Waterfowl Hunters

[infidel]

Been yet?
Hows it looking in your area?

I'm home for the weekend and decided that some geese needed to die. Looked around for a couple days and found where a couple hundred were roosting but was unable to track them to their feeding spot, but found a nice group of 20 or so on a farm pond of ours mid-day yesterday. We decided to give it a shot today and no luck. Back to the truck to track the things.

 

[6birds]

Been yet?
Hows it looking in your area?

I'm home for the weekend and decided that some geese needed to die. Looked around for a couple days and found where a couple hundred were roosting but was unable to track them to their feeding spot, but found a nice group of 20 or so on a farm pond of ours mid-day yesterday. We decided to give it a shot today and no luck. Back to the truck to track the things.

Good here! I've been to early season up north in indiana, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin the last few weeks for duck/geese/pheasant/deer, and now back to Madison county, the cold weather grouped them nicely this week.

A little more corn out over here, and they will be easier to pattern. My oldest son (7) hit his first mallard with a Parker built in 1920, nice season so far.

We need that cold nasty rain/sleet to get them grouped, but so far, so good. Trying to get to the quad cities for a little Illinois/Mississippi for a few days just beforeChristmas break, and a few days on the Wisconsin River around New Years weekend with the boys.

 

[curraheeguns]

Im mostly seeing local birds, but I haven't hit the river yet. Back/Neck and being on call this week has kept me home for the most part. Locals have been working like clockwork though.

 

[dean2182]

Birds are coming-Saw & heard large flock of Whooping Cranes moving South
in New Albany yesterday

 

[hountzmj]

Birds are coming-Saw & heard large flock of Whooping Cranes moving South
in New Albany yesterday

You probably didn't see any whoopers. There are very few of them around and in rather small flocks.

What you saw was sandhill's. A cousin of the Whooping cranes. Cool birds. Neat to listen too while in the deer stand.

 

[hountzmj]

Dad and I got 2 Canada geese on Thanksgiving. We had really hoped to get some ducks but they didn't cooperate at the location we were hunting.

The geese came in as a pair so we didn't educate any survivors.

 

[Birddogs]

It's my first year waterfowl hunting, but I managed to score a nice little spot not too far from the homestead. I've been out there a few days over the last three weeks and can't believe all the geese flying overhead. It seems like they are all just kind of hanging around until the weather pushes them south. My buddy and I got 4 geese and 4 mallards friday. We'll see how we do next weekend. Nick

 

[GarandMD]

Not much luck for me yet this year. I can't hunt at my best spot for the last two seasons so trying some new areas. Saw a couple pairs fly over on Saturday but they did not come down. I think they are mostly local geese that roost inside city limits. I am looking for some areas to hunt in Tippecanoe County, so speak up if you know any.

 

[disengaged]

I've never been, but I'd be interested in knowing what type of dogs most of you use for the retrieve. My Brittany loves to swim and he'll fetch out of water just fine - with the warm weather, I think he'd do okay. I assume that Labs are better vs the cold water.

 

[6birds]

For retrieves, I have boys. Muddy, happy energetic boys, ages 7/6/6. They clean guns, load shells, scrub and repaint decoys we bought from Curraheeguns, load the truck, unload the truck, retrieve birds. We hunt corn fields and swamps, I don't hunt deep water with them. We're getting a pointer in spring, which will double as a retriever too. Get a neoprene vest for your dog, helps with warmth and flotation, I used to have them for my lab, and they worked great!

 

[joshennis84]

I'm waiting to get permission to hunt a field I've seen that has had about 100 geese in it every night this week. I'm chomping at the bit.

 

[infidel]

Get a neoprene vest for your dog, helps with warmth and flotation, I used to have them for my lab, and they worked great!

Man, its killing me knowing those birds are waiting on me back home and I have to sit here in Illinois. I wish they didn't have such screwed up laws. I would hunt here and have a lot of friends that do, but I would have to change me residency to IL to get a FOID card for the guns, and I don't feel like messin with it. Maybe I'll just get an out of state license or something if it comes to it...

 

[6birds]

but I would have to change me residency to IL to get a FOID card for the guns, and I don't feel like messin with it

You don't need an FOID unless you are a resident of Illinois, and out of state tags are only $50.75. Get hunting!!

 

[infidel]

You don't need an FOID unless you are a resident of Illinois, and out of state tags are only $50.75. Get hunting!!

Yeah, but since I live here during the week and some weekends, I would need to get a FOID card (and change my residency) because I'm keeping the guns here, right? I know I would be ok if I was just going on a hunting trip over here or something, but bringing the guns back to my apartment for a couple/few weeks at a time probably wouldn't be "legal". UGH.

Also, aren't I technically a resident since I pay rent to live in an apartment here, even though I did not change my residency from back home? However, my name is NOT on the lease... 2 residencies? That brings up the question of, am I eligible for a FOID, and do I need an out of state tag? UGH its a mess....

I'm not saying that I do or don't have any guns here, but if I did, I would not want to flaunt them around and risk getting in trouble for doing some honest hunting and possibly ruin owning guns (felony?) for the rest of my life. I will most likely suck it up while over here and do my time. It will just make me appreciate hunting at home that much more!

 

[Militarypol21]

Went to Providence Pond near New Castle Early Bird Season... It was packed! Saw 3 ducks fly into one of the ponds, shots rang out, and only 2 flew out, nothing else the rest of the day/evening. Anyone know of any other areas to waterfowl hunt around Central Indiana? (and NO, backyard neighborhood ponds dont count- but would be NICE!)