winchester Blind Side No. 2s as he tried to escape. Birds like him are one the reasons I duck hunt. It only takes one.

5 comments

# DuckMaster22
Monday, September 26, 2011 7:07 PM
Sometimes you spend days on end not getting anything. You couldnt have put it to words any better. It takes one to make the day worth the trip, worth the 3am wake up calls, not to mention the numerous calls from the wife "when are you going to be home"! Good work!
# dcarter11
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 4:05 PM
as far as the water quality. I dont think that would deture the duck... ducks and gease are the nastiest animals I have ever seen when it comes to making watering holes in to septic waste pools. but then I am talking about the domestic variants. Maybe the wild ducks are more cleanly about their bussiness. I am not interested in eating one. So I dont hunt them. I you are having a problem with water running off cattle land then you should build a dirt wall around your pond or infront of your river or stream to prevent down stream run off. and what water soaks thru the dirt will be filtered by the dirt. and you should consider getting a shipment of dung beatles to help get rid of the cow pies for your rancher of farmer friend. if you are looking for more of a challenge then you should start hunting ducks with a bow and if thats not hard enough get and old fashoned sling shot and if that not hard enough just throw rocks at em...and if you want to hunt ducks across enime lines.. kill them all and let God sort them out.
# Hiven100
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 7:19 PM
Josh,
I used to be a MN resident, hunted Woodies, Mallards, Bluebills, Widgeons, Black Ducks, and geese 60 - mid 80's. I make at least 2 trips yearly, deer season and fishing opener now. I always see bunchs of birds in Nov.miss putting out the blocks, instead of deer hunting. Avidly hunt ducks and geese out west in OR/WA, opener will be Oct.15 think about it, where are all those birds? The fact is, season opened Sept. for early birds like Teal and Woodies, are there good clutches of those birds in your area. MN opener is usually more towards early Oct. In the mean time, do some scouting, in the mornings/evenings see if you can locate flights trading waters and find several good places with access/permission that you have seen ducks that week. A bit of scouting goes a long way towards success. Give it go. Local ducks will find the best beaver ponds, bog, oxbow, lake, small river bar, grain field or secure pond that lends security, where as arrivals will fly through looking for places to rest and feed. Some of these places are yearly stop overs. Some of these hidden gems require less than 6 decoys. some wader and a dog. Both geese and ducks will spatter a field so thick with fecal debris you might say "if it's spinach I'm glad I'm not a vegetarian". Also, check out the web places like this -http://community.stormchasersnetwork.com/ Good Hunting!
# Web Editor Josh
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 4:40 PM
Thanks for the comments, folks!

@ Hiven100: Great tips. I use those strategies when I can, and the slough I was hunting has typically been a yearly stopover as you mentioned, but for some reason this year it was dead. You're right about the DNR reasoning for opening early (teal/wood ducks/early migrators). But low and behold, a doggone cold front came in earlier than normal and appeared to push many of those birds out of the area we were in (too far north). Unfortunately, I don't have access anywhere else up there, and my time for waterfowlin' is more limited than I would like (lots of other hunting going on, too)! StormChasersNetwork.com does have a sweet community! I'm on there, but again -- time is limited. I wish there were 40 hours in one day, rather than one work week! Good luck on the West Coast. I look forward to hearing more advice and comments from you. Thanks!
# bones94
Thursday, September 29, 2011 11:16 AM
most ducks i,ve seen in years had a great shoot opening day, had to work for them next day, all in all best opener in years. woodies, rings, teal. thanks to north central minnesota good habitat. bones 94

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