# Any happenings at the Todd Farm?



## West side shooter (Jan 22, 2015)

Geese, but lots of ducks around too.
I think we had issues getting the geese to finish due to the neighbors mojo ducks.


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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

Gotcha. Thanks for the info. I better get some sleep now.


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## West side shooter (Jan 22, 2015)

Good luck!
Tear it up


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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

I'd be willing to bet today some decent numbers get harvested


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Thursday afternoon drew 27/30 in zone four. Five has shot a couple. Flock came out guys in 4 g lit them up at 70 then f at 90 then e at 120 over the refuge. W t f. And somě one down from from us is either killing a poodle or sucks with a short reed. Non stop one note yapping. Unless one comes straight to us i have no hope of any one close letting them work. Did you see the ones fold in five? That's because they shot them feet down.


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## West side shooter (Jan 22, 2015)

Heading out Friday, anybody been there this week?


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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

Finally got some cold this week- may have moved birds in but the clear days probably made hunting tough. I bet Friday is gonna be a good day there


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## norton shores killer (Oct 24, 2009)

Last weekend was much improved compared to the rest of the season


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## Sparky13 (Sep 22, 2013)

Last Friday was decent but sat/sun was not that good except for a small section of the farm

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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

Went for the first time Saturday. Got drawn 16th, didnt have a chance. Hunted In 8i. Heard some shooting, but not much. Only one Hail Mary shot from south of us. I'm surprised at the setup of the farm. It seems like they make it as difficult as possible to kill geese there. We saw thousands of geese, but it's hard to compete with thousands of live geese on the ground. Got a good show when a helicopter flew over. Saw lots of ducks too. 

It seems like a huge amount of effort for a relatively small chance to shoot a single goose. It was cold and windy, but the geese didn't seem to mind it. Does it really get much better when it rains and snows? It just seems to me that there must some way to increase the success rates. I feel like I could sit in a marsh and pass shoot more geese than a hunt there? Did it used to be better? Why are the units so small? I'm just confused, maybe someone could give some insight? It's not much work to get there to set up, and the kill charts mean no scouting or uncertainty about the zone, so that's a plus for a weekend warrior. As far as I can see the only reason to hunt there is because the season is open when everything else is closed, and every goose for 100 miles piles into that refuge. If I wasn't already driving from Chicago, I would just drive to shiawassee, with much higher expectations.


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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

There are many who feel the same way- hunt there and vow never to again.
For me it's the comraderie of being amongst fellow hunters, talking and learning, seeing some of the giant decoy spreads and the abundance of wildlife you see there obviously geese, but coyotes running through my spread, Eagles and some of the biggest bucks I've ever witnessed. If your going with the sole purpose of killing geese you may be disappointed.
The other side of it is, it's like a competition for waterfowlers. I have some private fields we shoot birds out of but to me it's like catching a 5 lb bass out of a farm pond.
On the other hunting at the Todd farm is like competing in the BASS elite series on some reservoir full of other pro anglers..each bird I take feet down gives me a certain amount of satisfaction. 
There are those that consistantly shoot birds there but they tend to hold their secrets very closely.


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## dan001 (Nov 17, 2009)

How many geese get shot and not reported? We hunted next to a group that we saw drop a bird and the next day it wasn't on the kill chart. I can imagine how fun it was in the 90's when 2k plus birds a year were killed


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## Sparky13 (Sep 22, 2013)

And this year will be less than 500 killed

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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

We probably shouldn't get into the kill charts debate. I'm sure some people don't report, but I don't think it's a majority, because you can still see obvious trends on the kill charts where geese are working well on a certain day. 

Also, doesn't everyone look at the kill charts? So don't people want them to be accurate? There are like 20 years of charts up in the HQ, it's probably a point of pride to say "hey remember this day where we shot 8 geese in 2004"?


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## carsonr2 (Jan 15, 2009)

jwinks said:


> Does it really get much better when it rains and snows? It just seems to me that there must some way to increase the success rates. I feel like I could sit in a marsh and pass shoot more geese than a hunt there? Did it used to be better? Why are the units so small? I'm just confused, maybe someone could give some insight? It's not much work to get there to set up, and the kill charts mean no scouting or uncertainty about the zone, so that's a plus for a weekend warrior. As far as I can see the only reason to hunt there is because the season is open when everything else is closed, and every goose for 100 miles piles into that refuge. If I wasn't already driving from Chicago, I would just drive to shiawassee, with much higher expectations.


I used to tag along a lot when I was young in the mid 1980's and began hunting there in 91 when I turned 12. The most successful days from my experience are either very snowy with wind. If the lake effect is turned on I always enjoyed those days. Or, if it is really foggy. Either of these types of weather conditions will turn educated birds into newbs at the todd.

From what I experienced in the 80's and early 90's it used to be much better, and from what my elders told me that was nothing compared to the decades before that. Heck the highbanks was still hunting consistently in the early 90's. I remember goose counts closer to 30k in the late 80's early 90's.....seems like it is rocking these days if it gets to 16k.

