[mswaldo]

We are planning our first duck hunting trip to your state. We have an opportunity to stay at a friends house in the Ashley area. Is there good duck hunting this far south or should we be looking further to the north? Is this area mostly pot hole hunting or can we find some good field hunting also? We are planning on going the 3rd weekend in October. Is this too late or would a week earlier be better. I've been surfing through the forum and found a lot of good info for a newbie like me, but the more info I have the better. Thanks for any info.

 

[Miller]

Tough area to quote. Some say it's really crowded and some say it's quiet. It's a good area overall. Not a bad area later in the season.

 

[duck plucker]

Our group has hunted around the ashley area for the past 8 years and we have since moved further north and east around the Kulm area. The area was very dry last year and was tough hunting. With the new regs this year Ashley is the line from Zone 1 and Zone 3. If you do go I would suggest that you don't waste your time west of town. There are some nice wetlands to the east which is mainly Federal Land. North of Ashley towards Lehr has been good in the past with some larger bodies of water to be found.

The KEY to a successgul hunt in ND is pay your dues scouting. Not every area holds ducks. We have put on as 200 miles in a day trying to find an area that is worth hunting. Scouting pays off and I think anybody on this site would agree.

I mentioned Kulm earlier in this reply but I will have to tell you that area got absoloutely pounded last year and I would imagine that will be the case this year.

Were heading out on the 19th and will be coming back on the 30th.

Good Luck to you and your group.

Duck Plucker

 

[Field Hunter]

Duckplucker,

Thank you for mentioning the area got "pounded" last year. I agree. I've never seen so many residents and NRs hunting the same area week after week like I saw last year. It seems amazing that some hunters in that area never hear or see another hunter.....maybe they're on leased land or hunting with an outftter?

Anyway, the Kulm area is getting extremely dry...haven't been many rains here in ND for the better part of a month.

 

[stevepike]

That area will not be pounded too hard unless they get some rain. Even though much of ND had a wet spring, the Ashley area did not. It is extremely dry down there. If there is no rain in the next couple months, I would be looking at making a backup plan of where to go.

 

[duck plucker]

Field Hunter and Steve Pike,

Thanks for advising on the water conditions around the Ashely and Kulm area.
I guess the only saving grace to our plan is the fact we pack on the miles scouting. Since the cap is not in place there really is no need to rush into buying the licence now. Since we stay in Kulm were actually only looking at driving 30 - 40 miles to get into zone 3 and hunt. I just wonder if the small Zone 1 area will actually deter hunters to go elsewheres.

Should be interesting as always.

Duck Plucker

P.s To field Hunter. I was on this sight last year as Fetchemup but I was unable to gain access this year. I contacted you several times last year and just wanted to let you know that your advise and comments are greatly appreciated.

 

[cancarver]

I hunted all over woodsworth to ashley last year oct 10-16 hardly saw a another hunter once you got 30 miles off the intersate. No guides no leases for us.

Ashley area is good, very few duck hunters we have hunt mostly north and north east of ashley. Town can get busy from pheasant hunters and the only town in all of ND we have never been overly welcomed in.

 

[nodakoutdoors.com]

Nice to see you back cancarver...haven't seen you around in awhile.

 

[cancarver]

thanks chris hope its not sarcastic, :beer:

Moved to the state of maryland where there are more stupid laws regarding duck hunting than any other state. But excited to gun the chesapeake bay, shooting brant, sea ducks, black ducks and shoot a can in there famed wintering grounds.