2016 2017 Season

Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby DComeaux » Sun Jan 08, 2017 6:33 pm

1/8/2017

Weather - Clear- temp lower upper 20's? - Wind NE 10 to 15 turning easterly later. Too darn cold to be comfortable.

Me and Blake

Birds- 3 - 2 green wing 1 blue wing

We did see a few flocks of gadwall and pintail, but the majority of what we're seeing is educated green wing. Seems we still have a decent number of birds around but not like I've seen in years past. Birds rise in the distance from safe zones when others leave their blinds and quickly go right back down. A few blinds in the area are scratching out a limit now and then, but the majority are struggling.

I can say we didn't seem to get a push of birds with this weather, and going forward we'll take what comes. It seems our scaup numbers have declined.
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby DComeaux » Mon Jan 09, 2017 11:53 am

1/9/2017

Weather - Overcast- temp 40's ? - Wind E 10 to 15

Blake and Ryan

Birds - 9 - 1 green wing 1 shoveler 1 gadwall 6 scaup

Pretty much par for the course. I think we'll have what we have for the remainder of the season.
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby DComeaux » Mon Jan 09, 2017 12:34 pm

DComeaux wrote:1/9/2017

Weather - Overcast- temp 40's ? - Wind E 10 to 15

Blake and Ryan

Birds - 9 - 1 green wing 1 shoveler 1 gadwall 6 scaup

Pretty much par for the course. I think we'll have what we have for the remainder of the season.


Forgot to add his picture
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby Darren » Mon Jan 09, 2017 12:46 pm

shoot 'em up!
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby DComeaux » Tue Jan 10, 2017 12:34 pm

Blake was off yesterday and today and went back to the camp with this young man, Cullen. They were only going to catch crabs, but Blake decided to take him to the marsh near our blind and throw out a few decoys this morning. We'll, Blake got a spoon to come in and he got his first duck...... I think Blake was more, or as excited as he was.

Bad part is, Blake didn't see many ducks out there.

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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby Rick » Tue Jan 10, 2017 12:36 pm

Excellent. Doesn't look to me like Cullen needed a lot of ducks.
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby DComeaux » Wed Jan 11, 2017 8:45 am

My son gave me this book for Christmas and I'm a few chapters in, which touched on the Louisiana purchase, Parish creation in the plain, and the characters involved. It's working it's way to the land acquired by some of the large duck clubs, some of which are still in existence today. It seems I'll learn that big money was at the heart of water fowling's premier locations, even in it's earliest days, here in Louisiana.


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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby Darren » Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:16 pm

Cool book, might have to track down a copy sometime, love all that stuff.
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby DComeaux » Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:46 pm

cameronhunter wrote:Excellent book. Have a copy and have read it cover to cover. Author is a member of Coastal Club which is one of the historical clubs in SW Louisiana. I had the privilege of hunting there last season and purchased a couple copies while there. I collect old Louisiana wooden duck decoys and calls and the connection that they have to the old Duck clubs in the area are what interest me most. I have collected a few really cool photos of the old clubs as well.

D. Comeaux, Check out where the White Mallard house boat was....I have several old photos of it, but could never figure out exactly where it was moored. I knew it had to be somewhere in Cameron Parish. The book has a map, it was moored in what we know call the Lacassine Refuge Pool!! Bet they had some good hunts out there!

CH


I knew of that place before the book and would love an opportunity to hunt it, just one weekend. I know the fishing is outstanding there as well.

The book has a map, it was moored in what we know call the Lacassine Refuge Pool!! Bet they had some good hunts out there!


Wow! you know they did.
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby DComeaux » Wed Jan 11, 2017 4:23 pm

BGcorey wrote:Well I take that last post back, I knew I recognized the name but not the cover of the book.. this is the one I read! And it was good too, now I'm gonna have to find a copy of the one y'all are referring tooImageya should read this one too, I enjoyed it and find myself remembering some of the stuff I read and sharing it with the guests that are hunting with me and aren't familiar with the chenier area


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I saw that book while roaming on the internet. I may have to get that one, too. Oh!... and the Coastal Club is roughly 11 miles across the burns to the north of where you hunt.
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby Rick » Wed Jan 11, 2017 6:44 pm

A friend of mine guided at the Coastal Club for years and told one of the funniest said to be true guide and sport stories I've heard about he and one of the members' guest.

