# Nodak



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

i have a couple weeks open in our house in nodak. posted to classifieds.

can use this thread to talk about upcoming nodak season for guys that are going west this year. sound off.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/threads/nodak-house-for-rent-gaddishack.573345/


----------



## stackemup (Oct 31, 2011)

This will be my first year heading there. It's been on my to do list for a few years, and I will finally get to go.









This guy should have a pretty good time no matter the workload!


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

have fun stack. its like home away from home for me. love the people there.


----------



## cronkdre (Sep 11, 2012)

I'll be out there the 4th week of October this year. Normally go the 3rd week but hoping for cooler weather. Staying right around the block from the gaddyshack.


----------



## TNL (Jan 6, 2005)

Looks like we're headed out the 2nd week. Wish we would've known about the vacancy a little sooner. Are you headed out Kid?


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Headed out Oct 21st this year for a week. I'm actually the one who instilled the Nodak sickness in Shi Kid, so blame me  

My first year was 1999, and as Shi Kid said, it's like a home away from home. People are typically very friendly, and the farmers we rent from are truly family to us. Best example of that...when my truck broke down a few years ago, they let me borrow one of their trucks to use until my truck got repaired. Crazy! 

My typical caution for those first timers is this...although Nodak is a great place, with MANY more opportunities for waterfowlers than we have here, make sure your expectations are realistic. Don't expect easy limits. it does happen, but it is still hunting, and we often have to work at it. Now if you're fine with shooting any legal target (i.e. little brown ducks, etc) then just pick one of the numerous potholes and hunt...you'll get shooting. But if you're expecting to easily find those huge flocks of mallards, you will likely be disappointed. That takes A LOT of "windshield time"...scouting, AND GASOLINE. So again, just don't get over-confident and you'll have a much better first experience.


----------



## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

just ducky said:


> Headed out Oct 21st this year for a week. I'm actually the one who instilled the Nodak sickness in Shi Kid, so blame me
> 
> My first year was 1999, and as Shi Kid said, it's like a home away from home. People are typically very friendly, and the farmers we rent from are truly family to us. Best example of that...when my truck broke down a few years ago, they let me borrow one of their trucks to use until my truck got repaired. Crazy!
> 
> My typical caution for those first timers is this...although Nodak is a great place, with MANY more opportunities for waterfowlers than we have here, make sure your expectations are realistic. Don't expect easy limits. it does happen, but it is still hunting, and we often have to work at it. Now if you're fine with shooting any legal target (i.e. little brown ducks, etc) then just pick one of the numerous potholes and hunt...you'll get shooting. But if you're expecting to easily find those huge flocks of mallards, you will likely be disappointed. That takes A LOT of "windshield time"...scouting, AND GASOLINE. So again, just don't get over-confident and you'll have a much better first experience.


Some of the most kind folks in the country live out there. 

Best mallard scouting advice I could give a first-timer hunting west of the corn belt in the eastern end of the state, is to talk to the local farmers( breakfast at the local cafe is a good starting point) and find out who and where harvested pea fields are, locate/scout them and look for roost water near them. Even in layout blinds, there is little cover in these, but if you look them over you can usually find scattered clumps of harvested plants to set-up in. IF rain is forecast, stick to hunting potholes and stay on the main gravel roads.


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Cork Dust said:


> Some of the most kind folks in the country live out there.
> 
> Best mallard scouting advice I could give a first-timer hunting west of the corn belt in the eastern end of the state, is to talk to the local farmers( breakfast at the local cafe is a good starting point) and find out who and where harvested pea fields are, locate/scout them and look for roost water near them. Even in layout blinds, there is little cover in these, but if you look them over you can usually find scattered clumps of harvested plants to set-up in. IF rain is forecast, stick to hunting potholes and stay on the main gravel roads.


harvested peas or barley = gold for field hunting!!!


----------



## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

I primarily hunt in the Missourri Cateaou, some sunflowers, a smattering of corn and cow peas, and an endless expanse of semolina wheat fields.

