PRE-SEASON SCOUTING REPORTS (eyes in the skies)

leslie riggan

leslie riggan

Well-known member
Hey guys, I was wandering how the scouting trips were going and what everyone is seeing so far? S.C. has been in a serious drought this year and our water levels are way off. I have seen creeks and rivers down to almost nothing. The lease I have in the swamp is the lowest water any of the older people can remember. I and several other colleagues have been sharing what we've seen to kinda size up how our season is going. Anyone wish to share information to help will be greatly appreciated by all. I know the guys up North in Canada and border states will not profit much from this thread but your input is very important and will help a duckhunter maybe score a good hunt with their child or new waterfowler. By passing this info through the site it will help to plan trips by way of flydown, what to be gunning for,and it will also provide information on what species of birds are being taken, seen, numbers on populations etc. etc. etc. I will post the first reply with my info, and this will let someone down my flyway know what i've seen. Thank you-God bless and keep us safe during our hunts.
 
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Reports as of this morning:
I have been seeing puddlers on the common, resident geese, and occasional divers that may have been moving due to the storms in FL. I have noticed 1 flock of migratory geese this past wednsday that has a snow with them. These are smaller than the residents I have been watching and 2 hunting colleagues have seen them come in to. We have had an increase in the number of teal this year with limits being reached by 5 people. The woodies are strong as they are every year so I cant truthfully say I have seen a difference. I have noticed that MOST of the people I have talked to has said the birds that were on their land has moved off. We all agree the tend to be setting on wildlife refuges where the water has been unaffected by drought. I will continue to post as I see a change or new birds start moving into my area.
 
i know minnesota is a long way from u but in west central minnesota water is down, but duck numbers are up from the scouting i have done mallards are up way up most i have seen in a long time. and the diver season should be good acording to the reports from canida, if anyone if going out for the first time it should be good
 
Over here in the Pacific flyway, specifically east side of Washington, we have average numbers of resident ducks and geese showing now. Both puddle and divers present. I also heard a flock of sandhill cranes today but in the blue sky and with my poor eyes couldn't spot them. Lows tonight around 40 degrees so cooling down nicely.

Hope everyone has a great opener.
 
I have not been out looking, since i live in socal, but I talked with my older brother who farms in prince albert, sk. The geese have been using his pea fields for the last week. He said last week around 3000 geese using his fields. Tonight he figures double that much. Canadas, Speckles, and snow geese. The farm is on the edge of the flyway and usually doesn't see the numbers of eastern alberta.
He told me harvest has been slow because of all the rain and moisture so not much harvesting so the birds have lots of food right now up there. Temps, have been cool around 6 degrees Celcius, or 40 degrees F.
Korey z
 
We had our youth one day season on saturday here in PA, hunted the lower susquehanna river. Saw 1 bird, a hen wood duck, she was feet down in the dekes and the kid I had with was off taking a leak in the brush. Oh well. Saw a few geese in the distance. My uncle has been hitting some early season geese but it has been spotty. I had seen some good broods of woodies earlier in the summer though.

Good hunting!
 
Keeping this thread going will be the life of someones hunt I have noticed over 140 hits but only 5 posts. The morning scout today proved very good. I have noticed another flock of canadas today numbers totaling 92 on the spots I use regularly. I also noticed a new group of Mallards this morning. One of which was wearing jewelry. Their feet weren't bright orange so they must be locals I haven't seen before. When I see the cans sitiing on the water I will know the migration has started.
 
Lesli:
I bicycle every other day on the Badger trail--a trail that runs from Madison down to Freeport, Ill. Small flocks of geese settling in freshly cut corn fields, no ducks, 3 sandhill cranes. That's it in Souther Wisconsin. My oldest sister lives on lake Onalaska in LaCrosse and she says the lake is full of white pelicans nothing moving along the Mississippi flyway here. Is that what your looking for?
wis boz
 
we got some wicked low water in lake champlain -96', but massive amounts of ducks. mostly mallards and blacks some widgeon, woodies and a bunch of bluewings. the season just across the border in quebec opened sat for ducks and geese so bunches of canadas are flying out of there. could have shot a few as i was out building my blind (our resident season is still open) but i didnt bring my gun out with me.

resident birds are starting to get there colors in also. saw a drake mallard yesterday at 90% full plumage and a flock of woodies at about 80% full.

most farmers are cutting corn this week some large fields are now open which will hold up the migrators for a little while. our duck season opens the 10th and our goose opens about a week later.

hope that helps
eddie
 
Thanks for the reps guys, I know sometimes I don't have time to scout like I should or I don't make communications with some of my contacts in my border states. This isn't a cop-out for scouting but just a expansion opportunity for everyone on the site. I have noticed there have been extremely large numbers of hits so it interest people. Who wouldn't want to know the ducks or geese patterns if they are just a state away? I appreciate the post and feel like if kept up more people will post and knowledge is power. By having long distance scouts we can anticipate a flydown. Maybe I am off target but from past experience the most thrilling part of the hunt is seeing the birds. Thanks-
 
Here is a couple of nice shots that I got while scouting the Shiawassee State Game Area. The Bird population seems to be on the ups from last year. I scrambled up on top of a bulldozer that was left out from dike improvement. Last year the hunting was limited for for me to close walk in areas and canoe (manpower) chanels. This year I have more resources and will be able to access the spots that I could not last year. I love the shot of the geese, it came out very nice. Hopefully I will be able to take advantage of it and our Governor won't shut the state down because of our huge budget problems.

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Leslie, Central wis report, I believe we are in the same flyway. We don't seem to get any of the Mississippi birds here. Most of what I seen is local ducks. Mallards ,Wood ducks, Teal, A few Ring necks,Mergansers,
We have local geese. The migrators have been coming through when the weather conditions permit.

Haven,t seen any Northern ducks yet. The winds have been from the South and we are in a warm spell.
 
Thanks wis pete, I've been following several threads in other forums and on the western side of the US some flights have been noticed. The Snow I saw the other week is gone and no-one here bagged him that I know of. The ducks have moved with the water and it definitely isn't here. My Duckhole is down over 3 ft.
 
Leslie,I was out spraying round-up the other day when a flight of 20 Canadas flew over me at 25 yards,just talking away,as if to say,"now that the early season is closed on us resident geese,we'll make passes at your house".I need to bag one and check thier green card:eek:)Funny,I never did see any flights the entire month of September.They were
seen 1/4 mile down the road in a harvested millet field,but it was a neighbors front yard,so to speak.About 40,that I had posted pics of.
Is that river that runs N-S through the eastern part of Cheraw,the main place you hunt?
 
Joe, I do hunt the Great Pee Dee. The river is only about 2 miles as the crow flies, and 7 mins driving. The problem is you have to travel to different landings south of here to put in. North Carolina keeps the water so low on us we can't get past certain spots. I also have a duck lease in Harden swamp, which is 10 miles west. I have not had a chance for Georgetown yet but I am planning one this year. Also on my list is Santee. Feel free to come over, but if it doesn't rain I don't know if we'll have any ducks.
 
Yeah,this is the least rain in the 30 years I have been keeping records.We were at least a foot low coming into this year and now another 11/2 feet low for this year.
Lake Hartwell goes down daily (about 8' now).Georgetown bay looks interesting.Any reports on Diver hunting there?
 
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