Migration Status

[DabblerDuck]

:) Hello,
I am a new forum member. I have lurked for several years. Although I have hunted and fished for many years, I am a novice sportsman with no in-depth knowledge. As with most of you, I can only get out when time allows me to make it a priority. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this forum. I appreciate the assistance that this site provides. Hopefully I can bring something of value at some point.
As a young man, I did some duck hunting in the Saginaw Bay area. It seemed easier there. Recently, I have been trying my luck in the Missaukee, Wexford and Grand Traverse county areas. In addition to some hunting, I have been doing a considerable amount of driving around scouting local ponds and small lakes. I am not seeing many ducks. Only a few here and there - some divers, very few mallards, some geese. I see no other waterfowl hunters.
Where are we in the migration process? Should I expect flocks soon in my area? Am I too late/early? Am I in the wrong area for good duck numbers? How do you see the upcoming weather (rain/snow this weekend) moving ducks? The migration maps on the net don't do much for me.
Any comments would be appreciated.
DabblerDuck

[pikenetter]

all i can tell you is they are not in muskegon:rant:

[cheeseandquackers]

or Pointe Mouillee either:evil:. Welcome to the site.

[Shiawassee_Kid]

no push here yet. if we have a normal non-freeze season, i expect big push to happen mid-november. lil earlier for upstate.

[thedude]

we only saw one small raft of divers at the bridge. won't see anything round here (GR north) for 3 weeks or so.

[Blue]

Talked last night to my father in law in Menominee County. He said the geese are starting to show up there the last couple days. I was up there two weekends ago and nothing much was flying. Only killed one goose and two mallards. Sounds like the flights are just starting to come down. I would think with this warm weather, it could be a couple weeks yet before we begin to see major numbers down here.

[casscityalum]

Yup. Hunted my buds river spot last night more as a scouting trip and didn't see any mallards. Need some ice!! Lol can't wait for winter weather
Posted via Mobile Device

[just ducky]

Migration status is always an interesting debate. Most people here will agree that the migration through Michigan is variable, and also varies widely depending upon which part of the state you're talking about. Obviously cold, snow and ice move birds, but not always down...may be horizontally across the state, or across Saginaw Bay even from the west side to the east side. Or a big freeze in the UP may move birds into Saginaw Bay or Lake St. Clair, but not the west side of Michigan, where they may move right through, or not at all. Best advice I can tell you is when you start seeing lots of birds on local rivers and lakes, get out there asap or they will be gone. It can happen in Michigan in a matter of hours. So don't delay once you have an idea it may be happening or you'll miss out...the old "you snooze, you lose" idea.

[gooseboy]

Missaukee County, with the exception of the Lake City area does not hold a ton of ducks, mainly woodies in the pine swamps in the eastern quadrant of the county. Look to the northern areas of Osceola County i.e. greater Marion, lots of pot holes,

[Mike L]

I think there going backwards. Yesterday, I was outside and there was a HUGE flock of geese going "North" And they were Waaaaay up there, they were traveling somewhere. They got over the Bay and turned east, destination unknown..........:)
There's a few birds trickling in, and some have been here awhile. Fri should be "Fun"......

[Branta]

comparatively speaking (coming from Sag Bay)... you won't see 10% of the birds in Wex/GT that you'd see hunting sag bay.

having said that; there's birds around and more waterfowlers now than I can ever remember growing up there. So if you're not seeing any birds OR duck rigs... the short answer is that you're not looking in the right places!

google earth can help you be more efficient in your scouting.
There's plenty of small and intermediate sized lakes that should offer up a few good hunts in all those counties.

and if you find a field with some sheet water on it.... send me a PM! should be a banner hunt!

[Cardinal]

Migration status is always an interesting debate. Most people here will agree that the migration through Michigan is variable, and also varies widely depending upon which part of the state you're talking about. Obviously cold, snow and ice move birds, but not always down...may be horizontally across the state, or across Saginaw Bay even from the west side to the east side. Or a big freeze in the UP may move birds into Saginaw Bay or Lake St. Clair, but not the west side of Michigan, where they may move right through, or not at all. Best advice I can tell you is when you start seeing lots of birds on local rivers and lakes, get out there asap or they will be gone. It can happen in Michigan in a matter of hours. So don't delay once you have an idea it may be happening or you'll miss out...the old "you snooze, you lose" idea.

