Post-Season '14-'15

[Darren]

Finally got to get out to the blind this weekend to wrestle the floor boards out so they wouldn't weather in the offseason, or drift off in something tropical later this summer (hope not!). Water was a bit low in the marsh but was enough to get the boat back to the blind on plane and put-put/push it out of the pond. Of note, the grass is back with a vengeance, thicker than same time last year so glad I got the boards out because there's no going back out there any time soon. Young Harry was along for the ride and it was an eventful one that had me scared to death at times and laughing at others, part of it I guess.

The birds.....thick! Grays and blue wings galore, the BWs in their fanciest of feathers. Also saw a few dosgris and plenty of coots still around along with the local mottled ducks.

These I didn't disturb

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And of note, the water has warmed and has the gators out and about, here's a little one but there was a monster in the canal where we leave the boat to hunt.

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When heading out toward the blind I also jumped wads of blue wings from about each small pond along with an absolute train load of grays off our "big bay" area that's central to our stompin' grounds, right in the same place they piled in all season. Water was shallow so couldn't slow down to catch photos.

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the blind's pond was already plagued with grass during season and now plainly choked up with various SAV's, many of which seem to not attract birds because the pond was devoid of them even with so many in the general area. Don't see that as promising at all

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But the blind still looks pretty good and hardly out of place

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And Harry's first footprints in a blind

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Which brings me to the antics that ensued before we made it to the blind. His first boat ride was in the larger bay boat, not the small flat boat I run for my duck outings. We were clipping along down the river and in a blink he was up from off the floor, up on to the front deck, and in a flash jumping right off the bow.....scared....to.......death. Didn't even know he could swim yet. Thankfully he popped right up and had head above water just fine as I swung the boat back and was feverishly emptying my pockets to jump in. Turned out he was able to make it back to the boat without issue and we had a laugh but it was terrifying for a good few seconds there.

This after coming back aboard

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He never ventured back up on to the front deck and even had a brief swim by the blind as I wrestled the deck boards out

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[Darren]

The next day had us up early to give the fish a try out on Lake Pontchartrain, which provided his first encounter with a fish

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Fishing was pretty slow so dropped off the guys at the dock before we headed back out for some planned swimming in shallow waters with a firm bottom off a beach and a known alligator-free zone.

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the sand bars are shallow but the in-between's forced him to swim, and under my close supervision, and he did great so we're confident he can at least keep himself afloat moving forward

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Needs to be at home on this boat as well as the little duck rig. He had no idea of what we had in store for him when he got plucked from the litter, but after this weekend he's got a pretty good idea of it, and it's looking like he's taking to it just fine

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[Rick]

Excellent report! Been wondering where the Spring migrants are, as about all I'm seeing here are poule d'eaus and locals.

And I've heard enough horror stories of about pups and props that it freaks me just to see a dog on the front deck. We've an absolutely iron clad "all paws on the main deck" rule, and I'll even fuss them for putting a paw on the rail during "chauffeured retrieves".

[Deltaman]

Good looking Golden Darren!!!!

[DComeaux]

Nice Darren! Thanks for sharing.

[Darren]

Glad to share, it was a fun (and productive) weekend trip back home. Rick, good point on the boat rule, it's been installed and I'm going to be the enforcer!

Some of you may recall that this time last year we were licking wounds from a bum season here in S. Louisiana, trying to figure out why the birds didn't come, or came so late, and kept pointing back to what had appeared to be a pattern forming of late springs.

Saw a note in an article regarding Miss River levels today and how there's "no snow pack" in the upper Mississippi River valley, so that led me to my snow cover website to see where we are versus the previous few years at the same time, shown below.

March 30, 2015

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March 31, 2014

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March 31, 2013

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Looking like we're at least a bit ahead of the last two springs, which is also supported by more than a few indicators I've noticed around here with weather, local water temperatures, etc. Maybe we're due for a more "normally" timed breeding and subsequent migration.

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/snow-and-ice/snow-cover/

[Ducaholic]

Nice looking pup. Really surprised to see that many birds still here. Imagine it won't be long before they move on.

As for the migration the state was loaded in November 2014. Can't imagine it will get any better than that.

[Darren]

Nice looking pup. Really surprised to see that many birds still here. Imagine it won't be long before they move on.

As for the migration the state was loaded in November 2014. Can't imagine it will get any better than that.