The units from my experience have always been small. They went to the two unit per draw a few years ago, but I'm not sure if that is still going on, assuming it isn't from what I've read on the forum.

The Todd Farm holds a special place with me....got my first goose at the highbanks and mallard off the farm. I haven't been back in a couple of years, and only plan to hunt it if we have a good group of friends going. The camaraderie and memories with friends are what draw me back to the Todd....not necessarily the hunting.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

The camraderie is great. Sometimes. I seem to be fly paper for idiots.

Getting to show your 12 year old daughter:

awful spreads
awful calling
litter
people who knock down corn
people who uproot corn to build a blind that looks fake as hell
sky busting
poor shooting
people that park in the middle of the road

The hunts like that, my last hunt had all of the above, make it all the more sweet when you've got some ignorant crew next to you watching you put a pair in the pocket feet down and then drop both of them with two shots. One would think if you see the few people there that do it right, it would inspire you to copy them instead of blindly proceeding on your ignorant ways.

This year is tough simply as the birds have not been focused on the area yet. Last two years it locked up early and the birds piled in there.

If you're used to any other area, the small zones at Fennville are an eye opener. But where else can you see an eighteen shot volley at a decoying goose that flies into the next zone and gets missed 12 times before it thinks better and flies into the refuge.


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## Fowl Play (Nov 30, 2014)

I like these Todd farm posts. Hunted there in the 80's through early 2000's it was unbelievable at times. Shot my first goose there. I recall being the 5th party into a zone and still having everyone in our party shoot a goose. I recall never being picked first, but in the single digits a few times. I recall eating breakfast at one of the restaurants in the am or lunch on the way home. I recall the party count at 400 or higher, no kill sheets, zone 8 was blinds not a zone with sections and needing a party of 2 or 3 to pick a blind. The am flight of geese from the high banks reminding me of the flying monkey scene from the wizard of of. I recall some really good hunters and then the other end of that spectrum. Great memories and last time I was there five years ago, it's nothing like it used to be. Easy hunt, especially if you are by your self. I'm on the other side of the state now, but overall great memories growing up at the farm.


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## Fowl Play (Nov 30, 2014)

I also remember the zones not even having sections. It was a race. Lol


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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

So all this raises the question of what caused the decline of bird numbers and ultimately hunter participation?
I'm a younger person started there in 1999 "shot at" my first goose there been hooked ever since.. 
Is it do to lower migration numbers?
Less desirable conditions for waterfowl?


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## Fowl Play (Nov 30, 2014)

I have no idea, things just change. Could be decline of the migratory flock, change in migratory patterns, the high banks roost deteriorated, on and on and on. Heck, the oldsquaws could be the culprit. Lol. I have no idea. Just like any other place you hunt or fish, eventually it changes, can't stay the same forever. 

If nothing ever changed, we'd still be throwing spears at wooly mammoths. Posting about making changes saber tooth tiger season, etc... Well, maybe some things don't change. Lol


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Lot fewer geese migrating down west Michigan, a lot later than they used to.


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## TNL (Jan 6, 2005)

Later maybe, not sure about fewer. We never had an early season until 1987. All those locals would still be around, unmolested. 

I cut my waterfowling teeth at the Todd. First time was 1975 or 76. 25,000 plus birds would fly in every morn from their roost. 3-500 at the draw which was done with the bucket and balls. They'd still be calling numbers at 10am. High banks were always the first to go. Followed by the blinds on the refuge. Then blinds off the refuge. Then zones 1,9, & 10. I've killed birds in every zone and most of the blinds. The blinds were roughly 5' high, 5' long, and 3' wide with 2 benches in there with corn stalks. 2 guys it was great, 3 a little cramped, and 4 got a bit sporty. They were stoutly built and lasted for decades.

Decoys were rudimentary in those days. Some guys had black milk jugs or tires cut in thirds with wooden necks and heads. Then silos got popular so everybody made some. Then they got bigger. So everybody made them bigger. Then came the shells, then the huge 42" shells. After that was fullbodies. It was a lot more work back then. The roads were farm ruts in black mud. If it had rained, you were advised NOT to drive out there. Hence, some guys had a to hump their gear over a 1/2 mile. Not good with heavy silos or tires.

Calls were probably rather primitive compared to today. Mostly Mallard-tone or Big River flutes. There is a guiding outfit that most know of who screamed at the birds with those flutes...it worked too. 

Lots of guys had 10 gauges with the rest shooting 12s. Hunters were still pissed about having to buy expensive steel shot that didn't hit worth a darn. Bismuth and the Heavy stuff were decades away.