I agree, I have been to a locale where there were TONS of birds working and area, got all excited and headed to the same spot the next day and they were gone. Or, I have been in an area that has not been very productive and then wham, birds everywhere all of the sudden.

I think the bottom line is that even though scouting is important you just have to go cuz you never know when you might hit the jackpot. And when you do it is all worth it.

[White Pine]

Pikenetter, Muskegon is still duck less went the last three mornings and nothing seen more birds last week

[DEDGOOSE]

There isnt squat for birds around those areas yet:mad:

[High on Quack]

Montmorency, Oscoda, and Ogemaw Counties showing huge numbers of Geese but very little on the ducks yet. Mio Pond is a flop this year for ducks as they drained it for repairs. Tough to get a boat in there. Won't fill back up until January:mad:

[quackmaster]

My brother shot a banded drake mallard near Sag Bay three weekends ago that was banded in 2009 (hatched in 2009) near Green Bay, WI. Proof that birds dont just migrate in mid-late Nov.

[quick406]

my brother and i came home from our annual deer hunting trip to the U.P. on 10-25-09 last week and seen tons of birds at the bridge there was nearly 6 or 7 large rafts spread out around the bridge

[TSS Caddis]

My brother shot a banded drake mallard near Sag Bay three weekends ago that was banded in 2009 (hatched in 2009) near Green Bay, WI. Proof that birds dont just migrate in mid-late Nov.

And proof that a large part of our migration comes west-east, right over west michigan.

[BFG]

right over west michigan

C'mon...stop your foolin'...there ain't no ducks in West Michigan.

LOL!

[backroadstravler]

I had a cabin East of Manton on the Wexford-Missaukee line for 39 years. I use to hunt the area between Cadillac and Manton around Long Lake which is East of old 131. Numerous small lakes and ponds in that area. Mostly divers in that area when I hunted it. Small farm ponds between Manton and Lake city held mallards and woodies. You will need to spend some time scouting. That area of the state is not a big migration area.

[DabblerDuck]

Got out late today in the wexford county area. Didn't get any shooting but did see some ducks (mallards, maybe locals) scattered here and there in small groups. That is an improvement over the last few weeks. Maybe tomorrow will be better yet.

[DuckMan87]

wait till after duck season...then youll see ducks

[redtick]

I've been seeing more greenwings than anything recently:tdo12:

[Shiawassee_Kid]

shot one fatty today. rest were locals.

[DabblerDuck]

Another Wexford county morning - no ducks. But I am learning. Please correct me if you think that my thinking is incorrect regarding NW lower MI.

It all comes down to basic biology. You can't wish the ducks into a place that is convenient for you. You have to do what it takes to get into a place that is convenient for them. They need more than water. Any place that is worth considering as a good long term hunting area needs to have all of the resources necessary to meet the needs of the type of ducks that you are after. Hunting an area that lacks the required resources is a roll of the dice. And will require constant monitoring to ensure success. The ducks may be there for a short time due to pressure or just to rest. But they won't be in high numbers and they won't hang around. You may get lucky if you are there at the right time. I think that the places that I am watching are too shallow and lack food for divers (no fish) and are not near food crops for puddle ducks. Most of NW lower MI is like this. The bigger, deeper water in this area may be the best bet for most species, especially divers. Ideally, a puddle duck spot needs to be shallow and near crop (corn) fields to hold lots of ducks. Does this make sense or am I over-thinking it?

[DEDGOOSE]

You gotta think of it this way ducks survived before agriculture. Agriculture has been a big boost for puddlers, but ducks eat a large amount of other stuff that is found in ponds. Besides cheetos and bread it is how they survive the summer.

