Preseason 2016

[Darren]

Guess the release of the pond counts and breeding numbers is a good way to kick off the preseason festivities this year, charted below by Delta Waterfowl.

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Haven't been up to a whole lot of ducky things lately, been distracted by preparations for a little one joining us in the timeframe of the end of our September teal season. In doing so the latter part of the summer seems to have flown by and I'm looking to get all my teal gear lined up in the coming two weekends. Boat has new motor for this season and a refurbished paint job that still needs a few finishing touches, and need to replace running light base and pole on the stern. Other than that good to go. Will re-check small mojo's for batteries and appropriate wings, dekes all on one single Tx-rigged clip so that's a grab-n-go type deal from the shed. Other than those items should be ready to rock.

Became a paying member of a lease this year for the very first time, having access to the same piece I hunted a few times last year in the Delacroix area (SE Louisiana salt/brackish marshes). Johnny and I plan on some blind building over that way next weekend, with hopes that I actually get to go hunt it this year at some point given a break away from the baby.

As for teal season, really shooting to just make the opener with no expectations for much thereafter. If momma seems concerned will stick to the public grounds only an hour from home, or if I can get the green light may give that lease a shot. Will be a week-of and/or day-before type call. No one we know of has hunted it for teal season before, though I've had some decent hunts about 3 miles away in comparable habitat. This area is further out from the launches and more "tealy" habitat so the birds tend to show there when the shooting starts and bumps them from their initial gathering spots. Might be worth a shot to just go see, and at least won't have to deal with the public land yahoos.

Also hoping to see some improvement from my dog, Harrison, this fall. His nose is in good form and continues to develop with retrieving multiple marks. Will be an interesting season all around; and if I can't go much I'm hoping others post plenty of their hunts so I can follow along via computer while rocking the lil one.

[Rick]

Became a paying member of a lease this year for the very first time, having access to the same piece I hunted a few times last year in the Delacroix area (SE Louisiana salt/brackish marshes).

If memory of your log serves, that should be a very good thing.

[Darren]

Yea it was strong there last year, especially early. Was also good in January, and I'm wondering if the later season might be my best chances to get down there. Will also have access to other ponds on the piece now because I took the membership of someone who dropped out that had another pond to our southeast so will look to build ourselves a little hide in that pond as well.

[Darren]

Note to log for what's been going on here in S. Louisiana the last few days, extreme rainfall.

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From WeatherUnderground:

The numbers
Some local rainfall totals during this event were truly astounding, as catalogued in a NOAA/NWS precipitation summary issued on Monday morning. The top multiday amounts observed in each state through 10 am EDT Monday, August 15, include:

Watson, LA: 31.39”
Gloster, MS: 22.84”
Panama City Beach, FL: 14.43”
Ellsinore, MO: 12.10”
Gloster, AL: 9.94”
Tomball, TX: 8.82”
Makanda, IL: 8.05”
Vincennes, IN: 5.52”
Pocahontas, AR: 5.44”

Flooding over the weekend was most intense across the southeast corner of Louisiana, especially the region east of Baton Rouge and north of Lake Ponchartrain. Among the all-time record crests observed on Sunday:

Amite River at Denham Springs: 46.2’ (old record 41.5’ on April 8, 1983)
Comite River at Comite Joor Rd.: 34.22’ (old record 30.99’ on June 9, 2001)
Tickfaw River at Holden: 22.16’ (old record 21.04’ on April 7, 1983)
Tangipahoa River at Robert: 27.33’ (old record 27.10’ on March 14, 1921)

[Darren]

Not upset about this:

http://firsthandweather.com/2116/early- ... parts-u-s/

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May help get the teal up and moving. We've got so much dang water around here right now though it does us no good to get the birds here and all spread out.

[Darren]

Managed to get some to-do's done over the weekend in season preparation since I'm limited on access to the gear before the Sept 10 opener. Got a new RAM mount installed on my boat console to hold my cell phone for use in long-route navigation through the marsh, particularly handy for the Delacroix lease. Replaced broken stern light and base, replaced two side marker lights on trailer to LED versions, and finished up this year's paint job with some rough grit sanding on the bow over the first coat and came back with an additional coat. Got my dekes together, checked mojos and batteries, cleaned blind bag, etc. etc.

