# Portage Lakes blinds



## BobcatJB

Does anyone have a blind on any of the portage lakes or been hunting as a guest? I have a blind on Nimisila, numbers of birds have been low the last few weekends. I wonder how hard it gets hunted during the week?


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## freyedknot

have had blinds there in the past and it is usually slow for the most part. but should soon pick up if the weather gets nasty. on another note ,there is a lot of standing water in the crop fields keeping any birds from congregating there.


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## Minnowhead

Skim ice on the small ponds and marshes will concentrate the ducks and geese on the resevoirs. When you start to see the night time temps drop, get ready. Late migration this season. Colder temps and North wind will be here next week.


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## Dopey Fudd

BobcatJB said:


> Does anyone have a blind on any of the portage lakes or been hunting as a guest? I have a blind on Nimisila, numbers of birds have been low the last few weekends. I wonder how hard it gets hunted during the week?


the answer is no. there are only 2 blinds getting hunted during the week. I have been out there last week, tues, wed, thurs, and all weekend. 

granted it was deer week, but even on the weekends, no one is hunting...and there are still not many birds around. saturday I saw alot--divers, widgeon, mallards. and yesterday a total of 9.

I am freelancing it. but I can tell you, over half the blinds are not being used at all. 4,6,9,11 (usually only till 8:30) ,13,14,18,19,20,22,24--are the ones regularly used.

12 hasn't even been camo'd up. I'll be out there most of this week again.


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## I_Shock_Em

Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't you required to have a blind permit (obviously for the blind you are hunting) to hunt nimi? I was under the assumption that only the permit holder ( or anyone the blind permit holder has given a copy of the permit to) can hunt the blind. In other words, no "freelancing"


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## BobcatJB

Yep, very few people there Saturday. Saw divers, mallards and what I thought were gaddies. 

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## BobcatJB

Mark I think u only have to show proof of blind ownership if asked.

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## Dopey Fudd

I_Shock_Em said:


> Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't you required to have a blind permit (obviously for the blind you are hunting) to hunt nimi? I was under the assumption that only the permit holder ( or anyone the blind permit holder has given a copy of the permit to) can hunt the blind. In other words, no "freelancing"


freelancing is permitted. 

you are not permitted to use the blind unless you have permission. so if you want to set up on shore and hunt you can. you just cannot sit within 200 ft of someones blind, or road. 

there are a few spots that can be hunted legally. 

but if it helps, I have enough friends who hunt the lake that I do have permission to hunt from, and they know if I am going to be in it, or the call me and tell me if its available.

I have hunted this lake for almost 15 years. I have had long conversations with those who have ran the lake, hunted the lake, and are still currently hunting the lake. 

there generally are only a couple of freelancers, that do exhist. I have ran into 4 or 5 in my tenure, and tends to be on opening day. I do it all season when I don't get drawn. 

It is not the freelancers who are the problems, it is the people who take their kids, and girlfriends and buy them permits just so they get a blind, only to use it the first 2 weekends, and to never hunt again. And we are seeing that now with a large numbers of blinds not being used at all, or not even up-and I am not including those who just hunt from boats.


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## I_Shock_Em

thanks for clearing that up. I had never seen any official paperwork or anything like that. Just word of mouth. Thanks for clearing it up


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## BobcatJB

Dopey were you out on Nimi today? How'd it go?

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## Dopey Fudd

yesterday was very slow. I had 9 buzz my location 10 minutes before shooting time, and sat down 100 yards out. that was all I saw all morn. the guys on the south were banging away until 9:00. 

I did talk to another person this am. seems he has blinds 1,2,and 3 on the north end.its just him and a buddy. 25 has not been out all season. they aquired 1 and 3 from a group of guys who was drawn for the island. and when they got drawn again at the end, they watched to see who got picked up north, and approached them, saying "we don't need these, were on the island." and sold him the spots.


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## BobcatJB

Sold? As in paying the $50 dollar fee? Interesting. Those guys on the island seem to do well every time out. 

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## WalleyeGuy

Dopey Fudd said:


> the answer is no. there are only 2 blinds getting hunted during the week. I have been out there last week, tues, wed, thurs, and all weekend.
> 
> granted it was deer week, but even on the weekends, no one is hunting...and there are still not many birds around. saturday I saw alot--divers, widgeon, mallards. and yesterday a total of 9.
> 
> I am freelancing it. but I can tell you, over half the blinds are not being used at all. 4,6,9,11 (usually only till 8:30) ,13,14,18,19,20,22,24--are the ones regularly used.
> 
> 12 hasn't even been camo'd up. I'll be out there most of this week again.


In light of this info,, I will not be attending the draw for the blinds there. I save my $50.00 and just hunt it.


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## Dopey Fudd

WalleyeGuy said:


> In light of this info,, I will not be attending the draw for the blinds there. I save my $50.00 and just hunt it.


I like having a blind up, but feel the same way, this is my 2nd or 3rd season freelancing. its difficult at times, but you can chase the birds easier. 

Bobcat, yes, they sold them to him, as he paid them the $50.00 per blind. 

The guys decided that instead of telling them to pull another number, to give another person a chance, they took not only one, but TWO more, then SOLD them. 

I have seen it before, one year a group took 14, 15, and 16. so they had half the island to themselves.

I wish they would make an annoucement, "anyone who is going to only hunt the first 2 weekends, do not enter. if you only need one blind, only take one. If you bought permits for your non-hunting wife, and neighbors, so you get a blind you will not use, we will find out,and you will be disqualified the following year."" 


the good news is, I now know what area of the lake I will be spending the rest of the season.


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