It sounds in your scouting that you are searching for ponds and not for ducks. Look for ducks. With all this new water there is a ton of food out there in the form of flooded grass and such that can be a hotspot while the ducks are there.

[u.p.north trapper]

a few mallard flights have showen up here in eup. even seen a snow with a flock of canadians that always a good sign. havent been able to hunt because of this stupid flu going around. hope to get better and whack a few birds.

[DabblerDuck]

:dizzy: :sad: After witnessing the arguments that have went on in this forum this week it may be best if I just go back to lurking. I think that the real purpose of this forum is to make money - not to help hunters. The members here are just facilitators. In a competitive environment like duck hunting, where the game is visible and easily killed, social problems arise and feelings are hurt, if locations are discussed. A forum may work for other types of hunting and fishing , but not duck hunting. I just need to get out there and find the ducks and learn how to hunt them myself and stay away from this mess. Thank you to those of you who participated in this thread. Good Luck. :)

[Shiawassee_Kid]

:dizzy: :sad: After witnessing the arguments that have went on in this forum this week it may be best if I just go back to lurking. I think that the real purpose of this forum is to make money - not to help hunters. The members here are just facilitators. In a competitive environment like duck hunting, where the game is visible and easily killed, social problems arise and feelings are hurt, if locations are discussed. A forum may work for other types of hunting and fishing , but not duck hunting. I just need to get out there and find the ducks and learn how to hunt them myself and stay away from this mess. Thank you to those of you who participated in this thread. Good Luck. :)

k i just re-read the thread. only person i see out of line in this thread is your post. thanks for contributing to the problem.

[cheeseandquackers]

:dizzy: :sad: After witnessing the arguments that have went on in this forum this week it may be best if I just go back to lurking. I think that the real purpose of this forum is to make money - not to help hunters. The members here are just facilitators. In a competitive environment like duck hunting, where the game is visible and easily killed, social problems arise and feelings are hurt, if locations are discussed. A forum may work for other types of hunting and fishing , but not duck hunting. I just need to get out there and find the ducks and learn how to hunt them myself and stay away from this mess. Thank you to those of you who participated in this thread. Good Luck. :)
Well said. Just in the last couple years its gotten real bad. a few years ago it was very enjoyable to come here and actually talk duck hunting without getting hammered or people belittling you because of a superiority complex. Good luck with your hunting and stay at it, its a very enjoyable sport. If you havent tried yet look for a river that is accesible and try float hunting it. I have great success doing this every year. Good luck.

[quick406]

:dizzy: :sad: After witnessing the arguments that have went on in this forum this week it may be best if I just go back to lurking. I think that the real purpose of this forum is to make money - not to help hunters. The members here are just facilitators. In a competitive environment like duck hunting, where the game is visible and easily killed, social problems arise and feelings are hurt, if locations are discussed. A forum may work for other types of hunting and fishing , but not duck hunting. I just need to get out there and find the ducks and learn how to hunt them myself and stay away from this mess. Thank you to those of you who participated in this thread. Good Luck. :)

I hear ya to many know it alls!!!

[thedude]

saw a lot more mallards today than normal at our spot, don't think they are true "migrators" but starting to get some decent sized bunches. now if they could just get the corn down......

[Mike L]

:dizzy: :sad: After witnessing the arguments that have went on in this forum this week it may be best if I just go back to lurking. I think that the real purpose of this forum is to make money - not to help hunters. The members here are just facilitators. In a competitive environment like duck hunting, where the game is visible and easily killed, social problems arise and feelings are hurt, if locations are discussed. A forum may work for other types of hunting and fishing , but not duck hunting. I just need to get out there and find the ducks and learn how to hunt them myself and stay away from this mess. Thank you to those of you who participated in this thread. Good Luck. :)

You've got to kidding for sure ! This site has helped so many individuals it isn't funny. There's not a site as good as this on the web. There has been "Very" good information given to help others out. The only big who-ra is when people start giving out locations that cyber scouters or other "Lurkers" ?...Can use for there own good. And with a grand total of 4 posts I really don't see a whole lot of contribution from you, only criticism, so have a nice day where ever you decide to go and don't let the door hit ya............:mad:

[The Doob]

Hunted Saginaw Bay this am - only shot one greater scaup but saw a dozen or more groups of swans, a small group of buffies and a goldeneye, as well as some scoters. The begining of the end for the divers here....?

