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First off, I want to thank Olly for creating this log book section. I'm going to spend a lot of time here during the season. I really do appreciate it.


I woke this old girl up from a long nap last Wednesday evening to get water flowing in the fields.


We checked on her and the progress everyday and I was able to shut her down Yesterday morning, as the fields were full.
I'm now waiting on the fields to get buffaloed. This should happen in the next week or two, I HOPE!

Near the end of the season last year we developed a small leak in the blind. Yesterday, I removed the cover, bailed the blind and searched for the leaks. I found the one small hairline crack I had noticed during the season, wiped it dry, and covered it with a little J-B water weld. We'll see what happens. It was hard to keep it dry as the sweat that was pouring off of me kept dripping on the spot. Man was it humid, and I was out there early in the morning. The horse flies were out in force as well. Little biting bastages!
I was alone yesterday, so I didn't feel like carrying the camera out there. We'll be out there pretty often from now to teal opener, so I'll post the progress and pictures as we get closer to go time. Teal sighting reports are starting to pick up across the state and we are three weeks away from opening day.

Good deal! That pump sits out there all year and cranked up? Keep us posted on sightings

Just curious do you guide as well or is this just a personal spot?

Darren wrote:Good deal! That pump sits out there all year and cranked up? Keep us posted on sightings

No, it only runs when we need water.

by Flightstopper » Sun Aug 24, 2014 2:07 pm

Just curious do you guide as well or is this just a personal spot?

It's a personal spot. A Leased blind on part of a property in rice country. This farm hasn't been planted for some time and we flood the leveed cuts. We are surrounded by active rice fields being harvested at this time.

Very cool Comeaux.

Have shot like a bazillion and twelve teal on the farm Dave now hunts. It can be "very cool," indeed.


















(Or it can suck like just about everywhere else I know of.)

Haha

Speaking of "sucks" as Rick mentioned, last year was one of those seasons. I actually had time to get out of the blind to take pictures during prime time on opening morning. That hadn't happened in the past three seasons, there.

Looking South. The guys wanted to see birds so bad that anything that moved caught their attention.


Looking North. The pump is about a quarter mile in that direction.


The pit.


How we felt most mornings. See Blake's Look with hand on face. Lower right.


I sure hope these blue winged rascals get back on schedule this year. No matter the situation, we'll be out there.

Did Doug rent the east side of the farm to folks you know or strangers?

Rick wrote:Did Doug rent the east side of the farm to folks you know or strangers?

Strangers. I found out yesterday when I called him.

All I knew was that it was on a "gone" list that had me too depressed to ask where.

DComeaux wrote:

Darren wrote:Good deal! That pump sits out there all year and cranked up? Keep us posted on sightings

No, it only runs when we need water.

by Flightstopper » Sun Aug 24, 2014 2:07 pm

Just curious do you guide as well or is this just a personal spot?

It's a personal spot. A Leased blind on part of a property in rice country. This farm hasn't been planted for some time and we flood the leveed cuts. We are surrounded by active rice fields being harvested at this time.

Nah, what I meant was that it sits out there year-round in the weather, unused, but then still cranked right up when you showed up and needed her? 'Ol reliable!

If Dave lets that pass, he's being way too modest. While the engine's been ok, he saved the pump's plumbing from years (decades?) of neglect and Cajun rigging.

Darren wrote:

DComeaux wrote:

Darren wrote:Good deal! That pump sits out there all year and cranked up? Keep us posted on sightings

Nah, what I meant was that it sits out there year-round in the weather, unused, but then still cranked right up when you showed up and needed her? 'Ol reliable!

Yeah, she's been sweet and started right up with no problems. After a short warm up run and about twenty to thirty minutes of running with the pump engaged, she sputtered a bit which had me a little concerned. She did spit out whatever it was and didn't miss a beat for four days. I've be contemplating building a shelter over that unit, and just may do that, soon.

Rick wrote:If Dave lets that pass, he's being way too modest. While the engine's been ok, he saved the pump's plumbing from years (decades?) of neglect and Cajun rigging.

