Post Season

[DComeaux]

Now I know it's getting close...


LDWF Accepting Applications for 2018 White Lake WCA Lottery Teal Hunts

June 22, 2018 - The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is accepting applications for the 2018 lottery teal hunts on the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area (WCA) in Vermilion Parish through July 25.

Available hunting dates include Saturday, Sept. 15; Sunday, Sept. 16; Tuesday, Sept. 18; Thursday, Sept. 20; Saturday, Sept. 22; Sunday, Sept. 23; Wednesday, Sept. 26; Saturday, Sept. 29, and Sunday, Sept. 30.

Anyone 18 years of age or older can apply. Only one application per hunter will be accepted. Applications are available on the LDWF web site at http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/refuge/lot ... plications or by writing to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Attention: White Lake Teal Hunt, 2000 Quail Drive, Room 418, Baton Rouge, LA 70808.

Completed applications must be received by close of business on July 25, 2018. A $5 non-refundable administration fee in the form of a check or money order made payable to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries must accompany each application. No cash will be accepted.

Each applicant who is selected will be allowed to bring one additional hunter as a guest. All hunters must have appropriate licenses, including a basic hunting license (or Louisiana Sportsman's Paradise license), a Louisiana duck license, federal duck stamp and HIP permit.

Successful applicants will be notified by mail and required to submit an additional check or money order for $250 per hunt party. Applications are non-transferrable.

For more information on White Lake WCA teal season lottery hunts, contact Wayne Sweeney at 337-536-9400, ext. 1, or wsweeney@wlf.la.gov .

[Rick]

I've hunted two N.O. guys each of the past two Septembers who were on this end because of being drawn for that hunt, so it may not be too tough to get in on. Don't know about all of them, but both their hunts and a father and son's who also hunted with me last year were in the marsh.

[aunt betty]

Sounds sort of like the "Duck Classic"in Ar.
First prize was a new custom 4x4 from DNW Outdoors with a wrap.
Kid that hunts at Big Lake won it. One hell of a truck.

[Rick]

Well, it ain't a truck, but it is a chance to hunt what was long regarded by those in a position to know as the finest marsh in the country. Kind of place where you pretty much had to be the king of an oil rich nation to get an invite. Think Coca Cola's woods on steroids.

[aunt betty]

Thanks for spelling it out. Need to keep as far as possible from that sort of thing.
Special folks doing special things at special prices.
Exclusive is the word I'm searching for. The kind of place where I get excluded.

Not a problem I'll keep over here with the public guys that eat their fish bait.

Note to self: Vermillion Parish is off limits.

[SpinnerMan]

I always prayed hard that they'd harvest before the first Saturday in November which did not always happen.
Spinner tell them why I wanted the corn down by that day. Should be obvious.

For me, the rut is kicking in then. The less standing corn, the less place for the deer to be chasing each other around in during the day and the more likely they will be chased by my stand.

[aunt betty]

Pheasant and rabbit season traditionally starts the first Saturday in November.
Thus "the conflict". Waterfowl or upland? I tried to do both for twenty years.
If I were smart I'd have skipped ducks and went after pheasants every time but I'm not that intelligent.
Having the corn down concentrates them pheasant birds into the places I can go.

Now it's time for a little brag. I saved up so many pheasant tail feathers that it took three paper grocery shopping bags to hold them all. I seriously thought I was going to sell them for a buck a piece. duhhhh

[SpinnerMan]

I haven't done any pheasant hunting in Illinois except at the chicken farms.

[aunt betty]

Find Thomasboro. Draw a circle around it with a 40 mile radius. That's where the pheasants live.
I used to live there in a trailer. Could walk out the door, wander over miles of drainage ditches, then call the wife when I had enough. Had a canoe tied up to my deck. The ditch behind the trailer was fat with coons, rats, and minks. Get up on the dry ground and it's skunks, yotes, and foxes. Used to have it made and didn't know how good it was because we were dirt poor trailer trash and still are in many ways.

[DComeaux]

The sights and sounds of fall. Can you feel the cool winds? I'm really looking forward to it.

This was a typical morning in our rice blind in 2014

[Rick]

Whistling ducks have been conspicuously sparse in my spring and summer travels to date. But I finally ran into a couple mixed groups this morning, each numbering in the dozens, and got to work quite a few within gimme range by chattering on the Montana Lite that's part of the dog whistle string that lives in my pocket year around. Not nearly so neat as getting to work any early of our early migrants, but some fun, all the same.

(And nice to see they haven't all abandoned us for someone's flooded corn. Yet.)

