# Todd Farm



## Highball28

jvanluyn said:


> Anyone hunt the farm today or yesterday? Has the count increased at all from the same 6,000 its been for a while?


Don't know. Heading there Saturday hopefully. I don't mean to be a bother and I'm sure you're busy Fenn but a manager's update would be nice...


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## jvanluyn

Highball28 said:


> Don't know. Heading there Saturday hopefully. I don't mean to be a jerk but a manager's update would be nice...


I'll probably head there Saturday too if I can get anyone from my group to go. I check the updates almost daily hoping for some new info. The Todd is the worst when it comes to updates.


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## fowlpursuit

Highball28 said:


> Don't know. Heading there Saturday hopefully. I don't mean to be a jerk but a manager's update would be nice...


I agree... even muskegon got updated counts and a managers update... and they're closed!
Still waiting on the week ending 11/13 counts. 10 days ago


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## Far Beyond Driven

It is what it is just go.


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## waterfowlhunter83

You could always drive over there and check it out if you want intel...just saying.


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## West side shooter

We went today, 12 parties, I thought the weather would be good and it seemed like it was.
Lots of birds moving around in the refuge, but nothing getting anywhere close to shooting.
Board says 6k geese and 4K ducks.
We did have a lone swan come thru and check out our decoys though, never had one do that before.


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## fowlpursuit

West side shooter said:


> We went today, 12 parties, I thought the weather would be good and it seemed like it was.
> Lots of birds moving around in the refuge, but nothing getting anywhere close to shooting.
> Board says 6k geese and 4K ducks.
> We did have a lone swan come thru and check out our decoys though, never had one do that before.


That wasn't a swan it was a snow goose. Shoulda popped that bugger


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## West side shooter

fowlpursuit said:


> That wasn't a swan it was a snow goose. Shoulda popped that bugger


Believe me, if it was we would have. The 4ft neck was a pretty good tip it was something different.


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## Highball28

Anybody out today?


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## West side shooter

We tried, 8D, guys in 8G got a couple.
Not much else going on, at least on that side of the farm


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## steelfish365

Sorry for the delay in reports guys. They get sent to Lansing and updated from there to the web. By the time the person in charge gets around to posting the one I sent last Monday, the new one will be ready. I send them in usually on Tuesdays. Must have turned into thanksgiving vacation for the whole week for the lansing office... not sure what that's all about. Made sure I sent it in a day early so that it would get posted before the holiday and still no luck.


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## fowlpursuit

steelfish365 said:


> Sorry for the delay in reports guys. They get sent to Lansing and updated from there to the web. By the time the person in charge gets around to posting the one I sent last Monday, the new one will be ready. I send them in usually on Tuesdays. Must have turned into thanksgiving vacation for the whole week for the lansing office... not sure what that's all about. Made sure I sent it in a day early so that it would get posted before the holiday and still no luck.


No need for apologies.. really appreciate the work you guys put in.


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## steelfish365

Anyways. Were sitting on mostly the same birds. Around 6000 geese. Mostly stale birds with a few new birds moving in over the last couple days. More birds on the way I hope. Ducks are even worse. Really decoy/robo/call shy. Mostly staying in the refuge. Around 3000 ducks. Maybe a few more. Counts based on last week. Wish I had better news but that's how the year has been. Weather this year screwed everything for ducks really. Plenty of time yet for geese. We will see.


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## Highball28

Thank you steelfish, I figured you guys were on top of it. Thanks for the update!


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## jvanluyn

Anyone been out to the Todd in the last week? Just wondering how things have been recently.


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## WATERFOWLFANATIC52

jvanluyn said:


> Anyone been out to the Todd in the last week? Just wondering how things have been recently.


Went out Sunday, only about 3,000 geese. spoke with one of the guys in the building, he said most birds didn't work till atleast 12 on Saturday.


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## jvanluyn

Thats not good. I have Friday off of work and was hoping there were a few more birds than what theyve had. 3,000 is half of what has been there.


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## WATERFOWLFANATIC52

jvanluyn said:


> Thats not good. I have Friday off of work and was hoping there were a few more birds than what theyve had. 3,000 is half of what has been there.


My thoughts exactly. only had about 30 parties Sunday.


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## fowlpursuit

Yea just saw the updated counts online.. looks grim down there..hopefully more birds come in soon.. the coming Weãther may provoke a few birds to make mistakes toward the end of this week


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## jvanluyn

fowlpursuit said:


> Yea just saw the updated counts online.. looks grim down there..hopefully more birds come in soon.. the coming Weãther may provoke a few birds to make mistakes toward the end of this week


Precisely why I took Friday off. I was hoping for some more birds though. Maybe the weather will bring a few in with it.


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## jvanluyn

Highball28 said:


> Heading out tomorrow for the first trip there this year. Gonna have a spread of about 20 dozen decoys. Still probably not enough.  How many birds did the board say today?


4500 or 4700, can remember which.


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## Far Beyond Driven

I'd more worried about hiding than a large spread. Corn is pretty weak in some areas; I had a hard time just hiding myself and that was without the contrast of snow on the ground.


