Duck Season 2015-2016

[Darren]

Wed. 12/2/2015
SE La public marsh
Beau, Harry and I
Wind N/NW 5-12+, cloudy skies, 50's to start, light rain ending

With no one around, we gave the youth hunt blind from Nov 14 a try. Not much seen overall but a few grays working about, most just to our north. Dropped all we fired on, all of 4 grays. Ended up packing it in early to avoid the rain, particularly since we weren't seeing a whole lot. Did some touring on the way in and found a few here and there and one area that had a pretty good pile (loaded with feed). Planning to give that a shot tomorrow

Glad to see my shooting back and Harry had a good day on his 4 retrieves, just wish I had more for him.

4 grays

My double on stud drakes

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[Rick]

Think young Harry picked the right owner.

[Deltaman]

Wed. 12/2/2015
SE La public marsh
Beau, Harry and I
Wind N/NW 5-12+, cloudy skies, 50's to start, light rain ending

With no one around, we gave the youth hunt blind from Nov 14 a try. Not much seen overall but a few grays working about, most just to our north. Dropped all we fired on, all of 4 grays. Ended up packing it in early to avoid the rain, particularly since we weren't seeing a whole lot. Did some touring on the way in and found a few here and there and one area that had a pretty good pile (loaded with feed). Planning to give that a shot tomorrow

Glad to see my shooting back and Harry had a good day on his 4 retrieves, just wish I had more for him.

4 grays

My double on stud drakes

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Great report Darren, and love that last pic of Harry in the pirogue!!!!!

[Darren]

The working from the pirogue thing wasn't something I had in mind to do intentionally but it's how he worked from his very first hunt back in teal season when he was staked in place and has stuck to it given a situation where there's no dry land to post up on. With our tides having been so high most every hunt this season so far, he's been going to the pirogue on his own without my instruction, something he surprised me with this morning. Can't blame him, sure beats a tail in the shin deep water. As Rick has alluded to in the past, it just requires occasional bailing of the pirogue because he's hauling in a good bit of water each time he crawls in.

Only downside today was that a nice wad of about 15 grays was looking us over really hard and think maybe spotted him in the pirogue behind our otherwise well-covered blind.

[Darren]

Thurs. 12/3/2015
SE La public marsh
Beau, Johnny, Harry and I
Wind N/NW 0-10+, cloudy skies, low 40's to start

Gave a spot a try that we saw a few birds in yesterday post-hunt and did see an overall uptick in flights, though still not a whole lot, or anything resembling what's typical for the area. Grays were trickling in early in nice flights but unfortunately we had about zero wind to start so had hard time getting them to commit, just shopping; plagued us much of the morning. Shot well with what we did get chances on, including taking pretty thorough advantage of a wad of decoying mixed teal. Harry had a great morning collecting all our birds in the dekes and my gray that sailed a bit back into the brush and buried herself under grass.

(10) 5 BW teal, 2 GW teal, 1 gray, 1 spoon, 1 pintail

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Harry's first sprig, no tail to speak of

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All smiles for our biggest haul yet in the East Zone this season

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Probably give that location another try Saturday, likely calling it a split thereafter

[Rick]

Beau's your new lucky charm.

[DComeaux]

NICE! Not a bad outing.

Sure hope we have a few chances to shoot on Saturday. If not, like you, it may be a wrap for the first split. I'm not real confident at the moment.

[Darren]

Sat. 12/5/2015
Delacroix, La private land
Ray, Scott D., Harry & I on Harry's birthday
Temps mid 40's to start, wind perfect N/NE 10-15, clear skies, water level about normal

With poor prospects for today's hunt in our local marsh, opted to make the drive down to Delacroix where we had opened the coastal zone. Wasn't a train load of birds but far more than what we're seeing closer to home, and those that came by did us right. It's still almost exclusively grays aside from the mottled ducks puddle hopping all day, but today saw an uptick in GW teal and dosgris in the area and both found our strap. Though we were cutting it close to get set up for LST, took the time to cut some more branches en route to build on what was left from the last hunt here weeks ago and it paid off. Shot well with our chances and had limits wrapped up by 8:30am; not a ton of shooting overall in the area, very sporadic.

