Last year hunters and fishermen from 46 states traveled to Woodland Resort on Devils Lake to enjoy morning waterfowl hunts and spectacular walleye fishing. Several area guide services offer similar packages. Some notable observations and predictions from Kyle Blanchfield, 36-year North Dakota waterfowl guide, follow.
Non-Resident waterfowl season opens Sept. 27. A typical day is to be in fields with decoys set 45 minutes prior to sunrise. Return for lunch. Jump in guide boats about 2 pm. September and October are excellent walleye months. Weather is ideal. This is Woodland’s 20th year of Cast & Blast.
There is so much water that ducks can nest and grow throughout the Devils Lake region, smack-dab in the center of the prairie pothole region.
Anecdotal opinions of experts (official counts were not finished at writing) are that duck numbers are very strong. Couple that with a solid migration, and shooters should enjoy good success.
“Every indentation has water from intense spring rains,” Blanchfield said. “That meant farmers planted late and harvests were delayed, leading to good hatches. Over-water ducks had water everywhere.”
Arctic snow geese nesting appears strong. Lots of juvenile snows came through last year, which means more geese this year.
Ducks put Devils Lake on the map before the walleye explosion. Devils Lake is on the waterfowl migration pipeline. All 41 North American waterfowl species of freshwater ducks, geese and swans either live or pass through Devils Lake annually.
The Devils Lake region out produces the Canadian prairie provinces for mallards, pintails, blue wing teal, gadwall, ruddy ducks and more.
Many excellent Cast & Blast guide services, lodging, resorts, restaurants, casino, fish and bird cleaning stations, and many more details about one of the best waterfowl, ice and open water fishing destinations in North America can be found at devilslakend.com.