Saturday PM Johnny and I made it out to the marsh on slightly (ideally) elevated tides and made the rounds to a few old haunts and some new ones I've had my eye on via aerial imagery. Turns out that many of the old holes are now taken over in various tall marsh grasses so those are shot. One of the "new" holes looks promising and is in known area of typical flight paths when we do have a few teal around. While no teal were seen, as expected, we did see a healthy flight of local mottleds out and about which tends to be where the teal will traffic on their arrival. Harry got some exercise in during our marsh walk and had more fun than the law should allow romping about. Really put the new 60 to the test in some shallow water starts and Johnny and I both agreed, this thing can do what even the 'ol trusty 40 could not. It's a bad machine for sure!

Plan is to return to the area during Labor Day weekend to see if anything with blue wings is around, as well as take the opportunity to check on one honey hole from last year that produced in another area. I'll hope to follow that up with a day-before tour on Friday Sept 9 to make sure we've got the best game plan available to us in motion. Nice afternoon out there.

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Tried getting all back in the boonies looking for a hole that's been cut off by spreading grasses

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[Rick]

Whips, grrr...

[Darren]

Whips, grrr...

that what you call those plants? Was thinking some kind of spike or something, they're pointy and very tall.......and spreading

[Rick]

They're bulrushs, but we call them whips.

[Darren]

They've taken over a couple of good holes from the 2014 teal season so had to write 'em off and remove from GPS. With our elevated tides, we'll be focusing on the flooded bush type habitats that was holding a good many of them (and mottleds) last year.

[DComeaux]

You should see some BW next weekend.

[Darren]

Got our much anticipated scout in this morning with Johnny and even a little marsh riding yesterday with the wife. Our marsh looks to be in stellar shape, some areas prettier than I've ever seen it thanks to some restoration areas continuing to mature, but I didn't put eyes on a single teal in all our running around. We launched this morning around 6:30a and went from one end of our stomping grounds to the other and was sure to poke our noses into the tight spots.........fair many woodies in some areas, scattered mottleds, zero teal.

Did find ourselves plenty of a particular weed that drops seeds that the teal have been known to target in passed years, but the water isn't high enough right now to flood it all up. If it does later this week, that will warrant another look for sure. Planning to make the rounds again Friday morning with hopes that some show between today and then.

8-months pregnant and along for a marsh ride, gotta love it.

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Harry got some work in here and there, really hoping he's got feathers in mouth on Saturday

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[DComeaux]

That's a really neat picture of your wife with Harry..

Just saw a front on the way for late next weekend. Maybe we'll get a push ahead of it. Was also reported that a more substantial one for the following week.

[Rick]

That's a really neat picture of your wife with Harry..

Family album worthy for sure. Of course, poor Harry will be thrown over when the baby comes, and mom won't know him any more.

[Darren]

Most who know us both also know that if it weren't for her pushing, I'd still be retrieving the birds myself. I love him for sure, but she's a proud momma. Hoping to keep everyone happy when the new addition comes

As for no teal, we're holding hope for Friday morning's scout mission. If that proves empty, we'll again hold hope for shooting time Saturday, citing what transpired for the 2014 teal opener when we saw zero teal the day before and set up on a hole that had only a few mottleds the day before........then about ran out of shells the next morning. It's a bummer to not see any but we're hanging on to that hope from just two years ago.

Ran into a buddy yesterday that opted to just go fishing that morning in 2014; he too was seeing zero teal yesterday but insisted he's learned the lesson and will be setting dekes Saturday morning regardless of what's seen or not this week. Poor fella had to listen to us blazing away that day

[Darren]

Did our traditional pre-opener scout mission this morning with Harry along for the ride. Found a whole lot of tealy places they'll be at some point, but they weren't there today. Stumbled on significant numbers of woodies and some mottleds in many places but not one teal seen in all our touring around, a swath that is about 10 miles from one end to the other. Was nice to be out there but a bummer to load the gear up the evening before with little hope for the morning, especially with such a bleak survey. Johnny and I will toss dekes, kick the spinners on, and hang out anyway.

Woodies and mottleds like it here, so should teal......eventually

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Nice flooded up stuff

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Poked around high and low

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[Darren]

With the teal season now wrapped up, sights are set to the regular season in November. The forecast is off to a good start with fronts forecast for this week, the last of September.

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Morning lows forecast to make it down to 60 or even upper 50's later this week, first taste of fall, and first of what we hope to be regular frontal passages and very very little rain through month of October.

