# Nodak crop situation



## lososjoyride00 (Mar 2, 2011)

Heading out the 4th, driving straight through, hopefully scout then hunt the afternoon hunt..... so absolutely pumped, cant wait!


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## Wingmaster22 (Oct 29, 2003)

just ducky said:


> Ya know we thought...for about a split second...about not going due to the high gas prices. A split second....
> 
> And I know how it is to have hunting partners that won't go hunting. Happens to me every year here.


had the same split second thought JD, I'll see you on Tuesday.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

i'm not like JD, i try to shoot my limit every day.


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## Water_Hazard (Aug 16, 2006)

Wingmaster22 said:


> Don't knock it till ya try it Matt.....  Trust me there's a difference.


I know. If I didn't take the whole hunting season off from work, I would be able to afford to go. I like it how it is right now. I think if I threw a week or so long Nodak trip in there, the wife and kids would definately be fed up with my hunting habits.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> i'm not like JD, i try to shoot my limit every day.


Very true. You are an absolute rabid animal when it comes to searching out those big ass flocks, and you generally get rewarded for it. No doubt those limit hunts are a lot of fun. And if you want to shoot limits, you definitely can. But I guess anymore I get just as much fun out of stretching out the day, scouting around and seeing what's over the next hill. 

Thing is out there we have that choice....here, not very often.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Wingmaster22 said:


> had the same split second thought JD, I'll see you on Tuesday.


Counting the minutes Dave! Have a safe trip out, and be sure to stop by for a beer!


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

i really feel for you guys....i will be thinking about ya as i pull onto the road today at 3:30....and how much you guys have to deal with things like going to work tomorrow and (jd) waiting til next monday to leave. That must totally sucks. Must be pretty rough to think that i'll be opening up that brand new case of shells and smelling some fresh gun powder on some cool morning out in the great wide open....and stuff.

my view should look something like this.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> i really feel for you guys....i will be thinking about ya as i pull onto the road today at 3:30....and how much you guys have to deal with things like going to work tomorrow and (jd) waiting til next monday to leave. That must totally sucks. Must be pretty rough to think that i'll be opening up that brand new case of shells and smelling some fresh gun powder on some cool morning out in the great wide open....and stuff.
> 
> my view should look something like this.


thanks *******! :evilsmile As in the old commercials..."I love you man!" :evilsmile

See ya next week.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> i really feel for you guys....i will be thinking about ya as i pull onto the road today at 3:30....and how much you guys have to deal with things like going to work tomorrow and (jd) waiting til next monday to leave. That must totally sucks. Must be pretty rough to think that i'll be opening up that brand new case of shells and smelling some fresh gun powder on some cool morning out in the great wide open....and stuff.
> 
> my view should look something like this.


Oh, and Matt...yep, 6 ducks is 6 ducks. Difference is all in this picture...over, and over, and over. :evilsmile


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## Wingmaster22 (Oct 29, 2003)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> i really feel for you guys....i will be thinking about ya as i pull onto the road today at 3:30....and how much you guys have to deal with things like going to work tomorrow and (jd) waiting til next monday to leave. That must totally sucks. Must be pretty rough to think that i'll be opening up that brand new case of shells and smelling some fresh gun powder on some cool morning out in the great wide open....and stuff.


Dude you really know how to hurt a guy. Can't believe your gettin the jump on me. Have a safe trip out, I'll see you Saturday morning....


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

Wingmaster22 said:


> Dude you really know how to hurt a guy. Can't believe your gettin the jump on me. Have a safe trip out, I'll see you Saturday morning....


i have decided to pick 6 of my favorite holes....and i'm gonna go shoot 1 duck at each hole in celebration of being out there first.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> i have decided to pick 6 of my favorite holes....and i'm gonna go shot 1 duck at each hole in celebration of being out there first.


After all, 6 ducks is 6 ducks, right? :evilsmile Sorry Matt, couldn't resist.

But ya gotta at least make it a challenge...6 DIFFERENT types of ducks...there ya go. The gauntlet has been thrown out :evilsmile


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## 1ludman (Jun 26, 2012)

Not to hijack this thread but I talked with the farmer who I hunt deer and ducks with in southeast SD said almost all they crops are off in thier region very low yield on corn and all the potholes and sloughs are dry. He said driest he's seen it in his 60yrs .


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

1ludman said:


> Not to hijack this thread but I talked with the farmer who I hunt deer and ducks with in southeast SD said almost all they crops are off in thier region very low yield on corn and all the potholes and sloughs are dry. He said driest he's seen it in his 60yrs .