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## Highball28

Far Beyond Driven said:


> I'd more worried about hiding than a large spread. Corn is pretty weak in some areas; I had a hard time just hiding myself and that was without the contrast of snow on the ground.


Got layouts if need be. is most of the damage in the 8's?


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## fowlpursuit

Highball28 said:


> Got layouts if need be. is most of the damage in the 8's?


Based on the managers report yes the damage is mostly in the 8's due to early drought conditions


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## jvanluyn

From what I've noticed in a couple hunts this year, the 8's below 118th have crappy cover, and above 118th have ok cover.


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## Far Beyond Driven

I was north of 118th, and while better than south it wasn't great.


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## jvanluyn

It's not great. 5-6ft where I was but hard to find a spot that had it that tall on both sides. Either 6ft in front of you and 3ft behind. There was a lot of kneeling going on trying to blend in. We had our snow camo on so I think that helped us some.


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## hammerdown

was in 8n yesterday killed 6 Canada's 1 speck and put 1 Canada in the refuge dead saw maybe 2000 birds at the farm it was really slow I ran 2 A frames in the snow we were invisible. and had around 70 dz out


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## hammerdown

jvanluyn said:


> It's not great. 5-6ft where I was but hard to find a spot that had it that tall on both sides. Either 6ft in front of you and 3ft behind. There was a lot of kneeling going on trying to blend in. We had our snow camo on so I think that helped us some.


what zone were you in yesterday


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## hammerdown




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## hammerdown

__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10209427153693038


video of spread


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## fishjump

Would be willing to show us a picture of your a frame blind? Homemade or purchased?


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## jvanluyn

hammerdown said:


> what zone were you in yesterday


8L. So you guys were the ones dropping all the birds? I thought it was The guys between us.


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## fowlpursuit

hammerdown said:


> View attachment 236397


What are your honest thoughts on that goose flapper?
Is it worth the money?


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## hammerdown

jvanluyn said:


> 8L. So you guys were the ones dropping all the birds? I thought it was The guys between us.


we killed 6 knocked 8 canadas down and killed 1 speck the guys in m killed 5


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## hammerdown

fowlpursuit said:


> What are your honest thoughts on that goose flapper?
> Is it worth the money?


fowlpursuit it is not it works one out of every 10 hunts other wise they don't care or flare on it I bought 2 and use them traffic hunting only but that's it


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## smoke

Did you find the speck? Heard it sailed for a few hundred yards. Wondering if you ever found it?


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## smoke

I am guessing here but, I would say the 70 dozen decoys probably did more than the flapper decoy in the spread. But this is just my opinion. If you want to kill geese at the farm fairly consistantly, you need to make it look like the no hunting boundaries i.e. The refuge. It works believe me. I hunted that place a ton over the years. Also set a fairly large spread behind you if you are in an area where you can do it. The birds love to see birds out beyond where they are thinking of lighting. Call until you reach for your weapon and hard aggressive calling works more times than not especially with small to medium flocks.


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## fowlpursuit

Live report
Drew 9th
30 something parties 
3 birds killed yesterday 
Sitting on the north side


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## fowlpursuit

We


fowlpursuit said:


> Live report
> Drew 9th
> 30 something parties
> 3 birds killed yesterday
> Sitting on the north side


Well sadly no shots fired.. my hypothesis of the SE wind was correct and put every bird from the north right over us.
Tho some did set up and sweep low ( we should have shot) 
Neighbors had 5 on the ground when we left at 11
I did see 5 snows flying around the refuge with a flock of a dozen canadas which was cool..woulda been cooler if they came to visit us tho


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## dawntodusk

Awesome thanks!


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## fishjump

Hunted the farm today, wind was bad news for the birds. We just missed 4 man limit. Neighbor's on both sides also did well.


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## steelfish365

91 birds last 3 days. Bout time! Hope to see you all out soon.


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## jvanluyn

Drew 7/8. Everyone is in the same area of the farm. Only 1 flock of ducks flying near us so far.


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## fowlpursuit

jvanluyn said:


> Drew 7/8. Everyone is in the same area of the farm. Only 1 flock of ducks flying near us so far.


Just wait.. in an hour they'll come piling in


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## notime

fowlpursuit said:


> Just wait.. in an hour they'll come piling in


what was the bird count this morning


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## jvanluyn

5000 I think.


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## waterfowlhunter83

jvanluyn said:


> Drew 7/8. Everyone is in the same area of the farm. Only 1 flock of ducks flying near us so far.


So did you follow the pack or did you go off by yourself? I would have personally gone to where there was no one else. With only 8 parties you could have had a whole section to yourself...makes decoying birds a lot easier.


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## notime

jvanluyn said:


> 5000 I think.


thank you


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## hammerdown

jvanluyn said:


> 5000 I think.


kill out yet brids coming out or just birds going in


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## jvanluyn

Everything going in. Nothing out. I got 1 down. Still some filtering in from Hutchins. All the river birds came in in the last hour.


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## Highball28

Did he decoy nice?