Most guys wore brown canvas or WWII camo coveralls. Lots of Jones hats in those days. There were over a thousand guys there some weekends. Parking filled the fields to the west behind the Quonset hut and north of the garages. A snack truck made a killing every morning. Cars lined up for at least a 1/2 in both directions trying to get in before the 5:30 shut-off. The big pole barn wasn't there yet and there was only a small, flat roofed building with Ol' Charlie puffing on a pipe and calling numbers over the PA. Everybody else was out in the mud trying to peer into windows to see what binds had been taken. Lots of "last calls" were heard, as well as "REDRAW". Every time I hear the guys use the date stamp it brings back memories...I'm sure its the same one. 

Some good blinds might turn over 3xs with their crew limiting out. Then that blind would be auctioned off to the lowest redraw number. You'd bid and think you got it until someone woke up in their car yelling and running to the draw building so as to not lose out. The quotas back then were around 4000 IIRC with a 1 bird limit. Even so, the Farm usually closed the season early, filling it's quota.

Good times.

I still go a couple times a year, if for nostalgia's sake. I think the improvements they are doing are great, taking a ton of trees out, the water project on the north side, etc. The Todd is evolving. It still offers the average Joe an opportunity to get a bird or two that they might otherwise not have.


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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

Wow.. Always cool to hear about the history of days gone by. Are you saying there was blinds within the refuge lines?


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## Fowl Play (Nov 30, 2014)

Ol Charlie. What a hoot. I remember Charlie chewing a guy a new one at the draw one year. Remember Joe? What a very nice guy. He showed my brother and I when we were kids a swan that was in the freeze for the local CO? 

Bingo balls. And that small white brick building. Guys lined at the counter during the redraw. What a game that was. I recall some guy coming in an saying some kids shot a mallard. Duck was closed, back in the 30day season. Waiting for the redraw was a fed fish and game dude. He pulled the informant aside, they talked. I'm guessing he asked where. Then the zone accused came in, while the agent was walking to his truck. It was a bad zone, but when the recall announcement came he ran to the bldg like it was on fire. Everyone started bidding thinking it was a hot secret. Lol. Those boys parked next to us. A search of vehicle ensued, and a mallard found.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Having commuted from Holland to South Haven from 1995 to 2007, I can say both the spring and fall.migration in that area is way down.

I recall shooting my first heavy down there. Throw it on the scale (come to think of it where's the scale?) And see the needle spin all around. That was a novelty then and they had to measure the bill and skull on it. Now I hardly shoot a migrant.

Pissing in the bath tub that served as a urinal.

Boat blinds at the draw to get in the high banks refuge.

Shooting geese on draw 28 in 4 h while hearing draw numbers still being announced on the PA.

Killing a passing goose in 8-43 on draw 240 at hours plus 1 minute with my decoys still bagged, then checking it in at hours +15 and getting mobbed by redraw guys, only to have them ask where that zone was.

Shooting a goose in 2m to have it fall behind the river. Walk around the road to the bridge to have the goose get up and hop into the river. Finally caught up to it down by 8n.

Missing a foot down honker 3x with someone from this site watching, then smoking my bird clean at 40 five minutes after they left, with no one to see it.


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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

I might be running solo there tomorrow if anyone is looking for a partner.


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## carsonr2 (Jan 15, 2009)

fowlpursuit said:


> Wow.. Always cool to hear about the history of days gone by. Are you saying there was blinds within the refuge lines?


I don't recall there being blinds in the refuge on the Todd, could be wrong. I do know there used to be water blinds on the upper pool of the Highbanks Refuge. I'm wondering if that is what is being referred to.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

There were wooden blinds in some of the zones around the refuge, not in the refuge. That was just before my tenure (pre- '91).


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## notime (Nov 11, 2011)

Hearing some of you guys talk about the old days out there almost makes me want to back.Shot my first goose out of blind 20 something there in the early 80's when i was just 12. My dad let me miss school that day to go and it was something i will never forget. The numbers of geese are so bad there today from what they were that it really just isn't worth the time.


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## Duckman Racing (Oct 11, 2004)

One of my favorite memories of the Todd Farm was hunting there with one of my middle school teachers when I was in 8th grade. Our class was scheduled to take a trip to PJ Hoffmaster, but my history teacher was a big time goose hunter and he offered to take me and another student to the Farm that day instead. We drew fairly well, and it was snowing pretty hard most of the morning. The first bird we shot managed to make it just into the refuge before dropping. It was probably less than 10 yards from edge, but my teacher wouldn't let us go get it. Very frustrating to say the least, but absolutely the right call.

Anyway, we ended up shooting our 3 geese and getting out of their in time for another group to take our spot on the redraw. That was 1995. We hunted there a handful of times when I was in high school, as we only lived about 30 minutes from the Farm. We didn't field hunt much back then so we never had a lot of success, but I enjoyed hunting the Farm, and I still like to get down there once or twice a year.