Harry had his most intensive hunt yet with the pond too shallow to really swim but too soft to walk, with plenty of retrieving to be done. He tired as the morning wore on and the birds came in but overall did really well and had a good time as he makes the 1 year mark.

(18) 12 grays, 1 wigeon hen, 3 dosgris/scaup, 2 GW teal

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Thankfully he shot well with the gun we had to turn back around to go get from his truck after a few miles down the interstate

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Proud pup on his birthday

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With all of us having plans tonight and local prospects pretty dismal, we're calling it a split till we re-open on the 19th.

[DComeaux]

Forgot the gun

Damn nice hunt Darren! I love/miss the marsh...

[Rick]

Happy birthday, Harry.

[Darren]

Happy birthday to Harry! I have considered a golden, but cannot find many with a hunting background.

Have to say I'm unaware of any type of hunting or "champion" background for Harry, but he sure gets excited when my alarm goes off in the morning. He's coming along with the hunt in his first season, but has been stellar as an all around family pet.

[Darren]

For what it's worth, the folks at the link below are where we picked out Harrison around Dec 20 last year, which reminded me of the contrast of what he looked like that day versus now.

http://www.puppiesinlouisiana.com/

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[Darren]

Sat.12/19/2015 - 2nd Split Opener
Delacroix private marsh
Wind N/NE 10-15, temps low 40's to start, clear skies, chilly for the boat ride both ways

Back in same pond we've been doing well in down that way and today it picked up right where we left off to close the 1st split. There were a few birds in and around the pond on our arrival and the action was pretty steady much of the hunt. Plenty of grays dropping in just as they had been and also added a wad of GW teal to bring a little variety. Unfortunately, a lone snow goose cruised right past us at LST, we were all thinking (assuming) white pelican until it let out a honk just as it got out of range.......as if to say "Suckaasss". Soon after saw a group of about 20 snows cruising about 200 yards from us, no response to speck call. Wrapped things up at 7:30am, but probably could have gotten another couple of limits with more people because they were really starting to work more as we were packing it up. On way out again saw a few here and there in each cove and small pond so they're scattered, no massive rafts. Will check my home marsh here shortly to see if there's anything worth chasing tomorrow morning.

(18) 16 grays, 2 GW teal

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Familiar backdrop from first split

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Will & Ray with the haul

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Headed out

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[Rick]

Sweet start.

[Darren]

A buddy got pretty lucky today, double banded sprig in Venice. They had to hunt till 9:30 or so but said limits were mostly pins and cans.

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[Darren]

Monday 12/21/2015
Oak Island HC - Lake Arthur area fresh marsh
FIL Mike C. and Robert and his lab Princess, Blind #1
Wind 0-5+ from S/SE?, heavy clouds, off and on sprinkles, mosquitos galore

Log says I hadn't been here since 2011 so return trip long overdue. Had nice evening at the camp with family last night with duck sausage on the pit and pot roasted teal on the stove. Unfortunately, reports from the blinds had not been good, hoped that the incoming rain would maybe stir things a bit. Also had rippin' southerly wind for much of last night before it fell on its face well before sunrise this morning. The crew disbursed into 4 blinds this morning with low hopes but turned out OK for two of the blinds, #1 and #3. We had a fairly nice teal flight, probably similar to those Rick saw at his Mudhole which isn't but about 3 miles to our east/SE. Plenty of lulls but enough would turn up to keep us interested and we shot well with the chances afforded. Did hold off on a couple of ops on my end I likely could have scratched 1 or 2 from that we thought were going to get right for the whole blind. By the time we packed it up at 9:00a we'd knocked down 15 and felt like we really had the chances to strap 18, lost two long off crips to the flotant marsh. Overall saw an impressive number of birds, mostly teal and pintails but also a few grays and mallards. At one point some kind of boat bumped some serious clouds of mostly green wings from our east/NE which gave us some nice ops from those that broke off to give us a look. The lone mallard we took worked beautifully, and really enjoyed watching a veteran dog handle so well (she's about to turn 9) but was bummed to not have Harrison along. Robert has moved this blind to middle of the pond from it's long-held location along the bank and it's a super sweet setup that the birds didn't mind circling around.