Where do you see barley fields?


----------



## lefty421 (Dec 7, 2012)

I'll be out there for the first week of the season again. My group goes early and we clean up on the unedumacated birds before the rest of you show up! 

The area that we hunt doesn't have much hunting pressure before we show up. The locals are usually still to busy harvesting to do much hunting during the resident only week, or they just don't even bother with the birds at all. Most of the local farmers are only interested in predator hunting anyway.


----------



## mbatson (Oct 10, 2010)

The guys and I are leaving the last week of October. First time for us last year and we already knew we were heading back next year.


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Cork Dust said:


> I primarily hunt in the Missourri Cateaou, some sunflowers, a smattering of corn and cow peas, and an endless expanse of semolina wheat fields.
> 
> Where do you see barley fields?


I hunt the same general area (south central ND), and there's quite a bit of barley grown...depends on the year. The average person wouldn't know the difference looking at cut fields...I know I didn't. Looks almost identical to a cut wheat field, but a bit more orange tint. I had to get an edumication from the farmers that we rent from. For some reason the ducks LOVE barley. Second only to peas in my experience out there. this guy farms thousands of acres, and now one of the first things I ask when we arrive is "did you plant any peas or barley, and if so, where?"


----------



## lab1 (Aug 31, 2004)

What is the first week for us Michigan hunters to hunt?


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

lab1 said:


> What is the first week for us Michigan hunters to hunt?


Non-resident duck opens Oct 1st.


----------



## Lurker (Jan 25, 2009)

wish we could go


----------



## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

just ducky said:


> I hunt the same general area (south central ND), and there's quite a bit of barley grown...depends on the year. The average person wouldn't know the difference looking at cut fields...I know I didn't. Looks almost identical to a cut wheat field, but a bit more orange tint. I had to get an edumication from the farmers that we rent from. For some reason the ducks LOVE barley. Second only to peas in my experience out there. this guy farms thousands of acres, and now one of the first things I ask when we arrive is "did you plant any peas or barley, and if so, where?"




We hunt geese in the cut barley fields up here. Yes, they are waterfowl magnets, just don't see them where I hunt in NoDak) (Informed via another thread that we are over two hundred miles apart in our hunting areas.).
Does your farmer friend raise his barley crop for feed or for the micro-brew industry? Micro-brew up here...!


----------



## gooseblood82 (Oct 7, 2014)

stackemup said:


> This will be my first year heading there. It's been on my to do list for a few years, and I will finally get to go.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great looking lab!


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Cork Dust said:


> ...Does your farmer friend raise his barley crop for feed or for the micro-brew industry? Micro-brew up here...!


Not sure. Majority of his crop in recent years is wheat, corn and beans. But often some barley and peas as well.


----------



## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

just ducky said:


> Not sure. Majority of his crop in recent years is wheat, corn and beans. But often some barley and peas as well.


Just ask him if it is malting barley, if he says no, you will know it is for livestock feed mix prep. Good luck this year. Hope the birds fly your way...frequently!!

I've been frozen-out twice, as well as lucky enough to witness one Grand Passage event (II was hand spraying the accumulated mud/wheat chaff off my truck inside an enclosed car wash prior heading back home; finished and drove outside and the sky was full of birds from horizon to horizon....WOW event!)


----------



## mihunte (Nov 23, 2014)

I'm headed to ND for the first time the third/fourth wk of Oct. For those that have been there, any advice on scouting/hunting potholes? I'm not species specific, just like hunting water and giving my dog retrieves.

Also, suggestions on etiquette/unwritten rules out there? I'd hate to upset the locals out of ignorance. P.s. I've read majority of other threads on it, but always looking to learn more. PM if you'd rather


----------



## lefty421 (Dec 7, 2012)

mihunte said:


> I'm headed to ND for the first time the third/fourth wk of Oct. For those that have been there, any advice on scouting/hunting potholes? I'm not species specific, just like hunting water and giving my dog retrieves.