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## TNL (Jan 6, 2005)

The blinds are where your lettered and numerical zones are today. So when you picked 8D, you had to sit in the blind. same with say, number 12, you had to be in the blind It kept hunters apart so they didn't have much option where to set up. Nor did they encroach upon your set if the birds were working more towards you.

The Highbanks and zone 10 were almost all pass shooting. And if the pass shooters got bored or the birds weren't low enough, well, that's where the skybusting rep came from. Guys would race to zone 10 if they weren't picked in say, the top 50. It was before 3 1/2" 12s so that's why many had 10 gauges. I still have my grandfathers 10 ga double barrel and my own BPS 10. They're safe queens now.


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## Fowl Play (Nov 30, 2014)

I shot my first goose from blind 2 or 3 (it was the second blind on the front line) in 1982. Today that would roughly be 8B or 8C. For those not there then - the entire east side of the refuge was blinds. What now 8A-I was all green field, no corn - just a big green field. Corn was in strips behind the second row of blinds. 8N-K were three Blinds - 10-11-12 those were prime spots. Zone 2 was short. There were 3 or 4 blinds on the north end - 21-22-23 ( I think) blinds south of the corner from there to the drainage ditch - next to there along the east side were blinds - all the way down to blind 10-11-12. 

LOL Far Beyond, when Joe was still there - I remember as a kid we walk through at pick 400 something - he told my dad to take blind 40 something - it was practically near Fenneville. We shot a limit and were the first ones in that day. Shot them feet out @ 20yards. They had just cut the corn in that area. 

Those were the days. It was easy for my dad to take his two young boys - and not have to worry about one of us falling in the water, etc... Once we got older, with jobs - we started to layout shoot, going out west, etc.. Those were the good days for sure. I don't miss the jackass in 8I shooting at birds decoying to me in 8G, etc...


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## TNL (Jan 6, 2005)

Fowl Play said:


> Ol Charlie. What a hoot. I remember Charlie chewing a guy a new one at the draw one year. Remember Joe? What a very nice guy. He showed my brother and I when we were kids a swan that was in the freeze for the local CO?
> 
> Bingo balls. And that small white brick building. Guys lined at the counter during the redraw. What a game that was. I recall some guy coming in an saying some kids shot a mallard. Duck was closed, back in the 30day season. Waiting for the redraw was a fed fish and game dude. He pulled the informant aside, they talked. I'm guessing he asked where. Then the zone accused came in, while the agent was walking to his truck. It was a bad zone, but when the recall announcement came he ran to the bldg like it was on fire. Everyone started bidding thinking it was a hot secret. Lol. Those boys parked next to us. A search of vehicle ensued, and a mallard found.


JOE! I couldn't remember his name! He was the quiet sort of skinny short guy with the almost handlebar mustache. Super nice as you mentioned. Always smoked a pipe. Good guy. I'm sure he's gone now. 

I was checked by a CO at least once every year at the Todd. Never had an issue. One scandal was during a weekend morning draw while everyone was up at the white house waiting for the first numbers, someone broke into somebodies pickup topper and stole 2 guns. That guy was hell bent for leather! I figured he'd a killed the culprit if he could lay his hands on him. I don't know if they ever caught those miscreants.

Coming in from the west in the am for the draw we always saw vehicles parked in zone 4 parking lot. There would be guys double timing it on foot from the HQ back to 4 parking area. Go through the line again with another vehicle to get another draw number. That's why that plastic chain is blocking the exit, so no cars could do that.

Our first time there and my first time waterfowling ever, we didn't know anything. We got there at 2am because we thought it was first come first served. (the internet is a GREAT invention) I froze waiting for the draw to start. It was 3 hours before the food truck even opened. I had never gotten up a 1am ever. Needless to say, we drew horribly. We took zone 1 not knowing any better. We put out out 11 Herters shell decoys that were made of pressed card board and waited. We watched thousands of birds come from Higgins, out of range. My grandfather, myself, and my cousin fell asleep on the hay after eating the lunch grandma packed us. We woke to the sound of birds. Two to be exact, dropping low over the trees to the north looking at our decoys. Grandpa gave the "take em" and we all fired. One dropped. I was hooked for the rest of my life. I'm sure I was well behind those birds looking back on it after all these years. I was shooting a Remington 12 gauge double barrel that was WWII surplus. I think he bought it for $14. I accidentally stepped on the trigger guard and broke it that day. Felt awful about it. Gramps fixed it that night with bondo. Yeah, I know. But it worked and I was able hunt the next day. I got it when he passed in '92. I don't think it's been shot since that day. I still have it along with those Herters decoys long since retired. One sits in my office so I can look at it every day and remember that first time.


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## Fowl Play (Nov 30, 2014)

I was there the weekend the guns were stolen. That truck was parked two down from us. I recall he was a big guy too. 

Yea - I heard Joe passed quite a long time ago. Nicest guy. I remember them busting the guys getting two numbers too. I remember two guys coming to the shack for the card & number - they had a dress up dummy in the passenger seat. LOL.

