# Migration Status



## DabblerDuck (Oct 28, 2009)

Hello,
I am a new forum member. I have lurked for several years. Although I have hunted and fished for many years, I am a novice sportsman with no in-depth knowledge. As with most of you, I can only get out when time allows me to make it a priority. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this forum. I appreciate the assistance that this site provides. Hopefully I can bring something of value at some point.
As a young man, I did some duck hunting in the Saginaw Bay area. It seemed easier there. Recently, I have been trying my luck in the Missaukee, Wexford and Grand Traverse county areas. In addition to some hunting, I have been doing a considerable amount of driving around scouting local ponds and small lakes. I am not seeing many ducks. Only a few here and there - some divers, very few mallards, some geese. I see no other waterfowl hunters.
Where are we in the migration process? Should I expect flocks soon in my area? Am I too late/early? Am I in the wrong area for good duck numbers? How do you see the upcoming weather (rain/snow this weekend) moving ducks? The migration maps on the net don't do much for me.
Any comments would be appreciated.
DabblerDuck


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## pikenetter (Mar 28, 2009)

all i can tell you is they are not in muskegon:rant:


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## cheeseandquackers (Jun 20, 2007)

or Pointe Mouillee either:evil:. Welcome to the site.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

no push here yet. if we have a normal non-freeze season, i expect big push to happen mid-november. lil earlier for upstate.


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## thedude (Jul 20, 2004)

we only saw one small raft of divers at the bridge. won't see anything round here (GR north) for 3 weeks or so.


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## Blue (Oct 15, 2003)

Talked last night to my father in law in Menominee County. He said the geese are starting to show up there the last couple days. I was up there two weekends ago and nothing much was flying. Only killed one goose and two mallards. Sounds like the flights are just starting to come down. I would think with this warm weather, it could be a couple weeks yet before we begin to see major numbers down here.


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## casscityalum (Aug 27, 2007)

Yup. Hunted my buds river spot last night more as a scouting trip and didn't see any mallards. Need some ice!! Lol can't wait for winter weather
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Migration status is always an interesting debate. Most people here will agree that the migration through Michigan is variable, and also varies widely depending upon which part of the state you're talking about. Obviously cold, snow and ice move birds, but not always down...may be horizontally across the state, or across Saginaw Bay even from the west side to the east side. Or a big freeze in the UP may move birds into Saginaw Bay or Lake St. Clair, but not the west side of Michigan, where they may move right through, or not at all. Best advice I can tell you is when you start seeing lots of birds on local rivers and lakes, get out there asap or they will be gone. It can happen in Michigan in a matter of hours. So don't delay once you have an idea it may be happening or you'll miss out...the old "you snooze, you lose" idea.


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## gooseboy (Jul 11, 2008)

Missaukee County, with the exception of the Lake City area does not hold a ton of ducks, mainly woodies in the pine swamps in the eastern quadrant of the county. Look to the northern areas of Osceola County i.e. greater Marion, lots of pot holes,


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## Mike L (Sep 8, 2003)

I think there going backwards. Yesterday, I was outside and there was a HUGE flock of geese going "North" And they were Waaaaay up there, they were traveling somewhere. They got over the Bay and turned east, destination unknown..........
There's a few birds trickling in, and some have been here awhile. Fri should be "Fun"......


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## Branta (Feb 6, 2002)

comparatively speaking (coming from Sag Bay)... you won't see 10% of the birds in Wex/GT that you'd see hunting sag bay.

having said that; there's birds around and more waterfowlers now than I can ever remember growing up there. So if you're not seeing any birds OR duck rigs... the short answer is that you're not looking in the right places!

google earth can help you be more efficient in your scouting.
There's plenty of small and intermediate sized lakes that should offer up a few good hunts in all those counties.

and if you find a field with some sheet water on it.... send me a PM! should be a banner hunt!


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## Cardinal (Nov 2, 2005)

just ducky said:


> Migration status is always an interesting debate. Most people here will agree that the migration through Michigan is variable, and also varies widely depending upon which part of the state you're talking about. Obviously cold, snow and ice move birds, but not always down...may be horizontally across the state, or across Saginaw Bay even from the west side to the east side. Or a big freeze in the UP may move birds into Saginaw Bay or Lake St. Clair, but not the west side of Michigan, where they may move right through, or not at all. Best advice I can tell you is when you start seeing lots of birds on local rivers and lakes, get out there asap or they will be gone. It can happen in Michigan in a matter of hours. So don't delay once you have an idea it may be happening or you'll miss out...the old "you snooze, you lose" idea.


I agree, I have been to a locale where there were TONS of birds working and area, got all excited and headed to the same spot the next day and they were gone. Or, I have been in an area that has not been very productive and then wham, birds everywhere all of the sudden.

I think the bottom line is that even though scouting is important you just have to go cuz you never know when you might hit the jackpot. And when you do it is all worth it.


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## White Pine (Mar 26, 2009)

Pikenetter, Muskegon is still duck less went the last three mornings and nothing seen more birds last week


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

There isnt squat for birds around those areas yet


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## High on Quack (Oct 28, 2009)

Montmorency, Oscoda, and Ogemaw Counties showing huge numbers of Geese but very little on the ducks yet. Mio Pond is a flop this year for ducks as they drained it for repairs. Tough to get a boat in there. Won't fill back up until January


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## quackmaster (Sep 29, 2004)

My brother shot a banded drake mallard near Sag Bay three weekends ago that was banded in 2009 (hatched in 2009) near Green Bay, WI. Proof that birds dont just migrate in mid-late Nov.


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## quick406 (Aug 1, 2007)

my brother and i came home from our annual deer hunting trip to the U.P. on 10-25-09 last week and seen tons of birds at the bridge there was nearly 6 or 7 large rafts spread out around the bridge


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

quackmaster said:


> My brother shot a banded drake mallard near Sag Bay three weekends ago that was banded in 2009 (hatched in 2009) near Green Bay, WI. Proof that birds dont just migrate in mid-late Nov.


And proof that a large part of our migration comes west-east, right over west michigan.


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## BFG (Mar 4, 2005)

> right over west michigan


C'mon...stop your foolin'...there ain't no ducks in West Michigan. 

LOL!


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## backroadstravler (Jul 12, 2006)

I had a cabin East of Manton on the Wexford-Missaukee line for 39 years. I use to hunt the area between Cadillac and Manton around Long Lake which is East of old 131. Numerous small lakes and ponds in that area. Mostly divers in that area when I hunted it. Small farm ponds between Manton and Lake city held mallards and woodies. You will need to spend some time scouting. That area of the state is not a big migration area.


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