If you are looking to hunt potholes, then ND is the right place. Anybody with google maps can find them. Depending on where you are heading, water levels should be pretty good. Our local sources are saying that there is plenty of water. They have said that potholes that were dry the last year or two are holding water this year, after the big rains/flooding in July. 

Whether there are any ducks there after the dry spring or if any new ducks have pushed in by then is anybody's guess though.


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

have a buddy at the house now deer hunting....says the ducks are plenty right now. should be a good season i hope.


----------



## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> have a buddy at the house now deer hunting....says the ducks are plenty right now. should be a good season i hope.


Ask him if he is seeing broods (particularly mallards) still swimming around...indication of second nesting efforts after the water "showed-up"! Canada was quite dry this early spring, displacing nesting birds elsewhere.


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

Cork Dust said:


> Ask him if he is seeing broods (particularly mallards) still swimming around...indication of second nesting efforts after the water "showed-up"! Canada was quite dry this early spring, displacing nesting birds elsewhere.


haha like i said, hes a deer hunter.  he won't know what i'm talkin about.


----------



## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

Excellent! Well the world needs more deer hunters! 

I am always impressed by how the nice bucks we see out there can hide in so little cover. We actually exchanged GPS coordinates of all the buck sign we located over a three year period to a rancher who was hunting a B&C deer, in exchange for access to his fields to hunt cranes in the AM and jump shoot ducks afterward. When that buck got killed by a car, he was crossing a road in the pre-dawn that crossed a WPA that consisted of two big east/west "lobes" connected by a wet ditch...within a quarter mile of his ranch's shelterbelt complex. Of course, the driver was a relative!


----------



## TNL (Jan 6, 2005)

Nodak is reporting water up by 35% and duck production up 11%. 2015 was kind of a bust for us. Hot n dry. Had to work REAL hard for the birds we got...and those were way down from previous years.

No matter, there's something about just being out there. It starts when I get north of the Twin Cities and really kicks in when I start seeing ducks in the PPR. Just a feeling of relaxation. The local folks are always so kind, you're spending time with good friends, the country seems a little bigger out there, and I always hate to leave. Shooting ducks has become kind of secondary to that.


----------



## gooseman (Jul 24, 2006)

TNL said:


> Nodak is reporting water up by 35% and duck production up 11%. 2015 was kind of a bust for us. Hot n dry. Had to work REAL hard for the birds we got...and those were way down from previous years.
> 
> No matter, there's something about just being out there. It starts when I get north of the Twin Cities and really kicks in when I start seeing ducks in the PPR. Just a feeling of relaxation. The local folks are always so kind, you're spending time with good friends, the country seems a little bigger out there, and I always hate to leave. Shooting ducks has become kind of secondary to that.


Well said and so true. The above speaks of a waterfowler whom has matured in expectations of what the sport is all about. So much more than pulling the trigger. Good luck to all this season and be safe and leave no trace!


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

they got dumped on yesterday too...keep getting this rain and they gonna be high water conditions.


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

TNL said:


> Nodak is reporting water up by 35% and duck production up 11%. 2015 was kind of a bust for us. Hot n dry. Had to work REAL hard for the birds we got...and those were way down from previous years.
> 
> No matter, there's something about just being out there. It starts when I get north of the Twin Cities and really kicks in when I start seeing ducks in the PPR. Just a feeling of relaxation. The local folks are always so kind, you're spending time with good friends, the country seems a little bigger out there, and I always hate to leave. Shooting ducks has become kind of secondary to that.


I've said for years that as soon as I cross the Red River there's a feeling of euphoria that comes over me...like a huge weight has been lifted. It's one of my favorite places on this planet...birds or no birds.


----------



## gooseblood82 (Oct 7, 2014)

just ducky said:


> I've said for years that as soon as I cross the Red River there's a feeling of euphoria that comes over me...like a huge weight has been lifted. It's one of my favorite places on this planet...birds or no birds.


Do you take 2 across or down and around? I take 2, way better route


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

gooseblood82 said:


> Do you take 2 across or down and around? I take 2, way better route


ez pass + skyway for me.


