POTHOLES/ MARDON

[thomasmx]

Whats goin on over there? I want to come over there so bad but not knowing where to go isnt making it any easier. Also heard it was kind of a slow start. Anybody know how its been lately?

[fishwhackin]

Was reading earlier that north potholes was putting out quite a few teal and the frenchmen was mostly mallards.  All I remember from an online article.  Potholes is a great place, too bad it has been ruined by the opening day crowds and poor etiquette.

[Snowgoose1]

Went to potholes for four days up through Saturday last week. Four guys and we got our limts of birds 56 in total for the four days plus a couple of geese.  Mostly mallards in the Crab Creek area.  The fog was hard to work with, but we managed good hunts with good retrieves by a young dog who didn't miss a mark. There were a lot of people over there, but I found that all people were very repectful.  Met several eastside guys and they were extremely helpful in getting us on birds.  We stayed at Mardons Resort.  Mike and Levi are true stand up people and run a nice place.  I especially liked walking down to the moored boat to go hunting in the morning.  We stayed in one of the motel kitchenette rooms and would seriously consider staying in one of the cottages as they are awesome looking.  All the people we met at the Resort were there to have a good vacation as well, lots of fun.  We supported the eastside economy well!

[Glockster]

Hint:  internet scout the weather conditions and forecast for Peace River Alberta.  Look for a 2ft dump of snow and below freezing conditions for 5 days.  Then ad 3-4 days flight time for them to reach ML/P.Holes.  Less if it is a full moon and clear skies (they migrate at night)  Those are the 3 days you will have the stupid "northern" mallard shooting everyone dreams of.

On day #4 of being shot at they will have found the refuges, (Frenchmans, n.Potholes, City of Moses Lake, etc) or they will fly south to the Tricities refuges.  They will only fly out to the fields at night after that.  If/until the next wave of dumb ones arrives, it will be mighty thin pick'ns until then.   

The second best time to be in the N. Basin is the day after a big thaw Chinook starts blowing and exposing all the feed.  They will migrate back up and will be dumb as the day they hatched. 

~Just a couple of observations from 20yrs of hunting over there.   

[thomasmx]

Thank you for your input! I know I wont be able to get over there much this year but hopefully the times I do go are good.

[Glockster]

I think i would go now!    

[Wacenturion]

Go now............anytime on or after Veterans Day is a good time and there are new birds.  The word doesn't usually get out till they have been there a short time.

[Wacenturion]

As Glockster said..........

"The second best time to be in the N. Basin is the day after a big thaw Chinook starts blowing and exposing all the feed.  They will migrate back up and will be dumb as the day they hatched."

 So true and in my opinion could easily be the best time some years.  No one out hunting, most done for the season, birds moving back up and it doesn't get any better.