The guest seemed mightily intent on impressing his host with all of the wonderful possessions he's accumulated. He had a private jet that cost an astronomical sum and could cross the country in remarkably little time. His favorite car also cost crazy money and would go crazy fast. And so on, and on, and on all morning until he got down to his watch, which was, of course, an ultra expensive top-shelf model that would do this, that and the other remarkable thing.

Whereupon Richard had heard all he could bite his lip through and removed his own watch, showed it to the gentleman and asked, "But will it do what this $12 Timex will?" After which he smacked it against the top rail of the blind and tossed it in the pond.
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby Ericdc » Wed Jan 11, 2017 7:01 pm

Rick wrote:A friend of mine guided at the Coastal Club for years and told one of the funniest said to be true guide and sport stories I've heard about he and one of the members' guest.

The guest seemed mightily intent on impressing his host with all of the wonderful possessions he's accumulated. He had a private jet that cost an astronomical sum and could cross the country in remarkably little time. His favorite car also cost crazy money and would go crazy fast. And so on, and on, and on all morning until he got down to his watch, which was, of course, an ultra expensive top-shelf model that would do this, that and the other remarkable thing.

Whereupon Richard had heard all he could bite his lip through and removed his own watch, showed it to the gentleman and asked, "But will it do what this $12 Timex will?" After which he smacked it against the top rail of the blind and tossed it in the pond.





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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby DComeaux » Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:06 pm

1/14/2017

Weather - Dense fog - temp mid 60's - Wind ESE 5-10

Me and Blake

Birds - 9 - 1 green wing 2 gadwall 1 redhead (hen) 6 scaup

Fog made it a... SURPRISE!.. kind of morning. Big raft of divers still hanging around the area with a good bit of green wing. Those little buggers know what's up and tease us a bunch, zooming over the decoys and out before we could react. The redhead hen was taken from a pair that were feet down coming from the north. Of course, the hen was on my side and I took her on the first shot, and she splashed down throwing water on me when she hit. THE DRAKE...Well, let me just say that all I could do was watch as steel shot passed on either side of him as he climbed out to the east. I said in a low voice after his last shot " that was the drake", to which Blake turned to me and replied...NOOOOO! He was moopy for the next hour.

We saw a nice size flock of canvasback while at the truck, and a big drake can sitting on a pound, with a mix of ducks at the gate right off the property road. This little grassy marsh pound always has something on it when we go out.

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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby DComeaux » Sat Jan 14, 2017 3:09 pm

DComeaux wrote:1/14/2017

Weather - Dense fog - temp mid 60's - Wind ESE 5-10

Me and Blake

Birds - 10 - 1 green wing 2 gadwall 1 redhead (hen) 6 scaup

Fog made it a... SURPRISE!.. kind of morning. Big raft of divers still hanging around the area with a good bit of green wing. Those little buggers know what's up and tease us a bunch, zooming over the decoys and out before we could react. The redhead hen was taken from a pair that were feet down coming from the north. Of course, the hen was on my side and I took her on the first shot, and she splashed down throwing water on me when she hit. THE DRAKE...Well, let me just say that all I could do was watch as steel shot passed on either side of him as he climbed out to the east. I said in a low voice after his last shot " that was the drake", to which Blake turned to me and replied...NOOOOO! He was moopy for the next hour.

We saw a nice size flock of canvasback while at the truck, and a big drake can sitting on a pound, with a mix of ducks at the gate right off the property road. This little grassy marsh pound always has something on it when we go out.

1 14 2017.jpg


Edit to show 10 birds
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby DComeaux » Sun Jan 15, 2017 4:37 pm

1/15/2017

Weather - On and off dense fog with the wind we had- temp mid 60's - Wind moderate ESE

Me and Blake

Birds - 12 - 4 green wing 1 redhead (drake) 6 scaup 1 ruddy

A little more teal wanted to play this morning and as always, the scaup are there. The redhead drake came from a 6 or 7 bird flock. We did chip a hen but she took to the open seas in a hurry, mostly underwater. It was a good, comfortable hunt. I really enjoyed the weekend.

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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby Rick » Sun Jan 15, 2017 6:28 pm

I'll be interested in hearing how that ruddy tastes. Have heard everything from foul to great.
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby DComeaux » Sun Jan 15, 2017 8:42 pm

Rick wrote:I'll be interested in hearing how that ruddy tastes. Have heard everything from foul to great.