----------



## gooseblood82 (Oct 7, 2014)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> ez pass + skyway for me.


I'm also hunting near the Canadian border so 2 works out for me


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

gooseblood82 said:


> Do you take 2 across or down and around? I take 2, way better route


from my area of Michigan (Lansing area) it's quite a bit shorter to go I-94 and go through Chicago. Like Shi Kid said...EZ pass is the way to go. And we go on a weekday morning, and time it so we get into Chicago area around 10am...pretty easy to get through at that time of day.


----------



## SL80 (Mar 5, 2012)

I'm shopping for a place for my son and I to stay in the 2nd week in October. This house is too much for the two of us, but I might be willing to split it with another small group. If anyone is interested let me know.


----------



## SL80 (Mar 5, 2012)

Sorry, I meant the third week. 15-22


----------



## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

Only been in the strip from Bottineau west over to Crosby/Wildrose along the border, what do you see in this country?


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

Sl80. Shoot me a message. We can work somethin out for that week


----------



## lefty421 (Dec 7, 2012)

We hunt northern ND, so #2 ends up being about 130 miles shorter than the I94 route. if we were hunting more to the south, I94 would probably be better. Our house is 992 miles via #2 and 1118 miles via I94.

We took the ferry across once too, but it adds expense to the trip and doesn't really save any time, just time behind the wheel.


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

1050 via 94 for me, about 1150 via US2. its usually around 15.5hrs vs. 17.5hrs for me.


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

lefty421 said:


> We hunt northern ND, so #2 ends up being about 130 miles shorter than the I94 route. if we were hunting more to the south, I94 would probably be better. Our house is 992 miles via #2 and 1118 miles via I94.
> 
> We took the ferry across once too, but it adds expense to the trip and doesn't really save any time, just time behind the wheel.


Yeah we're in south central ND. I've taken the ferry too a couple times. Nice ride, but pricey. Saves you the headaches of Chicago, but yeah...doesn't save any time. In fact probably was a little longer because you have to work around the ferry sailing times.


----------



## gooseblood82 (Oct 7, 2014)

just ducky said:


> Yeah we're in south central ND. I've taken the ferry too a couple times. Nice ride, but pricey. Saves you the headaches of Chicago, but yeah...doesn't save any time. In fact probably was a little longer because you have to work around the ferry sailing times.


The ****** part about how far north I am is there are no pheasants so the locals tell me....lots of sharptails but in four trips I haven't seen or flushed a rooster....I hate to go south for pheasants just because I have made a few friends that offer some great pothole and field duck hunting....they like Michigan guys and hate the Minnesota weekend warriors...I hope all the guys going represent are state well! Good luck to all going


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

gooseblood82 said:


> ...they like Michigan guys and hate the Minnesota weekend warriors...I hope all the guys going represent are state well!


Same where we are. Minnesota and Wisconsin hunters are **** to them. They generally love us Michiganders...with a couple exceptions of course. 

Pheasants are fairly plentiful in the area we go. Not as much as some of the past years when they were everywhere, but plenty to hunt for guys like me who like to chase them. WAY more than here in Michigan.


----------



## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

gooseblood82 said:


> The ****** part about how far north I am is there are no pheasants so the locals tell me....lots of sharptails but in four trips I haven't seen or flushed a rooster....I hate to go south for pheasants just because I have made a few friends that offer some great pothole and field duck hunting....they like Michigan guys and hate the Minnesota weekend warriors...I hope all the guys going represent are state well! Good luck to all going


Contacts and local friends and support information overrides good pheasant hunting. That seems to be a broad sentiment regarding folks with Minnesota plates... Pheasant numbers along the Canadian border counties actually increase the farther west you go, particularly in the northwest corner of the state. We have made the drive up there and camped with locals for the opener. We used to do really well on pheasants down around New Town, but the oil boom and number of people who like to shoot guns/think that they are hunting just skyrocketed and moved us to leave it. I never go much further west than Stanley anymore.


