Anyone livin and huntin up around pool 8-11 areas?

Dave Shady Larsen

Well-known member
Man talk about lack of divers, we drove pools 13 and 12 today and saw a couple hundered cans sittin on 12 and so many coot and ruddys on 13 but nothing much else.

Are they stackin up? last survey is OCT 31 posted just
recently. It sure seems we are 2 weeks behind.

counts for lower pool 13 say 15000+ divers on the 31st.

THEY MUST BE WELL HIDDEN

It also says we have 21500 coots that I will agree on
 
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Haven't been up that way yet Dave, but will be there Sat-Tues. Everything else in the country is two weeks behind so maybe it affected the divers as well.
 
The divers are not here in the UP either so I would say it late. If it goes much later we are going to close before they get down. That or freeze up and have them pass right through.!
 
Patience giant one! The fowl appear to be running a mite behind---Got a good word from Vince Pag, up in ny-lots of ducks up his way right now, including great numbers of teal, widgeon, sprig--From what he said, the old timers have not seen this many birds in 25 years.
Keep Gordy away from the donuts, and keep him busy--he may have all the work he needs in a bit.
This will be my first year back on the digs since 2009-10, since i did not hunt at all due to the bum hip---
We already have booked flight to argentina for next may--Could not beat the price--Ready for reality in a week, and will await the return to La Gringa!
 
Thanks guys a lil frustratin for sure here. We seem to always ICE up around thanksgivin and I can only take the
time off when I can these days. Im a lil cautious in taking
the new rig out in heavy ICE as its not the all welded
construction I was used to....... and I might scratch the
paint LMAO!

Thanks for the updates.....
 
george, I would like to know where in ny all the birds are, I hunted yesterday on the St.lawrence and SAW 4 gansers and 1 goose.... never seen it so bad. I hunt every day and its terrible, every year seems to get a little worse, we need colder weather, they seem to show up after the season closes.
 
george, I would like to know where in ny all the birds are, I hunted yesterday on the St.lawrence and SAW 4 gansers and 1 goose.... never seen it so bad. I hunt every day and its terrible, every year seems to get a little worse, we need colder weather, they seem to show up after the season closes.

Glen, you have some gorgous country up there. My wife and I have been coming up to A-Bay/Clayton every summer. I've been thinking about coming up to duck hunt. From what your saying, I guess I won't be in a hurry to do that now.
 
Just spent 6 days in the middle of the UP. Rafts upon rafts of coots, redheads and bluebills. they have been on the lakes for a couple weeks now. They seem to be pretty content on staying for the time being. I am sure they will be moving out soon with the cooler weather.
 
Talked with Vince yesterday, Glenn--He was just gushing about the numbers over toward iroquois Rochester and west, apparently.
 
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The cans are coming your way! Pool 5 is holding thousands and thousands right now. Watched 'em for a few hours yesterday while tucked back off the big water in a favorite little mallard spot.
 
Glenn and George,

I spoke to a DU biologist last night who also said that it's been a banner year West of Rochester, NY. I'll second what Glenn said with regard to the rest of the state, though...not much happening.

Mike
 
they say we have 40K cans as of last Monday.... and 3500 GE and 1800 buffies on the lower pool. They must be hidden real well cause didn't see them flying anywhere all morning. they say pool 9 has 450000 cans on it also.

do weathermen also do the pool counts on the Mississippi?
 
I don't really look at the official counts but, lower portion of 8 is starting to see more divers. I have not been down on 9 for two weeks so no idea but the can count looks about right for this time of year with this years weather.
 
Dave, i hunted potter's this morning and lot of divers were working over the main pool.....cans, bb, and redheads....of course i was inside the marsh and they wouldn't decoy.... Not many puddlers though, never had a duck even think of working.....

Did see a lot of coots........
 
Kevin, its generally not like this, once we get cold, 15 degrees is the magic number we will have tons of mallards. I just hope its before the majority of the migration has passed. we have had so much rain hat the bird are avoiding big water. Lake ontario is starting to pick up.
 
Finally downloaded some pics from this past weekends trip hunting in the UP. Sorry for the quality just using a point and shoot. this one I shot thru my binoculars, this raft was about 500 yds out.
View attachment IMG_2175sm.JPG

taking flight:
View attachment IMG_2189sm.JPG
One morning it was so foggy you couldnt see 20ft. This fog started to lift around 10:30 in the morning.
View attachment IMG_2162sm.JPG
when the fog lifted these guys came out to visit from around the point.
View attachment IMG_2166sm.JPG
this little butterball came in shortly afterwards
View attachment IMG_2210sm.JPG
Hope all have a good season. Keep your powder dry.
 
Nice pictures Mike. I loved the UP when I hunted up there with the MLB crew. Really want to get back there at some point.
 
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