[nodakoutdoors.com]

<This Post is from 2002...scroll down for the 2005 opener>

This weekend was almost perfect. More ducks than I've seen in years, and no hunting pressure. I hadn't hunted this particular area for 5 years, due to the crowding and leasing...but this weekend it was like the 5 years had never passed. Everyone I talked to did very well.

The drake mallards needed some color on their heads, but their breasts were dark enough. After sunup, picking them out was no problem.

We started with a canada goose hunt Friday morning. We were done shooting by 7:40, and were able to start scouting by 8:30. A great closing to the early canada season!

We scouted a bunch of spots and decicded on one for Saturday morning. It was the member's hunt, and we had 5 teams take the field and sloughs for some friendly competition. Points were scored on species and whether or not they were drakes...in fact, you got 5x the points for a drake over a hen. We saw a lot of nice bags...and we thought we had a winner.

Matt Jones' crew pulled in just minutes before the deadline and took it home big time. I'll have more specifics on a column in the next few days....I'll have the photos available then.

We didn't do very well Saturday morning. We had a perfect duck slough and ended up set up away from it on the hill for canadas. We decided to start over Saturday night and headed out with my family and their crew. We got to hunt a spot that was leased up 6 years ago, and was my favorite duck spot growing up...but it was left open for the resident's opener and it was a real treat to hunt again!

Sunday morning, I teamed up with a different group and had a blast. We set up with the Big Eddy crew and had an nice and easy water setup. Good shooting without breaking your back. Pulled out a lot of nice greenies. A great way to end the weekend.

There's no way any duck weekend will be as good as this one. Now I need to try to catch up on sleep for the next week. :thumb:

 

[duxnbux]

The Greenskins Classic looks like it will go down in the books. Great to see that everything went well and you guys had some great hunting. Wished I could have made it up!
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Well our group didn't make the weigh in for the Classic, but we had a great weekend as well. I think it will be a very common consensus that this weekend was a success!
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Hunting pressure was present, but not excessive. Just enough to keep it interesting.
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One concern I had following the announcement of the early opener was a lot of brown ducks. Although the majority of the drakes were not in full plummage, our hen/drake ratio was very good and it looks like it was at the Classic as well. Great Job!
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We also got into the Canadas on Saturday, which made the weekend complete!
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Great job on the Greenskins Classic, it looks like it was a huge success!!

 

[Matt Jones]

Best opener ever! Had a ton of fun and did well on the ducks and honkers as well...couldn't of been any better. Even ended up shooting my first banded duck; a drake mallard taken with the first shot of the season...So my first duck of the season ended up being a banded drake mallard!

It was great getting the oppurtunity to meet some really great guys and share a few stories and a have a few drinks. I think it's safe to say everyone had a blast!

On the second day we switched gears from field hunting and decided to get our feet wet (it just isn't duck opener unless you throw on a pair of waders :wink: ). We ended getting our limit again, mostly mallards but also had a few pintails, widgeon, a redhead and even a couple gaddies in there (although I deny shooting the gadwalls!). We even ended up shooting four "bonus" honkers, which were the first geese I've taken over water in a long time. Another great hunt to end the weekend.

 

[gandergrinder]

Glad that you guys had a good time. It would have been fun to go had I not made plans previously. The duck hunting this weekend was pretty good really. Our group did not limit out but we sure could have. Somethig very strange is happening to the 4 of us. We don't seem to have the lust to kill like we used to. I know that at least 10 flocks came in and we didn't shoot when they were at 10 yards. We all just sat and watched. The drakes in the area that we hunted were not very colored at all. I can honestly say that I didn't see more than two drakes that had green heads all weekend. The only way that I could tell drakes was the brown on the chest that seems to develop first. We did call in 4 different flocks of geese on Sunday. Which I thought was pretty good considering the geese had not ever used that field this season. I saw a few snow geese and a whole bunch of cranes this weekend too. Overall it was a good weekend to relax and enjoy life. :beer:

 

[John Stroh]

Chris, what an awsome hunt. I hope there are a few left for me. Heading to Devils lake in two days from Lodi California. John

 

[nodakoutdoors.com]

Which way are you hunting from Devils Lake?