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## jvanluyn

Highball28 said:


> Did he decoy nice?


He did. His 2 buddies got away though. The bottom 3 did it exactly how they were supposed to though.


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## Highball28

Atta way! You in the crap corn?


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## jvanluyn

Highball28 said:


> Atta way! You in the crap corn?


It's thin but could be a lot worse.


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## mintgreenwalleyemachine

What time are the draws tomarrow?

Is anyone going?


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## fowlpursuit

5:30 is the draw mon, weds,fri sat and Sunday
Sadly I'll be at work


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## mintgreenwalleyemachine

What time can u hunt till?


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## LooksMoosey

Never been to the Todd Farm. Is it mostly field hunting (ie not flooded)?? I am looking for a field hunt to go to for the split. Looks like shiawassee, FP, and NP will likely be frozen.


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## jvanluyn

Ash said:


> Never been to the Todd Farm. Is it mostly field hunting (ie not flooded)?? I am looking for a field hunt to go to for the split. Looks like shiawassee, FP, and NP will likely be frozen.


All dry field hunting. Sit in corn strips but some areas have ducky corn and might need a blind. They have an area planned for flooding to attract ducks, but it isn't ready yet. There is a creek that is still mostly open that was holding a nice number of green heads on our way out.


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## jwinks

I have to imagine this place is a madhouse during the split. It's already busy on weekends just for goose watching.


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## fowlpursuit

jwinks said:


> View attachment 237142
> 
> I have to imagine this place is a madhouse during the split. It's already busy on weekends just for goose watching.


Not as bad as you'd think..
There are only a few locations that offer a chance at ducks but for the most part they are pretty wise.
Most weekends have 30-40 parties.
10 short years ago 100 parties wasn't uncommon and a top 50 draw was good.
Last weekend I hunted there. Could have shot a few mallArds and a beautiful pintail


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## dawntodusk

I believe you can hunt till 2 for an am hunt


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## Highball28

I'll be there tomorrow. You can hunt until 2:00 PM and I would reccomend staying until that time because a lot of birds are killed in the last hour.


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## Far Beyond Driven

Make sure you blind is a blind. Guys in 8 on Tuesday had a bright white igloo or something that you could literally see about mile away. A $15 German surplus army parka off Amazon will hide you well enough that you can disappear. Being hidden doesn't matter if what's hiding you doesn't hide.

Army netting over a car might hide that it's a car, but parking it in a parking lot with other cars is a better way to hide it.

Looked back five years ago and over Christmas break I drew 89/91 and went home, 89/94 and took 3ef (they combined zones that year) and watched CD kill birds, and 5/74 took 8gh and had the guys in 8i build a huge blind out of burlap and studs and the guys in ef put out 4 trailers of full bodies then stand in 3' of snow and broken corn barely sticking out if the snow, six guys, green camo. I was in a snow covered layout blind, shot the only goose that came out, the guys in I ran into my zone and took it. Ahh, Fennville.


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## Far Beyond Driven

Madhouse? I killed a bird on draw 240 pass shot back in zone 8-17 while setting the decoys. I shot a bird in 4g after the time change when hours were like 6:30, and they were still calling draws over the intercom as I packed up. No one for redraw (one bird limits and small spreads made that an option) was around when I checked in. Getting drawn in the top 20 and not knowing it and having to listen carefully as they called the first numbers as you could not push your way to the board through the herd...


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## jwinks

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Make sure you blind is a blind. Guys in 8 on Tuesday had a bright white igloo or something that you could literally see about mile away. A $15 German surplus army parka off Amazon will hide you well enough that you can disappear. Being hidden doesn't matter if what's hiding you doesn't hide.


It's clear that people think that any "camouflage" means they're invisible. Darks splotches as well as bright white splotches standing above the corn are pretty obvious giveaways.


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## jvanluyn

Did anyone get out today? How'd you do? I'll be there in the morning.


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## Highball28

jvanluyn said:


> Did anyone get out today? How'd you do? I'll be there in the morning.


we got the skunk. Birds really showed up today, we had a bunch work and the neighbors killed 4 with ease. Lots of shooting going on.


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## jvanluyn

I heard it was a good day. Surprising to me with the minimal wind. Hopefully tomorrow is good too.


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## jvanluyn

Drew somewhere near dead last. About 27 parties. Went up to 2L and ended up with 1. Guys down 2m-o looked to have a good day. Good amount of shooting heard from all over.


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## steelfish365

73 birds yesterday. Best day so far. 230 birds in last 7 days. 2 parties this morning....? Wow...


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## hammerdown

Highball28 said:


> we got the skunk. Birds really showed up today, we had a bunch work and the neighbors killed 4 with ease. Lots of shooting going on.