That is an awesome story of your hunt. That generation could fix anything and better than McGyver ever was

I remember the big silos - looked like baby dinosaurs. Cut from 1/4" plywood. We made some - my arm still hurts from carrying them - heavy. I was so so so happy when those were left home when we got better decoys.

My granddad didn't hunt. He did come with us one time - we drew decent - took 2A. I dropped my goose - it was a 35-40yd overhead - first shot. Grand dad was sitting next to me - all he said was - "Damn!!". 

Every season, my old man and I talk about the Farm and the good old days. We met a lot of great guys there. Lots of great memories of hunting & growing up.


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## Sparky13 (Sep 22, 2013)

Hunted today. Count is up, but from what I've seen not many new birds. Slow day with not much shooting anywhere

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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

Sparky13 said:


> Hunted today. Count is up, but from what I've seen not many new birds. Slow day with not much ahooting anywhere
> 
> Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk


What was the count today?
Nn


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## Sparky13 (Sep 22, 2013)

8k. Driving around the farm I'd say closer to 4k. With the warmer weather it has a lot of birds using areas off the farm

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## waterfowlhunter83 (Aug 10, 2005)

Like most here on the west side of MI, I too got my start at the Farm. Mine was not as far back as others but I caught the tail end of when the Farm was still good (lots of geese and lots of hunters). The first time I went with a buddy and his dad and grandpa when I was in middle school. We were practically the last group through the gate that morning and we finally got a parking spot and filled out our card and they were already calling numbers. Out of 350+ parties that morning we were drawn first. We had to yell and fight out way into the draw house. After we picked our zone, we went to the Blue Goose for breakfast. We hunted over in 8f or g as I recall. Ended up seeing more geese that day than I had ever seen in my life up until that point. Our group only shot a couple of geese that day despite our fair share of chances. On one of pair we shot at, I didn't have the best angle to shoot but I looked to my side of the spread and there was a drake mallard well within range. I pulled up and shot and watched my first duck fold and fall. That started the obsession.

I have a couple of old waterfowl books from the 60's and they all mentioned the Todd Farm as one the top areas to go for Canada geese in the Midwest back then.


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

These are all excellent stories, I appreciate you sharing them. It definitely makes me wanna go back. (And probably get skunked again)


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## West side shooter (Jan 22, 2015)

Sparky13 said:


> Hunted today. Count is up, but from what I've seen not many new birds. Slow day with not much shooting anywhere
> 
> Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk


We had plenty of action on the west side, I would have stayed all day if I didn't have to work!


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Remember he reserved hunts? Drew fifth in one got a 2# 14 ounce goose that's on my wall. Drew third in the youth pm hunt, I think the first pm hunt ever there back in 1995, maybe 1996. Sunny calm day. Took 8d to everyone's amazement went home and watched college football until five pm. Came out no decoys with half an hour to go and had about 3000 Bravo bound geese pile over us. I shot mine with my 20, then fired up a monster v h s camcorder and got tape of our youth sailing one into the field behind us and chasing it all over. While taping that my buddy yells "collar" and crushes a neck banded bird with his 10.

First duck at the farm was in 8h with my first spinny. Drake mallard piles in whiff all three buddy drops it. Then a two pack gets behind us I fold both with one shot, dropping them on the road. Later a monster of a goose lands at about 15 yards and we debate who should shoot it. Decide to jump it whichever way it goes that guy got it. It gets up straight away I head shoot it the same time my buddy body punches it with 10 gauge BBB.

First late duck split scouted at lunch ans,saw a ton of birds using a creek. Took zone 8-43 and set up in the field. First bird in a huge sprig we had to pass as it was closed for them that year. Ended up working one huge flock of mallards buddy and I shot the candy bird and laughed so hard we never shot again.

3f on another late split we had sheet ice in some of our field. Buddy shot one it slid well jnto 3e they called us over to get it and we went to get it staggering like drunk idiots. Crawled back to where we had snow. Mine wadded up and skidded to a stop 6" from the refuge sign.

4g I shot my goose with shell 12 of 12 back when I was 17. Buddy told me I got first bird didn't think it would take that long. Guys next to us were cussing at us, threatening us, telling us we didn't know anything as we were kids. My shooting that day didn't help that impression. They never worked a bird so they moved into the gap and started shooting at our birds. Buddy finally says enough of watching them work, it's his turn to kill one, but first he's gonna piss in the woods. (corn nog good enough?) Guys wing tip one in our pocket sails into the trees nearly hits my friend, he grabs it runs all the way to 118th with it crawls down the ditch into the corn and back to me without being seen. We pick up and leave we me having no shells and my buddy having all 12. Kill board showed zero geese for them.

Sitting in 6e watching dead geese float down river, wading out and rolling each nasty corpse to check for bands. Some were pretty well eaten.

Remember when there was a little strip of private land between 116th and the ditch that had 300 no trespassing signs around it?