 

[John Stroh]

Chris, I have never hunted the area. I would appreciate any suggestions. It sounds as if that area can get "posted up". Would it be a significant advantage to tow a duck boat 1700 miles??? Any honey holes you care to share? ( I know better) Would you be interested in hooking up with a couple of cali. hunters? I went to the Arena area two years ago and had some outstanding shoots on honkers and most species of ducks. I was a bit dissapointed in the Mallards. I scouted dozens of potholes even next to grain fields and couldn't locate big flocks of mallards. Did I miss something? I would be greatful for ANY info-it's a long drive. I was so impressed with the people of your state. Everyone was helpful and friendly to us out-of-staters. I had a great time and can't wait for that first Greenhead of the year. Take care , John

 

[NDJ]

Saturday was done in 10 minutes....teal & gaddies. BTW I shoot any teal I can while they're around for eaters....Sun was a bit slower & had to work until 2 pm so I didn't get out until 2:30(screw the Vikes! :eyeroll: ) Did get 2 woodies(not much color) of the six. Monday was slow, had to wait out for the six, mainly teal, only had singles coming in. Did see good numbers of divers on the big water( I was on some backwater), When the wind gets right for me I'll give them a go....not seeing great numbers of birds yet or any real flocks....I'm sure the pressure this weekend will end that.

Not much pressure around here yet....happy with the week to myself!!! that will all change in short order!

 

[amnnate8504]

can neone help?Im from texas and duck hunted for awhile i came to north dakota to minot airforce base the only problem is i don't know where to go to get some ducks. people said there are alot of ducks r maybe they r just not in minot. i went the last 2 mornings and got three each day and i am grateful of that. just wondering though if nebody knows wher to go around north of minot that i can get some good hunting in. 1 more ? the ducks i got only came early in the morning barely daylight once it gets daylight at around 8:00am i don't even see ducks 5 miles away flying nebody know why.well thanx.

 

[Bob Kellam]

4 Guys 2 days 2 limits only 2 hens total plus 14 honkers, Passed on a bunch of shots because of lack of color, One of the best since I was a kid. Looking forward to next weekend, new spot new challenge.

Bob

 

[nodakoutdoors.com]

This weekend was awesome to say the least. Lots of ducks in the area we hunted. Only 3 hens for our 50 ducks. One of the guys with had only duck hunted once before. They worked close....real close.

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The opener was worth the wait.
:beer:

 

[Quackkills9]

Chris- awesome pictures with the incoming ducks! In the 2nd picture in the first post you wrote... Most of the drake mallards had alot color. I havent seen any here that are like that.. by the way looks like you guys had a awesome time. have a great week boys! :beer:

 

[win4win]

Wow golden oldies?

Nice pics. See you guys next weekend. :beer:

 

[Van Wey]

Very nice pics!!! Those get the blood pumpin!!

 

[theduckrancher]

Very Nice Chris. Awesome Pics!!!

 

[fishless]

Nice pics now I am really homesick, congrats to everyone who got out this weekend :beer: :beer:

 

[djleye]

Man, I thought I was in a time warp when I started reading this thread!!!

 

[DJRooster]

Lot's of ducks in the Gackle area. Of course this is nothing new. A couple of peas fields were really getting worked over. Not much hunting pressure but I'm sure this will change next weekend. As far as weather, you couldn't ask for much better for the opener.

 

[nodakoutdoors.com]

Chris- awesome pictures with the incoming ducks! In the 2nd picture in the first post you wrote... Most of the drake mallards had alot color. I havent seen any here that are like that.. by the way looks like you guys had a awesome time. have a great week boys! :beer:

Look at the date of the first thread...it's from 2002.

But since it was opened back up for season opener...I thought why not combine the old with the new.

 

[djleye]

Not much hunting pressure

There will be now!!!