Manitoba has some good shooting but do not believe it opens up for Alien non-residents until after Sept 24 in zone 4, the further north 1 through 3 zones are already open but you are also talking about a 6 hour drive north of Winnipeg just to get in Zone 3. Zone 4 which is the southern region from about the north end of Lake Manitoba to US boarder. Plenty of lakes to hunt in the area as well as queens lands that are open without having to knock on doors. Many farmers in the region will let you hunt their fields or pot holes if you ask. Heading up their the last weekend of Sept through first week of October. A single hunter only needs a BBSB style boat to hunt a lot of the larger bodies. The south end of Manitoba is a great place to hunt but a motor can not be used in the Delta Marsh only pole and paddle. On most lakes you can just blind up and anchor out in the middle with heavy grasses; you will be surprised on how many birds think nothing of it to come into your spread. I am on a different computer right now but I could send you a picture showing after photos of a hunt and actually where I was hunting in relationship to my truck while having access to a section of a lake where we made camp. I did not feel like getting out the boat since it was later in the evening so I sat in a camp chair on the edge of the lake and shot a limit of birds the first night we got their. It is absolutely awesome to hunt any of the providences of Canada.
Bring some dark goose decoys in either Canada or Specks to take a few birds on the open water. Just remember you can only hunt till noon until sometime later October in Zone 4 for dark geese. The positive for this year is 4 cans or reds, or in combination.
Cranes are there, and you just would need to ask a farmer if you find some using fields as you scout. Key to success in that area is scouting and road miles on your vehicle. You can find areas which have more birds than most wildlife management areas have at peak of the season in the states nearly everyday; its up to your time spent scouting or find a lake you want to hunt and not leave it the whole time. Birds are constantly transitioning, their young, and minimal effort can be spent to have a wonderful shoot everyday. You will shoot limits no matter what you do. Have done both of stationary or mobile with success either way. Being mobile allows you to see different areas of the region.
Do not know where you are thinking about crossing but Pembina can take some time being south of Winnipeg of around 60 miles. So calculate an hour at crossing in your travels. It may be quicker.
If you decide to go during the same time frame we can meet up. I will be hunting with a long time friend and his 12 year old son which is his first year to go to Canada. Honestly my time this year is just happily spent watching a younger generation get the opportunity to see birds in that type of concentration. Do not know where we are setting up camp this year but it will most likely be one of the lakes around Strathclair. We plan on venturing north a couple of days to hunt some lakes up near the narrows or if not the narrows one day of the hunt.
Regards,
Kristan
