Post Season

[SpinnerMan]

they're laser focused on their own little worlds

it's about our (LA) future

[DComeaux]

they're laser focused on their own little worlds

it's about our (LA) future

Sorry, that comment was aimed at some of the waterfowl hunters in Louisiana and their little feed lots. You guy's are considered the thieves in the night.

[Rick]

You and I will be long gone when large parcels of well managed, particularly in terms of pressure, private Louisiana habitat quits holding ducks.

Like the 80's? Never say never Rick.

I thought you and most everyone on these boards but me saw the 3 and 30 years as one of the hay days of LA duck hunting. Thanks largely to the elbow room provided by the quitters, but surely not without some ducks being around for those who stuck with it.

Where I was hunting at the time, it generally took rain to kill three duck limits and our camp's goose business was going through the roof with newly minted converts who experienced much the same.

But I was still writing in those days and learned during an interview with Sabine NWR's manager that hunters there were averaging very near limits of ducks taking advantage of some of the best habitat anywhere until Rita and Ike flushed it. While I gather the habitat's largely recovered, one can't help but how the refuge can hold up to Lake Charles' population boom...

[Rick]

- I guess that means it is time for another hurricane.

Shhh...as much as our marsh needs water, I don't want it that bad.

[Ducaholic]

The sky is falling, the sky is falling!!!

You and I will be long gone when large parcels of well managed, particularly in terms of pressure, private Louisiana habitat quits holding ducks.

Public hunting land management is a far less effective draw, because as our head upland bird manager once said of quail, "Every time you create a public land covey, you also create two more public land hunters with four more dogs."

If it's huntable habitat, didn't notice where it might have said "refuge use only, no hunting", then Rick's on point, public land yahoos will be shoulder to shoulder in there and pressure will counteract the initial draw.

As you know that's already the case in a lot of areas. That does not mean we can't or shouldn't do more on public land to restore it and make it as attractive to waterfowl as it once was. Even if that means more hunting restrictions namely days and time allowed in the field.

Exactly zero people will support any such measures if it results in reduced opportunity (e.g. days afield), that's first and foremost. Hell we hardly got away with (and likely never will again) opening on a Friday in an effort to boost the effectiveness and hunt quality of the entire teal season last year (regardless of how it ended up turning out). People whined about losing ONE DAY of opportunity, and that didn't even apply to those that could take off. So best of luck improving habitat but then saying can't hunt it as much, drawing a distinct line in the sand.

I'd counteract that with areas where hunters are able to make a CHOICE, such as our limited access areas on state WMAs......no one's saying you can't hunt there, you're just going to have to make a choice whether you're willing to put in a little extra effort to reap the rewards. But in that case hunt opportunity, save for the handicapped or elderly, is not reduced.

While we're on this and know they're in the background from previous discussions, through a friend that apparently visits regularly, recently came across some "hero shots" of hunts from Little Pecan last season......piles and piles of those long birds with the red/brown "chocolate" heads with white trim and long pointy tail, and those others so many talk about that don't exist in Louisiana, allegedly, with the iridescent solid green heads, yellow bill, curly black feathers at the rump.

Those who can will make the referenced habitat upgrades and then leave it up to themselves to manage pressure instead of being yahoos and invading it day after day. And they're steadily being rewarded......... To contrast, marginally decent coastal habitat in Delacroix area, though "private" is degraded by the yahoos that joy ride all day in mud boats just to see the birds take flight en mass. Can we not work to combat that as another angle in preserving (and improving) what habitat we DO have? Dave? What's the FFL's stance on that?

You would have to ask the FFL. As for the LAA they descriminate against older hunters who simply can't put in the work, and even younger hunters with young children. LAA's are simply a way for LDWF to drive up it success story and give a handful of skinny fit hunters like yourself a place to shoot a few birds...

There will be a day when days and hours will have to be addressed. But first things first. There is plenty that can be done habitat wise on WMA's thru out the state most notably in the invasive aquatics arena. To date very little has been done other than efforts on popular fishing lakes where LDWF Department Heads have camps and the Governor's Buddies reside.

[Ducaholic]

You and I will be long gone when large parcels of well managed, particularly in terms of pressure, private Louisiana habitat quits holding ducks.

Like the 80's? Never say never Rick.

I thought you and most everyone on these boards but me saw the 3 and 30 years as one of the hay days of LA duck hunting. Thanks largely to the elbow room provided by the quitters, but surely not without some ducks being around for those who stuck with it.

Where I was hunting at the time, it generally took rain to kill three duck limits and our camp's goose business was going through the roof with newly minted converts who experienced much the same.

But I was still writing in those days and learned during an interview with Sabine NWR's manager that hunters there were averaging very near limits of ducks taking advantage of some of the best habitat anywhere until Rita and Ike flushed it. While I gather the habitat's largely recovered, one can't help but how the refuge can hold up to Lake Charles' population boom...

I did have some very easy and memorable hunts during the 30 and 3 days. Much less pressure on public ground being the primary reason and of course invasive aquatics was not even a word I have ever heard much less understood.

You on the other hand did not have much luck based on previous statements. My point being there will come a day when the peak we are riding will end. It can't last forever so never say never. So the notion that well managed private land will always flourish is not likely fact.

[DComeaux]

It's almost over.............

[Rick]

My point being there will come a day when the peak we are riding will end. It can't last forever so never say never. So the notion that well managed private land will always flourish is not likely fact.

Of course duck populations will continue to fluctuate significantly, and much more likely again in our time than not. But I'll stand by what I've actually said and you quoted, "You and I will be long gone when large parcels of well managed, particularly in terms of pressure, private Louisiana habitat quits holding ducks." Much like Sabine NWR and other expanses where quality habitat outstripped gun pressure did during the last crunch.