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## hammerdown

Saturday was a killing field shout 12 and a band


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## hammerdown

fun Saturday


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## hammerdown

yesterday drew dead last and still managed 3 in a nose bleed zone


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## hammerdown

hammerdown said:


> yesterday drew dead last and still managed 3 in a nose bleed zone











and they were close


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## Far Beyond Driven

Drew 5/22 today got the zone I wanted had a flock work while setting up since then nothing. Wind is so stiff it's hard to walk. Just called a three pack out next zone hit one that one and a buddy got behind us, then in front, then came back out and did it right. I dropped gimpy neighbors got the other one. Haven't seen the original guys come to claim it but as it flew for a couple minutes after they hit it, it's mine. Back to sheltering in place.


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## fowlpursuit

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Drew 5/22 today got the zone I wanted had a flock work while setting up since then nothing. Wind is so stiff it's hard to walk. Just called a three pack out next zone hit one that one and a buddy got behind us, then in front, then came back out and did it right. I dropped gimpy neighbors got the other one. Haven't seen the original guys come to claim it but as it flew for a couple minutes after they hit it, it's mine. Back to sheltering in place.


You always get lucky and pick the best weather days


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## Far Beyond Driven

Face is raw and one pant leg is balled up around my knee leaving that shin exposed.

One to go, watching the wrong way hear shots single coming down the row 10' up. One guy misses three times gap sitting neighbors six times me no times.


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## waterfowlhunter83

68 parties this morning. We drew 64, not much left on the board even 10 or so before we would have been called up. Even some pretty marginal zones for this time of year were taken.


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## Far Beyond Driven

Going to channel my inner Huntsman27 tomorrow. Goal is to come home with 25 empties.

I've got my college friend along tomorrow and this guy can shoot, so I'm taking the 20 and working in landing a few for my daughter and I to shoot in close. If not, he'll take care of them. I've shot at 5 there and killed 4 of them, none feet down and only two even looking at the decoys. Time to sell it hook, line, and sinker.


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## West side shooter

Drew 50 this morning, took 4B, totally whiffed on a bird almost feet down right after shooting light, didn't have anything close rest of the day.
Watched the guys in 3F shoot at everything, followed by crossing 2 unoccupied zones and a ditch to fetch one. 
We will be back out all weekend


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## notime

we drew 11 yesterday. managed 2 birds but should have been at least 3 more. first time after birds this year and the shooting was, shall we say not the best we could've done...


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## Far Beyond Driven

Drew 41 out of 35 teamed up with a regular who also drew badly and put out 57 dozen decoys in an area that hasn't been doing much. We have 7 down, should be more, lots of air around the birds today...


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## Far Beyond Driven

Eight.


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## duckaddict

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Drew 41 out of 35 teamed up with a regular who also drew badly and put out 57 dozen decoys in an area that hasn't been doing much. We have 7 down, should be more, lots of air around the birds today...


I haven't popped my Todd Farm cherry yet so excuse my ignorance... but did you take a picture of the spread? I would love to see what 57 dozen goose decoys looks like. My Lord.


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## goosemanrdk

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Drew 41 out of 35 teamed up with a regular who also drew badly and put out 57 dozen decoys in an area that hasn't been doing much. We have 7 down, should be more, lots of air around the birds today...


We sure were experts at shooting air today. Lol


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## Far Beyond Driven

Did not. Just a giant hook. We had several pods in the valley of the hook, but the birds weren't closing well, so we moved those, and they worked a little better. Still, my daughter is the cripple swatter and she was burning through the 4's today.


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## Far Beyond Driven




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## steelfish365

duckaddict said:


> I haven't popped my Todd Farm cherry yet so excuse my ignorance... but did you take a picture of the spread? I would love to see what 57 dozen goose decoys looks like. My Lord.



Ha! Should have seen the 95 dozen in 3A and the 70 dozen in 3D one day this year. Lol 40 dozen of the 70 were full bodies too I believe...

Then watch the guy with 6 full bodies fill up his limit in zone 5. Lol


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## Far Beyond Driven

PSA to those running silhouettes: with these temps and no snow cover the ground is starting to get some frost in it.


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## Highball28

Today was slow...


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## fowlpursuit

Far Beyond Driven said:


> PSA to those running silhouettes: with these temps and no snow cover the ground is starting to get some frost in it.


Was afraid of this


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## hammerdown

i


steelfish365 said:


> Ha! Should have seen the 95 dozen in 3A and the 70 dozen in 3D one day this year. Lol 40 dozen of the 70 were full bodies too I believe...
> 
> Then watch the guy with 6 full bodies fill up his limit in zone 5. Lol


 was in 3d that day


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## goosemanrdk

Far Beyond Driven said:


> PSA to those running silhouettes: with these temps and no snow cover the ground is starting to get some frost in it.


Cordless drill time!!!!!


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## goosemanrdk

Highball28 said:


> Today was slow...


Can't say I am surprised. Most of our action yesterday was from 1-3:30. Wasn't all that much flying while driving around at 10 before the draw.


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## hammerdown

duckaddict said:


> I haven't popped my Todd Farm cherry yet so excuse my ignorance... but did you take a picture of the spread? I would love to see what 57 dozen goose decoys looks like. My Lord.[
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> my face book wont let me up load the video


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## Far Beyond Driven

Here's a 61 dozen spread from last year, well, one leg if it. We killed the first bird out that morning, and then one at 1:55 that did three laps around a running truck in the zone next to us. Guys down wind of us did better than we did that day, running







small spreads.