HA!... I think I put a band aid on a still festering wound. It's working, for now, but I did notice a couple of small weep holes that have appeared. Hopefully it gives us a couple more years. "He" had mentioned, on a couple of occasions, replacing all with plastic. We'll see.....

DComeaux wrote:"He" had mentioned, on a couple of occasions, replacing all with plastic. We'll see.....

Given the givens, that may have been more of a suggestion. Just hope it doesn't occur to him to use that engine to solve our marsh access problem. Been biting my tongue on that one.

Rick wrote:

DComeaux wrote:"He" had mentioned, on a couple of occasions, replacing all with plastic. We'll see.....

Given the givens, that may have been more of a suggestion. Just hope it doesn't occur to him to use that engine to solve our marsh access problem. Been biting my tongue on that one.

Stop it!

Made an early morning trip out to the blind this morning and found the stubble roller had did it's thing. We now have ponds. No teal seen on our place but I did see one bunch at daylight just to the north of the blind while en route, and one bunch when leaving north of our location. Two weeks until opening morning.

He called me for directions to the blind while we were putting boats together yesterday. Looks like we got him to the right place.

Rick wrote:He called me for directions to the blind while we were putting boats together yesterday. Looks like we got him to the right place.

He sure did... I drove out to the lodge and down to Talens looking for birds. I thought of calling you but decided not to bother you..

Wouldn't have been a bother and usually a good chance I'm free or can get that way. 'Least for a little while.

After reading reports of good numbers of teal in our area this morning my nephew and I made a trip to the blind late this afternoon. We watched, conservatively, 150 to 200 BW and as many mottled ducks work the fields together. They were in flocks of 25 to 50 each. I'm new to videoing and this poor excuse for one is a clip I put together from all of the footage I took. This is but a SMALL portion of what we saw and what I tried to video. Again, sorry for the quality of this mess and I hope to get better with practice. Confidence builder for sure, especially after last season.

Given all the birds I haven't been seeing, you might want to keep an eye out for poachers.

Rick wrote:Given all the birds I haven't been seeing, you might want to keep an eye out for poachers.

HA!... Come on over...although they may disappear, or not.

Good first video, sure beats none at all and helps me believe that at least a few birds are making their way down here. A buddy had a look around in our marsh over weekend and saw none. I won't be looking myself until next Friday.

Darren wrote:Good first video, sure beats none at all and helps me believe that at least a few birds are making their way down here. A buddy had a look around in our marsh over weekend and saw none. I won't be looking myself until next Friday.

Thanks for the kind words. I think I've discovered my problem with the focus. The few multiple function buttons on this camera and terminology used has my brain a bit twisted, but I think I will conquer this thing. After a bit of reading and some research I do believe I'm on my way to better videos, I hope anyway.
I was looking at camera gear last night and the pricing goes from cheap, to darn expensive with no middle ground to speak of. I think I'll stick with cheap, for now.

I've got a fancy Sony HD camera that shoots in 1080p; y'all have seen exactly zero videos from me over last couple years since I've gotten it. Just haven't put anything together yet. Maybe this season.....

Went to the blind this morning and only saw a pair BW while walking out. Honestly, I didn't look for teal a whole bunch after noticing the water level lower then when I shut the pump off. I spent the remainder of the morning dealing with that.

Dug out these ole coot from my stash. They will float in the spread this year.

May I suggest rafting those coots in a single clump or two at the edge of the spread or nearby, rather than putting them "in" the spread where their possible effect will likely be "lost in the crowd".

(Just keep a tube of 5200 handy for hole patching if you put them out where business is done. My raft catches some shots, and I just patched ten coots I was too lazy to keep in action toward the end of last season.)

Rick wrote:May I suggest rafting those coots in a single clump or two at the edge of the spread or nearby, rather than putting them "in" the spread where their possible effect will likely be "lost in the crowd".

(Just keep a tube of 5200 handy for hole patching if you put them out where business is done. My raft catches some shots, and I just patched ten coots I was too lazy to keep in action toward the end of last season.)

That's pretty much what I had in mind. I was also thinking about connecting all or some of those to a jerk cord for those still mornings. Where I plan to put these, I'm sure there will be collateral damage.