Lake Socakowea 10/6-10/7

**Josh_Flem** · 10-09-2007 02:41 PM

Well this weekend was like no other in the fact that we set out for some more duck and goose action. The difference was that this weekend was cold, really cold. We left NDSU friday around 1 and our destination was a small town north of Lake Socakowea called Garrison. We recently purchased a camper that we like to call te Yellowstone Hacienda, I really don't know where the name came from but it stuck and on this trip it was a lifesaver. We arived in Garrison after a 5 hour drive to 32 degree temperatures which were on the decline. After setting the camper up in the campground we left to go scout some geese for the morning. We did not arive as early as we had wanted but we had enough time to see flocks of 500 plus birds flying everywhere. In total my guess would be we seen somewhere around 10000 geese in a 15 minute timeframe. We found a good sized Duram Wheat field that had around 100 birds in it that we decided to set up in the morning. Feeling really pumped about seeing that many birds we decided to go to bed and await the morning.

The alarm went off at 2:00 which gave us enough time to get dressed and scarf down our donuts before we left for the field. Upon arriving at the field it began to sleet and the temperature in the truck said 26 degrees. It took us 4 hours to get the decoys set and to get the blinds the way we liked them (digging in was not an option like we had hoped, there was already a frostline). During the time we were setting everything up we had about a half hour of continuous snow which was kinda cool.

As soon as we could see, the birds were flying, and when I say flying I mean by the thousands. First we had huge flocks of 1000 plus teals way up in the air flying west off of the lake. As soon as the teal were done it was all mallards until 8 o-clock. We had mallards in our face all morning, with a slight fog they would appear out of nowhere and be completely locked on our spread. We dropped 3 drakes out of the first flock and continued on our drake rage until we hit the 11 mark. then the fog started to thicken up and it became hard to distinguish ***es so we ended up shooting 3 hens putting us at 14 ducks with one lost drake that was counted in our limit. The geese did not work as good as hoped, almost every flock was lessers with a few giants mixed in. We were able to get 2 lessers to decoy real nice and we put the hurt on them.

Sunday was a bust, we decided to set up in a pea field after talking to a farmer that said he had seen a ton of birds in. We decided to drive out to the field on saturday night and watch it instead of hunting, and he was right there was about 2000 ducks creating a tornado affect out in the field, it was definately an amazing site and something I will never forget. Upon setting up the next morning the wind decided to shift to out of the north west instead of out of the north east. this sent the birds to the opposite side of the lake. We had one drake mallard land in the decoys about 10 feet from the left blind (Kyles) and he didnt want to shoot it on the ground so Adam started to yell which scared the bird up but Kyle missed twice and the bird was gone. That was about it for action on sunday, saw a ton of birds but all very high unlike saturday.

Anyways here are the pics. There will be more off a different camera in a little bit

Proof that it was snowing

the night sky during the only lapse in clouds, very pretty

Heres a few flocks of lessers

Here is my buddy Adam with the Saturday morning harvest

P.S there is only 8 drakes in that photo as we found a couple more later under a shell decoy, I will post the tailgate pic that has that bird in it as well. Overall we had 3 double curl and 1 triple curl mallard. All very pretty birds and glad to see they are getting there plumage.

I am leaving again tomorrow at noon to head back out there, with the cold temperatures adn the migrating winds I have a feeling the birds are going to be thick. I will be sure to post a report when I return.

Josh

**mnfisherguy** · 10-09-2007 02:46 PM

nice report man hope you have heat now in the camper??

**Josh_Flem** · 10-09-2007 02:48 PM

Thanks, we have a campground with an electrical hookup so we bring an electric heater

Josh

**Andy Nyhus** · 10-09-2007 03:06 PM

Great report and pictures! Thanks

**Josh_Flem** · 10-09-2007 03:08 PM

Thank you, there will be more pics hopefully tonight.

Josh

**bass12** · 10-09-2007 03:37 PM

Great report and pictures looks like you guys had a blast!!!

**Josh_Flem** · 10-09-2007 03:45 PM

We definately did, several naps were needed though. I cant wait to be out there tomorrow night, missing class is a no no, but this only comes once a year, im sure you all can understand.

