What to Bring / Expectations

Here are some guidelines of what to expect on one of our hunts:

guided-hunts-minnesotaWhat To Bring:

– Gun/Ammo
– Camouflage clothes. Jacket, pants, hat, facemask. Plan for wet or cold weather.
– Blaze Orange clothes for the pheasant preserve.
– Waders (If you’ll be duck hunting, please bring waders)
– MN Hunting License and stamps (It’s easier if you get these ahead of time)
– Rubber boots for early season field hunting, heavier boots for late season.
We have the rest!

MN License Requirements: (WE DON’T SELL THESE) CLICK HERE

– Small Game 72 Hour License (Available online) Non Resident (NR): $75 Resident (R) : $19 (Or) Small Game Season License (Available online) NR: $102 R: $22
– Small Game ages 16 and 17 (Available online) $5
– MN Waterfowl Stamp (Available online) $7.50 (Residents under 18 or over 64 don’t need- Physical MN Stamp is not necessary if you have the electronic validation)
– Federal Duck Stamp (Available online) $27.50 (If you have the stamp, make sure it’s signed).
– Waterfowl Special Fall Season (valid for August and early September seasons) – $4
– HIP Certification – $0
You can buy these over the counter and save a couple of dollars too.

Minnesota Waterfowl Regulations: CLICK HERE

HIGHLIGHTS: Season Dates – Central Zone – September 26 – Oct 4, CLOSED Oct 5- 9, Oct 10 – Nov 29

guided-hunts-minnesotaSeptember Canada Goose Season

Season dates: Sept. 5-22
Daily Bag limit: Intensive Harvest Zone—10 Remainder of state—5
Shooting Hours: 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset.
License Requirements (both seasons): Small game license
State waterfowl stamp ($7.50)
Special Canada goose permit ($4, residents ages 18-64 and all nonresidents).
No Federal Duck stamp is required for the Aug. season. A federal stamp is required for the Sept. and regular goose seasons.

Duck bag limits: 6 ducks daily; may not include more than any combination of the following:

4 mallards (2 hen mallard), 3 scaup, 3 wood ducks, 2 pintails, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 1 black duck. If not listed up to 6 ducks of a species may be taken.
Coot and moorhen (gallinule) bag limits: Daily bag limit is 15. Shooting hours are the same as for the regular waterfowl season.
Merganser bag limit: Daily bag limit is 5, no more than 2 of which may be a hooded merganser.

The possession limit for all migratory birds is three times the daily bag limit.

Canada Goose Season Dates: September 26 – Oct 4, CLOSED Oct 5 – 9, Oct 10 – Dec 28

Goose Limits: 3 Canada Geese/White Fronted Geese Per Day, 20 Light Geese Per Day

– NON-TOXIC SHOT ONLY! No lead.
– Shotgun must not be capable of holding more than 3 shells. (Make sure you have a plug)
– HIP Certified. This should happen when you purchase your license.
– Anyone born after Dec 31, 1979 must have a Firearms Safety Certificate.
– Shooting hours are ½ before sunrise to 4pm for the first and second weeks. Sunset after.

 

What To Expect:

guided-hunts-minnesotaExpect an top-notch waterfowl experience, where you just sit back and enjoy the ride. We handle the scouting, the set up, the calling, the retrieving and more. We bring the dogs, the callers, the decoys and the rest of the gear. Each hunt is different. Duck hunts could include sitting in cattails along one of our private sloughs or in our heated duck boat on the big water. Waders are recommended for either hunt. Field hunts for geese will generally involve layout blinds inside a big full body decoy spread. If you’ve never hunted out of a layout blind before, you can see what they’re all about here: Guided Hunts Minnesota

We scout new fields every day, so we usually like to be scouting in the afternoon for a new spot in the morning. If we don’t limit out on birds in the morning, we have the opportunity to hunt in the afternoon. Each morning you’ll get a continental breakfast in our restaurant before heading out to the field. We like to be in the field before sunrise, so plan on getting up early.

Remember, there are no guarantees! This is called hunting, not shooting. We do everything we possibly can to ensure a successful hunt, but even the best guys get shut out once in awhile. Wildlife can be patternable, yet unpredictable. Either way, we go out of our way to make sure you have a good time.

Please account for variable weather. In the fall, the weather can change quickly. Layering is best, because you can always take something off if you get warm. Even if we’ll be in a heated duck boat or pit, please dress warm. Long underwear, bibs, hat and gloves. Bring handwarmers if possible. Also, please make sure that your clothing is camouflage.

Once you’re in the blind, please stay as quiet and as still as possible. Birds have very good eyesight and surprisingly good hearing. When they’re close, they can hear people talking.

 

IN THE BLIND RULES:

guided-hunts-minnesota– No Alcohol Is Allowed. No drinking before we go hunting either. If we feel a hunter is intoxicated, we won’t allow him to go into the blind.
– The guides are in charge. They will call the birds in and then call the shot.
– NO SHOOTING UNTIL THE SHOT IS CALLED BY THE GUIDE. This ensures that each hunter is prepared to shoot.
– Stay in your shooting lanes. You will have a 10-2 window in front of you. Stay in that lane. This ensures no unsafe shooting over anyone’s head or dog.
– Please be aware of where the dog is at all times. Occasionally birds will come in during a retrieve, if the decision to shoot at them is made, be aware of where the dog is.
– Once a limit is shot, we are done for the day. No Exceptions.
– No shooting before or after legal shooting time. No Exceptions.
– Transporting bird rules: Ducks must have a wing attached (no head needed, new for 2015), geese and other migratory birds must have wing attached.

Bird cleaning is available for $7 per goose and $5 per duck and $4 per pheasant.