----------



## Wingmaster22 (Oct 29, 2003)

just ducky said:


> Same where we are. Minnesota and Wisconsin hunters are **** to them. They generally love us Michiganders...with a couple exceptions of course.
> 
> Pheasants are fairly plentiful in the area we go. Not as much as some of the past years when they were everywhere, but plenty to hunt for guys like me who like to chase them. WAY more than here in Michigan.


Word is the upward trend has continued in our neck of the woods JD. Might have to buy a license this year.


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Wingmaster22 said:


> Word is the upward trend has continued in our neck of the woods JD. Might have to buy a license this year.


Hearing the same Dave. I definitely will hunt them. In fact last year, I bet I hunted them 1/3 of the time I was there, and had lots of fun. Just something in my DNA because I grew up chasing phez.


----------



## lefty421 (Dec 7, 2012)

I'm guessing the local hawk population isn't doing as well as the pheasants.


----------



## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

I'm heading to Sodak for ducks and pheasants. Looking forward to this trip. I can't wait to get my pup on some ducks! The people were staying with said they had a great hatch on pheasants and good water in the sloughs. My buddies been going for 17 years and said I won't want to come home.


----------



## Zeboy (Oct 4, 2002)

Has any tried 355 in Illinois yet? I am not sure how long it's been open. It parallels 294, it's just a little farther west. I would think that it would be less congested and about the same distance. Just wondered if anyone tried it yet?


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Zeboy said:


> Has any tried 355 in Illinois yet? I am not sure how long it's been open. It parallels 294, it's just a little farther west. I would think that it would be less congested and about the same distance. Just wondered if anyone tried it yet?


I have a couple of times. Seems about like the others (such as 294). Sometimes it moves, and sometimes it doesn't. Bottom line for me, driving around Chicago sucks 90% of the time. That 10% of the time you get lucky.


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

lefty421 said:


> I'm guessing the local hawk population isn't doing as well as the pheasants.


I shouldn't say this on the open interweb, but the farmers who we rent from out there have said from day one that if we see a predator, winged or not, shoot the SOB! Skunks, *****, foxes, 'yotes, hawks, all of 'em. They hate them. And there are a MILLION skunks out there. Seems like around every corner. So I've popped quite a few of those. Never shot an avian predator, nor do I intend to. But I'm sure some people do.


----------



## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

adam bomb said:


> I'm heading to Sodak for ducks and pheasants. Looking forward to this trip. I can't wait to get my pup on some ducks! The people were staying with said they had a great hatch on pheasants and good water in the sloughs. My buddies been going for 17 years and said I won't want to come home.


SoDak doesn't allow you in the fields in the AM for pheasants. If it is hot carry a cooler with ice for beverages and tons of water for the dogs as well as some old bath towels. IF any dog gets lethargic or wobbly on a hot day in the field or is really panting hard, soak a towel and pack it with some ice, get this on the dog's belly after dumping water on this area, and wrap another one around the base of its neck above the shoulders. You are cooling the blood flowing to its brain as well as lowering its body visceral temp. They pant because they can't sweat to cool themselves down. I have seen four dogs heat stroke out in SoDak hunting, they never recovered to hunt at the same level, or they died of kidney failure from elevated CPK levels in their plasma, basically tearing the filtering units within the kidney apart. 

One ass killed two german shorthairs in four years. He was in another group that hunted the same family farms complex we did outside Mitchell.


----------



## SL80 (Mar 5, 2012)

I function pretty well at night so I usually head out at 10pm Friday and run through Chicago. There is still some traffic in the middle of the night but it's usually moving.


----------



## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

Cork Dust said:


> SoDak doesn't allow you in the fields in the AM for pheasants. If it is hot carry a cooler with ice for beverages and tons of water for the dogs as well as some old bath towels. IF any dog gets lethargic or wobbly on a hot day in the field or is really panting hard, soak a towel and pack it with some ice, get this on the dog's belly after dumping water on this area, and wrap another one around the base of its neck above the shoulders. You are cooling the blood flowing to its brain as well as lowering its body visceral temp. They pant because they can't sweat to cool themselves down. I have seen four dogs heat stroke out in SoDak hunting, they never recovered to hunt at the same level, or they died of kidney failure from elevated CPK levels in their plasma, basically tearing the filtering units within the kidney apart.
> 
> One ass killed two german shorthairs in four years. He was in another group that hunted the same family farms complex we did outside Mitchell.


