Teal Season 2016

[Darren]

9-10-2016 Teal Season Opener
Mid 70's, winds SSE to NE 5+ then fizzled to about nothing, bugs galore
Johnny & I with Harry, SE La public land

Yesterday's traditional opener-eve scout mission backed up what the LDWF aerial survey said.......overall numbers in our state way down and SE La basically had no birds. We saw none yesterday poking around all over. This morning we knew we'd have to be extra careful with all of the woodies which worked out fine but also cost us a few teal being so precautious. First was a trio power diving in that we let pass, should have fired. Next was a large group of maybe 20-30 birds coming at us from a blind spot due to bushes. I managed to get a shot off and scratched one down. Later a 4 pack was spotted out front that worked back to us with the call beautifully, but we only dropped 2 of the 4. That was it, but a fair many more than we thought we'd have. Plenty of woodies and squealers working us early in the morning so fun to watch. Harry had a great morning on his limited ops making pretty short retrieves. Hoping the small front tonight delivers more than takes. Marsh overall had a fair bit of shooting today, though have to wonder what some were shooting at.

As is my custom..........empty shells in the boat, feathers on the cleaning table, tired dog at my feet, college football on TV, all is well on my end folks. Left plenty out there to want to go again tomorrow so we'll give it a shot considering we were just happy to shoot the guns.

3 BW teal

First bird of the 2016 season

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back in the saddle

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[Darren]

Sun. 9-11-2016
Mid 70's, winds NNE 0-5+, very weak frontal passage overnight
Johnny & I with Harry, SE La public land

Back to about the same hole as day before and saw no one at all in our vicinity when setting up thankfully. Started out quiet again with no flights off the bat but soon got into a fairly steady flight, at first a couple of small groups but thereafter they were coming to the call in wads 20-30 strong, really neat to see. Other than one wad of about 30 that we only scared 1 from, took 5 from the next and did well overall with our shooting and timing the flocks right. Downed our 12 but lost one lively crip to a large area of flooded grass across the way that I wouldn't let Harry root around in much. Other than that he was clutch for us gathering up everything else that fell close. Lot of fun having them work to the call so well today. Had we another gunner or two in the blind, would have really done some damage today, the ops were there. Tried waiting them out for the last bird and of course none came while picking dekes and sure enough as we're making our way out of there a nice wad of 20 or so worked the hole. Today's birds appeared to be all new to the area so hopefully they find something they like.

I may be done for the season with the baby en route but slight chance I get a pass for a mid-week outing to cap it off, TBD

11 BW teal, a tired dog, & happy hunters

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[Rick]

Neat.

[DComeaux]

Good deal! Glad you guys got some birds.

[Deltaman]

Great reports Darren, and glad that your persistence paid off by going back Sunday!!!!!

[Darren]

What a difference a day can make sometimes.


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Can only figure that maybe the pressure from opener combined with a slight north wind was the difference but it was definitely new birds arriving on a north to south flight all morning; not one was moving south to north. Most within yelling distance gave us a look if we stayed on the call

Tentatively trying them again (and likely for last time this season) on Wednesday AM

[Darren]

Darren - our teal in the southwest did not decoy at all in the early morning until about 8:00am then they wanted to land on the mojos.
Sorry you may not get to hunt for a while - so feel better knowing that I will be there for you.

Good to hear!!

[Darren]

Wed. 9-14-2016
Low 70's, winds NNE 5-10+, felt really nice out there
Johnny & I with Harry, SE La public land

Back in same hole as the weekend under ideal teal season conditions, very few people out this morning. Had a strong woodduck flight from south to north, many taking the time to splash down in our spread. Unfortunately, did not see a single teal. We stuck it out to about 8:15, just nothing. Heard only a few shots in the distance and none in an area that's generally up flyway from us. Nonetheless a nice morning in the blind, had the area all to ourselves. Harry had to be wondering why we were letting the woodrows come and go unscathed. Wish I could have gotten him a few more practice reps before the regular season but Johnny and I liked what we saw from him over the weekend and also found his handling in and around the blind to be improved from a year ago, listening better and just being calmer in general, so hope that bodes well for November. New motor is serving us like a dream on the flat.