Indeed most of us liked what we saw back in even early November, BUT, the early season weather was far from typical as we had strong fronts right off the bat and undoubtedly rushed the migration a bit. I'm just glad to see that maybe things are thawing on time, thus allowing the birds to lay on time, etc. etc. down the line till they show back up in fall.

As for timing, mid to late march is usually when I've seen some big numbers in our area but also have seen them in late april and even early May so hopefully they start heading back up soon!

[Ducaholic]

Agree! Hoping for the best. Birds getting an early start is never a bad thing.

[Darren]

Noticed this photo from the marsh visit reported above came out half-way good of a pair of mottleds shunning the nearby party of migrators for a quieter cove.

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Hopefully they'll be down to business in short order, with a brood trailing in the next couple of months. Still were seeing plenty of mottleds at season's end. I had 5 on the log for the season which is about our average but down from last season's 8. Much like the mallard harvest, it could be significantly higher if we committed to setting up in their wheelhouse on more than an off occasion. Plenty of mallard/mottled spots that no one fools with around here, largely because they're seldom trafficked by the usual grays and GW teal.

[Darren]

Snow cover update on the breeding grounds.......looking promising.

4-20-2015

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For reference:

4-20-2014 > resulting in seemingly "normal" migration in Fall 2014

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4-20-2013 > resulting in delayed hatch & subsequent migration for Fall 2013

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[Rick]

Hopeful sign.

[Tomkat]

Rick, do gators ever get duck dogs in the season?

[Rick]

Usually just in Sptember teal season here. Once the water is down in the low 60s, their metabolism slows so much they're not hungry. Not true hibernators, though, so there's always a slim chance of Pup stepping on one sunning on a warm Winter day and getting got.

[Darren]

Usually just in Sptember teal season here. Once the water is down in the low 60s, their metabolism slows so much they're not hungry. Not true hibernators, though, so there's always a slim chance of Pup stepping on one sunning on a warm Winter day and getting got.

For sure.

In early November 2010 I was poking around in the marsh scouting.

Had my eyes in the background here:

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Then looked straight down in the near ground grass:

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Not really a monster but of plenty size to bring the hurt to me or a dog.

[Darren]

Saw this posted on one of our local waterfowl forums as an ad for a seemingly upstart guide service in SW La rice:

Guided Teal, Duck, and Goose hunts available for the 15-16 season. Blind is easy to access. $100 a gun for mourning hunt. $80 a gun for afternoon. If group does not kill at least 1 duck or goose, your group will not have to pay.

Was curious as to how that might go on slow mornings? I can see it as follows: dead morning, no birds even fired upon, and late in hunt, say 9:30a or so, a lone spoonie or teal flutters in. Is this group going to roll it over only to now be on the hook for the full fee? I'd figure not. But what if the guide shoots it and now proclaims the hunt a big success and thus fees in their entirety are required per the policy?

Just funny off season fodder. Maybe Rick has some insight to other known no-kill, no-pay deals.

[Rick]

Years back I hunted a blind near such an outfit that only had one spot with a huge milk jug and other junk white spread and used to feel for the poor guide no doubt trying to call shots at every stale bunch that came by high or wide. Was pretty common to hear just one volley a morning and we'd always laugh about how he, the guide, finally got 'em, his guns. Never thought about the guide actually doing the shooting...

[Darren]

Took part in the 2015 Louisiana waterfowl hunter survey to share my 2-cents. Link to participate is below:
http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/2015-surve ... wl-hunters

My overall satisfaction with the season and the associated open/close dates was pretty decent last year even though they keep monkeying with my East Zone dates in December. I'd prefer that both youth hunt dates occur on same weekend on front end of season rather than at the end but I've largely given up banging that drum following the disheartening actions of some LDWF commissioners at past meetings I've attended, so thankful to at least have one of the days at beginning of the season so (hopefully) I can keep putting young hunters on decoy friendly birds. As for the coastal zone, I thought it interesting that Rod Haydel posted a video of his thoughts on Haydel's FB page yesterday with the following synopsis: The CZ season opened "two weeks" late last season so the birds came down to the coast, ate up all the feed available, then left and thus the hunting was poor for them.