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## Divers Down

How does toad farm draw so many geese? What's the scoop


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## Highball28

Divers Down said:


> How does toad farm draw so many geese? What's the scoop


It's just in their natural flight path down the west side. Plus it's basically an endless food supply in the refuge. I think most geese there have been coming there for their entire lives.


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## BaldwinHunter

moving water, food, resting spots. Not near the birds it used to draw.


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## duckaddict

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Here's a 61 dozen spread from last year, well, one leg if it. We killed the first bird out that morning, and then one at 1:55 that did three laps around a running truck in the zone next to us. Guys down wind of us did better than we did that day, running
> View attachment 238390
> small spreads.


My Lord. That is incredible. Guess I'm in the wrong business!

I'll take my my decoys and go sit lonely in a small marsh, see 4 birds, shoot 2 and go home with my tail between my legs. 

Nice work on the hunt too!


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## fowlpursuit

As it's been said before if your going there to shoot birds stay in bed.
I've shot countless out of privets fields but nothing truly compares to a Todd farm goose


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## wally-eye

fowlpursuit said:


> As it's been said before if your going there to shoot birds stay in bed.
> I've shot countless out of privets fields but nothing truly compares to a Todd farm goose



13 pounder...............Todd farm goose....


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## Far Beyond Driven

You earn them at the farm. I've killed a bird at every hunt at Muskegon going back four years. We've taken a bird or more at every managed unit hunt (13 total, every area at least twice) on the east side of the state, be it draw 75 at Shiawassee or 70 degrees, sunny, and no wind at Fish Point.

But I approach Fennville with guarded optimism at best, and I've hunted it over 100 times.


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## wally-eye

Far Beyond Driven said:


> You earn them at the farm. I've killed a bird at every hunt at Muskegon going back four years. We've taken a bird or more at every managed unit hunt (13 total, every area at least twice) on the east side of the state, be it draw 75 at Shiawassee or 70 degrees, sunny, and no wind at Fish Point.
> 
> But I approach Fennville with guarded optimism at best, and I've hunted it over 100 times.




That bird was taken in 1985.....LOL.............different rules back then........different zones back then........got drawn #2.......number #1 decided to go to the highbanks.....we then got our pick of the farm........maybe a dozen silhouettes out.....had our pick of geese that day........even a big fat ol green head..........matter of fact that's the last time I hunted there............


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## Far Beyond Driven

13# goose was something back then. Not too many local giants around until the 90's. Getting that old spring scale they had to spin around back to 0 was noteworthy.


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## Far Beyond Driven

Back at it but not much movement in the refuge this a m compared to Tuesday. 51 parties. Drew 23 they pulled 75 lots of dead balls I hope.


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## Far Beyond Driven

Got my groove back. High single came in slid off neighbor missed him then I did. Hmm. Just wailed on the call on a v over four split a few off dropped one on the road behind me. Wailed at a high flock got them to circle made a ridiculous overhead. Just had a pair in full cup 30 up breeze pushed them out working to pull them in for my daughter and the guys next to us shot at a pair and blew ours out. 

Lots of tall shooting in.four.


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## Far Beyond Driven

Guys at the bottom of five just took yet another 80-100 yard try when I had a pair 10 yards up and 100 out. Thanks.


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## Far Beyond Driven

Guys in four had a three pack slide in well below the tree line. Two flew out. But they got one.


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## Far Beyond Driven

Once the snow started the birds shut down. Pretty much every one on our side bailed at 4. Greasy ride home. One spin out and one rollover on M40.


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## West side shooter

My education of the farm continues-
20min in, cupped a pair up and appeared to be in business, well at least before our neighbors lit them up. Then guys to the west of us bagged a couple as well. Thought things were looking good, but the snow moved in. 
3B took 3, 3D took 5, we put up a 0.


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## Highball28

Drew 62/51 went north to a zone we were suprised was still on the board. An hour in broke off a single that did it PERFECT. Straight out in front feet down 15 yards buddy calls the shot. My gun jams and he whiffs three whole times................................ 

Been hunting hard the last two weeks and have 8 birds to show for it so I think tomorrow I'm going to get up at a reasonable hour and do normal people things.


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## Highball28

West side shooter said:


> 3B took 3, 3D took 5


And those birds were far from decoying.


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## Far Beyond Driven

Who was laying down the monster volleys up there? My daughter would start counting the shots every time they cut loose. We know they got at least one as there was the follow up shot.

That said, if I waited for birds to decoy perfectly, I'd still be waiting to kill my first goose there this year.


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## jwinks

Far Beyond Driven said:


> That said, if I waited for birds to decoy perfectly, I'd still be waiting to kill my first goose there this year.


Killed three this year. Two were landed in the decoys, and the other one was about 2 seconds from landed. Crippled one more after missing a few times right over the decoys.


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## jwinks

I'm curious. If I were to hunt tomorrow at the farm, how many people will run their normal goose spread, and how many people will have six mojos and a bunch of duck floaters sitting in the snow? 