[DComeaux]

Whistling ducks have been conspicuously sparse in my spring and summer travels to date. But I finally ran into a couple mixed groups this morning, each numbering in the dozens, and got to work quite a few within gimme range by chattering on the Montana Lite that's part of the dog whistle string that lives in my pocket year around. Not nearly so neat as getting to work any early of our early migrants, but some fun, all the same.

(And nice to see they haven't all abandoned us for someone's flooded corn. Yet.)

HA! Geese

[Rick]

Geese

Know yours were geese. Actually cranked it up and ran it twice just to enjoy the sound. Playing with squealers is just the closest I can get to hunting this time of year.

[DComeaux]

A cold mornings hunt in Thornwell, December 1998. That's the year farming for ducks was pushed and took off. I, and most I know had no idea what was coming.

57750.jpeg

This is a 1966 Sports Illustrated article that I found very interesting.

https://www.si.com/vault/1966/10/31/609081/please-dont-feed-the-waterfowl

[Darren]

Now I know it's getting close...


LDWF Accepting Applications for 2018 White Lake WCA Lottery Teal Hunts

June 22, 2018 - The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is accepting applications for the 2018 lottery teal hunts on the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area (WCA) in Vermilion Parish through July 25.

Available hunting dates include Saturday, Sept. 15; Sunday, Sept. 16; Tuesday, Sept. 18; Thursday, Sept. 20; Saturday, Sept. 22; Sunday, Sept. 23; Wednesday, Sept. 26; Saturday, Sept. 29, and Sunday, Sept. 30.

Anyone 18 years of age or older can apply. Only one application per hunter will be accepted. Applications are available on the LDWF web site at http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/refuge/lot ... plications or by writing to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Attention: White Lake Teal Hunt, 2000 Quail Drive, Room 418, Baton Rouge, LA 70808.

Completed applications must be received by close of business on July 25, 2018. A $5 non-refundable administration fee in the form of a check or money order made payable to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries must accompany each application. No cash will be accepted.

Each applicant who is selected will be allowed to bring one additional hunter as a guest. All hunters must have appropriate licenses, including a basic hunting license (or Louisiana Sportsman's Paradise license), a Louisiana duck license, federal duck stamp and HIP permit.

Successful applicants will be notified by mail and required to submit an additional check or money order for $250 per hunt party. Applications are non-transferrable.

For more information on White Lake WCA teal season lottery hunts, contact Wayne Sweeney at 337-536-9400, ext. 1, or wsweeney@wlf.la.gov .

Really want to go some time to the White Lake marsh just for the experience. Haven't had luck in a while applying for anything at white lake, whereas for a stretch there it seemed a friend or myself got picked a few years in a row

[DComeaux]

Now I know it's getting close...


LDWF Accepting Applications for 2018 White Lake WCA Lottery Teal Hunts

June 22, 2018 - The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is accepting applications for the 2018 lottery teal hunts on the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area (WCA) in Vermilion Parish through July 25.

Available hunting dates include Saturday, Sept. 15; Sunday, Sept. 16; Tuesday, Sept. 18; Thursday, Sept. 20; Saturday, Sept. 22; Sunday, Sept. 23; Wednesday, Sept. 26; Saturday, Sept. 29, and Sunday, Sept. 30.

Anyone 18 years of age or older can apply. Only one application per hunter will be accepted. Applications are available on the LDWF web site at http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/refuge/lot ... plications or by writing to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Attention: White Lake Teal Hunt, 2000 Quail Drive, Room 418, Baton Rouge, LA 70808.

Completed applications must be received by close of business on July 25, 2018. A $5 non-refundable administration fee in the form of a check or money order made payable to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries must accompany each application. No cash will be accepted.

Each applicant who is selected will be allowed to bring one additional hunter as a guest. All hunters must have appropriate licenses, including a basic hunting license (or Louisiana Sportsman's Paradise license), a Louisiana duck license, federal duck stamp and HIP permit.

Successful applicants will be notified by mail and required to submit an additional check or money order for $250 per hunt party. Applications are non-transferrable.

For more information on White Lake WCA teal season lottery hunts, contact Wayne Sweeney at 337-536-9400, ext. 1, or wsweeney@wlf.la.gov .

Really want to go some time to the White Lake marsh just for the experience. Haven't had luck in a while applying for anything at white lake, whereas for a stretch there it seemed a friend or myself got picked a few years in a row

I tried only once and didn't get picked. I'd like take a look at their operation.

[aunt betty]

I happen to be lucky as hell at them drawings. The more inexperienced I am at a given location the more likely it is that I get drawn first and have to pick a hole and am clueless. It's happened pretty much everywhere I try that's new to me.
Lake Shelbyville, Rend Lake, Crab Orchard Lake, Sanchris Lake...and the list goes on.

