# Saginaw Bay



## duckbuster2

Who's going out on the Bay Saturday morning in this wind,I could but I won't.

Small Craft Advisory
Issued: 9:39 AM EDT Oct. 21, 2016 – National Weather Service

... Small Craft Advisory remains in effect until 10 PM EDT
Saturday... 

* wind and waves: during the Small Craft Advisory... expect 
sustained winds up to 22 knots from the north with gusts up 
to 29 knots. The largest expected significant waves will be 7 
feet with a potential maximum wave height of 10 feet. 

* Timing: the maximum winds are expected around 9 am EDT Friday 
with the largest waves expected around 11 am EDT Friday. 

Refer to the latest marine forecasts for greater detail.

Precautionary/preparedness actions... 

A Small Craft Advisory means that wind speeds of 21 to 33 knots
are expected to produce hazardous wave conditions to small craft.
Inexperienced mariners... especially those operating smaller
vessels should avoid navigating in these conditions.


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## JeffroSoup

Sounds like a good duck hunting day to me. I wouldn't be layout hunting that's forsure.


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## craigrh13

I would love to hunt that. Get back in the marshes and you would do good!


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## walter sniper

Oh boy
Put the mallard blocks away and pull out the bills. I just set the alarm for 3 am....


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## JeffroSoup

Hoping for swarms of birds dropping down from heaven. Will probably shoot one wood duck.


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## walter sniper

Hahaha
Got two Gaddis last night right at 638
Ready for some divers......


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## catfishkelly




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## catfishkelly

We had a great day yesterday, first time ever hunting in layout boat. One of the best Hunts I've ever had... also learned a lot about the bay in a short time. Beautiful day to be a duck hunter in Michigan.


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## ahartz

Nice Reds......


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## craigrh13

catfishkelly said:


>


 Good looking redheads. Is that a squaw in there too?


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## buckwacker 48097

I see a Ruddy Duck... nice!


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## craigrh13

Ruddy up front but squaw in the back with the bills.


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## catfishkelly

Yes sir, the guy we where with said they are pretty rare. But I don't know.


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## craigrh13

catfishkelly said:


> Yes sir, the guy we where with said they are pretty rare. But I don't know.


Yes and no.


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## Timber

Yes and No!


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## Fall Flight Punisher

Looks pretty common to me. What ever those things are.


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## walter sniper

Nice squaws last year I assume with the lack of leaves on the trees


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## fsamie1

good work guys.


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## Shiawassee_Kid

what does one do with a ruddy duck? has anyone actually ever ate one?


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## catfishkelly

Nice, like I said I'm pretty new to the bay. Hoping to go back out later in year.


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## slwayne

Hunted the East side Saturday and Sunday. Saturday shore hunt produced 6 buffies, 2 reds and a hen Goldeneye. Layout hunted for squaw on Sunday and ended up with 19 (including 6 real nice long-tails) before giving in to the conditions at 1:00. Roughest conditions that I have ever layout hunted in. Now I have an idea what hunting in a washing machine would be like.


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## BVG

We hunted Wildfowl Bay Saturday and Sunday. If I did not know any better, I would have sworn ducks were extinct on Saturday. Sunday morning brought a couple rafts out in open water, one mallard, half a dozen teal, a beautiful drake Golden eye, and a few geese. I bet it was pretty good Sunday evening and after.


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## The Doob

Things were pretty dead in Quanicassee today - we shot one hen ringneck. There was a layout boat outside of use and they shot 3 times, retrieved twice (I think). Probably spread my misery to Wildfowl Bay tomorrow. We have gone from heroes to zeroes in a week but we will keep taking our swings, hoping for the best


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## craigrh13

The Doob said:


> Things were pretty dead in Quanicassee today - we shot one hen ringneck. There was a layout boat outside of use and they shot 3 times, retrieved twice (I think). Probably spread my misery to Wildfowl Bay tomorrow. We have gone from heroes to zeroes in a week but we will keep taking our swings, hoping for the best


Yes sir. I was out on wildfowl bay as well. It was DEAD. We shot a hooded merg and a buffie. Should of had a wigeon and a mallard. But we crapped down our leg on those. I did hear what had to of been a layout boat out on the lake banging away. They were the only ones doing any sort of shooting. Makes sense though, that was the only place I seen birds yesterday afternoon. 