It will soon become part of smoked sausage link. We have plenty of those we pass on every hunt, so we may take a couple to test in a pot roast. Blake likes to experiment with fowl, like he did with a fresh snow breast he pan fried...he didn't do that again. I know I've eaten those before, from my days in Holly Beach, but I don't remember if they taste like duck, or not.
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby DComeaux » Sat Jan 21, 2017 2:57 pm

1/21/2017

Weather - Overcast- temp mid 60's + - Wind light NE to E later

Me and Blake and Bill

Birds -14 - 2 green wing 2 blue wing 1 spoonbill 9 scaup

Missed opportunities on a a few sneaky green and blue wing. Not many "big ducks" hanging around our part of the marsh. I've been in touch with the guy that manages the property throughout the season and have received many pictures from him after the hunts. Today he sent me a text as we were leaving asking how our hunt went. He and his partner took 10 gadwall and 2 pintail this morning. He said the ducks take to different areas of this marsh every year "It changes"....we'll see.

Spoonbill story....She was chipped and made it to big water before we could get her. The last I saw of her she was headed downwind which was in the direction of the truck. I had in mind to work Ellie down the location road when we got back to the truck, and when we pulled up by boat she jumped out and went to do her thing, as usual, while we were unloading, not paying any attention to her. Sure enough, she showed up with madam spoon in her mouth,still alive. She had made it the 1/4 mile or so from the blind.

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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby Rick » Sat Jan 21, 2017 5:33 pm

She was afraid she'd be left behind.
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby DComeaux » Sun Jan 22, 2017 5:41 pm

1/22/2017

Weather - Overcast to clear- temp low 60's + - Wind light and variable early then ripping out of the west as the clearing line went by.

Me and Blake and Bill

Birds -4 - 2 green wing 2 scaup

We had pulled everything Yesterday and secured the blind for the summer knowing what the winds were to do this morning. We sat at the end of the location road, in fairly calm conditions early, and threw out 7 or 8 decoys. We didn't see very many birds this morning until the big winds kicked up, which made those on the wrong side of the big water relocate. The scaup were in big numbers but less then what we've been seeing. Teal were just a hand full, and bigger dabblers were even less.

I have to say, I'm fairly content with this season and I'm looking forward to the next. Early on,just before we acquired this lease, I had heard of a marsh restoration/fresh water diversion project for the area we now hunt. After doing a little research, I found this projects funding and engineering phase was started in 2004 and is slated to begin next month. This project includes extending a fresh water canal to our north east, bringing it it under the highway, allowing fresh water to flow in nourishing the marsh. Several gates and control structures will be installed throughout our lease property and the east neighbors property, monitored and worked using a detailed plan. What I liked the most was the "draw down" that will occur in February for the first year to allow vegetation to take hold. This draw down will occur every 3 years. Also, the plan has offshore dredging, creating 450 acres of land just to our SE, which is on our neighboring properties.It appears the water levels will be monitored and held below our current level, which is just fine with me. I really think the water level is kept way too high in that marsh, allowing for a lot of erosion. We see it after every wind event.

As I mentioned, the plan is very detailed and seems to be on point, but it's up to the mangers to make this happen. I hope to see some results(vegetation) this fall.

Blake, Bill and Ellie with our final take for the season
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby Rick » Mon Jan 23, 2017 5:32 am

We'll be hoping that restoration work actually gets done. And will add, in case I'd not mentioned it before, that there are new blinds close by, both north and west, of your Marceaux farm place.
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby Darren » Mon Jan 23, 2017 7:32 am

Sure sounds like some good plans on the board, really hope to see it get moving. Would think it can only improve your prospects
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby DComeaux » Sun Jan 29, 2017 9:04 pm

I was outside about an hour or so after dark this evening, doing a thing or two in the yard, and noticed the stillness and clear sky. I'm away from city lights and get a good view of the sky on these kind of evenings, so I stopped to gaze for a moment. While doing so, I heard flight duck chatter above me. They didn't talk long enough for me to get a good direction of travel, but I'm saying north. Kind of a bittersweet feeling this time of year knowing it's over and they're leaving, but yet, they're headed back to the nesting grounds to reproduce......It's so quiet out that the chatter was loud ....made me smile.
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby Rick » Mon Jan 30, 2017 5:00 am

The one thing the spot I've been "speck hunting" has going for it is a pretty fair duck show. And it is nice to think of them as having managed to get over on us all and carrying on.
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Re: 2016 2017 Season

Postby Darren » Mon Jan 30, 2017 7:39 am

Rick wrote: having managed to get over on us all and carrying on.


:thumbsup:

The ones I saw last few hunts surely were smart. Safe travels back north, guys and gals!
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