We're hunting ducks in the morning, pheasants midday then scouting the afternoons for ducks. Thx for the tips. That's what my friend said as well. Guys hunt their dogs too hard out there. He's seen guys with dogs in bad shape after pushing it. I'm most interested in duck hunting. I have a 10 month old lab I'm hoping to put on a lot of ducks. Any recommendations on vets out there? I'm currently looking into vets in that area of Sodak.


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

adam, have you not been out there yet? first trip? if so....omg brother....yer buddy is right.


----------



## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

adam bomb said:


> We're hunting ducks in the morning, pheasants midday then scouting the afternoons for ducks. Thx for the tips. That's what my friend said as well. Guys hunt their dogs too hard out there. He's seen guys with dogs in bad shape after pushing it. I'm most interested in duck hunting. I have a 10 month old lab I'm hoping to put on a lot of ducks. Any recommendations on vets out there? I'm currently looking into vets in that area of Sodak.


The veterinary clinics out there are pretty well conditioned to handling emergencies for bird hunter's dogs. I would just get the contact info. for the closest one to where you are headed. Vet. school facilities would be top notch. Just hydrate your dog well daily and watch its feet and pads. Avoid cut canola fields (I actually stopped going because the area we hunted went so hard into canola. I shifted north another state.) , they resemble tumble weeds. When cut, the stalks dry out and become pretty deadly at chopping a dog's pads and feet up. Ducks on the prairie is a good way to start a dog over a ton of birds. Good luck and have fun!


----------



## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

Good luck to all the guys heading west this fall - haven't been that way since the late 70's, early 80's before the boom in hunter numbers. 

Adam, your dog is going to have a blast. I took a young Springer out there and after 3 days he had it figured out and turned into an absolute cracker jack bird dog.


----------



## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> adam, have you not been out there yet? first trip? if so....omg brother....yer buddy is right.


First trip. Hoping to spoil the hell out of my pup with duck retrieves.


----------



## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

Cork Dust said:


> The veterinary clinics out there are pretty well conditioned to handling emergencies for bird hunter's dogs. I would just get the contact info. for the closest one to where you are headed. Vet. school facilities would be top notch. Just hydrate your dog well daily and watch its feet and pads. Avoid cut canola fields (I actually stopped going because the area we hunted went so hard into canola. I shifted north another state.) , they resemble tumble weeds. When cut, the stalks dry out and become pretty deadly at chopping a dog's pads and feet up. Ducks on the prairie is a good way to start a dog over a ton of birds. Good luck and have fun!


Thank you for the advise. Much appreciated.


----------



## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

What do you guys take for decoys? How many for field and water? My buddy tells me 6 decoys and a milk crate!!!

I was thinking a 2-4 dozen duck floaters. , 6 geese floaters. 24 lesser FB Geese and 3 robos for field hunting.


----------



## fsamie1 (Mar 8, 2008)

What do you guys take with you for decoys, blind, boat?
What do you do with all the ducks, geese, ...?
Are there guides out there too?
Are the potholes public or need permit rom farmer?
what is the cost of a week trip?
My wife family lives in Fargo, is hunting good in that area?


----------



## gooseblood82 (Oct 7, 2014)

adam bomb said:


> What do you guys take for decoys? How many for field and water? My buddy tells me 6 decoys and a milk crate!!!
> 
> I was thinking a 2-4 dozen duck floaters. , 6 geese floaters. 24 lesser FB Geese and 3 robos for field hunting.