[Darren]

The first decent front referenced above was indeed enough to bring the stork we were waiting on. Magdalene "Maggie" Jane was born Sunday Oct 2, a few days late of her due date. 9lbs 1oz, just under 22 inches long. Life changing experience and indeed cracked up to be what all have reported. We're back at home and all are doing well, and Harry is an attentive big brother.

[DComeaux]

THAT IS AWESOME!....Congrats Darren.

Hey!, this is early enough that you may just be able to slip out once y'all get the routine rolling. BTW...You need to time these things a little better...

[Rick]

... 9lbs 1oz, just under 22 inches long...

Maggie would make a fine trout. But I'm thinking the congrats should go to the gal who did all the work.

As for hunting, just tell mom you need to get your licks in before that little gal starts playing soccer or some other season without end.

[Deltaman]

The first decent front referenced above was indeed enough to bring the stork we were waiting on. Magdalene "Maggie" Jane was born Sunday Oct 2, a few days late of her due date. 9lbs 1oz, just under 22 inches long. Life changing experience and indeed cracked up to be what all have reported. We're back at home and all are doing well, and Harry is an attentive big brother.

Congrats Darren!

[Darren]

thanks so much guys! She's keeping us busy so far but we can't get enough. And I've been telling people im afraid of the momma bear now that Ive seen what she can endure; no drugs, not even an IV. Not a momma bear you'd want to anger!


Proud dad and her big brother

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[Darren]

Thought this was an interesting photo from the new DU calendar I received in the mail. Always hear about how folks knock divers like dosgris (scaup), redheads and buffleheads with respect to table fare for their propensity to eat fish. Similarly, the mighty spoonbill gets his share of the same because he's a "fish eater", some say, regardless of all their time spent wing-to-wing with pins, mallards, teal etc. rummaging in rice fields. In my experience mallards most always get a pass for allegedly only eating quality foods thus resulting in top notch table fare.

Well.......maybe not

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Warm and dry continues here locally but looks pretty chilly in upper midwest into canada, with fronts stalling out north of us. However, multiple outlets are buying into a decent front late next week. Our tentative plan for some Delacroix blind work on Monday the 17th is still in tact. Hoping to document the process along the way

Also just came across this from Firsthand Weather that apparently came out in August:
http://firsthandweather.com/2105/early- ... -forecast/

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We'll see! There should be an updated version coming in next few weeks

[DComeaux]

I think I've seen that photo, or one pretty darn close to it. I think Rick may have posted it, or one similar to it, in one forum or another in the past. If I had a choice of all species to cook for supper laid out in front of me, Mr. Green Head would be near the bottom of the list. Not saying they're trash, just wouldn't be selected first.

I like cool and dry.

[Ducaholic]

Congrats Darren! Good to hear everyone is doing well!

As far as duck table fare goes the breast is my least favorite part of any duck unless wrapped in bacon with whatever you so choose to stuff it with. My personal favorite is jalepeno's and philly creme cheese.

For years now I have only plucked teal and woodies for the most part and breast the rest. I then filet the drum stick and a nice chunk of surrounding fat out of each duck. I save these separately and then make one or two brown gravy's with them adding in some fresh pork sausage for a fine meal.

As for weather I like it cold as it wants to get with normal rain fall. 2013 comes to mind as the perfect weather year IMO.

[Rick]

I may have posted something similar from Google's image search, but know I've shot a sheet or two of transparencies of mallards slurping Ohio River shad below a navigation dam that, alas, were in my camp/office when Rita blew its roof off. Haven't even looked in the bag with what may have survived of them, much less scanned any to digital. Probably a mildew collection now.

Still, God bless the mallard, 'cause nothing else that flies will make a fellow look as much like he knows what to do with a call.

[Deltaman]

Back in the 70's, my partner and I scouted and hunted a pothole in the middle of a barrier island in the Mississippi Sound. We had previously scouted and jumped about 75 Mallards out of it, and they came back like it was home. While cleaning them that evening, one of my brother's friends commented that they smelled like fish, and I corrected him, saying that Mallards would not eat fish ..............until I noticed the tail of a minnow in one of the throats Reflecting back on the hunt, I noticed that it looked like it was raining in the pothole at times, and came to the realization that the fish were the duck attraction, and when we cooked those birds, they stunk up the camp. I'v e read that a Canvasback is the only duck that won't cheat on you, but being a diver, have always wondered.