Kicking myself in the ass for getting out after 11 am yesterday. The birds were there and working great. Then the wind died down and it was literally the quietest and deadest I've ever seen the bay. Just disgusting.


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## Let It Ride

catfishkelly said:


>


i see 13 birds there ,over the limit by one


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## Wallis

Let It Ride said:


> i see 13 birds there ,over the limit by one


I'm sure the person taking the picture was hunting too. Always best to leave the bird count to the CO's. Just my thoughts.


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## just ducky

Let It Ride said:


> i see 13 birds there ,over the limit by one


Always amazed to see a post like this, but it happens year after year. You should assume that those in the picture can do basic math, and worry more about shooting your own limits


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## Lurker

Let It Ride said:


> i see 13 birds there ,over the limit by one



Forum Rules: *The Internet C.O. -* see/read something that doesn't sound kosher? notice that his boat tags are expired, comments about a days shoot but shows pics consisting of 2 days bag, .... how about doing him/her a favor and if you feel the need to comment, DO IT THROUGH THE PM PROCESS. 1. they'll either give you the full run down that they didn't use that boat, that indeed it was a weekends total - not one day and/or they may thank you for your level of concern.


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## Sofa King what?

Let It Ride said:


> i see 13 birds there ,over the limit by one


If you took the time to read his posts after that he mentions "the guy WE were hunting with"....also, not saying it's impossible to do with two, but most people would agree to safely hunt a layout boat, a crew of 3 people or more is the safest /most practical approach.


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## catfishkelly

There's 15 by the way and 3 shooters but thanks for trying to start trouble!!!!! Find something else to do besides troll.


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## wavie

catfishkelly said:


> There's 15 by the way and 3 shooters but thanks for trying to start trouble!!!!! Find something else to do besides troll.


My first thought, someone cant add birds.
Glad to see someone is having luck.


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## WoodyMG

catfishkelly said:


> There's 15 by the way and 3 shooters but thanks for trying to start trouble!!!!! Find something else to do besides troll.


Lol, people always forget the camera man.


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## The Doob

After the less than stellar results earlier in the week, the northern winds blessed us with some new players today. My son was in wildfowl bay and their group ended up with 15, mostly buffleheads and a couple of bluebills. We were on the southern end of the bay and ended up with 18, mostly bluebills with buffleheads and a scoter. 

We saw a lot more birds than we had noted on Wednesday and an "oh by the way" we had 42 of these:


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## craigrh13

The Doob said:


> After the less than stellar results earlier in the week, the northern winds blessed us with some new players today. My son was in wildfowl bay and their group ended up with 15, mostly buffleheads and a couple of bluebills. We were on the southern end of the bay and ended up with 18, mostly bluebills with buffleheads and a scoter.
> 
> We saw a lot more birds than we had noted on Wednesday and an "oh by the way" we had 42 of these:


Sounds like a solid day. Have you noticed the complete lack of redheads out there?? I haven't seen anywhere close to the amount I've seen over the past few years. Oddly I've seen more puddlers then divers it seems out in the area of your big blind.


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## The Doob

We saw a few redheads today but on our "kill chart" the bluebills have overtaken the redheads as the number one duck in or bag this year. Most years, we kill twice as many redheads as bluebills.

Every year there is a species of duck that is an anomaly in our bag - this year it is the green winged teal


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## SuperBlackEagle2

The Doob said:


> We saw a few redheads today but on our "kill chart" the bluebills have overtaken the redheads as the number one duck in or bag this year. Most years, we kill twice as many redheads as bluebills.
> 
> Every year there is a species of duck that is an anomaly in our bag - this year it is the green winged teal


Shot my first GWT of the season this afternoon...10 min after saying, "Where have the teal been so far this season".

I agree with the previous post about the Redheads. I'm seeing a lot less this year. Usually my #1 species.


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## jimposten

disappointing year to say the least. hunted last tuesday/wednesday. wildfowl bay was dead. The worst I have seen in 6 years of hunting the same week out there.


