# Opening day thread



## redneckman (Dec 7, 2005)

Got 14 of our 15 (3 shooters). Decided not to bust another flock to get one more, so we picked up. Have hickory, bbq, mesquite, and cajun jerky going on the smoker tomorrow.


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## ahartz (Dec 28, 2000)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> yep. calling BS on the story.


I will second the skepticism....Andy


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

Yea it was hot in neoprene today. Not even gonna show u my outfitt. Lol.


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)




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## Jeffrey Hamlin (Jan 5, 2008)

I hunted a cut wheat field with a couple of my buddies today. We had everything flying this morning except geese. The cranes were everywhere. At one point we counted 40 in the field. The ducks were also pretty active. Around 9am a large flock of geese finally showed up and flew right into our spread. We cut them right before their feet hit the ground. 9 shots - 4 birds. It was a beautiful site to watch those birds work their way in. 

The rest of the morning was slow and uneventful. All in all.....great day to be in the field. 










My buddy took this pic. Will post more of the hunt later tonight.


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)




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## Outdoor Gal (Sep 9, 2008)

sswhitelightning said:


>



Is that the ******* gangsta look? :lol:


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## lastflighttaxidermy (Jul 12, 2010)

That's my I'm really hot and only have hot flipping waders face. Lol


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## brookies101 (Jun 23, 2008)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> yep. calling BS on the story.


Sounded odd to me as well


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## TNL (Jan 6, 2005)

sswhitelightning said:


>


I'm pretty sure birds flare at the sight of man nipple.


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## michiganoutdoorsman (Dec 29, 2010)

4 man limit of honkers. Best opener I've ever had.










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## quack&honk (Sep 15, 2013)

Got one blue wing today. Got buzzed by a few flocks and missed a few gimmes but all in all a great day. It was just great to be out there watching the birds work regardless of the species.


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## lastflighttaxidermy (Jul 12, 2010)

Lol I think tomorrow we hunt in swim suits


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

my take on opener so far is teal hunt was a success. between here and facebook, looks like quite a few people went after them and seen a lot of happy hunters.


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## just tryin to fish (May 31, 2004)

It's been great not alot of birds for us missed one tonight and for buzzed by a few more but im just happy being back in the marsh with my dog


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> my take on opener so far is teal hunt was a success. between here and facebook, looks like quite a few people went after them and seen a lot of happy hunters.


Nobody I know hunted teal, just because there is hardly any around. It looks like everyone did ok with geese. I hope the teal show up in huntable numbers around here before the 7th.


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## spartansfan (Nov 8, 2011)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> yep. calling BS on the story.


Call it as you will, came from a trustworthy source but yes second hand information. I personally hunted a popular se marsh and was not even checked or saw anyone checked.


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## Puddler-Hunter (Aug 25, 2010)

craigrh13 said:


> Nobody I know hunted teal, just because there is hardly any around. It looks like everyone did ok with geese. I hope the teal show up in huntable numbers around here before the 7th.



Yep I really wanted to get out there this morning but I just couldn't find huntable numbers anywhere. They have to start trickling down by next weekend, if not I will be disappointed.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

spartansfan said:


> Call it as you will, came from a trustworthy source but yes second hand information. I personally hunted a popular se marsh and was not even checked or saw anyone checked.


i can almost absolutely guarantee a CO will write 18 wood ducks in early teal season. thats negligence, no excuse to shoot that many and claim "i didn't know"...

if it is in fact true, i would love to find out what the CO's name was...but i doubt the story.


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## Outdoor Gal (Sep 9, 2008)

We had a pretty good day too.


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## waterfowlhunter83 (Aug 10, 2005)

Someone got into the pond where the geese were roosted this morning in the area I was at. Needless to say that messed up the hunt for the morning. But all was not lost, I was able to take my dog out for the first time. She did very well, she was steady when birds flew over, I look forward to more hunts with her this year!




















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## Outdoor Gal (Sep 9, 2008)

Great looking pup! We have a GSP that will be coming out with us next year. Can't wait.


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## someone11 (Mar 15, 2009)

One teal for us on munuscong. Set up too far out in the bay (bad call on my part, didnt have time to scout). Sounded likes guys were pounding down in the thick swampy areas closer to shore. We moved at 830 and picked off a BW out of a flock of four. Saw many other non teal that were in range. Only heard a couple shots before teal shooting hours. Couldve been guys busting geese. Was a fun morning still- better than sitting on the couch!!!