Eventually, it will all be gone for practical purposes, but I don't expect to be around to see it.

[Rick]

Having just reread last September's teal season log for the way-too-manyeth time, I've reconsidered. You guys are right: it's over.

[DComeaux]

Having just reread last September's teal season log for the way-too-manyeth time, I've reconsidered. You guys are right: it's over.

I went over my logs from last year last night....It' really sucked.

[Ducaholic]

Having just reread last September's teal season log for the way-too-manyeth time, I've reconsidered. You guys are right: it's over.

I went over my logs from last year last night....It' really sucked.

My last really good season was 2013/14. All of them are good because I just like to go but the truth is It's come down to the 5-6 real good hunts per year and 5-6 more that are ok. Given the fact that I go about 40 times per year you can do the math. Now granted some days are just not very ducky and I know when I wake up I'm wasting my time but some are very good ducks days and it's on those days that I wonder where the heck are they?

[DComeaux]

Having just reread last September's teal season log for the way-too-manyeth time, I've reconsidered. You guys are right: it's over.

I went over my logs from last year last night....It' really sucked.

My last really good season was 2013/14. All of them are good because I just like to go but the truth is It's come down to the 5-6 real good hunts per year and 5-6 more that are ok. Given the fact that I go about 40 times per year you can do the math. Now granted some days are just not very ducky and I know when I wake up I'm wasting my time but some are very good ducks days and it's on those days that I wonder where the heck are they?

It was a year or two before your season that we had anything truly exciting. Those logs were on a now defunct duck forum. I think I have copy's of those on a computer that I put away. As Waylon Jennings put it ' We're rollin down hill like a snowball headed for hell".

[SpinnerMan]

We're rollin down hill like a snowball headed for hell

Nope just at the bottom of the yo-yo. Which seems to make sense when you are beyond the end of the line for a lot of ducks. The combination of weather and habitat conditions to the north will result in the biggest fluctuation furthest to the south.

https://flyways.us/regulations-and-harvest/harvest-trends
Total number of ducks harvested in Louisiana

And just like in the 1990's it will bounce back. Up and down like a yo-yo. If there is any trend in that, it has a positive slope. Lousiana kills about 25% of all ducks killed in the Mississippi flyway. It bounces between 20% and 30%. Combine that with the ups and downs in annual harvest. The sky is not falling. You just had a way above average run and now you've had a few years below average. But everybody expects the well above average years to be the normal and when you have below average they believe it is disaster and not simply the natural variation that should be expected.

If you want more predictible annual totals, you need to move north.
Arkansas.

Missouri


Iowa


Minnesota

[DComeaux]

We will have nothing left.



Ville Platte Man Cited for Shooting Whooping Crane

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) enforcement agents cited a Ville Platte man on July 26 for allegedly shooting an endangered whooping crane in Evangeline Parish.

Agents cited Gilvin P. Aucoin, 52, for violating the Endangered Species Act after he admitted to shooting a whooping crane.

Agents were notified about a shot whooping crane that was found near a crawfish pond in the northeast corner of Evangeline Parish. Agents responded to the area and questioned Aucoin, who was working on the land at the time the crane was shot.

During questioning he admitted to shooting the crane with a .22 caliber rifle on July 25 while working on the property. Agents seized the .22 caliber rifle.

Violating the Endangered Species Act brings up to a $50,000 fine and a year in jail.

LDWF has released 125 whooping cranes since 2011 and are currently tracking 65 whooping cranes. The female crane in this case was released in 2011.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at http://www.wlf.la.gov. To receive email alerts, signup at http://www.wlf.la.gov/signup.

[Rick]

That your way of paraphrasing Sitting Bull? "When the ducks are gone, we will shoot whoopers."

[DComeaux]

That your way of paraphrasing Sitting Bull? "When the ducks are gone, we will shoot whoopers."

I would never shoot those. He probably had no idea what he was aiming at, and thought it was just another one of the thousands of egrets, cranes or other non game species he's shot in his crawfish ponds. It's just this one told on him. His crawfish money for next year is already spent.

[Ducaholic]

Corey the theory is reality but before it gets better it’s going to get much worse. It happened in the early sixties and in the latter part of the 80’s. PPR has to go dry for it to truly flourish. Trouble is this time Canadian farmers are prepared to plow baby plow with crops that can grow and be harvested in much shorter windows of time.

It’s a scary thought.

[Rick]

He probably had no idea what he was aiming at, and thought it was just another one of the thousands of egrets, cranes or other non game species he's shot in his crawfish ponds.

He may not have known what he was shooting, but ain't no way he thought it was like any egret or heron he ever saw.

[DComeaux]

He probably had no idea what he was aiming at, and thought it was just another one of the thousands of egrets, cranes or other non game species he's shot in his crawfish ponds.

He may not have known what he was shooting, but ain't no way he thought it was like any egret or heron he ever saw.

I agree. He apparently didn't take a closer look at it once shot either, or if he did, didn't understand that it had transmitting jewelry. .

[DComeaux]

It's almost time my friends.


I really like this video. It reminds of a time or two in a spot a few years ago, that I hope for Rick, his people keep for the house this year.

[don novicki]

Late to the party for this one but up here in Pa and Oh the farmers now chop all the corn close to the ground. There is literally no waste corn in the fields anymore and certainly not like the old days when there was waste corn everywhere. Dam near every field now is no till which also means no driving out in the field anymore, which is tough when you are an old fart.