Duck Season 2018-2019

[BGkirk]

Do they usually mark the nests with poles?

Usually, though not always, canes with hot pink florescent flags that are usually, but not always, collected as the nests are picked.

Thinking about Darren, Dave and others to our east this morning and suffering some early survivor's guilt, but see we may yet get run over, too.

rick tell me again how the egg collecting goes, once incubated and hatched what percentage is returned to wild? And do they have to release where they collected eggs from?


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[Rick]

The farm/mitigation releases are now 10% (were 12) of the eggs collected, calculated on an average of 4': therefore 8% for 5-footers and 12% for 3s. And they're released on the same lands, by ownership rather than exact nest locations, the eggs were taken from.

If you see an alligator with a notch or notches out of its scoots (tail ridges), it's a farm release, as where and how many scoots are removed is used as a code for the animal's year of release that doesn't require the tag number (which can also be traced to the approximate area of release).

[BGkirk]

The farm/mitigation releases are now 10% (were 12) of the eggs collected, calculated on an average of 4': therefore 8% for 5-footers and 12% for 3s. And they're released on the same lands, by ownership rather than exact nest locations, the eggs were taken from.

If you see an alligator with a notch or notches out of its scoots (tail ridges), it's a farm release, as where and how many scoots are removed is used as a code for the animal's year of release that doesn't require the tag number (which can also be traced to the approximate area of release).

do you think the farm raised gators are used to humans? Or maybe have less fear ?


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[Rick]

Sure, humans feed them. But, though most will avoid you, I'd not trust any alligator to be fearful of anything. Just never know when one hasn't read the rule book.

[DComeaux]

Looking good!!!

[BGkirk]

Sure, humans feed them. But, though most will avoid you, I'd not trust any alligator to be fearful of anything. Just never know when one hasn't read the rule book.

thats where I was getting at, and makes sense because we’ve had some smaller gators like I’ve mentioned before swim right up to the boat or even the blind


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[BGkirk]

Another off season project: adjusting to getting through the workday without my normal amount of sleep. First kiddo arrived yesterday healthy and happy.


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[Deltaman]

Congratulations BG!!!!!!!!!

[Duck Engr]

Congrats man!! We had our first back in October. It gets easier after 6 weeks or so and starts to get fun around 3 months when they can interact with you a bit. Until then they’re just eat, poop, sleep machines.

[MARSH BEAR]

Enjoy the experience, they grow up way too fast - my first born was on 11/19/74.

[Darren]

Congrats! Enjoy, there's just something about little girls.

[Rick]

Congrats, indeed.

...there's just something about little girls.

Yep, they own you.

[Ericdc]

Another niece


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[BGkirk]

Other guys made it to marsh last week checking on salvinia. It’s dying as you can see, hoping water drops and the weevils have a good dry month of Aug
Shot of the pit we put in and pushed floatant around it. Not sure what plant species were on those floatant but it grew several feet. Look back a few posts and you can see the photo from just after we got the pit in place.
Debated on spraying the lotus (large Lillie pads) opening up 3-4 acres in each pond to get some open water earlier but the chemicals aren’t cheap. Usually we weed eat the pads off at water level or have a play with boats like Rick does. water is over the floor on this blind and boat hide falling apart. Will get it repaired and plan on lowering boat hide on about 8-10’ in order to shoot over the hide on south winds (blind faces south). Years past Roseau was so tall it never allowed us to setup for a south wind, atleast for shooting decoying ducks.


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[Ericdc]

3rd pic #2?


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[BGkirk]

3rd pic #2?


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yes


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[BGkirk]

While the rain made it slower to work, it sure felt good. We got hammered from 830-10 or so while brushing blinds. No thunder or lightning thankfully. We have some for sure spots safe from salvinia but the usual spots may not be open til big duck. Saw plenty woodies and black bellies .


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[BGkirk]

While the rain made it slower to work, it sure felt good. We got hammered from 830-10 or so while brushing blinds. No thunder or lightning thankfully. We have some for sure spots safe from salvinia but the usual spots may not be open til big duck. Saw plenty woodies and black bellies .


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[Ericdc]

You only posted this twice, you’re slipping


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[Rick]

At least he got to the marsh. Doppler canceled our marsh day - but we had so little rain at the house that I mowed, instead.

[BGkirk]

Exercising the dog this morning and while throwing out decoys (getting him ready to navigate through quite a spread) a fast Flying V caught my eye. 100% blue wings headed south. Barely caught them before they got out of range. If only I had my call and could’ve hollered at them to see if they would’ve slowed down.


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[Rick]

Reminds me of most of my early teal pictures. Never mind that they're to small or out of focus to see, they're teal!!!

Our morning Tiger Mart meeting of the minds has produced exactly three reliable sightings to date. With those traveling the various marshes around Grand Lake as yet to spy one. Should change with the weekend's northerly winds - or not...

[Ericdc]

I saw a bunch of 6 or 7 headed south this morning at sunrise. Definitely teal


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[Darren]

Grosse Savanne had a video yesterday of quite a few birds working rice. A buddy rode upper Delacroix last two mornings, saw "a few hundred" in total, and his vids he passed on to me supported it.

[Rick]

Made a little ag land loop this morning, but it seems I'm always late to the teal party. Perhaps I'll see a few in our marsh tomorrow...

[BGkirk]

Didn’t see it myself but from a cousin courting a Lacassine girl, that a crop duster was stirring up some “big wads” of blue wings around Bell City


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