One other blind had 11 birds, mostly teal and spoons. One blind had a lone gray, other blind scratched.

(13) 4 ringnecks, 1 mallard, 1 spoon, 1 BW teal, 6 GW teal

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Princess coming back with the greenhead

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Headed back to the shed

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[Rick]

Never hunted with him but have known Robert a long time and trust you were in very good hands. Know the dog was likely first rate, as Robert's a good trainer.

[Darren]

Really enjoyed Robert's company and calling from his homemade quacker milled from a pool cue. Princess was indeed top notch, handled beautifully from the blind. A bummer that Bob and Francis have hung up the calls but the future of the club seems to be in good hands with the two new additions. Birds or not, the surroundings has me itching for the upcoming trip with your crew, just seems like it's not duck season in La without a trip or two over that way. Just so different than the scene on our end. Looks like we'll have some weather around so we'll see, due to arrive Sunday afternoon. Of note, saw a good many specks in a few cuts off the gravel road (113?) on our way out yesterday along with a pretty fair body of snows nearby. Didn't seem like as many as usual but neat nonetheless. Wished I was sticking around for the day to take the camera for a walk. They've also got a lot of WRP work going on in the area as well

[Deltaman]

Great reports Darren!!!!!

[DComeaux]

Nice hunts Darren!

[simplepeddler]

always enjoy the post Darren

[Rick]

A bummer that Bob and Francis have hung up the calls...

I've not seen either of them in some time, but understand that Bob is in a very bad way with cancer and Francis was using a walker at Sunday mass. My informant on the later didn't know if that was temporary or how things have gotten for him now.

[Darren]

A bummer that Bob and Francis have hung up the calls...

I've not seen either of them in some time, but understand that Bob is in a very bad way with cancer and Francis was using a walker at Sunday mass. My informant on the later didn't know if that was temporary or how things have gotten for him now.

I've heard the same. Love looking at the old pictures of the duo at the camp. Glad I snapped this one of Francis for my own collection on a hunt in the 2010 season, may have to contribute it to the camp sometime.

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And this one apparently, unfortunately, caught my hat as well.

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Johnny and I called off this morning's hunt last night with the water gages waaay up on the southerly winds and the potential for storms today. Looks like the rain turned out to be fine but marsh is likely flooded up good. I'll pass on that. Next hunt will be Monday

[Rick]

Francis looks just like the old cop he is in that last shot.

[Darren]

Sunday 12/27/2015
Gueydan, La rice
Wind S/SW?, 15-25+ rippin, heavy clouds with periodic sun, hot (80's to start!)
Johnny and I joining D. Comeaux and Ellie

In town over this way and Dave was nice enough to have us along to see if maybe a few birds were around this afternoon. Turns out there were, a whole lot actually, but most had their eyes set to our east. Had enough work us to keep us on our toes and Dave got two pairs of mallards to work us nicely. Lost one crip mallard, likely a hen, that splashed a ways out and likely paddled her way out or dove before we could get to her. Big show of birds right at the end of shooting time so neat way to spend an evening. On the speck op Johnny had a misfire and Dave had a reloading malfunction so I was the only one with a fully firing gun. Had a great time, got back to the camp just in time for a great dinner. thanks again Dave!

3 mallards, 1 speck

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[DComeaux]

It was a pleasure,Darren,and I really enjoyed my afternoon. I wish those stubborn birds would have done us right. We sure had enough in the area, just a little cooperation was all that was needed. It's frustrating!

[Darren]

Monday 12/28/2015
Gueydan, La rice
Wind WSW 15-25+ rippin, heavy clouds with periodic sun and few spits of rain, 40's to start
Johnny and I joining Ed O. in his marsh blind

Rippin' wind right in our face made things interesting, good teal flight gave us plenty of chances, though. Not many big ducks working us but did our share of scaring the wads of teal that worked, many of them only presenting marginal chances, none really did it right but we scratched a few here and there. Wrapped it up about 9:00am, saw a good bit of big ducks working as we were leaving. Really nice morning. Other blind of some folks that came with us had 24 with a mix of teal and spoons with a few mallards as well.

(18) 13 GW teal, 1 BW teal, 2 ringnecks, 2 spoons

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And the classic boat house area backdrop

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