Common philosophy says that geese won't work when there are mojos running anywhere around, so does goose kill go way down during the split? Will running mojos piss off everyone in the area?


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## jvanluyn

I'll be there and depending on where I land in the draw/what area I end up in I may run mojos. If I'm in an area where ducks typically don't fly, I won't bother.


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## West side shooter

We hit #2 for the early hunt Saturday and went to 3A, watched the guys in 2A make a nice pass shot on the only bird that seemed a possible out of the refuge. 
Drew 6 for the youth hunt, went 5E, watched ducks land in 5G or H, my son poked at one goose at about 50, winged it and watched it glide around 6A and back to the refuge. Lot of hunting, just didn't get much to show for it.


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## Far Beyond Driven

Drew 31st this morning, almost went home, lots of stuff going in with the crew today but in the end we watched two posts out if the corner of our eye and one was still on the board. Probably better to be out here anyway.

Good thing we took it, birds are really liking the spread, we've got four down.


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## SpioniDave

Hi guys, first post so here goes..got into waterfowl this year big time..jump shooting ducks to buying dekes and experimenting a little. I'm 7 ducks and 3 geese in so feels like a decent start. 

I first hunted todd farm mid dec and hooked since..3.5 dz goose dekes now and four trips in. Limited one trip and zero all others. Seems like my action depends on those around me. Experienced guys let birds work and inexperienced? blast at them when they're too far away and set the tone for rest of day's lack of action. Seems like if I can learn to get them at the farm, I can get them anywhere haha

Now my calling is coming along and I plan on hunting there pretty much once a week or more until the season closes. I usually show up in a maroon sweater and jeans a little after the draw. Did the draw first time yesterday. Anyway, it'd be great to connect with some experienced hunters to show me some more ropes here or there


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## Far Beyond Driven

Could not convince any more to play. Still, for last minute hunt and a bottom of the pack draw, I'll take it. Always cool to have my daughter along even if they don't play nice enough for her to get a shot.

Cleaned out the Jeep and handed it over to the wife, shelved the gear; looking at the forecast time to go into semi retirement for a bit.


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## waterfowlhunter83

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Drew 31st this morning, almost went home, lots of stuff going in with the crew today but in the end we watched two posts out if the corner of our eye and one was still on the board. Probably better to be out here anyway.
> 
> Good thing we took it, birds are really liking the spread, we've got four down.


Not a bad hunt...apparently we were the only ones that could hit anything in our section this morning.


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## Far Beyond Driven

Set your decoys spread out in two pods so the birds can land between them. Or bail out. The decoys can act as blockers to funnel the birds to where you want them to be.

There's a outbid idiots there, people that park and then pack up with their truck out there, people with big Benelli stickers on their back window that drive around and park in front of the corn, and people with zero idea of how to shoot, either what's in range or shooting at birds that if by some golden BB they hit will end up in the refuge. 

But if you're blessed, watch the good guys around you and see what they do.

It sounds like you're off to a great start and you know about the idiots and are determined not to be one. Let this fact sink in: the average take rate there is 0.25 geese per hunter trip. So if you're hunting solo, you're already way above that.


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## Highball28

West side shooter said:


> Which birds?


Maybe we were thinking of different geese. All I know is my buddy and I cracked up a couple times cuz they shot at some high flyers in 3 on Thursday night. I'll give them credit though, they knocked a few down!


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## Far Beyond Driven

Watching Chad just drill a goose that got hit four zones down and then missed, a lot, as it worked its way down to us was the high light this morning. We shot at five birds and four came home.


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## waterfowlhunter83

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Watching Chad just drill a goose that got hit four zones down and then missed, a lot, as it worked its way down to us was the high light this morning. We shot at five birds and four came home.


That's the one thing I can't stand about that place is that most are not proficient with a shotgun and definitely shouldn't be shooting at birds at the ranges they do. Just glad I could show the people in our zone how it's done. Though your shooting was good as well! Glad I could see you drop that single bringing breakfast back. Lol!


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## steelfish365

Yesterday afternoon was fun out there for me and a buddy!


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## SpioniDave

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Set your decoys spread out in two pods so the birds can land between them. Or bail out. The decoys can act as blockers to funnel the birds to where you want them to be.
> 
> There's a outbid idiots there, people that park and then pack up with their truck out there, people with big Benelli stickers on their back window that drive around and park in front of the corn, and people with zero idea of how to shoot, either what's in range or shooting at birds that if by some golden BB they hit will end up in the refuge.
> 
> But if you're blessed, watch the good guys around you and see what they do.
> 
> It sounds like you're off to a great start and you know about the idiots and are determined not to be one. Let this fact sink in: the average take rate there is 0.25 geese per hunter trip. So if you're hunting solo, you're already way above that.


Determined. And thank you for the tips, I have a ton to learn and the biggest thing right now is getting them feet down and into my decoys somewhat regularly..calling, I think is tops on the list and I've been practicing a couple times a day. We'll see what happens. 

