Pre-Winter Hunting Help
 

This is my first year duck hunting and I was wondering how most of you hunt in the late season? Here in Northern Minnesota our season lasts until November 30th, by then ice usually covers our small lakes where I hunt. If this applies to you, what do you do when this happens? Do you break the thin ice with a boat and hunt the middle until no longer possible? I have read time and time again, the last lake to be covered in ice is the best spot to hunt all year. Any tips from experience would be awesome, in-case this scenario applies this year.

You have to find open water or make your own open water. I usually find open water where a river/creek empties into a lake/reservoir.

Sometimes if the ice is thin, I bust out a hole in the ice with my boat. Alot of times the wave action and sun will melt the little chunks of ice that float around, or at least push them downwind.

Bust a hole , slide the pieces of ice under the other ice

If there is a river close by with rapids
The rapids normaly stay ice free way past when the rest of the river and suronding lakes are iced up

If the ice is safe to walk on
Make your own "hole"
Blue or black plastic sheeting
Layed on the ice
Put feild decoys on the sheeting and on the ice around the plastic "hole"

Be sure to pick up the plastic at the end of the hunt

To funny , to watch a mallard try and land on the plastic
When it thinks it is water

John

Wear your waders and bring an ax with you. Use the ax to chop a big hole.

LMAO!!! I would love to see that. Thanks to all for the ideas, there all great.

Try this if the ice is real hard grab a piece of black plastic and place it on top of the ice and then set a few deeks on one edge away from you se how that works make sure the plastic is cut circular like a water opening