2015-2016 Preason

[DComeaux]

That tractor is just plain evil! We really appreciate the effort, THANK YOU! All we need now is for the teal to show up.

I just finished messing with my spinners, as they're getting old and needed some work. I was able to get two to cooperate, just not sure how long they'll last.

[Rick]

Appreciate the thanks, but as you'll see I didn't get much of a start. Maybe we'll get something going tomorrow and give it another go.

[DComeaux]

Blake and I will be going out there late this afternoon (after 5:00) to set up.

[Rick]

My phone hasn't rung to go buffalo or show a hired one where to go, so that's apparently still up in the air. Been doing some of my own chores in the rain, but am going to show a guide where there's a pond and should see to Doug in a few minutes.

[Rick]

Pup and I made a pass by your blind after finally getting our last one buried across the way this morning, and you're about out of water:


North (from the blind):


South:

[DComeaux]

We did notice the level getting lower through teal season and I did check the gates the last weekend of teal. They were all sealed, no flow. Do you think it's a combination of absorption and evaporation? We haven't had any measurable rainfall in some time. I'd sure like water for the incoming birds, especially for the mottled's.

[Rick]

It's been DRY, so I'm thinking evaporation. East blind there and others elsewhere look about the same. Doug's been in the hospital over the weekend but coming home tomorrow, I think, and I'll mention it to him once he's had a chance to get his feet on the ground. Going to take a while to get both sides pumped back up.

[DComeaux]

Hospital!?

[DComeaux]

I got a couple of reports of snows/blues being heard over the weekend, both at night. One was from my son who was in a tent at Tunica Hills WMA and the other here near Lafayette. Maybe one or two flying with specks? I do remember a post somewhere recently about a few snows with specks. Not sure if it was in north Louisiana or Arkansas.

[Rick]

Hospital!?

He's been struggling with a number of health issues lately, but went in because fluid build up around his heart was leaving him dangerously short on oxygen and incoherent. The congestive heart failure is nothing new, just may have been kicked up by adjusting blood pressure meds to get that under control.

[DComeaux]

The water is flowing at the cuts are filling. We cleaned the path on the levee to the blind and made a run to and from the gates on the west levee with the mower.

Rick, the gates were sealed and looked good as of late morning.

We watched enough low flocks of specks to make me happy. I forgot my darn calls and would have loved to play with these, as of now, tame birds. Only saw a pair of mottled's work our south cut, and that was it for ducks at our place. We did see a good bit of ducks on a flooded field or cut near the old Gueydan duck club camp. It seems like those fields stay flooded year round. Three weeks remain until opening day.

[Rick]

Looked yesterday afternoon when checking the pump's fluids and expect you'll be over the boards by midday today, so I raised the overflow I'd set for the east blind's teal water in prep for swapping pipes then. Would sure be nice if it went as well.

Also noted you've been mighty hard on that mower.

[DComeaux]

postby Rick » Sun Oct 18, 2015 4:30 am
Also noted you've been mighty hard on that mower.

The Dixie chopper is a beast, and I only high centered a couple of times. Ant hills need to go! I was glad to have vehicle tracks to follow on the west levee as I was blind in that tall stuff. The thought of rolling off into the canal kept my concentration up.

[Rick]

I was glad to have vehicle tracks to follow on the west levee as I was blind in that tall stuff.

Had to pull that vehicle's radiator and flush the grass seeds from it yesterday to get it to quit overheating. Poor little truck has a hard life.

[DComeaux]

Ellie and I are headed out there now just to have a walk around on this beautiful afternoon.

[Rick]

Young Marsh found some cut grass at your place with one of his right rear pads. Guess the first-of-many pad slice is a little like putting the first ding or scratch on a new truck, got that behind us.

[DComeaux]

Young Marsh found some cut grass at your place with one of his right rear pads. Guess the first-of-many pad slice is a little like putting the first ding or scratch on a new truck, got that behind us.

Dang, I hate that! Ellie's had a few of those over the last few years over there. Last year, I think, was the first year she didn't cut a pad.


This field is 3 miles NW of our blind. Looks like spoons and specks, you might see others. I did see a BIG wad of ducks and geese mixed with Ibis fill the sky when I was pulling away. I did see a few teal. Someone was driving around that farm.

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[Darren]

Very nice! Will be in our marsh tomorrow morning, can't wait

[Rick]

Dave, I forgot to mention that you had at least a dozen ducks yesterday morning: mottled and bluewing. At that rate, you'll be loaded for Christmas.

Fellow that last cranked the pump had it rolling and flushed much of the cut to the east (and your little road in) for you before I killed it. Went out to crank it again this morning after the canal had a chance to drain and intended to peek in the back again, but the battery was dead and I left (just a wee bit hot) to charge it without doing so. Maybe tomorrow...

[DComeaux]

At that rate, you'll be loaded for Christmas.

Thats exciting.

Fellow that last cranked the pump had it rolling and flushed much of the cut to the east (and your little road in) for you before I killed it. Went out to crank it again this morning after the canal had a chance to drain and intended to peek in the back again, but the battery was dead and I left (just a wee bit hot) to charge it without doing so. Maybe tomorrow..

So we now have a crevasse through the road?

[Rick]

Not yet, but the road could still be soft near the south end of the flood canal when next you take a bike down it. Was running across a couple of fairly wide stretches there. Most likely wash out spot I've seen is on that end of the canal, but there's no telling what's happening in the jungle along its east levee...

[DComeaux]

Not yet, but the road could still be soft near the south end of the flood canal when next you take a bike down it. Was running across a couple of fairly wide stretches there. Most likely wash out spot I've seen is on that end of the canal, but there's no telling what's happening in the jungle along its east levee...

Yeah, that east levee may now be in breached.

[Rick]

Cranked the pump this afternoon and took a walk by your pond (up to 16-18 ducks now!), across to the middle road and down it to the east end of the flood canal, and it still wasn't flowing. So having that pump on go-go for a day may well have screwed the pooch. Guess we'll see in the morning.

[DComeaux]

So, it's not pushing water?

[Rick]

Hadn't made it yet while I was there, which doesn't mean it won't. I hope...

On another note, cannons have pushed all but your spoons and some teal from Big 4. Be interesting to see if the other birds get used to them and return.

[DComeaux]

I'm guessing the canal was dry? I wouldn't think the flow rate from the outside canal through that pipe could keep up with that pump at high speed.

[Rick]

No, that outside gate pipe's a big-un. What I felt worrisomely low was the flood canal when I got there yesterday afternoon. But there was still water to the east end, just not yet flowing into the field when I got there. Trust it will be when I check it this morning. And, in any event, be glad to be where you are. Shaping up to be one for the books in terms of blind miseries.

[DComeaux]

Steady to sometimes heavy rain right now and pretty much all afternoon. We're headed out to the blind in the morning to brush the blind and get the decoys out. Will need to check the water level and gate slat height, and I hope the water's not getting in blind.

[Rick]

Last time I looked pulling the top board seemed a good idea. Now, that and pumping off may both be in order. I'd closed the outside gate to pull from the drain following the last rain but that's likely been too little, especially given the leaking gate. Will be out there this morning,too.

[DComeaux]

we'll be out there as soon as this rain slides east