It's spotty in ND as far as where they had drought. This map kinda tells the tale... http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/maps/current/index.php?action=update_daterange&daterange=Last3m You can find similar maps for SD on this website if you're curious. The area in South Central ND where I, Shi Kid, Wingmaster 22 and some others go is in good shape according to our farmers on the ground out there. The potholes are lower than last fall, which is actually a blessing...they were ridiculously high last year. But they apparently got enough timely rains this fall for the crops to be decent. Now having said that, I'm sure their yields are down too.


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## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

just ducky said:


> We're like rock stars when we go there. you get outta your truck in camo and walk towards the diner, and some local will stop and ask you "how's the hunting?"


LMAO! Rock stars? 

Everyone out there is a lot nicer. Easier going and will actually talk to you instead of giving u the cold shoulder. Also a lot easier to pull property to hunt out there. Never felt like a rock star though lol. 

If you shoot white geese then you will be a super hero to the farmers out there. 




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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

1ludman said:


> Not to hijack this thread but I talked with the farmer who I hunt deer and ducks with in southeast SD said almost all they crops are off in thier region very low yield on corn and all the potholes and sloughs are dry. He said driest he's seen it in his 60yrs .


as JD said, we are kinda lucky in south central. and yes most of the crops are off which is gonna be kinda weird. Most seasons they hardly have beans down let alone corn by end of october. 2 years ago they never even got to harvest corn til febuary due to being so wet. Water has been so high you couldn't navigate around very well due to road closures. I hoping we'll see something similar to what we did in 06'.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Duck-Hunter said:


> LMAO! Rock stars?
> 
> Everyone out there is a lot nicer. Easier going and will actually talk to you instead of giving u the cold shoulder. Also a lot easier to pull property to hunt out there. Never felt like a rock star though lol.
> 
> ...


Okay I guess that may have been strong :lol: My point is they REALLY like having us there, including our out of state dollars, and they'll do most anything to make us happy. I could give you lots of stories after my 14 or so years having gone out...everything from farmers (complete strangers) overhearing our sad stories in the diner, and coming to us and offering their property for us to hunt, to guys opening up their shop at night so they could fix a truck that broke down, to our farmers coming to pick up a guys dog and run it to a vet 60 miles away so we could go hunting. It just goes on and on, and to me it's more than just being nice....it's a culture out there that still appreciates hunting and hunters. It's like being around family...that's really it to me.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

Duck-Hunter said:


> LMAO! Rock stars?
> 
> Everyone out there is a lot nicer. Easier going and will actually talk to you instead of giving u the cold shoulder. Also a lot easier to pull property to hunt out there. Never felt like a rock star though lol.
> 
> ...


had one farmer shoot me down for snows last year. said he wanted the geese to eat the downed seed outa the field, said it will save him from having to roundup the field.


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## sthiede (Aug 31, 2004)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> as JD said, we are kinda lucky in south central. and yes most of the crops are off which is gonna be kinda weird. Most seasons they hardly have beans down let alone corn by end of october. 2 years ago they never even got to harvest corn til febuary due to being so wet. Water has been so high you couldn't navigate around very well due to road closures. I hoping we'll see something similar to what we did in 06'.



06 was the year the mallards were bouncing off the ground they came in to land so hard wasn't it?:lol:


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

sthiede said:


> 06 was the year the mallards were bouncing off the ground they came in to land so hard wasn't it?:lol:


its was raining mallards......and wigeons...and pintails...


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## NDSlayer (Sep 2, 2012)

1ludman said:


> Not to hijack this thread but I talked with the farmer who I hunt deer and ducks with in southeast SD said almost all they crops are off in thier region very low yield on corn and all the potholes and sloughs are dry. He said driest he's seen it in his 60yrs .


Yea that's definitely not the case in ND. Yea there's less water than last year but that was an EXTREMELY wet year. My dad said he hadn't seen water in ND like that since major flooding that they had in 1969. 

I was back home in ND 3 weeks ago and the water looks really good. Drove by one slough that was dry 5 years ago and now is maybe 300-500 acres in size. The real small potholes are drying up and some will be dry this fall but overall it is just fine.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

NDSlayer said:


> Yea that's definitely not the case in ND. Yea there's less water than last year but that was an EXTREMELY wet year. My dad said he hadn't seen water in ND like that since major flooding that they had in 1969.
> 
> I was back home in ND 3 weeks ago and the water looks really good. Drove by one slough that was dry 5 years ago and now is maybe 300-500 acres in size. The real small potholes are drying up and some will be dry this fall but overall it is just fine.


thx for the info. thats pretty much the exact same report our housekeeper is giving us. leaving in a few minutes to head out there. feel like a kid on christmas eve. lol.


