Post Season

[DComeaux]

About to head out to Grand Chenier. Tiger Island school section is the closest I know we'll be to your piece, but there's a new marsh or two that might bring us closer. Probably still north of the road, though.

Got more reports of "low" to "no" water in the marsh down that way yesterday, and also references to places airboats can't access as you've referenced; think it's north of the highway stuff. One even mentioned riding an ATV around in the dried up marsh

I think I'll ride down that way Saturday and check on things. With this low water through the summer I'd assume mother nature produced some succulent NATURAL feed for the fowl. I hope the wigeon grass made a come back.

[DComeaux]

It's disheartening that this doesn't apply to us anymore, but I guess I'm still in the routine of checking on things.

[Darren]

It's disheartening that this doesn't apply to us anymore, but I guess I'm still in the routine of checking on things.

Huh? Maybe that brood of canada's won't see my gray duck spread in St. Bernard Parish, but I'm willing to bet that brood of spoons they showed might make an appearance in Avoyelles Parish rice

[DComeaux]

It's disheartening that this doesn't apply to us anymore, but I guess I'm still in the routine of checking on things.

Huh? Maybe that brood of canada's won't see my gray duck spread in St. Bernard Parish, but I'm willing to bet that brood of spoons they showed might make an appearance in Avoyelles Parish rice

Dribs and drabs does not a hunt make.

[SpinnerMan]

It's disheartening that this doesn't apply to us anymore, but I guess I'm still in the routine of checking on things.

Huh? Maybe that brood of canada's won't see my gray duck spread in St. Bernard Parish, but I'm willing to bet that brood of spoons they showed might make an appearance in Avoyelles Parish rice

Dribs and drabs does not a hunt make.

When dribs and drabs don't make a hunt life is very good.

[DComeaux]

It's disheartening that this doesn't apply to us anymore, but I guess I'm still in the routine of checking on things.

Huh? Maybe that brood of canada's won't see my gray duck spread in St. Bernard Parish, but I'm willing to bet that brood of spoons they showed might make an appearance in Avoyelles Parish rice

Dribs and drabs does not a hunt make.

When dribs and drabs don't make a hunt life is very good.

I see what you did there.

[Rick]

About to head out to Grand Chenier. Tiger Island school section is the closest I know we'll be to your piece, but there's a new marsh or two that might bring us closer. Probably still north of the road, though.

Got more reports of "low" to "no" water in the marsh down that way yesterday, and also references to places airboats can't access as you've referenced; think it's north of the highway stuff. One even mentioned riding an ATV around in the dried up marsh

I think I'll ride down that way Saturday and check on things. With this low water through the summer I'd assume mother nature produced some succulent NATURAL feed for the fowl. I hope the wigeon grass made a come back.

Didn't learn a darn thing of interest to you while in GC marsh. Went into the Tiger Island marsh a new way (bless you Google Earth) that was much easier than what we'd been doing, but bypassed the big ponds where I've seen matted wigeon grass in some past summers and there wasn't enough to notice in the trail or small ponds we went through. No Walter's millet of note, either. Also ran some boat and pipeline trails on a small piece south of 82 east of the refuge and saw nothing more notable than a lot of dead giant salvinia salinity may have gotten the best of.

Hope you find more promise if you go this weekend.

[DComeaux]

About to head out to Grand Chenier. Tiger Island school section is the closest I know we'll be to your piece, but there's a new marsh or two that might bring us closer. Probably still north of the road, though.

Got more reports of "low" to "no" water in the marsh down that way yesterday, and also references to places airboats can't access as you've referenced; think it's north of the highway stuff. One even mentioned riding an ATV around in the dried up marsh

I think I'll ride down that way Saturday and check on things. With this low water through the summer I'd assume mother nature produced some succulent NATURAL feed for the fowl. I hope the wigeon grass made a come back.

Didn't learn a darn thing of interest to you while in GC marsh. Went into the Tiger Island marsh a new way (bless you Google Earth) that was much easier than what we'd been doing, but bypassed the big ponds where I've seen matted wigeon grass in some past summers and there wasn't enough to notice in the trail or small ponds we went through. No Walter's millet of note, either. Also ran some boat and pipeline trails on a small piece south of 82 east of the refuge and saw nothing more notable than a lot of dead giant salvinia salinity may have gotten the best of.