Josh

**Tony Johnson** · 10-09-2007 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by Josh_Flem

missing class is a no no, but this only comes once a year, im sure you all can understand.Josh

Hell, I majored in skipping class at NDSU.

**Josh_Flem** · 10-09-2007 03:56 PM

Haha, Im going ot try and just minor in it, but at the rate I am going I will probably end up with a major in it. I had to reschedule a test just so I could leave tomorrow.

Josh

**Senkos42** · 10-09-2007 05:00 PM

Great report and pics.

**Josh_Flem** · 10-09-2007 05:35 PM

thanks, im not going to be able to sleep tonight knowing I will be out there tomorrow. I can already see the huge flocks, this time there going to decoy nice though

Josh

**Chris Wallace** · 10-09-2007 08:06 PM

I will be in Devils Lake monday at 5 pm!

We still on for the 22nd through the 26th????

And why are you setting out decoys that early? You only have like six dozen? I dont get it. Wait till the H-unit gets out there, that will take care of those bleeding feathers!

**Chris Wallace** · 10-09-2007 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by Josh_Flem

thanks, im not going to be able to sleep tonight knowing I will be out there tomorrow. I can already see the huge flocks, this time there going to decoy nice though

Josh

The corn got cut in that field up north last week, hella flocks in it last night brother!

**Josh_Flem** · 10-09-2007 08:11 PM

Its all about competition for fields my friend, we have had too many people drive by our fields while we are setting up. Plus it takes a long time to camo in the blinds and stuff. I also don't like to cut it close with sunrise, the best of the duck hunting is the first 15 minutes of light so I like being ready for that. Non of that monticello settting decoys while the sun is coming up haha.

Josh

**Chris Wallace** · 10-09-2007 09:06 PM

I got all private and posted land up there brother.

**Josh_Flem** · 10-09-2007 09:12 PM

That doesnt mean you wont have competition. yeah you can kick them off because you have permission, but they will still try to set up there. Legally in north dakota land has to be posted on every corner to be classified as unhuntable. What a lot of hunters do is rip the signs off of one corner and then by law they can enter the field at that corner. I have never done this if anyone is thinking that, but I had a long talk with a farmer this past weekend that we secured permission to hunt his land. he said he doesnt even bother posting anymore because people tear them off. He said he doesnt care who hunts, all he wants to do is control the traffic a little bit, but I completely see where he is coming from. you will probably be ok, but Im jsut saying that people up here can be pretty brasin when it comes to a good piece of goose land.

Jsoh

**Chris Wallace** · 10-09-2007 09:14 PM

yeah well I shoot black cloud and just got the choke approved for it today, you thought it patterned before, I am gonna be ripping heads off in the am!

Off topic but I am in the dog house. Dad come out last night and saw me loading another 4 six slot bags....

**Josh_Flem** · 10-09-2007 09:18 PM

yeah my parents arnt too happy with me either, I am spending a lot of money hunting this fall and they dont see y point of view at all. I cant wait till my parents find out I bought a dozen decoys and a 220 dollar drake late season coat. Let alone the 180 dollar wisconsin deer license for the 3rd week of november. Im not going to have a home to go to next summer.

Josh

**Chris Wallace** · 10-09-2007 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by Josh_Flem

yeah my parents arnt too happy with me either, I am spending a lot of money hunting this fall and they dont see y point of view at all. I cant wait till my parents find out I bought a dozen decoys and a 220 dollar drake late season coat. Let alone the 180 dollar wisconsin deer license for the 3rd week of november. Im not going to have a home to go to next summer.

Josh

Naw, we can use the Cut Em Trailer, its not very tall but insulated. I bought three mojos that are not legal in MN just for nodak, and another couple boxes of ffd lessers. And 7 cases of black cloud.

I told my parents Ill be here for a week, work two days than on my way back up there! You ready for me and Puts?

**Josh_Flem** · 10-09-2007 09:25 PM

as ready as Im gonna be. Just make sure you bring warm chit, this wind up here will cut through anything, hence why I needed to purchase the new coat

at least that is what I will tell my parents. I slept in an extended cab truck with three guys first weekend so I can deal with an insulated trailer.

josh

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