[pikenetter]

shot one blue bill and saw many more and some buffies in the muskegon area, starting to get better:D

[waxico]

A full on diver migration, it went on all day. They were flying the river south, and were breaking west to hit LSC right by where I was set up.

We were picking up, and hundreds of ducks rained down from way high, and swirled around 5 minutes before leaving. Guns cased, of course.

What a show!

[Branta]

I would first tell you that you always catch more flies with Honey than you do vinegar.

Keep in mind that no one knows you from adam, so you can't expect that someone from Cadillac is going to just tell you to knock on Farmer Browns door - he has 500 geese hitting his field.

you have 4 posts. you have to give guys some time to figure you out, who you are, your attitude/personality and I'm sure you'll get bucket loads of helpful info that for many on this site have taken YEARS/DECADES to accumulate. and you get it for free.

~~~~

Another Wexford county morning - no ducks. But I am learning. Please correct me if you think that my thinking is incorrect regarding NW lower MI.

It all comes down to basic biology. You can't wish the ducks into a place that is convenient for you. You have to do what it takes to get into a place that is convenient for them. They need more than water. Any place that is worth considering as a good long term hunting area needs to have all of the resources necessary to meet the needs of the type of ducks that you are after. Hunting an area that lacks the required resources is a roll of the dice. And will require constant monitoring to ensure success. The ducks may be there for a short time due to pressure or just to rest. But they won't be in high numbers and they won't hang around. You may get lucky if you are there at the right time. I think that the places that I am watching are too shallow and lack food for divers (no fish) and are not near food crops for puddle ducks. Most of NW lower MI is like this. The bigger, deeper water in this area may be the best bet for most species, especially divers. Ideally, a puddle duck spot needs to be shallow and near crop (corn) fields to hold lots of ducks. Does this make sense or am I over-thinking it?

You're a smart guy with some very astute observations for someone new to the sport.
With this kind of thinking, you'll be very successful at some point in your quest for waterfowl.

Keep it up! This is a strong base to build your waterfowling knowledge off of.

water does not equal ducks. Water and a reason to be there = ducks.


stick around and your learning curve will shoot vertically vs. a series of long plateaus

[Branta]

sorry, one more thing to refute:

I'm not sure where you think this site is here to solely make money.
you can post here for free starting on day one.

if you wish help offset the cost of hosting the site, you can become a sponsoring member which also gets you an expanded PM box and expanded photo album capabilities. again, the fee is to offset the hosting costs of this expanded membership. if you wish to use another photo caching site and not sponsor this site, you're welcome to. many use photobucket.

you can post things in the classified section here.... FOR FREE. no commission fees, no hosting fees.


am I telling you this because somehow I have a vested interest? Nope. See, Coldwater, Dead Bird and I get nada/nothing for moderating. as a matter of fact, I had to EXPAND (additional cost) my own PM mailbox just to facilitate all the notes I get from the flock and to be able to properly log complaints/issues. I (like you or any other member here) had to pay to do so.

I maybe biased, because this is the only site I really care about (I've been to just about all of them out there if it's waterfowling related), but I think this has the most to offer a Michigan Waterfowler.

[BFG]

wait till after duck season...then youll see ducks

LOL @ this statement. Ever think about why?

You see ducks and geese all over the place because they are not getting shot at by every Tom, Dick, and Harry with a waterfowl stamp and a pair of waders.

Birds have been migrating for the past month. They will continue to migrate for the next three months. When they migrate depends a lot on the weather and moon phase.

10 days ago I sat in a public marsh along lake Erie and watched flock after flock of ducks fly high overhead to the south. That was October 23rd....

Have yet to see a big diver migration yet but past history tells me that starting sometime in the next week...we'll be seeing that as well.

BFG