Hope you find more promise if you go this weekend.

I may go take a peek at the boat shed to check the water level. We're a few weeks away from getting out there to check on the blind.

[DComeaux]

We're being left in the dust. I have no doubt that this being implemented in most states to our north in the flyway is having an impact on migration, especially when this state is doing nothing. Any ideas?

http://www.mdwfp.com/media/255618/website-info-2018-mississippi-private-land-wetland-incentive-program.pdf

[Darren]

It's disheartening that this doesn't apply to us anymore, but I guess I'm still in the routine of checking on things.

Huh? Maybe that brood of canada's won't see my gray duck spread in St. Bernard Parish, but I'm willing to bet that brood of spoons they showed might make an appearance in Avoyelles Parish rice

speaking of spoons, I bought a dozen ghg spoon decoys off a buddy ... they have a lot of color on them. Ready to see them in the spread

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We run plenty of them, and I'd welcome plenty more, in the Bunkie field spread. They show up beautifully on the water. I've also hunted over them in teal season with great result

[Rick]

We're being left in the dust. I have no doubt that this being implemented in most states to our north in the flyway is having an impact on migration, especially when this state is doing nothing. Any ideas?

http://www.mdwfp.com/media/255618/website-info-2018-mississippi-private-land-wetland-incentive-program.pdf

I'm thinking that little enough incentive that the only ones "taking advantage" of the program are those inclined to flood for their own purposes, anyway. (Sort of how the "shorebird" flooding incentive of a few years ago worked out for our farmers.)

But I thought of you today while walking (more or less) some of one of our area's private wetland conservation easements. This one on the Mallard Bay company land Darren's familiar with. Generally speaking, the areas are wastelands of otherwise little or no value to their owners being (at least hopefully) turned into more useful waterfowl habitat through some first rate appearing water control structures. Honestly don't know how the program will work out but do know I've seen miles of serious levee no rat will ever breach with galvanized pipes, overflows and gates. The area I was on today already served the area many of us hunt as a seasonal holding area for thousands of birds when the portions that could be grazed or plowed for weed control held rain sheet water, so it will be interesting to see how this major expansion of hopefully usable habitat works out.

Already seeing a whole lot of duck potato where cattails and mung bushes once choked everything else out, but that doesn't mean it won't all revert to trash when the funding or whatever runs out...

[DComeaux]

I've had conversations about implementing this program on some of the set asides over your way a few years ago. No one wanted to bother with the the habitat agreement requirements laid out in that PDF.

[DComeaux]

Took a ride to the marsh today to check on the camp and to look at the water conditions. Some of the dry areas from a couple of weeks ago had water, and our marsh is low but seems okay. I saw it lower at one point during the season than what I encountered today. Though we could use about 6" to a foot more, I think we'll be okay. The roseau in the area seems to be in much better shape than last years crop. I'm really anxious to get out the blind and take a look around.

Boat launch area

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The little cut needs some traffic.

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Saw quite a few golden fields on the drive in and out. Sure sign teal season isn't far off.

20180728_133947.jpg

[DComeaux]

Think you could use 6” more or less water?


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[Rick]

Those golden fields sure do warm the heart.

They've been cutting them here, just west of where I'd guess that photo was taken, for the past week or two, and even combines in the field haven't provoked remotely the rain they usually do. About 20 miles north of Dave's marsh, ours could use a lot more than 6", and it is in better shape than many.

One man's boon is another man's bane...

[DComeaux]

Those golden fields sure do warm the heart.

They've been cutting them here, just west of where I'd guess that photo was taken, for the past week or two, and even combines in the field haven't provoked remotely the rain they usually do. About 20 miles north of Dave's marsh, ours could use a lot more than 6", and it is in better shape than many.

One man's boon is another man's bane...

We had some rain showers yesterday evening here at home, and I saw you guys may have picked up a little as well? Rain chances go up today and for the next couple of days,and I hope we get more. When I was leaving the camp yesterday there were a couple of big rains happening in Chenier that I drove through. I hope this trend continues.