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## highcaliberconsecrator (Oct 16, 2009)

waterfowlhunter83 said:


> Someone got into the pond where the geese were roosted this morning in the area I was at. Needless to say that messed up the hunt for the morning. But all was not lost, I was able to take my dog out for the first time. She did very well, she was steady when birds flew over, I look forward to more hunts with her this year!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Glad to hear it went well, Chad. I know you will put some birds down soon enough for retrieves.


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## Bertslash (Sep 3, 2011)

sswhitelightning said:


>


HHHRRROOORRRKKK! I think I just through up in my mouth! That is one WHITE ASS BODY! WOW! JK!


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> my take on opener so far is teal hunt was a success. between here and facebook, looks like quite a few people went after them and seen a lot of happy hunters.


I agree. We did pretty good with the investment we put into scouting. Honestly we had mallards working the decoys every 20 minutes it seemed and the occasional odd duck, pintail, widgeon, reds, hooded mergs. Made for a fun day regardless of pulling the trigger. We joke we laugh we have fun. Best part of hunting imo.


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## spartansfan (Nov 8, 2011)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> i can almost absolutely guarantee a CO will write 18 wood ducks in early teal season. thats negligence, no excuse to shoot that many and claim "i didn't know"...
> 
> if it is in fact true, i would love to find out what the CO's name was...but i doubt the story.


I will look into it this week. I'll let you know what I find out


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## S.B. Walleyes&Waterfowl (Jan 10, 2012)

Ended up with 11 teals. No shots at geese unfortunately. Good hunt!


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## Nuff Daddy (Dec 5, 2012)

Puddler-Hunter said:


> Yep I really wanted to get out there this morning but I just couldn't find huntable numbers anywhere. They have to start trickling down by next weekend, if not I will be disappointed.



WPBO was reporting some teal migration at the end of last week. Hopefully we get a decent northern blow and I think they will be around.


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## monkel (Nov 11, 2013)

shot nothing saw nothing. Set my alarm for sunday instead of monday so I woke up 2hrs too late to go to the private property. Apparently they had 2 flocks come in. Went out for the afternoon/evening and saw absolutely nothing. So far this year I've seen turkey, deer, mallards while scouting for geese but no geese.. go figure.


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

Whos hunting all week??


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

If I could find birds I would. All of my spots both public and private in 2 counties are slow at best. The birds figure out real fast where they are safe. Need the molt migrators and teal to move down.


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## redneckman (Dec 7, 2005)

sswhitelightning said:


> Whos hunting all week??


Only the first 3 days for me.


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## Jeffrey Hamlin (Jan 5, 2008)

SuperSeal110 said:


>


WOW! Looks like you guys had an amazing morning. Nice job!


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## norton shores killer (Oct 24, 2009)

i will be out everyday but tomorrow, first day of school for the girls gotta take some pictures


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## mintgreenwalleyemachine (Jan 18, 2005)

10 man limit yesterday! Was one of the best openers in quite some time.


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## Retiredducker (Oct 11, 2011)

Got invited to hunt Amish country just South of the line...did well


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## Duckman Racing (Oct 11, 2004)

Was planning on trying a teal hunt for the opener, but a last minute scouting trip revealed some geese using some fields close to home. So after talking to the farmer Sunday night I decided to give it a shot. I wasn't too optimistic as I only saw 30-40 geese and they were spread out between three different fields. 

Took my son with me and we got a little later start than I had planned but still had all the decoys set by shooting time. Parked the truck, walked back and started setting up the blinds when I hear honking. I quick unfold the kid's blind, jump in mine and start loading my gun. Dig my calls out and by then the geese are right in front of us, but they slid off to the side and dropped in about 100 yards away. Next flock came in right after them, and as they were swinging towards the first group I managed to knock one down. Then got another as the birds were scrambling to get out of the field. Later managed to knock two out of a flock that I called over from the field to the next to us. Lots of calling and lots of flagging convinced them to come take a look.

Should have been a limit, but still a good morning. Called it quits at 9:00 am as the birds had mostly flown back to the roost, and the clouds were looking ominous in the distance.


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## Nuff Daddy (Dec 5, 2012)

sswhitelightning said:


> Whos hunting all week??



I will be. Think I'm going to switch my focus to geese though until I start seeing some better teal numbers.


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## Paperboy 1 (Aug 7, 2008)

mintgreenwalleyemachine said:


> 10 man limit yesterday! Was one of the best openers in quite some time.


Nice! Rats with wings. Any of them banded?


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