In this episode of Ten Minute Tuesday, the guys dive into the forgotten history of Huron Lake, Minnesota-a place once known as the “Chesapeake of the West.”
Historical accounts describe as many as 700,000 canvasbacks gathering there during fall migration, attracting professional market hunters, wealthy sportsmen, guides, duck camps, and trainloads of harvested birds. At its peak, Huron Lake was considered one of the greatest waterfowl destinations in the country.
The guys get into the massive market hunting operation surrounding the lake. They also cover James Ford Bell, whose concern over declining hunting eventually helped push him toward waterfowl research that became connected to the beginnings of Delta Waterfowl. Along the way, there’s plenty of the usual joking around, including the equally devastating historical decline of canvasbacks and Burger Kings.
What ultimately changed Huron Lake wasn’t just hunting pressure-it was the disappearance of the surrounding habitat. With nearly all of the original wetlands in the watershed eventually drained, one of Minnesota’s greatest duck hunting destinations faded into relative obscurity. It’s a fascinating and frustrating look at just how different Minnesota waterfowl hunting once was.
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