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## craigrh13

jimposten said:


> disappointing year to say the least. hunted last tuesday/wednesday. wildfowl bay was dead. The worst I have seen in 6 years of hunting the same week out there.


Tuesday mid morning started off good. Quite a few birds moving and they decoyed great. Then the wind died down and it was the deadest I've ever seen the bay. Solid glass. I wish we would have gotten out there earlier that morning.


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## Divers Down

jimposten said:


> disappointing year to say the least. hunted last tuesday/wednesday. wildfowl bay was dead. The worst I have seen in 6 years of hunting the same week out there.


Same situation on Erie this entire season, the Dead Sea.... just sad


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## Swamp Boss

The bay the last week? Zzzzzzzz...


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## DCRanger

Thursday am around Fish Point was superb. Fog, wind, and birds moving. Limited out early


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## The Doob

Experienced the same earlier in the week at Wildfowl Bay but we kept at it and on Thursday managed to scrape out 11 - 9 buffies and 2 bluebills.
Yesterday was a Bluebill fest on the southern Bay as we finished with 18 ducks and saw a ton.
Went back today and there were not as many ducks but the lay out guys were out in force. There were some ducks around and we noted that they did some shooting so hopefully the guys that can only hunt the weekends had good luck. My son and I managed 11 more, just couldn't scratch out a limit as we missed a couple lay ups. So there was a strong finish to the week. With oldsquaws and goldeneyes showing up in the bag, things are trending towards the end.


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## walter sniper

Normally I would agree with you 100%
But the diversity of the bay is really changing. Oldsquaw shave been being shot since opening weekend, and we still have very good numbers of wood ducks and teal around. Heck even shovelers are still around.
I think the first real cold snap it's gonna be crazy.
Lot of birds still north.


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## The Doob

Walter, I sure hope you are right!!!!


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## walter sniper

That's two of us doob
Haven't seen many swans either usually they coincide.
Two buffies this am, couple misses

Making move for afternoon not that it will probably make a diff
Sounded like a lot of banging off river mouth


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## spartansfan

I hunted the bay from Tuesday to saturday. Some buffies definitely showed up later in the week but still no where near what you'd expect. My buddies on Erie are miserable with the bird numbers down there. This is the 2nd November in a row where the first 10 days have been brutally hot for weather. I'm thinking it won't get really good until the last 15 days of the season with what is expected in the next 10 days. I will say though in 5 hunts we killed around 25 birds but 13 different species which is cool!


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## population control

Think your right, Doob. 
Seen lost of mergs and squaw today running out to charity bass fishing today. Heard plenty of shooting also. 
The **** ducks are here. 
Hopefully there will still be some edible ducks to show. 
Although hunting for dog food is fun.


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## walter sniper

DU migration map is very helpful
South of us is reporting no birds yet. 
Best is yet to come and it will be fast and furious


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## Jerry Lamb

walter sniper said:


> DU migration map is very helpful
> South of us is reporting no birds yet.
> Best is yet to come and it will be fast and furious


Have you guys been seeing the migrators as I have on Lake St Clair? Every morning the past 2 weeks flights trucking south. Lots of them. I hope the migration isn't happening and we're missing it. If its nice they won't stop, so I've heard.


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## The Doob

Made he final trip to the Big floater for the 2016 season. We noted mallards moving and were even able to shoot one over our diver spread. Divers though were non-existent - didn't even see a bufflehead which had been the staple duck of late last week.

Pulled the blind which requires getting this double net anchor (100 lbs +) off the bottom along with 60' of 5/8 steel cable









Then towing her (10 x 20 over 18 55 gallon drums) back to shore









Then driving her home









This is the 50th season for this beast, built in 1966 by Darv Nitz with modifications made over the years. I have been sole proprietor of the blind since 1997


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## Beverly Hillbilly

The Doob said:


> Made he final trip to the Big floater for the 2016 season. We noted mallards moving and were even able to shoot one over our diver spread. Divers though were non-existent - didn't even see a bufflehead which had been the staple duck of late last week.
> 
> Pulled the blind which requires getting this double net anchor


Just curious, Why pull so early, worried about quick freeze or feeling pessimistic about rest of season?