Bob white quail in zone 9 around the pond after they dug it. Only time I've seen them.

Cutting my finger putting an arrow back in the rest in zone 10 and having the only deer I saw all night walk under my tred to sniff the blood that was noisily dripping onto the leaves. Then going to get a stitch in my finger. Not stitches. A stitch.


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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

Today was a good day, if you were in zone 5. Thanks to "west side shooter"s tip, and the kill charts, we knew where birds were working yesterday. 5b took 1, and we also saw 2 or 3 go down in d or e. We had 5c and got 3 ourselves but should have had at least 2 more thanks to bad shooting and some neighbors resetting decoys at a bad time.


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## norton shores killer (Oct 24, 2009)

what was the count today?


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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

norton shores killer said:


> what was the count today?


I didn't even look. Someone said 8000 was posted on Friday but the figured only 4-5000 by what they saw.


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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

Anyone go today? Curious how it was since we didn't get the snow the predicted.


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## Sparky13 (Sep 22, 2013)

Count was 8500. A lot of birds killed today

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## optimax115 (Feb 26, 2010)

Our group drew 23 this morning. We had 8 down by 10am. Should've been done much sooner, typical Todd farm BS from the neighbors.


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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

optimax115 said:


> Our group drew 23 this morning. We had 8 down by 10am. Should've been done much sooner, typical Todd farm BS from the neighbors.


What zone and how many dekes?


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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

We drew 2nd to last.. Ended up on the north side. Managed to drop one.Plenty of birds flying and willing to work however as typical of the farm bad neighbors with 100+ yard shots kinda ruined it


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## Sparky13 (Sep 22, 2013)

Had our 6 by 9:30. All shots under 40 yds in the dekes. Ran 37 dz decoys

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## optimax115 (Feb 26, 2010)

jvanluyn said:


> What zone and how many dekes?


We took 8H. We put out around 350. Half sillies and half full bodies


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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

optimax115 said:


> We took 8H. We put out around 350. Half sillies and half full bodies


That's a S ton of dekes. Way to go on your birds. It sounds like it was the best weekend of the season for the Todd.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

That is a ridiculous amount of decoys. How are the guys doing that only run a few dozen?? My friend and j talked about coming out Tuesday or Thursday afternoon. I've only hunted that place twice. Are afternoons or mornings better? Anybody possibly want to meet up to help build a bigger spread?


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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

We run 6 doz shells, 1 dozen big foots and 4 doz silos.. Obviously depends on the day (and neighbors) but it's enough to pull birds if they want to play.. Wish I had more Dekes though


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## Sparky13 (Sep 22, 2013)

This is one place that you can never have to many decoys and you can not over call (as long as you're a decent caller). It took 3 of us 45 min to setup and then tear down 37 dz.

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## Fowl Play (Nov 30, 2014)

I agree, when we hunted there, it was a numbers game.


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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

Decoys yes.. Calling in my experience not necessary... Most birds I've shot there I never touched a call..


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

37 doz is a nice pile of decoys. My wife was horrified to hear that, since I have been trying to build a goose spread.


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## Sparky13 (Sep 22, 2013)

Can pick up silos fairly cheap if you watch craigslist 

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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Weekdays I run 10-12 and weekends 22-24. Dozen silhouettes that is. My daughter and I can set up in 45 minutes and pick up in 30.


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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

S-L-O-W today. Drew 11th went to the west side. Heard few shots and saw even fewer geese.. Many zones around us packed up at 10-10:30 we decided to stay till 11. 10:58am a loner comes from the west. After a little provoking with the call it sets right in and I clobber him at 33 yrds.. This activity influenced us to stay till noon hoping praying things would pick up . But it wasn't meant to be.. Only one other small flock breached the refuge line but quickly retreated..hopefully it picked up for a good season finale


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## Sparky13 (Sep 22, 2013)

Smashed the birds on the east side today. Even the back blinds got in the action myself included.

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## Sparky13 (Sep 22, 2013)

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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

Lol go figure... There was plenty of the east side zones on the board when we went through...I thought for sure the west side would give up some birds..


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## Sparky13 (Sep 22, 2013)

40+ birds killed over there today

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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

1 on the west side.. Proud to say I shot %100 of the birds there today


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## Matt.tzew (Oct 9, 2012)

It was 6 that decoyed and we shot 5. Probably would have got all of them if I had loaded my gun

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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

I didn't hunt yesterday but drove out there to look around. 8 parties and it looked like everyone hunted the east zones. Birds really flew after 1130 heading east to west into the refuge. Watched someone in 2 shoot a low dumb single that lead all of the birds. Later in the day it looked like the huge vast majority of birds were flying west to feed.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

It was 6 that decoyed and we shot 5. Probably would have got all of them if I had loaded my gun

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Did you cut three down later, one gliding almost to the refuge?