I think your idea is about right...I would mix in some diver decoys if you have a few...goose fullbodies work great for field mallards out there


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

adam bomb said:


> What do you guys take for decoys? How many for field and water? My buddy tells me 6 decoys and a milk crate!!!
> 
> I was thinking a 2-4 dozen duck floaters. , 6 geese floaters. 24 lesser FB Geese and 3 robos for field hunting.


too many floaters. 12 at most. no goose floaters (waste of space IMO). FB field spread of geese is good. yes on couple robos.

View attachment 225870


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

fsamie1 said:


> What do you guys take with you for decoys, blind, boat?
> What do you do with all the ducks, geese, ...?
> Are there guides out there too?
> Are the potholes public or need permit rom farmer?
> ...


decoys (some floaters, mostly field decoys) layout blind and waders

we eat them to stay under possession.

guides? for what?

permission from farmer or if its unposted, you can hunt it. be respectful. don't drive on their property, use good judgment.

generally i would say whole trip costs around $1000. this can vary depending on gas prices and how you structure your trip. I've done it on as little as $500 (these prices include everything...even licenses).

fargo, not so much. need to head west from there 45 minutes to get into ducky territory IMO.


----------



## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

SK, that can't be a NoDak pic...I see trees!

Adam, SK 's decoy array suggestion is very good. You might want to bring some extra batteries for your robos.


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

Cork Dust said:


> SK, that can't be a NoDak pic...I see trees!
> 
> Adam, SK 's decoy array suggestion is very good. You might want to bring some extra batteries for your robos.


only trees in the county


----------



## mihunte (Nov 23, 2014)

Do you guys shoot many divers off the potholes and sloughs out there?


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

mihunte said:


> Do you guys shoot many divers off the potholes and sloughs out there?


if we target them yes, tons of divers out there. canvas back, red heads, hooded mergs, blue bills, golden eyes and buffies.


----------



## cronkdre (Sep 11, 2012)

I agree with ShiKid on the decoys if you are targeting ducks. 

I usually take around 7 doz fb geese because I love hunting the huge flocks of geese out there. 
Other than that a dozen mallard floaters, couple mojos, layout blinds and waders.


----------



## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

cronkdre said:


> I agree with ShiKid on the decoys if you are targeting ducks.
> 
> I usually take around 7 doz fb geese because I love hunting the huge flocks of geese out there.
> Other than that a dozen mallard floaters, couple mojos, layout blinds and waders.


And a really good headlamp with a wide bright beam to keep an wather eye out for skunks. IF you don't have one, bring a second pair of waders...!


----------



## fsamie1 (Mar 8, 2008)

It must be a duck heaven for duck hunters. Got the itch to go there see what is all about. I guess these are migrating duck and Dakotas are first place they stop and hang out until it freezes. Wonder how difficult it is to scout and find a field or pot hole to hunt?


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

you don't need a guide to kill birds there. and if your in the correct areas its downright simple to an extent. field hunting is more challenging and more rewarding. But if you pothole, theres no excuse to not limit unless you just didn't try very hard.


----------



## Wingmaster22 (Oct 29, 2003)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> if we target them yes, tons of divers out there. canvas back, red heads, hooded mergs, blue bills, golden eyes and buffies.


And lots of Ruddy Ducks!


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

`


Wingmaster22 said:


> And lots of Ruddy Ducks!


well if were gonna bring ruddies into it, might as well call it coot capital of the world...plenty of coot to break up the boredom if you choose.


----------



## lososjoyride00 (Mar 2, 2011)

Took my buddies out first time a couple years ago, we split up into 2 groups scouting, other group called frantic they found the mother load on a slough about 5 miles north of us, we flew up to where they were, glassed the slough to find around a thousand birds...... everyone of them coots!!! Lol, make sure you take a good pair of binoculars and are up on your bird id!


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> `
> 
> 
> well if were gonna bring ruddies into it, might as well call it coot capital of the world...plenty of coot to break up the boredom if you choose.


Don't forget the hollywoods  Can shoot limits of them and ruddies all day...yippee.


----------



## Wallis (Nov 10, 2015)

just ducky said:


> Don't forget the hollywoods  Can shoot limits of them and ruddies all day...yippee.