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## Water_Hazard (Aug 16, 2006)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


>


_*Oh, and Matt...yep, 6 ducks is 6 ducks. Difference is all in this picture...over, and over, and over.*_

I don't think I could drop any more out of that flock than I could out of a flock of 3.


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## Big Skip (Sep 1, 2010)

Sick!

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## Big Skip (Sep 1, 2010)

North dakota pothole sunset!

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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

NDSlayer said:


> Yea that's definitely not the case in ND. Yea there's less water than last year but that was an EXTREMELY wet year. My dad said he hadn't seen water in ND like that since major flooding that they had in 1969.
> 
> I was back home in ND 3 weeks ago and the water looks really good. Drove by one slough that was dry 5 years ago and now is maybe 300-500 acres in size. The real small potholes are drying up and some will be dry this fall but overall it is just fine.


Where are you from in ND? God I love that state. Pretty rural, which isn't for everyone, but great people for sure.


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## NDSlayer (Sep 2, 2012)

just ducky said:


> Where are you from in ND? God I love that state. Pretty rural, which isn't for everyone, but great people for sure.


I read on this forum earlier that duck hunters go to their grave's with their honeyholes. Not sure I can spill the beans here...


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## Jimw (Jul 8, 2009)

NDSlayer said:


> I read on this forum earlier that duck hunters go to their grave's with their honeyholes. Not sure I can spill the beans here...


Haha, got to protect your buddies back home! Don't blame ya, lol. 

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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

NDSlayer said:


> I read on this forum earlier that duck hunters go to their grave's with their honeyholes. Not sure I can spill the beans here...


:lol: If it were a spot here in Michigan, you're dead right 

I was really just curious. I started going out there in the late 90's on the invite of an old friend who was an MSU prof, but born and raised in ND. He moved here in the 60's to teach, but still has family, property and friends there. We now have about 16 guys who come and go at the house out there during a 10 day period. 

Honestly, I don't need any spots out there. After going for that many years, I have WAY more spots than I will ever hunt in my lifetime. And I find a few more each year that again I'll probably never be able to hunt. And I've introduced quite a few from this board to ND hunting...seems like a few more each year. We jokingly call the little towns we go to "Michigan west" because there are so many Michigan guys around there now. But in all of the years I've hunted there, I've only run into one other party hunting, and they were way on the other end of a large pothole, which actually helped keep birds moving. Just no comparison to here in Michigan. Seriously....they could have 10 times the number of hunters around that area (still way less than what you find here) and I'd still go. I love it there...you probably gathered that from some of my posts.


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## NDSlayer (Sep 2, 2012)

just ducky said:


> :lol: If it were a spot here in Michigan, you're dead right
> 
> I was really just curious. I started going out there in the late 90's on the invite of an old friend who was an MSU prof, but born and raised in ND. He moved here in the 60's to teach, but still has family, property and friends there. We now have about 16 guys who come and go at the house out there during a 10 day period.
> 
> Honestly, I don't need any spots out there. After going for that many years, I have WAY more spots than I will ever hunt in my lifetime. And I find a few more each year that again I'll probably never be able to hunt. And I've introduced quite a few from this board to ND hunting...seems like a few more each year. We jokingly call the little towns we go to "Michigan west" because there are so many Michigan guys around there now. But in all of the years I've hunted there, I've only run into one other party hunting, and they were way on the other end of a large pothole, which actually helped keep birds moving. Just no comparison to here in Michigan. Seriously....they could have 10 times the number of hunters around that area (still way less than what you find here) and I'd still go. I love it there...you probably gathered that from some of my posts.


Yes, from your posts, I have figured out that you love North Dakota! Sounds like quite a few other guys do too. Yea I have to say it is a special place that hasn't seen (and hopefully never will) huge numbers of hunters or leasing of land. The town that I grew up in, I can only think of 3 landowners in a 15 mile radius that ever hunt ducks. And we have some great bird hunting! Needless to say, getting permission to hunt is not a problem. Although that isn't the case everywhere in the state and in some areas, I'm sure access is a bit tougher. Anyways, it should be a great year out there and I hope everyone who goes out there has a successful trip.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

Its amzing how the pothole landscape changes so much every year. I did about 3hrs of scouting out here tonight. Its dry....very dry. Small potholes are gone. Its great to finallly be able to drive some roads again that have been flooded out for the last 5 years. There is 1 road north of town that was 7' under water....the road is now a 10' dike/road above the water.

The corn is the best ive ever seen it here. Ears are twice the size of ours. Banner bean and corn crop...def very localized as i seen some poor crops on the drive in. In about 100 miles of driving tonight i found 1 wheat field....thats drowning in regrowth.

Sure is a lot birds tho. Seen the most white pelicans ive ever seen today also. Also musta seen a million blue wing teal....bumper crop.

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