[Ken Vermeulen]

Well my buddies and I just returned from our first ND experience. We stayed in Robinson, and hunted the area between Robinson and Pettibone. The potholes had just started to freeze when we arrived (10/19) and everything except the largest water was frozen by yesterday, when we left.

We had relatively good experience obtaining access to posted land, with a few notable exceptions. When the potholes started freezing, we turned our attention to field spreads, having obtained access to several fields being actively used by several thousand mallards. Our field spread consisted of 8 dozen magnum goose shells, 100 snow rags, a few dozen silouttes and four dozen mallards (plus 2 MOJOs) The fields were cut corn and standing (but VERY short) wheat. I thought we were well camo'd and the spread looked GREAT! Shows what I know. EVERY duck that saw us (and that means several hundred) came in perfect, then flaired like they'd been shot at at about 100 yds. Is that typical? We eventually got rid of the MOJOs, the snows, and the sillouettes, but no change. Any suggestions?

We plan to try an earlier week next year to try to shoot some less intelligent ducks, and hopefully a few woodies and pintails, who had all apparently left by last weekend. I thought I read something about the first weekend being "residents only." Is that just a rumor? or are we relatively safe in booking the last weekend in September, assuming that will be opening weekend?

Or should we come back again during the latter part of October, and wish for different weather? (I know I'm setting myself up for obvious sarcastic responses, but you know what I mean!)

HAD A GREAT TIME, CAN'T WAIT TO COME BACK!

 

[shadow2]

This year, the U.S. Fish and Game service allowed states to open a week early, Sept.21. ND approved this early season but allowed only residents to hunt during that first week.

 

[Miller]

It sounds to me like you should've had some mallards in your face? You describe what appears to be a nice spread. Pulling the mojo's was a good idea when they start flaring, but I would've kept the whole spread out.

Did you hunt the same birds everyday or did you move locations?

 

[Ken Vermeulen]

We found a large group of feeding mallards late one afternoon, and after setting up, had a few small groups come in. They decoyed well, and we shot 11 or 12 mallards. We then returned to the same field in the morning, figuring that there were still a few thousand birds who had never seen us. Apparently, though, the mallards had been talking.

 

[KEN W]

How did you hide yourselves?

 

[Ken Vermeulen]

I felt we were well concealed, everyone was in cornfield type camo, with a supermagnum (48") goose shell on top, dogs too.

 

[KEN W]

The reason I asked is I had the same thing happen to me this past weekend.Some birds decoyed well,others flared at 40-50 yds.I still shot all I wanted.I also layed in the decoys behind a super mag shell.The interesting thing was that when I quit and walked back to the piclup they started landing in the decoys.I just ordred an X-Lander.For better concealment and I'm getting to old to lay on the cold ground.