DNS

Bored hound biding his time watching the woodies

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or just off and on naps

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Also noticed that I hadn't pulled out the homemade "mojo tree" since 2011 or so, but put it back in action this season and it proves handy for setting both spinners together

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Though I had a tentative green light for this coming Saturday, we've opted to shut it down early and get my head in the game elsewhere....stork is en route. Boat and dekes are tucked away in hopes they get to come out again before too long

[DComeaux]

Bummer on the teal no show.

I saw that la nina may not develop and we'll have a "neutral" year.... This really sucks.

https://weather.com/news/weather/video/la-nina-may-not-return-this-fall-or-winter

[Rick]

Won't matter to Darrin. His field time is about to become family time for the foreseeable future.

[aunt betty]

Bummer on the teal no show.

I saw that la nina may not develop and we'll have a "neutral" year.... This really sucks.

https://weather.com/news/weather/video/la-nina-may-not-return-this-fall-or-winter

Oh I got this. Sweet for me. It means I'll be on the "snow line". Ever since no-till farming took over up here that's where you wanna be is on the snow line. Some year find and drive east/west along the snow line. You'd never believe it and you've never seen so many field-hunting rigs. Never know you might even see chode balding.

[Darren]

Bummer on the teal no show.

I saw that la nina may not develop and we'll have a "neutral" year.... This really sucks.

https://weather.com/news/weather/video/la-nina-may-not-return-this-fall-or-winter

Dave, ya can't get worked up in all that. Video even said "50-60% chance". I'll take these alleged "Neutral conditions" all day long instead of last year's El Nino. We just need all this damn rain to stop.

If you're on those weather websites, I'd instead focus on the videos (below) as I believe a fair part of our season can be made or broken in the late September and entirety of October weather occurrences; e.g. shifting the bulk of birds further south, earlier on the calendar. An LSU waterfowl biologist is on my soccer team and last night he told me weather had been turning ugly/cold on the breeding grounds, and they still knew of a lot of BW's up that way. If we can keep these fronts coming up that way, it could bode well for sure.

https://weather.com/news/weather/video/ ... -montana-0

https://weather.com/news/weather/video/ ... he-country

below average temps and some snow fall

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[Darren]

What kinda new motor you running?
I see salvinia in one of the pics, is that a usual problem?


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Replaced my old 2001 Yamaha 40 2-stroke with a 2016 Yamaha 60 hp 4-stroke........super smooth and 20 more horses has been nice.

We are seeing a bit more salvinia than usual but it usually is gone by the regular duck season in November. Unfortunately, this stuff long ago took over what used to be some of the finest mallard hunting around, I'm told, in the Manchac Swamp areas off of Lake Maurepas. It's one of the (few) down sides to not having a tropical system in a while

[Darren]

Reports from my marsh over the weekend didn't have me missing out on much.
Saturday had one buddy hunt just north of where Johnny and I had been going, had a chance on a trio of teal, knocked one down.......and it got up and flew off when he got in the pirogue to retrieve.

Sunday another party went to the south of our area and only saw two teal, none fired upon. This same group, however, had good hunts in Venice Friday and Saturday, with the latter's haul including a hog on bow of the boat with the teal strap.

Really weak front coming through shifting winds slightly north for Tues. night into Wednesday has me a little curious about what might be moving in Wednesday morning but I'll play it smart and stay home.

[Darren]

A buddy took a banded BW teal this morning in the Delacroix area near Lake Lery, known to be a perennial teal hot bed for early season and regular season.

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Nice to have the info provided electronically these days.

[Darren]

Note to log: Tony C and buddy hunted same location as opener today, took home 3 birds but admittedly shot poorly on a couple groups so should have had at least twice as many. Apparently a few around today, no reports from yesterday.

[Darren]

Another banded bird was taken by a buddy in the Delacroix area at end of last week. This one taken within a few miles of the previous one I reported.

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Looked like reports got stronger toward the end of the season over that way