WaterfowlForum.Net

11/26/2017

Clear - low 50's light north wind

Blake,Bill and me

Birds- 7 - 4 GW 3 BW

Not much moving this morning. We did have a flock of specks come by just to our east, low level heading north. I gave em some light, quiet cluck's and they locked up and talked back. They turned just to our north and started a down wind line across our pond, getting lower all the while, talking back excitedly.

I continued soft cluck's and yodels, right up until a blind up wind turned loose a salvo. Then another blind to the north west let go as well, which further reinforced their climb out. I was really excited for a brief moment. I just knew we had em.

I'm really tempted to put out a half dozen speck floaters for those few flocks we get to play with. I just hate to see em sink from low pass teal shots. I could probably find a safe zone for em.Today, if left to look for the call, I'm pretty sure we would've had a low fly over.

johnc wrote:get higdon foam filled floaters--wont sink and now look correct

go to higdon website

Wil do, thanks!

Bummer on the Speck opp foiled by distant shooting Dave, but glad that ya'll killed some birds............and caught crabs for dinner!!!!!!

I went home after the hunt yesterday and spent the rest of my birthday with my latest grandchild that shares my birthday, 1 year old yesterday. Her POP-POP was in the marsh on that day last year as well.

Bill and I drove down this morning and made a red fish trip to an area I hadn't visited in a while. It was unbelievable!,to say the least. Non stop and left em biting.

We released the bulls and kept a limit of "smaller" fish.

Living the Dream Brother
Beautiful mess-o-fish Dave!!!!!!

11/28/2017

Clear - low 50's light east wind

Bill and me

Birds- 3 GW

Nothing moving this morning, very quiet. Talked to a game warden just down the road from the boat dock and he had heard us shoot, and not much else. Seems the refuge is void of ducks, or their just not moving. There's a wad of geese coming and going but not seeing any ducks lift with em. A diver hunter would do well with us, though.

The wind and tide wasn't right for yesterday's red fish spot but we were still able to take a few at another, just not as extreme. Shrimp and crab stew on the stove...... FRESH!

11/29/2017

Overcast - mid 50's light east wind

Bill and me

Birds- Scratch

Birds didn't move. We drove home after the hunt, but we'll back down there in the morning, early. We'll do some fishing and hope this approaching front and more hunters running in the marsh get these birds stirred up. We did listen to, and jump many teal and gadwall on the way out. They'd just go right back down. The divers are thick too, but they didn't move either.

DComeaux wrote:...We did listen to, and jump many teal and gadwall on the way out. They'd just go right back down. The divers are thick too, but they didn't move either.

Been thinking I'd at least like to see some ducks, but that might be worse, yet.

The fishing is great, and we're seeing many birds in the pounds at the road near our place, just hope they move in the morning. Still a ghost town down here when it comes to hunters (duck stirrers). We'll be in the blind in the morning with a time limit. Some fish need lip adjustments. I want to find some flounder.

12/1/2017

Clear- mid 50's light north wind

Blake and me

Birds- 3 - 2 GW teal 1 gadwall

Birds are still holding tight and we're still jumping a good many on the way out. All of the hunters have made it in so we should get a stirring. My shooting is off, and we did miss on a couple of opportunities. We called it early and went fishing, which was very productive.

I took this photo of dos gris in the decoys. We have plenty of opportunity for those, as well as ruddy and bufflehead. If you look beyond the dos gris you'll see some specks that are teal and grays at the edge of the pond. Aggravating bastages!



3 of us filled our limit on reds. Length restrictions became came into play for reaching it.

Have you tried the ruddies, yet? I ran into another reference to their having been a top market bird a while back.

Rick wrote:Have you tried the ruddies, yet? I ran into another reference to their having been a top market bird a while back.

Not lately, but I have eaten them before, when I hunted Holly Beach some years ago. They must be okay table fare, because I don't have a negative memory of them.

12/2/2017

Clear- upper 50's light north wind

Me, Blake, and Bill

Birds- 6 - 3 GW teal 1 mallard drake 1 spoonbill <<< (Bills Bird) 1 scaup<<<(Blakes Bird)

Slow morning, not much moving, even with more human activity. They've found their safe zones and go right back down when pushed. We packed it up today and will just drive home in the morning, no hunt. The go devil will have a new Predator 22 HP motor on it when we return. This gives me some tinkering to do at home. I was already short on throttle cable due to a breakage some time back (high Idle), and it broke again today while checking the crab traps, an even higher idle.....She gone!

Traps produced 40 large crabs.

Steaks on the grill tonight. Last night a lease member cooked a duck, smoked turkey neck, andouille and sausage gumbo. We supplied the fresh, baked sweet potatoes.

One of the big reds we caught yesterday bit me. I thought I could get away with lipping it to release it, as I thought he was tired. Was I wrong! he chomped down pretty hard. I know better, but those gill plates are sharp.

It's been some time since we've had this in the forecast.


Friday Dec 8
44/32
Cloudy/Snow Flakes Early
30%

DAY:Some light showers early possibly mixed with a few snow showers...no accumulation. Clouds begin to thin with some sun late. Remaining cold with highs in the mid-40s and lows near freezing in the lower 30s.

Can be disappointing or great in our marsh. Was pretty dang grand when last January saw the 20s:

It’s good for us until the fields lock up then they head to Rick’s mud hole. I love hunting the morning before it freezes up and the thaw.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ericdc wrote:It’s good for us until the fields lock up then they head to Rick’s mud hole. I love hunting the morning before it freezes up and the thaw.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Experienced that myself, and no birds to make busting ice worthwhile. But Rick's hole was on fire

We killed specks both mornings I went but the 2nd time, during January when above hunts pictured were, it probably wasn’t worth it. I could have easily tore up my atv busting 2 inch thick ice.

Got 3 specks with 3 hunters.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pulled the POS vanguard from the frame and put this 22 hp (670CC) predator in it's place. Just a bit more work tonight and we'll have her running.

Question.... Can I tie the "oh crap" kill switch on the handle into the low oil sensor wire, keeping the sensor operational?

Can't answer your question, but can wish you better luck with your Predator than we've had with ours.

Supposed to be a Honda copy, but a "Honda" it ain't. Might want to pull (and pitch) the anti-backfire solenoid now and save the hassle of having it stick and keep you from starting later. Starter solenoid was also boogered on ours from the git-go, and last I heard the fuel pump wasn't maintaining prime without manual help.

Makes me appreciate my sometimes hinky Vanguard.

I'm crossing my fingers on this one, and hope we got one that was put together well. I did a lot of research and spoke to a few older mechanics, one of which actually recommended and uses predator. We'll see in time.

Thanks for the heads up on the anti backfire solenoid. Off to goggle I go.

I'm told the fellow who does our more complicated boat engine work has said the Predator is a good engine "with a couple modifications". Would guess removing that solenoid (which even I managed) one of them but don't know the other.