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## Matt.tzew (Oct 9, 2012)

Yea and then a dumb single juvie that I shot at missed , flew south a zone and then we called it back and then we took it.

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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

That was some impressive shooting. We could have had zone four. But no, the flight path two weeks ago made me pick zone 5. We'll be fine with all the decoys and the callers we had I thought. Yep, we were fine pulling birds out that decided to finish in the zones down wind from us.

But those guys let them close and shot well too. And lots of birds came out at 60-70 and didn't get lit up, in both 4 and 5. Was pretty nice for a change.


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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

I didn't get out there this past weekend. What is the count? I see the managers update was 11,500 as of last week.


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## Sparky13 (Sep 22, 2013)

I'd say roughly 16k

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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

Nice. I'm headed out both of the next 2 Saturdays and next Tuesday the 26th. I might need some company next Tuesday if anyone has the day off.


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## Matt.tzew (Oct 9, 2012)

I've never seen birds decoy as well as they did last Saturday. Must have been new northern to the farm. Half were probably less than a year but the three on the left were bigger. It was an awesome day slowed way down after 1030 tho.. We had bugs giving us a look at around 60 yards but we were trying to get then to decoy. They were the smarter ones.. We had 20 doz silos, 11 doz shells, and 5 doz fullbodys...

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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

We had a dozen full bodies, 2 dozen shells, and 58 dozen silhouettes. Six guys calling five of whom are very competent. And it didn't matter one bit on changing their minds.

The two we shot were toes on the ground though. The last one with a running truck in the zone next to us, which he flew over to get to us, after circling at least a half mile around the unit.


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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

Anyone know what count or managers report is for this week? They haven't posted on the DNR site yet.


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## Sparky13 (Sep 22, 2013)

There are geese there. Some sitting in the refuge, some flying around

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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

Sparky13 said:


> There are geese there. Some sitting in the refuge, some flying around
> 
> Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk


Thanks for the in depth review.


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## Mark Mills (Sep 22, 2015)

12000


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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

Well? How'd everyone do down there ? Hope you remembered your sunglasses


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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

Woke up at 5 and didn't get there until 6. My group drew without me and got 27/31. They waited for me to get there, turned in the card and we got a new one and added me. Stuck with their original pick of 5d and our only chance was an early single that came in from behind on stealth mode. He got past us, I hit the call and he turned at the refuge line. My FIL had the first shot but he waited way too long and the bird was almost past all of us so I pulled up. Combined he took 6 shots from our group and one from the neighbors. He probably still laughing at us. That sun was nasty. I'm hoping Tuesday is better.


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## sovaa4307 (Dec 11, 2012)

jvanluyn said:


> Woke up at 5 and didn't get there until 6. My group drew without me and got 27/31. They waited for me to get there, turned in the card and we got a new one and added me. Stuck with their original pick of 5d and our only chance was an early single that came in from behind on stealth mode. He got past us, I hit the call and he turned at the refuge line. My FIL had the first shot but he waited way too long and the bird was almost past all of us so I pulled up. Combined he took 6 shots from our group and one from the neighbors. He probably still laughing at us. That sun was nasty. I'm hoping Tuesday is better.


Think We seen ya then. We only saw one goose shot saturday. Seemed like everyone was blasting at em as they were coming over from hutchins. My first time there, we were drawn 8th i think. Nothin worked the spread other than duck...go figure. Saw that one swing back at the refuge line and fly right in front of a group who knocked it down.


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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

sovaa4307 said:


> Think We seen ya then. We only saw one goose shot saturday. Seemed like everyone was blasting at em as they were coming over from hutchins. My first time there, we were drawn 8th i think. Nothin worked the spread other than duck...go figure. Saw that one swing back at the refuge line and fly right in front of a group who knocked it down.


That goose didn't die. We took a lot of shots at it but couldn't bring it down. I'll be back there tomorrow afternoon hoping for better results.


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## sovaa4307 (Dec 11, 2012)

jvanluyn said:


> That goose didn't die. We took a lot of shots at it but couldn't bring it down. I'll be back there tomorrow afternoon hoping for better results.


im praying for a snowstorm in the near future.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Sad part is those Hutchins birds will work if given a chance, especially the singles and pairs. But one person cuts loose and flares a big flock, the rest if the geese in the air see that and react. And the rest if the idiots with 100 yard shot guns see it and react. Shoot a single that you work down and the rest of the birds are unaffected.


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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Sad part is those Hutchins birds will work if given a chance, especially the singles and pairs. But one person cuts loose and flares a big flock, the rest if the geese in the air see that and react. And the rest if the idiots with 100 yard shot guns see it and react. Shoot a single that you work down and the rest of the birds are unaffected.


The single I'm referring to was the only bird near us. All the other birds were yet to come in from Hutchins. He was well within range, but my FIL waited too long to shoot leaving him out of range, and giving me a really bad angle on my shots.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Was not calling you out at all. Just the general practice that makes me not want to be on the north side of the refuge when the Hutchins birds are working.