If I recall correctly the CZ opened on Nov 15; so is he asking it to open on ~ Nov 1? That would put the CZ youth weekend as ~ Oct 25, not too sure on that. Last year's early arriving numbers were skewed due to the uncommonly harsh start to winter in early November but some years Nov 1st can be awfully lean on bird sightings. Doesn't mean every year there will be huntable numbers so early in November.

Also at hand is the issue of Limited Access Areas. The bag check data I've seen seems to support the LAA's by showing discernibly increased harvest numbers in those areas, but what about the mud motor lobby? Surely they're not going to sit back and watch the state reduce the areas their products can be used. Will be interesting to see it shake out this summer......

[Rick]

Politics and duck hunting are local. Rod hunts the same marsh where Grant Hillman has long lobbied for earlier dates on the grounds that anything after December is wasted. Across the estuary to their west, Terry Shaughnessy used to argue for an October opener. But in our area, we'd be screwed most Octobers, and the "traditional" Coastal dates with their second November weekend opening and 12 day December split have worked out pretty well on both ends over the long haul. I voted accordingly and hope enough others did to carry the day, but who knows what the commission will do.

Will be amazed if the "leave it alone" stance of most serious speck hunters I know isn't lost in the rank and file's shout for "more".

[Darren]

Politics and duck hunting are local. Rod hunts the same marsh where Grant Hillman has long lobbied for earlier dates on the grounds that anything after December is wasted. Across the estuary to their west, Terry Shaughnessy used to argue for an October opener. But in our area, we'd be screwed most Octobers, and the "traditional" Coastal dates with their second November weekend opening and 12 day December split have worked out pretty well on both ends over the long haul. I voted accordingly and hope enough others did to carry the day, but who knows what the commission will do.

Will be amazed if the "leave it alone" stance of most serious speck hunters I know isn't lost in the rank and file's shout for "more".

As a fellow marsh hunter who diligently monitors the migration on the front end, I've been there in late October with hoardes of birds wondering why I have to wait till Nov 15 or even 22 to hunt them, but also been there in the ballpark of Nov 10-12 with very little to get excited about. Just seems like a huge gamble to roll the dice on such an early opener, I'm all for the typical second week kickoff for CZ.

Rick, did you have any thoughts on the other options for zones? The north and south zone, to me, seemed to make some remote sense but surely it's more intricate than that. What about the idea of shifting east zone further west to include some rice north of you? I've got no dog in either of those hunts because my area would still be split into part EZ and part CZ by hwy 90 any way. Also, what about the specks? Would extra days still be productive or better to make hay with three birds apiece on the shorter season? I guess they could just opt to leave it as-is but likewise figure most would want the extra bird.

[Rick]

I took a wild hair to vote for the Rt. 14 CZ border to get in a few more good duck days from the local pot stirring that would cause, even though it would put the camp in a lease planning bind, but asked for no change in specks, because I hate to see any more pressure pushing them north. That, and three birds would make the almighty limit more elusive and more days would have to go somewhere that either hurt duck hunting or see more birds leaving LA with bad memories of it. I expect, however, that the higher limit will be most popular with the rank and file.

[Darren]

I understand, makes sense; especially when achieving that limit (and nothing short thereof) is what some customers make out to be your job. I'm sure it would be nice to add another to the bag when they're really flying but it's not like specks are getting dumber to go along with the increased limit. Would a Hwy 14 border become that of a refuge line, with birds moving either to the north or south of it from pressure depending on which side was open or not? Whereas in the past they had to go much further to another zone for some peace and quiet ha!

On our end I really feel that a week shift in either direction (which they've tinkered with last few years) plays out about the same at the end of it all so not much to get worked up about in the dates, just ideal to have at least one week that CZ is open with EZ closed so it allows for more than 60 days of opportunity with access to both.

[Ducaholic]

Darren I have heard you make a statement to a commissioner that you could show him the birds that showed up in October when that commissioner was pushing for later dates for the East Zone and less hunting in November.

Now your pointing to last years weather as out of the norm when discussing Coastal Zone dates and ducks may or may not show up that early.

Seems odd that you would change directions that way depending on the times and the discussion. Perhaps your like most hunters and just want what's best for you. Can't say I blame you a bit...

[Darren]

Darren I have heard you make a statement to a commissioner that you could show him the birds that showed up in October when that commissioner was pushing for later dates for the East Zone and less hunting in November.

Now your pointing to last years weather as out of the norm when discussing Coastal Zone dates and ducks may or may not show up that early.