Most fields I drive past on my route we're planted late. These were crawfished. I noticed that the farmers were able to get in and plow and clean up all fallow fields used for crawfish this year due to the dry weather. Fresh succulent shoots and tubers.

[DComeaux]

Came to watch our our John Chassion and a few others play a tune this morning.

20180729_102507.jpg

[Rick]

The "World" appears pretty small in that shot.

[Darren]

What's the difference in this weekend's "Worlds" from the "worlds" I recall everyone trying to qualify for in Stuttgart in November in the past? Few guys I knew were winning in August in Gueydan, our La State event, to qualify to go to Stuttgart for "worlds" in November.

Completely unrelated but sorta not, how do we here in the US crown "world champions" in MLB, NBA, NFL, etc. for leagues that are either US only, or US and a Canadian team or two? Rant done


Glad your marsh is at least usable, Dave. Hope this week's higher rain chances help everyone over that way out with a few inches

Capture.JPG

[Darren]

We're being left in the dust. I have no doubt that this being implemented in most states to our north in the flyway is having an impact on migration, especially when this state is doing nothing. Any ideas?

http://www.mdwfp.com/media/255618/website-info-2018-mississippi-private-land-wetland-incentive-program.pdf

I'm thinking that little enough incentive that the only ones "taking advantage" of the program are those inclined to flood for their own purposes, anyway. (Sort of how the "shorebird" flooding incentive of a few years ago worked out for our farmers.)

But I thought of you today while walking (more or less) some of one of our area's private wetland conservation easements. This one on the Mallard Bay company land Darren's familiar with. Generally speaking, the areas are wastelands of otherwise little or no value to their owners being (at least hopefully) turned into more useful waterfowl habitat through some first rate appearing water control structures. Honestly don't know how the program will work out but do know I've seen miles of serious levee no rat will ever breach with galvanized pipes, overflows and gates. The area I was on today already served the area many of us hunt as a seasonal holding area for thousands of birds when the portions that could be grazed or plowed for weed control held rain sheet water, so it will be interesting to see how this major expansion of hopefully usable habitat works out.

Already seeing a whole lot of duck potato where cattails and mung bushes once choked everything else out, but that doesn't mean it won't all revert to trash when the funding or whatever runs out...

Rick,

what's Mallard Bay's water level looking like? Think they've usually hunted teal season in there, though with mixed results.

[Darren]

What's the difference in this weekend's "Worlds" from the "worlds" I recall everyone trying to qualify for in Stuttgart in November in the past? Few guys I knew were winning in August in Gueydan, our La State event, to qualify to go to Stuttgart for "worlds" in November.

Completely unrelated but sorta not, how do we here in the US crown "world champions" in MLB, NBA, NFL, etc. for leagues that are either US only, or US and a Canadian team or two? Rant done


Glad your marsh is at least usable, Dave. Hope this week's higher rain chances help everyone over that way out with a few inches

Capture.JPG

It’s not the MAINSTREET world duck. There is a sanctioned regional in it. The gulf coast regional which the winner of the duck qualifies for Main Street duck in Stuttgart in November.

It is the World speck,snow,team speck,team snow contest.

Those titles are world titles recognized by mike eddy at calling ducks.com

So you’ll can laugh or make fun of the lack of audience,but the callers in the contests are world class. Not surprising to me as I have seen this my whole career.

Go to gueydan now and see the 10 callers in the bullpen. And when the last contest starts at the end of the day 5 people in the audience. Does that mean those callers are not high class callers

John, I've no intention of questioning any of the above's legitimacy (outside of the MLB, NFL, NBA comment which I stand by).

So this one over the weekend was just world's speck, snow, team speck and team snow? Is there another world's for those categories somewhere? I don't know who Mr. Eddy is; but what about him makes him the sanctioning body for these competitions? Guess I never looked into how it was all regulated as I've never gotten involved in that scene outside of a few trips to the La State event at the duck fest

[Darren]

By the way I won the world speck

Im embarrassed to have forgotten to ask the obvious, how'd you make out?

Congrats! Know it was a ton of practice hours; really would like to make that event at the cajun dome some time but haven't made it happen.

So do you now hunt with a crown on or how does that work?

Also, does that show have a lot of waterfowl related stuff/vendors? La Sportsman show in the super dome only has a limited amount