First Inaugural MI Early Teal/Goose Season

[Woody]

Well' we spent a good amount of time scouting Friday through Sunday and what we found was not much. And that is strange, considering the two areas we hunt most often both have (historically) strong resident Canada populations. Maybe all the extra water from a wet year has allowed them to spread out and made them hard to find. With no ag fields cut in the area yet, we stuck to water in our scouting hoping to find teal a geese together. We did not, but we did find a few teal. Not many, but a few.

We were debating if we should even go out, but my dad and I decided to give it a try and see what happens. Titz, J and Todd decided to sit it out, for good reason. In the end I wish at least Titz hadn't because his more experienced teal hunting eyes would have been useful. We were literally covered up in ducks, woodies, mallards, gads, even one pintail, and most importantly what turned out to be 25+ teal. The problem we had was being able to identify them on the water. In flight is no problem, but the buggers kept swimming in from who knows where. We were in layout blinds on a finger of land sticking out in to a small marsh, at the end of the hunt we had six small ducks swim in from behind us and the left. My dad was on that side and I could not see over there. He said lets jump up, make these birds fly and see if they are teal. I said okay... we did... but I was not aware they were behind us so we jumped up facing opposite directions. the birds left and no one shot. My dad was 99% positive they were teal, but when I didn't shoot he second guessed himself, not realizing I was facing the other direction.


Long story short opening morning ended with a skunk.

We had a good goose spot picked out for Monday night, but decided with a two hour drive home and work in the morning none of us wanted to go.

[Rick]

"We were literally covered up in ducks, woodies, mallards, gads, even one pintail..." still sounds mighty fine to someone who hasn't seen a good duck show since Spring.

[Woody]

It was great just getting out there, getting to see ducks was a bonus.

[SpinnerMan]

"We were literally covered up in ducks, woodies, mallards, gads, even one pintail..." still sounds mighty fine to someone who hasn't seen a good duck show since Spring.

x2

If I thought things would have been that good, I would have went out. I figured I would see no geese (teal season is not open here) and too many fisherman on Labor day.

[Woody]

I really dislike the guy that owns this place...

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[Woody]

With the front moving through and temps dropping tonight, I've got my fingers crossed for this weekend.

[Rick]

Here's hoping.

[Duckdog]

Good luck guys!
We definitely had a front move through here! It cooled way down! Feels great!
I took the dogs down to the river for some exercise this evening and spotted another group of teal.
I'm really looking forward to next weekend...

[Woody]

Good luck guys!
We definitely had a front move through here! It cooled way down! Feels great!
I took the dogs down to the river for some exercise this evening and spotted another group of teal.
I'm really looking forward to next weekend...

Went from 91 to 57 here.

[Woody]

I should copy and paste the OP... Exact same story so far this morning except only 3 teal and they land 60 yards away. We've seen 100+ woodies and quite a few mallards, too. We did however see 3 flocks of geese off in the distance and heard some other hunters hammer something a couple miles away, this time.


Now for the bad news... Got to one of our best hunting spots and found that since we were here last about 10-15 yards of floating marsh has risen to the surface at the edge of the cattails and is impassable.

[Flightstopper]

Now for the bad news... Got to one of our best hunting spots and found that since we were here last about 10-15 yards of floating marsh has risen to the surface at the edge of the cattails and is impassable.

I'm sure Rick would love to come up and grind it for you.

[Rick]

Sure, you can expect my arrival by zeppelin.

[Woody]

Well the birds wouldn't cooperate so we thought we would try to catch some kings. Went 2 for 2 and brought home a bonus fish:

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[jehler]

Dev and I went out Saturday and found dead grebes and hen mallards floating in both ponds we hunt, turned around and went home

[Woody]

Dev and I went out Saturday and found dead grebes and hen mallards floating in both ponds we hunt, turned around and went home

That was a smart move.

[SpinnerMan]

My wife decided to go out with me opening day of teal. The blind I wanted was taken and I didn't want to deal with fisherman, so I set up for geese. That turned out to be the right move. We get very few teal, I've never shot a bluewing, but I would really like to get one. My wife picked the right day to tag along. We saw lots of ducks and geese. Had 15+ teal buzz us at 10 yards, but I didn't see them until they were in front of the blind. The only thing that didn't go well was my shooting.

I had a single goose work beautifully, it responded to the call well, big circles and last pass it swung way wide and I thought I was going to loose it, then I turned it and it lost a lot of altitude and was going to be in range this pass. I told her I was going to take it this pass. As it is approaching it just starts dropping into the decoys. I ask her if she wants to shoot it. She says "no" and I guess I was hurrying to shoot it before it hit the ground. First shot at 20 yards I think was a clean miss. Second shot, a weak hit. Third shot I put it on the ground. Now it starts making a sprint for the water, I missed his head. He hits the water and I finish him off and one of my decoys

Second single coming in, and starts to gain a little elevation, but definitely in range. First shot, I guess I missed. Second shot, a weak hit. Third shot down he goes. Hits the water hard but pops up and starts swimming away. Finish him off with the 4th.

Third single comes in. The first two my wife was afraid to be up and watch them works. So this one I explained how to watch them work. So she got a good show and it only took me two shots, which was a 50% improvement.

I had a pair come over the top and I come up on them and they drifted behind me and put me at an awkward position to shoot and I blew three holes in the sky.

14 shots and 3 geese. Yikes. But hey, that was 3 more geese than I was expecting and it was a great day for my wife to come along. Steady action, a few decoying birds, lots of other good bird watching. Now we need to head to the trap range a time or two before duck season. I really am a lot better shot than that.

[Woody]

My wife decided to go out with me opening day of teal. The blind I wanted was taken and I didn't want to deal with fisherman, so I set up for geese. That turned out to be the right move. We get very few teal, I've never shot a bluewing, but I would really like to get one. My wife picked the right day to tag along. We saw lots of ducks and geese. Had 15+ teal buzz us at 10 yards, but I didn't see them until they were in front of the blind. The only thing that didn't go well was my shooting.

I had a single goose work beautifully, it responded to the call well, big circles and last pass it swung way wide and I thought I was going to loose it, then I turned it and it lost a lot of altitude and was going to be in range this pass. I told her I was going to take it this pass. As it is approaching it just starts dropping into the decoys. I ask her if she wants to shoot it. She says "no" and I guess I was hurrying to shoot it before it hit the ground. First shot at 20 yards I think was a clean miss. Second shot, a weak hit. Third shot I put it on the ground. Now it starts making a sprint for the water, I missed his head. He hits the water and I finish him off and one of my decoys

Second single coming in, and starts to gain a little elevation, but definitely in range. First shot, I guess I missed. Second shot, a weak hit. Third shot down he goes. Hits the water hard but pops up and starts swimming away. Finish him off with the 4th.

Third single comes in. The first two my wife was afraid to be up and watch them works. So this one I explained how to watch them work. So she got a good show and it only took me two shots, which was a 50% improvement.

I had a pair come over the top and I come up on them and they drifted behind me and put me at an awkward position to shoot and I blew three holes in the sky.

14 shots and 3 geese. Yikes. But hey, that was 3 more geese than I was expecting and it was a great day for my wife to come along. Steady action, a few decoying birds, lots of other good bird watching. Now we need to head to the trap range a time or two before duck season. I really am a lot better shot than that.

Your'e doing better than us this year

I really hope this early season isn't an omen of what's to come.