Warm Weather Shakes Up Minnesota’s Waterfowl Hunting Opener

The waterfowl opener is usually accompanied by cool seasonal temperatures.  That was not the case on opening weekend last weekend in Minnesota.  Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News says the opener saw clear skies, sunscreen and bug spray.  He also said that led to less hunters and less success.  Schmitt says reports were mixed but more poor than good throughout the state.  He heard more geese than ducks were shot.

Where was there success?

There are some locations in the south and western portions of the state that saw heavy rain recently.  Schmitt says those locations saw lots more waterfowl and consequently saw a better harvest on opening weekend.  He says locally reports included the shooting of some wood ducks, mallards, and a few teal.  Reports in northern Minnesota overall indicated a slower than normal waterfowl opening weekend.  Temperatures this weekend are expected to be even warmer so Schmitt doesn't expect a big increase in hunting traffic.  Central Minnesota is in Zone 3 which means the waterfowl season will close on October 5 and reopen on October 11-November 30.

Grouse and Archery Hunting Update

Schmitt says grouse hunting has been slow due to too many leaves on trees in too many locations in the state.  He says we need cooler weather and some wind to blow the leaves off the trees.  Schmitt says archery hunting has been a bit slow due to the warm weather.  He says it's tough because if you shoot a deer in the woods you need to find it immediately in this heat, have a cooler to put it in or butcher it right away.

Fall Turkey Hunt

The Fall turkey hunt in Minnesota opens Saturday October 4 and continues thru Sunday November 2.  Schmitt says lots of people grab a fall turkey tag when they are hunting something else.  He indicates the spring turkey hunt is more popular than the fall hunt.  Schmitt says turkeys tend to move in large groups, so if you see one you'll likely find many.

Fall Fishing

The water temperatures locally are holding around 67 degrees.  Schmitt says he's a bit surprised by that considering the warm weather we've been having.  He prefers to use a jig and a minnow year round and fall fishing is no exception.  Schmitt believes the cooler weather that's expected to come next week should help with fall fishing.  He is looking for fish in approximately 10 feet of water along weed lines.  Schmitt says fish are still in the summer patterns due to the warm weather.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Glen Schmitt, click below.