There was a drawing at South Dunn and Mac Mcgee. Only like ten holes so before they drew I stood up and said, "Hey guys I'm hunting alone and if you want to put your names on my card I'm fine with that because it means three more of us get to hunt".
I get drawn first and left. Later I ran into some guys I usually hunt with and they told me what all was said after I walked out.
They said UGLY UGLY things. Fuck em I tried.
The game warden was laughing his ass off I heard.

[Rick]

Dave, we're still waiting for your new and improved baiting law that will help more than it hurts.

[DComeaux]

Dave, we're still waiting for your new and improved baiting law that will help more than it hurts.

It'll be a while yet. If you want to be assured of good duck shoots this season, head a north few states and find a watery, standing corn field.

All BS aside, I'm really anxious to see how this falls migration unfolds. Even after the last few years results, I'm glad I haven't lost that feeling..... ANTICIPATION ....... Although it's a bit watered down from years past.

[aunt betty]

Gee if it's that important I'll tell you exactly where to go. Parking lot #2 Carlyle Lake walk-ins. There is corn and it will still be the worst day duck hunting of your life. You have to walk/race like it's a WMA in Arkansas only on foot. (or you can ride a bike) There are fistfights over holes. Try for the otter pond. When you get there I'd appreciate one of them reports complete with the lagnaps or whatever. There will be at least three of those.

Then hit Rend Lake Casey Forks sub impoundment. You'll need a boat there and they draw so it's not a race.
Enjoy the corn and the Illinois jerks you will run into.

[aunt betty]

Here's a map.

20180624_220751.jpg

Up in the upper left corner is lot#2 (That white square)
The otter pond is marked

[Rick]

Jerrysblind.jpg

Figure I may as well let this cat out of the bag, too, since it will be off limits, anyway, due to flooded standing crawfish rice nearby.

[Rick]

All BS aside, I'm really anxious to see how this falls migration unfolds. Even after the last few years results, I'm glad I haven't lost that feeling..... ANTICIPATION ....... Although it's a bit watered down from years past.

Drought's taken a lot of the wind out of my sails by setting back my marshscaping plans and maybe nixing them altogether. That, plus weeding in much of the open areas I might have drawn birds from, anyway. Might well whack much of our season, altogether, before it's over, depending on our rich neighbor's situation. Has me in the awkward position of hoping for weather at a time of year when I should be hoping against it.

[Darren]

Dave, we're still waiting for your new and improved baiting law that will help more than it hurts.

It'll be a while yet. If you want to be assured of good duck shoots this season, head a north few states and find a watery, standing corn field.

All BS aside, I'm really anxious to see how this falls migration unfolds. Even after the last few years results, I'm glad I haven't lost that feeling..... ANTICIPATION ....... Although it's a bit watered down from years past.

The standing corn thing, I believe, has the most impact on mallards. Nearly every video I've seen of birds standing on ice eating corn, or swimming amongst it consists of......yep mallards. As a result, I subscribe more to the premise of "These are not our birds!" The alleged corn catastrophe is not stopping green wings, grays (at least not to the degree of the mallards), spoons, dosgris, ringers, etc. which are all common Louisiana species. In SE La, we hardly see a mallard save for a few select areas, so most over that way just shrug and say "aint my birds anyway". I realize for some others in S. La, the mallard IS their bird and thus they have a stake in whatever it is that may be holding them up, but for the majority, the mallard is not a bread and butter duck. It may routinely make the strap, but it's not the only species on there.

The proliferation of just better managed habitat up and down the flyway, regardless of what's planted or left untilled or whatever, is likely contributing to slowing progress of normal migration of a variety of species. Hence I hope for dry flyway conditions each year. Those who can flood will always do it, but no need in flooding other stuff offering more (and likely unpressured) habitat for birds to hang on thanks only to Mama Nature. I know on a local level, when it rains a whole lot in our state alone, birds scatter to unpressured waters and hunting deteriorates quick. Birds still came, they're still HERE, they're just all over the damn place. There has been more than one recent season with Larry's surveys saying the numbers are here, but yet everyone's bitchin'! Scattered here there and everywhere.

You need to toss a lil more fuel on that spark you're getting for teal season; sky hasn't fallen and there will be blue wings whippin' over the spinners in just a couple months. I applaud the passion to pursue a fight on all of this, but not without also enjoying how dang good we, yes, STILL have it down here.

[aunt betty]

I'm confused.

Are we supposed to envy? Pity? Pity then envy then repeat?
Won't be long until that first hurricane hits and the pity party begins.
Until then envy...

