Post-Season Ponderings

[Rick]

Being as how I don't get to hunt River Chase (which AJ and Irwin say is the berries), I'll take September teal, thank you. Shoot, I don't think I'd trade September teal for a week or two of anything anywhere in Arkansas. Love it.

[Rick]

He's a hoot.

[Darren]

It's not a matter of specks or teal......it's teal or no duck hunting, sitting at home, or whatever else there is to do in September. For me a September Saturday morning teal hunt with some ball games in the afternoon and wrapped teal on the pit is awfully hard to beat.

The only ones I know in my circles that don't like early teal season are those that have never had a good hunt. Just takes that one blazing hunt to hook you into going and tolerating the bugs and heat. Thermacells and fogger cans are our ticket, bugs usually a non-issue. Best of all we get to deploy all the gadgetry and with a straight face say, It Works!!


From Harry's very first hunt, Sept 2015 @ 9 months old

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and the gadgetry, my homemade Mojo Tree

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[Darren]

Another look at the Higdon specks, said to be fully flocked. Not sure if this is same series as they revealed last week or what.

"Migration Series"

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[Rick]

Another look at the Higdon specks...

Psst...says those are Dakotas.

[Darren]

Another look at the Higdon specks...

Psst...says those are Dakotas.

Whoops! Forgot I'm keeping up with both those brands, so now both Dakota and Higdon are bring out new speck offerings for 2017. Not sure about all that feather detail on the backs.......

[Darren]

After umpteen trips to the hardware store and forgetting what I needed, finally picked up two sets of nuts/bolts/washers to act as counterweights on a pair of Tanglefree Pintail feeder butts. What started as two orders of pairs, has turned into four pairs in total since one of each of the two original pairs didn't float right, a problem TF acknowledged and readily offered replacements for in the form of two additional pairs, so that's worked out nicely. They have since retrofitted the decoys they're selling now with a larger keel and the new ones they sent sit well and are stable in the water.

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Don't mind a little work to fine tune these given how much more cost effective they are versus my tried and true, yet extremely expensive, G&H pintail butts.

Harry's getting a little backyard work in as well, and plenty of swimming on camp visits.

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[Deltaman]

After umpteen trips to the hardware store and forgetting what I needed, finally picked up two sets of nuts/bolts/washers to act as counterweights on a pair of Tanglefree Pintail feeder butts. What started as two orders of pairs, has turned into four pairs in total since one of each of the two original pairs didn't float right, a problem TF acknowledged and readily offered replacements for in the form of two additional pairs, so that's worked out nicely. They have since retrofitted the decoys they're selling now with a larger keel and the new ones they sent sit well and are stable in the water.

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Don't mind a little work to fine tune these given how much more cost effective they are versus my tried and true, yet extremely expensive, G&H pintail butts.

Harry's getting a little backyard work in as well, and plenty of swimming on camp visits.

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Good job on fixing the ill-weighted butts and continuing to use, and impressive that TF acknowledged and replaced!!!!!

[Darren]

Maybe these are the ticket to putting more wigeon on the pond, new offerings from Dakota:

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Well, maybe not since we've rarely seen them in recent years. Can't even recall the last time I had a conversation with one whistling his (or her) way down into our spread. I hear that plenty are still taken near mouth of the Miss. River, but that's a good 50 miles SSE of me. Only $80 for six duck decoys

Not sure about that "soft" plastic.......when i first put hands on a box of Dakota's gadwall dekes released a couple years back, I was bummed to find at least half the dekes in the box were partially collapsed from such a soft shell. It's more rubbery than typical dekes, thus softer and less "shell-like"

[Darren]

Watching this marine forecast closely and also the potential storm expected in the Gulf this week. At a minimum, with this marine forecast tides will be way up throughout my end of the state in the Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne basins. Duck boat is safely tucked away in a storage unit but bay boat is down at the camp so may need to run down to trailer it north.

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This potential storm could make for a whole lot of rain most in our area don't want or need.

[Rick]

Go get the boat, so we won't get the water that's sure to come if you leave it.

We were supposed to have the spotting helicopter later this week - but nests may all be under water, anyway.

[Darren]

Go get the boat, so we won't get the water that's sure to come if you leave it.

We were supposed to have the spotting helicopter later this week - but nests may all be under water, anyway.

Good point; sure way for it to turn into nothing if we make ample preparations.

Was going to inquire if it was about that time to start pickin', be sure to take us along with photos

[DComeaux]

I have camp construction (screened area) under way and my camper is down there. Not sure what to do just yet.

[Darren]

I have camp construction (screened area) under way and my camper is down there. Not sure what to do just yet.

Watch close! Have you talked to anyone so far to get any kind of handle on what kind of storm it takes to put water on your camp site? You're used to having a blind full of water anyway, right?!

[Rick]

If anyone's ever gotten used to a blind full of water, it should be he and Blake.

[DComeaux]

I have camp construction (screened area) under way and my camper is down there. Not sure what to do just yet.

Watch close! Have you talked to anyone so far to get any kind of handle on what kind of storm it takes to put water on your camp site? You're used to having a blind full of water anyway, right?!

Not yet, but Shirley the property care taker should have the lowdown for me, she has a bigger interest in that than I do.

If anyone's ever gotten used to a blind full of water, it should be he and Blake.

....BOY! ain't that the truth. Seems to be a never ending battle that hasn't yet diminished my drive.... With YET being the key word here.

[Darren]

Latest

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[Rick]

Looks about right.

[Darren]

Just got back from a morning trip to the camp and back. Got boat out but opted to leave it on trailer parked at camp figuring it would have to come up another 4 feet or so to effect it there, seems unlikely at this point but we'll see. She's also due for service so we needed it on trailer regardless of storm/high tides. Lots of people picking up boats down there, but also lots just leaving them so maybe some know something I don't.

Was up to and over many docks already as seen here. Had about another 5 inches before covering ours.

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[Rick]

Our Creole family is camping out here, but from what we've seen so far, I'm just thankful their and our stuff isn't farther east where the real brunt seems to be.

[Darren]

Latest storm prediction shows Cindy headed straight for Holly Beach and Hackberry, LA

Bummer that sure is over in your stompin grounds. Hope it doesn't amount to much that would impact your marsh


Last word I got was this morning and I'm told our boat was OK, water levels appear to have held fairly steady today which is about all we could ask for. I'd expect (hope for!) some falling tomorrow. Here in BR it's just been wave after wave of rain all day, some gusty winds at times, and even peaks of the sun between the bands.

This was yesterday evening down at the camp, perfect conditions to pile up water in that particular area on south shoreline of Lake Borgne

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[Rick]

Hell, I should have mowed the lawn today, didn't rain at all until a little bit ago, and the cool breeze sure was nice.

[Darren]

Hell, I should have mowed the lawn today, didn't rain at all until a little bit ago, and the cool breeze sure was nice.

Getting your share of rain today, huh? Radar glimpse I saw looked colorful over that way

Gage I monitor shows water went down a bit overnight down at the camp. Slight chance I might head that way tomorrow PM or Saturday to clean up if water gets down enough

[Rick]

Enough wind and rain to clear the dead wood out of the trees, but not what others have apparently had.