So far, lots of lookers but most days they don't want to commit. A few times people have shot at cruisers working their way to my spread, random gunfire elsewhere and they flare, and there's also the goose gods who act heavily on my success. Had a party shoot from their parcel, from across the service road, at a pair 70ish yds from my spread and closing. That was great. 

Whatever, it's still a cool place and it sounds like there's at least a good handful of people out there who know what's up. Good luck and see you out there.


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## Far Beyond Driven

Not supposed to park in front of the corn? Not a problem for these guys yesterday!


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## notime

Far Beyond Driven said:


> View attachment 239107
> Not supposed to park in front of the corn? Not a problem for these guys yesterday!


at some point they will get stuck in the mud doing that. it as though some people think the rules don't apply to them.


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## sovaa4307

Far Beyond Driven said:


> View attachment 239107
> Not supposed to park in front of the corn? Not a problem for these guys yesterday!


Fbd shoot me a text it says im not allowed to message you. 6162506506. Would like to team up sometime at the farm


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## Fowl Play

Back in the day, you drove in front and in the back. In some zones, they'd prefer you drove in the front as the back was a mess.


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## Far Beyond Driven

Back in the day it was a crap shoot in some of the zones driving any where. Lower 5 was interesting, and behind 7 was and still is a gamble.

Saturday someone drove all the way down 7, made a left, and then drove up to the foot bridge. We were debating whether or not they were going to try that too. Not sure how they didn't get stuck as the ground wasn't frozen.


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## hammerdown

last Thursday afternoon farm hunt








11 canadas and 1 snow for the day




Friday morning the 30th ended with 11 again








only 8 shown as 1 guy had to leave early took 3a


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## hammerdown

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Who was laying down the monster volleys up there? My daughter would start counting the shots every time they cut loose. We know they got at least one as there was the follow up shot.
> 
> That said, if I waited for birds to decoy perfectly, I'd still be waiting to kill my first goose there this year.


 firday we hunted the 3a 3b split and killed 11 9 of us 6 and 3 nothing got out alive


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## jwinks

hammerdown said:


> firday we hunted the 3a 3b split and killed 11 9 of us 6 and 3 nothing got out alive


That's probably why 3a was hot, you guys probably put out 600 full bodies? 9 guys would make that easy lol.


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## MILONEWOLF

I have 1 1/2 doz. full body 1 1/2 doz. shell goose decoys and you put out 600? What the heck is the point going there! Can't compete.


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## fowlpursuit

sovaa4307 said:


> Landed a flock of around 30 we managed to hit 2


Nice job.. landing a flock is a serious accomplishment there


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## sovaa4307

It was sweet really didnt expect it. Wish i could shoot as good as i can call


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## fowlpursuit

sovaa4307 said:


> It was sweet really didnt expect it. Wish i could shoot as good as i can call


Lol
.... I got the opposite.
Wish I could call as good as I shoot


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## sovaa4307

We got room tomorrow lol we been strugglin to hit anything


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## jvanluyn

Nice job! I would've been out today but I've been sick all week. I still want to try to get out but I don't think it's going to happen this weekend.


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## waterfowlhunter83

sovaa4307 said:


> Landed a flock of around 30 we managed to hit 2


I sure hope you didn't miss them when they were on the ground lol!


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## fowlpursuit

sovaa4307 said:


> We got room tomorrow lol we been strugglin to hit anything


How'd u guys end up today?
Was there a lot of action?


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## notime

Gonna try it in the morning. Hope the birds are up


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## West side shooter

Not much working today, nothing before about 10am.
We managed 1 bird and it was all work. Not much shooting around the farm, don't know how many the other zones managed.


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## notime

West side shooter said:


> Not much working today, nothing before about 10am.
> We managed 1 bird and it was all work. Not much shooting around the farm, don't know how many the other zones managed.


Better then sitting on the couch. Cant shoot one there.


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## sswhitelightning1

sovaa4307 said:


> Landed a flock of around 30 we managed to hit 2


You sure it was around 30?


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## sswhitelightning1

sovaa4307 said:


> It was sweet really didnt expect it. Wish i could shoot as good as i can call


Im itchin to hear your calling, many testimonials on your shooting


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## sovaa4307

steve dont you have an argument with homer you need to get back to


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## Far Beyond Driven

Keep the reports coming and ignore those taking pokes without adding anything. Sure it beat fixing a broken sewer pipe like I got to deal with Saturday.


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## notime

Sunday seemed pretty slow on the SE side. Birds were flying but in the refuge. When we finally had one that we thought was going to work, a silent single came from behind us and turned the other around. Once the snow started heavy, for the most part, put a stop to them moving around. At least from what we could see.


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## West side shooter

Slow day today, sunny weather didn't help us at all.
Most of the roads have frozen back over at least as of this morning, but the soft spots still have lots of ruts from the thaw. There are birds moving yet, we saw quite a few coming in from the east and south west.
My last hunt will be Tuesday afternoon fo this season, so I will try and get an update out for the weekend.


