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View Full Version : North Dakota Late Season Green


Joe Fladeland
12-28-2006, 06:52 PM
DATE: December 28, 2006

LOCATION: North Dakota

SUNRISE: 8:31 A.M.

WEATHER: Mostly Cloudy

TEMPERATURE: High teens to Low 30's

WIND: Forecast - NE at 5-10mph ; Actually SSE at 5-10mph

EQUIPMENT USED: Avery PowerHunters, Greenhead Gear L/S Mallards, Avery Pit Bag, Avery Floating Decoy Bag, Avery Neoprene Decoy Gloves, Avery Neoprene Caller's Mask, Avery Yukon Hood, Avery Skull Cap, Avery TurtleHead, Avery GameHog

JOURNAL NOTES:

With only days left in the North Dakota duck season, Jeff, Nick, and I went out scouting yesterday to see if we could find some big late season Mallards. We found a body of water that was holding thousands of Canada Geese and hundreds of Mallards. We watched these birds for 4 or 5 hours and then headed home to get everything ready to go for the following morning. The hike in would be about a mile so we couldn't exactly set out a giant spread.

We got out to the water early this morning and hauled 3 dozen L/S Mallards, 2 PowerHunters and all of the other necessities about a mile from our cars, to a spot we knew was holding birds. Even though it was dark, we could here ducks and geese flying around us and moving to different parts of the water. It was a long and tiring hike in and I worked up a good sweat by the time we got out to the place we wanted to be. We set out the dekes and got situated and it wasn't long before the first flights of birds came by. Although we didn't decoy huge flocks of birds we managed to bring in single, pairs and even a few small flocks. We tried to pick out drakes but in the early morning light a hen mallard fell victim to Nick's shotgun. We shot some beautiful Mallard Drakes and Nick and I each got a Greenhead that we will be mounting. After today I have come to one conclusion.

Nothing Comes Close To Late Season Waterfowl Hunting.

Here are some pictures of today's hunt.

Green
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/8776/goosehunt79smalloi8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The Avery Pit Bag with my trophy Drake.
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4035/goosehunt74smallaw1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Nick with his greenhead
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5746/goosehunt81smallvq2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Jeff and his Yellow Lab Baden along with some Mallards
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1610/goosehunt76smallqk5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Me with my greenhead
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5258/goosehunt84smallus6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The Hero Shot
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1079/goosehunt75smallcs7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Eric Wolf
12-28-2006, 07:03 PM
Nice hunt! Post up a pic of the mallard when its back from the taxidermist.

scott w
12-28-2006, 07:11 PM
Nice hunt! Keep it up Joe! ...did Nick's gun "Jam" again...lol

Joe Fladeland
12-28-2006, 07:16 PM
did Nick's gun "Jam" again...lol

You bet it did!

Greg Owens
12-28-2006, 07:29 PM
That's some nice looking birds... Congrats on the fun hunt.

Jeff Kreit
12-28-2006, 08:08 PM
Great looking hunt, Thanks Joe

Curt Wilson
12-28-2006, 09:19 PM
Congrats on the hunt. Those are some great looking ducks. I love those late season mallards in the full plumage.

Aaron Hitchins
12-28-2006, 09:53 PM
Wow that is one beautiful drake! Nicely done on the late-season Green Cleanin'! Beautifully done!

Aaron

AJG
12-28-2006, 10:55 PM
Nice Joe!

Weatherby
12-28-2006, 11:23 PM
when was the last time you could wear a long sleeve tshirt the end of december in north dakota? ROFL

on another note it looks like it was a great hunt!

Jason Connellee
12-29-2006, 06:21 AM
Good job on the green Joe. Hope your Holiday season has been nice. Be safe.

George Zahradka
12-29-2006, 08:45 PM
Great job boys.........Nick......We need to get you another gun.
I see you got the same wheather we're get here ....Have a safe New Year....

Rick Frisch
12-30-2006, 10:44 AM
Joe,

You said it. There is nothing like late season when the birds are all colored out.

Kevin Kriha
12-30-2006, 11:15 AM
Great Pics Joe!

Scott Moates
12-30-2006, 12:58 PM
Thanks for sharing the hunt with us, Joe. Just send all the rest of them down here for our late season.