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## Divers Down

Beverly Hillbilly said:


> Just curious, Why pull so early, worried about quick freeze or feeling pessimistic about rest of season?


Wondering that too?


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## The Doob

I doubt that a freeze will happen in the near future but it has been frozen in as early as 11/3. Plus, the leg you see in the picture of that anchor is that of my 6'4 son that is returning home to Montana tomorrow. I loose his assistance and the need for a blind that will hunt four. I have another blind that I keep in Quanicassee but that is also mobile and will hunt three. 
The outside:








The inside:








I am not giving up on the ducks just yet but generally my main focus is from 10/20 thru 11/7. Historically, for me, that is when the main push of redheads and bluebills, our staple ducks, moves through where I have my Big Floater.
I was able to sooth the sadness of the last 2016 Big Floater hunt with a little romp in the grass


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## SuperBlackEagle2

At any rate, I enjoy your posts, pics, and your honesty Doob.
I hope you're wrong about the Bluebills and Redheads though. I will agree that those dates you posted (10-20 to around 11-7 or so), definitely match mine historically for those divers. I've always said, they move on somewhat of a schedule rather than the weather. (In my experience and records)
But on the west side of the Bay this year, I haven't seen the big flocks I usually see. I hope they didn't all go to your side this year. The numbers just haven't been here. I admittedly have not been out as much as normal. But I've seen enough to know that the big numbers haven't been here yet...at least, that's what I'm hoping.


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## The Doob

My son keeps a log of all of our hunts and I asked him to check and see what we did out of the Big Floater this season. For 12 hunts we killed 115 ducks so we averaged just a shade under 10 ducks per trip with a high of 18 and a low of 1 (today ).


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## craigrh13

The Doob said:


> My son keeps a log of all of our hunts and I asked him to check and see what we did out of the Big Floater this season. For 12 hunts we killed 115 ducks so we averaged just a shade under 10 ducks per trip with a high of 18 and a low of 1 (today ).


I would be happy with those numbers. However, I get where you are coming from. The bay has been very odd this year with extreme lows and barely any highs. I keep missing the highs!


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## danp851

Been really enjoying reading the forum Doob I've been reading it since you started it!

We are gonna try Bay port in the morning, hoping this wind pushes some new birds in


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## danp851

Well we went out to Bay port today and ended with 8 ducks and 2 mergies. 

Highlight of the morning though, looks like we got a hen harlequin duck. First timr anybody in the boat has seen one, so that was pretty cool.

Lots of birds moving at first light, that's when we got most of ours. Once the wind and clouds went away the birds stopped completely.


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## pikemaster789

danp851 said:


> Well we went out to Bay port today and ended with 8 ducks and 2 mergies.
> 
> Highlight of the morning though, looks like we got a hen harlequin duck. First timr anybody in the boat has seen one, so that was pretty cool.
> 
> Lots of birds moving at first light, that's when we got most of ours. Once the wind and clouds went away the birds stopped completely.


That is awesome


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## lreigler

Very cool. Someone took a pic of a hen up near alpena at the piers a few weeks ago. A drake is a true trophy.


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## 28hotshot

danp851 said:


> I think we were the guys next to you lol did you motor out to a point, see some guys setting up and turn around?
> 
> We watched a 2 mallards drop when we were getting ready to leave


Yeah that was us. Should have gotten a couple more from that flock but first 2 shots I forgot to aim, got too excited lol


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## bheary

There was big masses of birds yesterday at the bridge. More than there has been all year. This cold is pushing them down


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## danp851

Saw about a dozen birds all day at bay port this morning...


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## The Doob

Hunted the southern Bay today. There is a raft of THOUSANDS of birds down there, noted it today and looked to be 1/2 mile long and it looked like smoke on the water. We tried to set somewhere near there but the water was too deep and as it was I ended up setting too deep for my single strings as they drifted today in the strong SE wind.
We managed 7:
2 mallards
3 scoters
1 bufflehead
1 Bluebill
We ended up calling it early as the drifting nonsense got to be a pain.
There are still quite a few birds around but they have found sanctuary much further out.