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## sovaa4307

struck out both days this weekend nothin near us. Should have been where we were today yesterday and where we were yesterday today


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## fowlpursuit

sovaa4307 said:


> struck out both days this weekend nothin near us. Should have been where we were today yesterday and where we were yesterday today


Always the case with that place


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## West side shooter

Last time out for me for this season today. Very foggy, with some spitting rain off and on. Wind started soft out of the east, then swung around to the west and picked up. Lots of birds on the move, nothing towards us though.
Sounded like a fair amount of shots from 7 and 8 though.


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## notime

Going to give it one more try on Saturday. Wasn't going to but my youngest, who really hasn't shown any interest in hunting asked about going so load up the truck tonight and away we go.


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## Far Beyond Driven

I'll be the guy in the polar bear fleece pants. Really.


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## fowlpursuit

Hope I g to make it for a last hurrah on Sunday. My designated todd farm box of shells still has 25 in it. I'm gonna try to get that number to 24 by Sunday at 2 pm


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## Far Beyond Driven

And now I gave to be at work for free tomorrow morning.


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## fowlpursuit

Far Beyond Driven said:


> And now I gave to be at work for free tomorrow morning.


Work and free? Those words don't go together..


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## West side shooter

My son and his crew are going, hoping for some layout blind action. 
Could be a decent day by the weather report, good luck and safe shooting everyone!


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## Far Beyond Driven

Salary. Boss is cool though, so I'll comp an afternoon to hit the river when conditions and my schedule align.


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## sovaa4307

we shot at 1 today after working a few flocks and havin em shotnat over our heads we decided next one to give us a decent oppurtunity would be shot at...had loaner come out of the refuge skirt the dekes..50-60 yards not shots we like to take but doable i suppose. 8 rounds fired never fluffed a feather.


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## notime

The birds are definitely decoy shy. After watching them skirt decoys all day and fly the gap between spreads, Anyone hitting it tomorrow should be setting two pods on each end of their zone and sitting in the middle.


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## H20man

How many parties were there at the farm today?
I was thinking of going in the morning.


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## Far Beyond Driven

45


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## sovaa4307

Today was a **** show. Guys shooting birds over our heads dropping down into dekes getting in our faces and chewing us out for setting dekes and calling us names because geese dont decoy this is the todd farm and this is what people do here. Continued to shoot at any bird that looked at us. Guys at end of 7s dropped 5 or 6 from 100 yards somehow and got plenty of shooting in. 1 of theirs glided down a few zones with a broken wing and made it into the refuge. Other one glided acrossed road. Really put a bad taste in our mouth on the todd and unless we dont have birds anywhere even if we gotta drive to birch run to hunt its going to be hard to go back to that place even after having some good hunts.


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## West side shooter

I think it must have been something about the weekend, my kid said they set decoys Saturday and got the layout blinds out. A little after shooting light they had a group come in and decoy up, guys next to them lit them up even though they were over the boys zone. When the boys stood up, the guys said they thought no one was there since they didn't see anyone, but I guess you could miss the 25 doz decoys set up. The boys said for the rest of the day, anything under 70 yds got shot at, even though at least 2 groups tried to decoy. 
It still amazes me how some people don't understand that if you work together, everybody stands a better chance of shooting some birds. Birds can be shot under 20 yds at the farm, we have done and seen it done multiple times this year, but you gotta be willing to let the birds work to get there. 
Todd Farm 2017, equal parts good, bad and what was that?, lol


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## Fowl Play

West side, that is the exact reason I no longer go to the Todd. Before, we did not have any options and we were lacking equipment. Now that we have option and more equipment, I haven't been back. Had great hunts and more crappy ones like you described above.


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## craigrh13

I seen a D-bag on FB talking about some very long shots being taken and even being made there yesterday. Swears up and down 1-120 yard shots being made. That place is a complete joke. A lot of the people that frequent there should be ashamed to call theirselves hunters with the way they act there. I hunted there twice while nothing else was open two years ago. I can't imagine me ever being desperate enough to go back there. I would have to be in a bad way to even consider hunting there.


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## hammerdown

I was there with patt hunting with him and yes there were 100 to 120 yard shots killing geese yesterday we set 2 trailers and they were not buying it at all we killed 1 and attempted a few high ones it was the last day and every one was shooting at high stuff








the farm can be amazing or a **** show but generally its not to bad


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## Far Beyond Driven

Read the posts above and didn't flinch at all. Seen too much of that.

8 hunts this year, killed birds 7 times and missed my chance on the last hunt. Amazingly, I never really had total idiots for neighbors, but I've had it plenty of times before. Which is part of the reason I was able to kill birds that often.

Kind of glad I ended up at work Saturday and get to comp a day next week when it's 60 to hit the river.


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## michiganoutdoorsman

hammerdown said:


> I was there with patt hunting with him and yes there were 100 to 120 yard shots killing geese yesterday we set 2 trailers and they were not buying it at all we killed 1 and attempted a few high ones it was the last day and every one was shooting at high stuff
> View attachment 244444
> 
> the farm can be amazing or a **** show but generally its not to bad


Boone looks frozen lol. Gotta love that guy.


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