Seems odd that you would change directions that way depending on the times and the discussion. Perhaps your like most hunters and just want what's best for you. Can't say I blame you a bit...

All true, except for maybe the last one. I have indeed spoken to commissioners on the matter, arguing against later season dates for East Zone but really that stems from the current problem that some of my stompin grounds lie within the EZ, just like places that act completely different like Mer Rouge, Avoyelles Parish, Krotz Springs, and all points in between. If I recall correctly the idea of opening weekend after Thanksgiving or even Dec 1 was kicked around, and running 60 days straight to end of Jan. We sometimes see that early push of birds ranging from Oct 20 to Nov 1 but usually in good shape by Nov 10-15. East zone marsh hunters are in the absolute minority, but they want earlier days closer to that of the Coastal Zone because biologically it acts the same way. To try to satisfy the needs of hunters in Mer Rouge and the coastal marsh is a futile effort we undertake every time this issue comes up. The way it's been is about the closest thing to a happy medium possible, but when a commissioner wants to keep pushing later, that's just not going to work, particularly on the tail end of season when in the marsh we've got no water on a typical year with recurring fronts. He may not have peak migration in NE La for mid-Nov but the marsh hunters have huntable numbers and don't want to wait till end of November to chase them.

Hard to watch these with more than 2 weeks left to opening day

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The real issue there is with the zones, so the obvious solution would be to put the remaining east zone marshes into the Coastal Zone. That was evaluated a couple years back, but it turned out that although we don't like to wait that extra week beyond the CZ opener, it made for the opportunity to lengthen our overall season because we got an extra week. I.e. I can hunt CZ from my camp or home for a whole week before east zone opens thus making my season well over 60 days. People voted in favor of that and it's been that way since, and it's nice Give and take........

Just disheartening to see the other side of it at the meetings......survey says the public wants this, and the commissioners go with that. Grrrrr

Where are you hunting and what's your thoughts on potential changes?

[Ducaholic]

Typed out a nice long response that somehow was lost. To sum it up I like staggered opening days and while I would like more days in December the traditional East Zone dates actually work better for my vacation schedule so I'm good with that as well.

[Darren]

Typed out a nice long response that somehow was lost. To sum it up I like staggered opening days and while I would like more days in December the traditional East Zone dates actually work better for my vacation schedule so I'm good with that as well.

Been there, done that. What general areas you frequent? Comments on the recent switch to only a one week break in December like last year vs a traditional two week break in Dec?

[Ducaholic]

Central La. Private/Public with an occasional coastal marsh trip mixed in. I'm pretty much noncommittal on split length. I don't see the longer split as the magic pill that some do but as I said previously traditional dates suit my vacation schedule better so I'm ok either way. I'd rather hunt a good cold front than the aftermath of ducks that have settled in because we don't generally have large concentrations of birds to hunt and peck away at. Pretty much sums it up. Set the date and I will be there.

[Darren]

Did see a good many mottleds out and about this weekend and one nice wad of BW teal, maybe 30 birds, in the Shell Beach area off Lake Borgne this weekend. Haven't been back to my usual hunting marsh since last report so presume most of what I'd seen has pointed their beaks northward.

[Darren]

Picked up my mottled duck mount over the weekend near Pearl River, La. Very happy with it!

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And in the field moments after harvest on a foggy morning:

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Done by Kevin Hynes:
http://www.taxidermybykevinhynes.com/index.php

Kevin pointed out to me how critical shot size can dictate the quality of a mount, suggesting that hunters use 4's as much as possible and avoid 2's and BB's if you can, particularly impactful for the tiny feathers on a neck or head of a duck or goose.

Also, for those looking for something to track this time of year, the breeding surveys are underway and you can follow along at the link below, pretty neat.

http://www.flyways.us/status-of-waterfowl/pilot-reports

[Bad17]

Picked up my mottled duck mount over the weekend near Pearl River, La. Very happy with it!

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And in the field moments after harvest on a foggy morning:

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Done by Kevin Hynes:
http://www.taxidermybykevinhynes.com/index.php

Kevin pointed out to me how critical shot size can dictate the quality of a mount, suggesting that hunters use 4's as much as possible and avoid 2's and BB's if you can, particularly impactful for the tiny feathers on a neck or head of a duck or goose.

That looks fantastic. He did an excellent job.