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Any bird movement?

3K views 24 replies 12 participants last post by  Deer Lodge Josh 
#1 ·
Anyone seeing any bird movement the last few days? I keep hoping to see some fresh birds, but nothing yet. I've got a pretty good handle on birds #'s in my area since I hunt about 4 days/week and scout a lot and so far I haven't seen any push at all. Maybe a few more geese around, but no new ducks. Heck, my bag included 3 teal today and one was a cinny (eclipsed plummage of course :fingerhead: ).
 
#2 ·
I had a nice field shoot in GF last week that yielded 7 drake greenies when it was windy. It appeared to be just local birds really...nothing new. Did happen to see a fair amount of birds over on Freezeout of the diver variety (some nice bluebills). No new mirgrators ive seen nor mass numbers hitting the fields.
 
#4 ·
Should be a cold snap this week, maybe that will start something big. Saw a few more swans in one of my spots, other than that that all the big groups of ducks I was watching seemed to have moved out with those winds from last week.
 
#7 ·
Waves (thousands) of ringers and redheads were definitely new. I have seen 3 different flocks of snows this past week as well. Shot one of the best looking widgeons I have ever shot this morning. Mallards seem to be trickling in slowly, many of which are held up on private water right now with the locals :mad: . Calling for a NE wind tonight so i think Ill try it again tomorrow :grooving: .
 
#8 ·
Not many new birds in my area. Some mallards trickling in. Got some greenheads sat morning. My wife dropped a nice drake gadwall too. Teal here and there along the river. We dropped a couple teal too. Still have wood ducks around. No new geese seen. Had first hoodies around today. Dont shoot them as all mergs are inedible to me but hoodies are neat to look at. Also a good sign that some birds are moving south. Even new bald eagles migrated in this weekend. They help to keep the birds moving as they hunt along the river and spook the birds. When I suddenly see a few flights of birds mid day there is a chance when I look upstream there is an eagle around.
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
New geese no new ducks (mergs arent ducks IMO... carp crossbread with sea gul) all the woodies moved out in the wind last week, i managed to get one before they did though.
mtbirds (640x480).jpg

the mallards around here are joining family groops and looking more like migration groops. could bee good or verry bad if the ones in canida arent thinking the same.
 

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#10 ·
K-Town said:
Waves (thousands) of ringers and redheads were definitely new. I have seen 3 different flocks of snows this past week as well. Shot one of the best looking widgeons I have ever shot this morning. Mallards seem to be trickling in slowly, many of which are held up on private water right now with the locals :mad: . Calling for a NE wind tonight so i think Ill try it again tomorrow :grooving: .
Good luck! I haven't seen anything like that near Helena.
 
#11 ·
Scouted Saturday and saw a few working a field and a few on normal roost spots, went back out to scout and secure permission tonight and was close to ten times the ducks in the same spots. Still havent hunted this year, but tomorrow the season begins.
 
#13 ·
I saw lots of geese (snows specks and lesser canadas) moving thru the breaks today. the duck huntin is slow up there but the sharpies are crazy good. I saw a couple elk also
 
#17 ·
I went for the variety pack as well.
2 Blue wing,2 Gadwal, 2 Greenheads
However my outing was much longer than 50 mins.
I think my barrel is crooked, I know it can't my shooting.
Hutch insert smart *** comment here_______________
Rockhead did really well. She followed hand/whistle signals
for the Teal she didn't mark. Made a nice double on the
Gads in a really muddy marsh. I'm hoping to get some
video with the new action cam (clips on a hat).
I had it today, the only footage is of me missing and
cussing.
I finally got a motor for my jon boat. Any daring soles
willing to get in are welcome. I'd like to try Hebgen,
but not real familiar. My Uncle gave me some spots that were
hot back in the 60's. Anyway, have boat will travel.
 
#22 ·
pmahler said:
Shot 14 on the Rez yesterday & heard a guy shoot at 40 minutes before sunrise...f'ing ridiculous. No wind per usual but right field
Very cool...my son and I have been doing pretty well up this way so far this year. Unfortunately we get a ton of people that come here and get busted for shooting early. Most people don't realize that the tribe can set their own shooting hours...well...that is the excuse anyways.
 
#23 ·
Found a bunch of birds on Thursday and although unprepared still got 7. Saturday was good, birds seemed to be moving a lot with the snow at LST and shut down later, a little off the X but got two man limits. Mixed bag- gaddies, divers, spoonies, pintail, teal, widgeon, and only one mallard. Actually only saw nine mallards on Saturday.
 
#24 ·
I been hunting the flathead also, been doing pretty well with the push of new birds in, frieking jackoffs shooting before sunrise just pisses me off though, be an ethical hunter and follow the rules, of course they were set up with the wind in their face and skybusted the whole time :no:.
 
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