Preseason 2016...

[DComeaux]

I'm going to miss those birds..... but I'm a little excited about our new place and I think that's keeping my yearning down a bit. I know we'll miss those on the table, for sure..............Damn they're fun to hunt......

[Rick]

They had me thinking about abandoning the marsh, but I'll no doubt settle for just trying harder there. I've gotten pretty lax about arm wresting the ones headed north to the rice. But if you don't play, you can't win, and if I stick to my guns this time around, the boys better grab their ears on flight days.

[Rick]

...if the end birds are not trying to break in flight groups,go harder

I never could break distant geese like some of the guys, and that may be part of it: always felt like I was screwed if I didn't grab the head of the snake, er...flight, and let 'em go or at least lost heart if the lead birds powered on. Might oughta just treat them like big ducks and just keep trying harder until I figure they're beyond hearing.

[Rick]

When I've broken part of a flight and then the rest follows, it's seemed a much better than even bet they're coming to regather the group and go on. But, then, I may subconsciously be letting them, because I've come to believe it to be the case...

In any event, the great plan is treat them like ducks and believe there's a button that will break 'em all if I push it.

[Ericdc]

I can cluck a lot louder and longer than yodel. Did get several last year to turn and at least give us a look last year. My calling has improved a lot since last year and I'm excited smith being a better caller and having more speck decoys.


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[Rick]

I've had a lot better luck with what I think "power clucking" turning distant relatively low birds than breaking what I think of flight birds. Albeit not with what I gathered to be the new twist.

Only time I hunted with Brian, he and his gal or our host shot a couple pins and that was that. Didn't see enough to learn anything new and exciting but I enjoyed meeting them.

[Rick]

After seeing specks most everywhere the past couple days, I took the dogs and a call for what should have been a prime time and location run this beautifully crisp fall morning and saw next to none, and those few only after detouring by the bunch just west of Gueydan to remind myself of what they looked like. Maybe they all went back to Arkansas. Or are just sitting somewhere new and out of sight here.

But it was a good reminder that I don't really know squat about them.

[Rick]

Made it to the marsh this morning and found the boat floating and Mudhole looking much like I left it after teal. Only thing needing work was boat slip, which I pretty well knocked out:


Will have to hit it one more lick when what I ground floats back up and replace the wire cover, but that should do it. Couldn't help but be reminded, though, that young Marsh is still screwed, as the sludge that lurks below that nice open surface is quite evident just off the dog stand:


Have taken a fit to repaint the pit's rusting floor and spent most of my time out there prepping it to do that later this week.

As for the birds, there's not much out there which is no surprise. Mostly woodies and mottleds along with a few teal. And mostly at the back blind.

[DComeaux]

After seeing specks most everywhere the past couple days, I took the dogs and a call for what should have been a prime time and location run this beautifully crisp fall morning and saw next to none, and those few only after detouring by the bunch just west of Gueydan to remind myself of what they looked like. Maybe they all went back to Arkansas. Or are just sitting somewhere new and out of sight here.

But it was a good reminder that I don't really know squat about them.

My theory---THE TRUTH---we are SEVERLY screwed on geese---there are mass congregations of birds in Arkansas and they are not going anywhere UNLESS we get some significant artic fronts

In which case---there will be a good show here,short lived and those birds return back to Arkansas

Specks don't care much for cow patties, crawfish or scrub weeds.

[Ericdc]

If you guys have a good bit of standing muddy stubble you'll be in better shape than northeast LA and our plowed landscape. The 2 rice fields on our farm have the only standing stubble I've seen this fall. The big farm on highway 15 southeast of Monroe has lightly chopped rice fields, but a lot of the corn, beans, and rice fields have been heavily plowed.


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[Darren]

Can someone point out how rice fields are treated differently post-harvest when being prepped for crawfishing vs. otherwise? Just leave the stubble standing (with the trails) and flood it? Birds no like?

[Ericdc]

Can someone point out how rice fields are treated differently post-harvest when being prepped for crawfishing vs. otherwise? Just leave the stubble standing (with the trails) and flood it? Birds no like?

Maybe the depth?


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[Rick]

Best case, when the pond is not to be fished until after the duck season is over, the water will still be kept deeper than feeding ducks like, the farmer won't want to buffalo any more than a small hole in his stubble, and he'll do his best to keep geese out of the area, so they don't take the pond, mash the stubble that the crawfish need and change the water's Ph with their poop.

Worst case, all of the above and you've got a crawfisherman working the pond while you're trying to hunt.

[Darren]

Do the geese actually eat crawfish? or do farmers just not want them for the reasons you mentioned? I've seen at my buddy's field in Bunkie what geese taking a field can do to what was standing stubble

[Ericdc]

Given the 2 I'll take our plowed ground versus crawfishing.

The geese still loaf in the plowed fields during the day. Even if they are just mud.


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[Rick]

The geese still loaf in the plowed fields during the day. Even if they are just mud.

Geese flat love the new greens plowed ground generates. And I've seen them use what appeared nothing but dirt until you looked close enough to see tiny little carrot top looking greens.

[Ericdc]

The geese still loaf in the plowed fields during the day. Even if they are just mud.

Geese flat love the new greens plowed ground generates. And I've seen them use what appeared nothing but dirt until you looked close enough to see tiny little carrot top looking greens.

Right. Warm wet falls like last year produced a lot of green. Need some rain if we are going to get any sprouts.


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[Ericdc]

Did get some good news yesterday evening. They are going to start pumping our fields later this week so we'll have some water by next Saturday's opener.


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[Rick]

Me and Dad had a blind on the Lyon's farm...

Had a lot of fun on that farm for a few seasons beginning in the mid '80s.