Love me some smileys!! Never hunted NoDak but if a man can limit on some spoonys... I'm down! 

They have a greentop so they ain't considered trash ducks to me. Lol


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

What has already been said is spot on for dekes. If you just want to shoot ducks, go straight for one of the million public potholes on federal properties called Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA) out there. Check out this link from the North Dakota game and fish website, which is the "PLOTS" guide that lists all property open to public hunting. https://gf.nd.gov/plots/guide/maps There's an app for your phone listed too. Focus in on the federal WPA properties, which almost always have water of some kind on them. Most any of them will have a lot of birds of all varieties. Early season can be fast shooting if you aren't particular about your target. 3 or 4 weeks in it can get tougher depending on the weather and whether birds are moving in from the north.

Now my typical sermon to all newbies about what you've seen and heard is get your expectations in check. Potholes abound on public property in much of the state, so pothole hunting is a given, and usually will get you plenty of shooting. But the tales you hear, and the videos and pictures you've seen of the huge tornado's of mallards in dry fields is no joke...it can happen. But it is in no way a guarantee. It takes a lot of windshield time (= $$$$ in gas) and scouting to find those kinds of numbers, and then even if the field is not posted and is open to hunt, quite often you're a day late as some other hunters have beaten you to the flock. Remember...there are lots of parties like you scouting the evening skies for those kinds of flocks. If you can get sole access to private property, which I'm lucky enough to have, then you have a bit of an advantage. However the birds still need to be working those particular fields, and you just never know from one day to the next. Last year we found a huge flock feeding in one of the fields that we have sole access to. The next morning we limited out very quickly, and got the hell outta there. The next morning...same weather and every other condition...never saw a duck. So it is often very hit and miss.


----------



## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Wallis said:


> Love me some smileys!! Never hunted NoDak but if a man can limit on some spoonys... I'm down!
> 
> They have a greentop so they ain't considered trash ducks to me. Lol


Took a newbie out one year who didn't have much duck hunting experience. He shot three hollywoods before I got over to him and told him the "greenheads" he had shot were actually not mallards


----------



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

just ducky said:


> What has already been said is spot on for dekes. If you just want to shoot ducks, go straight for one of the million public potholes on federal properties called Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA) out there. Check out this link from the North Dakota game and fish website, which is the "PLOTS" guide that lists all property open to public hunting. https://gf.nd.gov/plots/guide/maps There's an app for your phone listed too. Focus in on the federal WPA properties, which almost always have water of some kind on them. Most any of them will have a lot of birds of all varieties. Early season can be fast shooting if you aren't particular about your target. 3 or 4 weeks in it can get tougher depending on the weather and whether birds are moving in from the north.
> 
> Now my typical sermon to all newbies about what you've seen and heard is get your expectations in check. Potholes abound on public property in much of the state, so pothole hunting is a given, and usually will get you plenty of shooting. But the tales you hear, and the videos and pictures you've seen of the huge tornado's of mallards in dry fields is no joke...it can happen. But it is in no way a guarantee. It takes a lot of windshield time (= $$$$ in gas) and scouting to find those kinds of numbers, and then even if the field is not posted and is open to hunt, quite often you're a day late as some other hunters have beaten you to the flock. Remember...there are lots of parties like you scouting the evening skies for those kinds of flocks. If you can get sole access to private property, which I'm lucky enough to have, then you have a bit of an advantage. However the birds still need to be working those particular fields, and you just never know from one day to the next. Last year we found a huge flock feeding in one of the fields that we have sole access to. The next morning we limited out very quickly, and got the hell outta there. The next morning...same weather and every other condition...never saw a duck. So it is often very hit and miss.


nothing like putting 5k birds to bed and getting skunked the next morning. lol. i've done it so many times.


----------



## goosemanrdk (Jan 14, 2003)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> nothing like putting 5k birds to bed and getting skunked the next morning. lol. i've done it so many times.


Minnesota hunters blowing up the roost tends to make that happen.


----------