We had six guns the last trip out and had a single almost make it through the spread...


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## jvanluyn (Oct 17, 2014)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Was not calling you out at all. Just the general practice that makes me not want to be on the north side of the refuge when the Hutchins birds are working.
> 
> We had six guns the last trip out and had a single almost make it through the spread...


I didn't think you were. We do our best to let the birds work and its always in the back of my mind to pass on a small flock if there larger one coming behind it. Do you have any pointers on hunting the afternoon draw there? I'm headed out tomorrow and I'm not sure what area I should be in. You can PM if you'd like.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

West side is steady, NE corner is hit or miss. Have not tried the SE corner in a while later in the year. N side not so much as the birds flying back to Hutchins have watches and know exactly where that line is.


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## dlawrence1 (Jan 5, 2014)

Sooo I'm new to this game and don't know what Todd Farm is. Anyone care to educate a goose newbie?


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## stackemup (Oct 31, 2011)

dlawrence1 said:


> Sooo I'm new to this game and don't know what Todd Farm is. Anyone care to educate a goose newbie?


http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10370_62146_62150-283171--,00.html

Back in the day...the "Todd Farm"


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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

dlawrence1 said:


> Sooo I'm new to this game and don't know what Todd Farm is. Anyone care to educate a goose newbie?


It's a place some love, some hate,and some love to hate..
A popular resting place where geese stop off during their migration sometimes holding 20,000+ birds in the refuge. Surrounding the refuge are fields in which hunters can hunt via a daily drawing and attempt to fool the geese into thinking the huntable fields are the refuge my deploying huge decoy spreads of 10+ dozen and world championship calling. 
However few possess the above criteria and instead rely on ultra long range precision shooting ( also known as skybusting) generally using black cloud or blindside ammunition for additional range as well as 100$ choke tubes. 
So basically all one really needs is a 10 gauge and 6 homemade silhouettes and a goose call that sounds like a puppy being strangled. As a matter of fact last week I hunted next to a gentleman with no call and no decoys..
Lol obviously a little dramatized. It is a cool place and many on this site (myself included shot their first goose there. Skybusting has always been and is growing seemingly worse but I still enjoy it.


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## dlawrence1 (Jan 5, 2014)

Thanks for the little info! Well that sounds like fun, yet aggravating lol. I'm not a sky blaster myself. Half the fun is the challenge to get the birds to commit. I foresee waterfowl being a more common hunting season in my near future. This was the first year I've put some effort into it. Thanks again.


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## fowlpursuit (Jan 20, 2012)

No prob.. All kidding aside it is a cool place and will forever hold a special place in my heart. Always plenty of wildlife especially waterfowl. It's the big leagues of waterfowl hunting. Gettin a goose to commit to your spread amongst several others in the immediate area while sporadic gunfire sounds off is a true accomplishment .


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## Fowl Play (Nov 30, 2014)

Hunted there from 1981 to 1996. Stop going since I moved to Motown. Had both worlds, the worst at hunting and the best at hunting. Fowlpursuit is right. It's a decoy and calling game. If you can't call, then as many decoys as you can bring. Black the field out. Shot my first good there. Can't say what it's like now, have only been back once. From what I hear, it's a shell of what it used to be.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Being in the right spot also helps. In 20+ years of hunting there, the "right spot" is still a moving target.

We were 2 zones off the spot for that day and a 700 decoy spread didn't change their minds too much.

If you get the rules and read between the lines, there's a lot more than just shooting geese around the refuge. You can shoot geese well away from the refuge, and lots of other stuff that I won't mention as not to pinch toes both close to and far from the refuge.


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## GRUNDY (Jun 18, 2005)

LOL.

Killed my first goose a the TOAD...

My last hunt at the toad is also big part of why I have not picked up a shotgun in about 4 years. Haven't been able to part with all the equipment yet for nostalgia sake.


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## TNL (Jan 6, 2005)

Don't discount "less is more" theory. I've been known to put out 3 decoys with monster spreads in zones on either side of me. No calling just watch the birds come in flaps down. Get my birds and pack up. Don't overthink it. The birds at Fennville are finicky. They're difficult to pattern, they've been conditioned over the years to know where the refuge line is, and they know to get altitude when crossing that line. There's always a stupid bird or two to make it interesting. You just have to adjust, show them something different, expect the worst, and be pleasantly surprised when things go your way.


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## waterfowlhunter83 (Aug 10, 2005)

GRUNDY said:


> LOL.
> 
> Killed my first goose a the TOAD...
> 
> My last hunt at the toad is also big part of why I have not picked up a shotgun in about 4 years. Haven't been able to part with all the equipment yet for nostalgia sake.


I thought the wheels coming off on a particular duck hunt at MWW was the culprit...LOL!

My offer still stands, whenever you are ready to part with it, I'll buy the whole lot from you!


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