Is that really how it is? Pretty much.

[Rick]

Our wigeon must be stacked up in the flooded corn, too, Darren. One morning in the early to mid '90s, five of us shot 14 drake wigeon to get them four perfect footballs with sweet sprigs and clean caps and masks for mounting. Last season we shot 3 wigeon

[Darren]

Our wigeon must be stacked up in the flooded corn, too, Darren. One morning in the early to mid '90s, five of us shot 14 drake wigeon to get them four perfect footballs with sweet sprigs and clean caps and masks for mounting. Last season we shot 3 wigeon

Same story in SE La on wigeon. They’ve apparently shifted west. So they’re not being short stopped, but they’ve shifted to Oklahoma and points west of La/Ark. Louisiana fella I sold some decoys to last year said he’s guiding in Oklahoma now and they are crushing wigeon in dry fields. Again, not a shirt stop factor but a shift. Pressure?? Maybe so, but they are a rare bird for us these days on my end.

[DComeaux]

Dave, we're still waiting for your new and improved baiting law that will help more than it hurts.

It'll be a while yet. If you want to be assured of good duck shoots this season, head a north few states and find a watery, standing corn field.

All BS aside, I'm really anxious to see how this falls migration unfolds. Even after the last few years results, I'm glad I haven't lost that feeling..... ANTICIPATION ....... Although it's a bit watered down from years past.

The standing corn thing, I believe, has the most impact on mallards. Nearly every video I've seen of birds standing on ice eating corn, or swimming amongst it consists of......yep mallards. As a result, I subscribe more to the premise of "These are not our birds!" The alleged corn catastrophe is not stopping green wings, grays (at least not to the degree of the mallards), spoons, dosgris, ringers, etc. which are all common Louisiana species. In SE La, we hardly see a mallard save for a few select areas, so most over that way just shrug and say "aint my birds anyway". I realize for some others in S. La, the mallard IS their bird and thus they have a stake in whatever it is that may be holding them up, but for the majority, the mallard is not a bread and butter duck. It may routinely make the strap, but it's not the only species on there.

The proliferation of just better managed habitat up and down the flyway, regardless of what's planted or left untilled or whatever, is likely contributing to slowing progress of normal migration of a variety of species. Hence I hope for dry flyway conditions each year. Those who can flood will always do it, but no need in flooding other stuff offering more (and likely unpressured) habitat for birds to hang on thanks only to Mama Nature. I know on a local level, when it rains a whole lot in our state alone, birds scatter to unpressured waters and hunting deteriorates quick. Birds still came, they're still HERE, they're just all over the damn place. There has been more than one recent season with Larry's surveys saying the numbers are here, but yet everyone's bitchin'! Scattered here there and everywhere.

You need to toss a lil more fuel on that spark you're getting for teal season; sky hasn't fallen and there will be blue wings whippin' over the spinners in just a couple months. I applaud the passion to pursue a fight on all of this, but not without also enjoying how dang good we, yes, STILL have it down here.

I agree with pretty much everything you've typed, BUT, a fire was started and I want to keep it stoked. All we've been getting for years is shoulder shrugs and not much else. Attention to this issue is what we need. Who knows, it may swing around naturally, but as I've typed a few times now, we'll never know what could be until we remove what we can from the equation.

The only thing to be removed from a hunting scenario is the planting of crops for the sole purpose of attracting waterfowl. UFWS and state refuges should be the main focus of this issue. Maybe start with those first and run a study. If the no till, low till dumps as much food as people are saying, then the birds should be just fine on their migration routes, with no help from non hunted, fully loaded buffet refuges.

Just a thought, could the flooded corn be a thrown bone to appease the money giving hunters (tax and fees), knowing that the refuges had initiated a planting program?..... UNKNOWN INTENTIONS .....UNKNOWN, OR UNTHOUGHT OF CONSEQUENCES

[DComeaux]

All BS aside, I'm really anxious to see how this falls migration unfolds. Even after the last few years results, I'm glad I haven't lost that feeling..... ANTICIPATION ....... Although it's a bit watered down from years past.

Drought's taken a lot of the wind out of my sails by setting back my marshscaping plans and maybe nixing them altogether. That, plus weeding in much of the open areas I might have drawn birds from, anyway. Might well whack much of our season, altogether, before it's over, depending on our rich neighbor's situation. Has me in the awkward position of hoping for weather at a time of year when I should be hoping against it.

Yeah, I'm a little concerned about water myself, although I did have good news this morning. It seems that the little rain maker that moved into Texas last week either dumped or pushed some water in the marsh. Was told the dry ponds at the refuge now have water, and crabs. The tropics are eerily quiet.