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## walter sniper

lol I guarantee they are moving shortly


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## The Doob

Oh yeah, no doubt


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## brookies101

Hunted this morning from shore. There were definitely more mallards flying around, but they weren't very interested in what we had going on, spread wise. Had three BB's fly just out of range towards the end of the hunt, but that was it....... Worst hunt of the year for us. 

Hope things pick up after this weekend


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## craigrh13

So far the morning isn't going too well on the Bay. We tried to get to our spot out on heisterman and beached the boat. Couldn't get anywhere near where we wanted to be....even with my mud boat. The wind has the water insanely low. So we finally found decent water in an area I'm not too familiar with and find out my brand new waders are leaking. Oh yay. Get set up and get a text from my wife saying one of our pine trees has snapped and is leaning against one of my maples on my property line that is next to my neighbors garage. I'm 2.5 hours from home. What a great start to our morning!


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## brookies101

Yep, she's low


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## craigrh13

There's zero birds as well. Only a handful of shots. I've yet to see a diver. Hopefully something changes as my foot is beyond cold.


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## bheary

craigrh13 said:


> There's zero birds as well. Only a handful of shots. I've yet to see a diver. Hopefully something changes as my foot is beyond cold.


Tough it our until she shifs. It will be lights out then.


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## craigrh13

This is seriously the deadest I think I've ever seen it. It's mind blowing. Haven't heard a shot or seen a duck in over an hour.


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## craigrh13

Winds have shifted out of the west now. Foot is completely numb. Have seen 4 butterballs and and a high flock of mallards in the last hour now....


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## jody bird

Tons of birds on my big water me and buddy dog and boat beached before hitting the lake but the birds I could have probably hand feed them lol


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## bheary

One of the best hunts I have ever had was NW winds at 40 +knots on the southern shore.


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## WoodyMG

Did any birds show up with the weather?


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## wavie

WoodyMG said:


> Did any birds show up with the weather?


Was told that many swans were riding the breeze south today.


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## The Doob

No they did not - at least not where we were.

My buddy and I went deer hunting in the morning rather than face the gale force winds in the dark. We had several options, the first of which was to get in the afternoon draw at Fish Point. A quick check of the area and after speaking with a morning hunter, it was determined that their was a distinct lack of birds. 

We opted for our second choice which was to head out the Sebewaing river and find a spot out of the wind. Someone was in our first choice but we found a spot that was comfortable, protected and we had noted birds in the area. We were set up a bit before 1:00pm and in short order we had a couple of players.









We anticipated great things but alas, that is all the shooting we would do. We saw great numbers of Mergansers and Swans and BIG groups of divers that were heeding SE. These large groups of divers, 25 - 30 birds, gave us nary a look as they passed. The thought is that they were headed out with the favorable wind.

This might be all she wrote for me for the 2016 season, our most successful season ever.


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## craigrh13

The Doob said:


> No they did not - at least not where we were.
> 
> My buddy and I went deer hunting in the morning rather than face the gale force winds in the dark. We had several options, the first of which was to get in the afternoon draw at Fish Point. A quick check of the area and after speaking with a morning hunter, it was determined that their was a distinct lack of birds.
> 
> We opted for our second choice which was to head out the Sebewaing river and find a spot out of the wind. Someone was in our first choice but we found a spot that was comfortable, protected and we had noted birds in the area. We were set up a bit before 1:00pm and in short order we had a couple of players.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We anticipated great things but alas, that is all the shooting we would do. We saw great numbers of Mergansers and Swans and BIG groups of divers that were heeding SE. These large groups of divers, 25 - 30 birds, gave us nary a look as they passed. The thought is that they were headed out with the favorable wind.
> 
> This might be all she wrote for me for the 2016 season, our most successful season ever.


Would you say wildfowl bay was overall down though? That's where I hunt and I know for me it was not good compared to the last two seasons. I never seen a fraction of the birds I normally do.


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## danp851

I hunted wilffowl Bay almost exclusively this year and had the best season I've ever had. We had a lot of double digit hunts there this year


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