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Here’s what my old field looked like last year after they did the leveling work and moved pit into a newly made levee / road. I wouldn’t think they’d be doing anything with your blind, but this is what a leveled plowed up field looks like.

Pumping had just started.


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There had better be a blind over there in that tree line.
Looks right so right.

Nothing quite like having to have eyes in the back of your head for when they dump in from behind to get out of the wind.

Nope, don’t wanna be near the trees in ag land unless there’s enough trees to be in the trees.


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Ok yeah you're right and it'd never ever work in a million years.

Darren wrote:Farm hand we talked to mentioned that plans for this field are up in the air for now. Mentioned crawfishing it a while longer before eventually getting the water off, then doing some leveling work and "plowing it up real good". May leave it fallow for the fall with plans to put it in rice again the following year, or may plant some "crawfish rice". He did mention flooding it in the fall so while what's in the flood could be better or worse, his mention of having a flood is at least at the core of our needs.

@ Rick, what's all that mean?

Same scenario as standing corn. You should do well.

Old Cache or new?
Where I was it was uh both. The old cache doesn't flow but is pretty much a long group of sloughs.
The new Cache is leveed up and straight. Is basically a shallow ditch.

I guess if you go south the old/new thing quits and it's just the river.
Had me sort of confused until I put my boat in the old Cache by Egypt and drove it as far as I could which was not far.

johnc wrote:Blinds placed right on tree line or in tree line because ducks flew that constantly. And the water held best there. I honestly thought there was no way specks would work that close too trees,I was wrong . Realistic decoys and calling

Yea No doubt. Just would be tough to hunt every day I would think, when wind direction is blowing towards the trees.


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johnc wrote:

Ericdc wrote:

johnc wrote:Blinds placed right on tree line or in tree line because ducks flew that constantly. And the water held best there. I honestly thought there was no way specks would work that close too trees,I was wrong . Realistic decoys and calling

Yea No doubt. Just would be tough to hunt every day I would think, when wind direction is blowing towards the trees.




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I **** my pants when it got light and I saw those trees right there and I am in a 20 ft pit with the task of killing 18 specks---that eased when we left before 8 am with 18 specks and 36 ducks,,Bill Daniels was with me on that hunt

Did y’all have a favorable wind that allowed birds to finish in front?


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This guy complained bitterly about setting up in a little island of trees:


And these guys died trying to land about 25yds from where their picture was taken:


But except for the exceptions, I'd much rather be in the most open spot around for specks.

Don't let me get us back on task, but....

DComeaux wrote:

Darren wrote:Farm hand we talked to mentioned that plans for this field are up in the air for now. Mentioned crawfishing it a while longer before eventually getting the water off, then doing some leveling work and "plowing it up real good". May leave it fallow for the fall with plans to put it in rice again the following year, or may plant some "crawfish rice". He did mention flooding it in the fall so while what's in the flood could be better or worse, his mention of having a flood is at least at the core of our needs.

@ Rick, what's all that mean?

Same scenario as standing corn. You should do well.

Huh!??

Ericdc wrote:Here’s what my old field looked like last year after they did the leveling work and moved pit into a newly made levee / road. I wouldn’t think they’d be doing anything with your blind, but this is what a leveled plowed up field looks like.

Pumping had just started.


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Really hoping the leveling is done sooner than later, allowing some growth of this and that vegetation, maybe some volunteer stuff

Darren wrote:Don't let me get us back on task, but....

DComeaux wrote:

Darren wrote:Farm hand we talked to mentioned that plans for this field are up in the air for now. Mentioned crawfishing it a while longer before eventually getting the water off, then doing some leveling work and "plowing it up real good". May leave it fallow for the fall with plans to put it in rice again the following year, or may plant some "crawfish rice". He did mention flooding it in the fall so while what's in the flood could be better or worse, his mention of having a flood is at least at the core of our needs.

@ Rick, what's all that mean?

Same scenario as standing corn. You should do well.

Huh!??

"Rice for crawfish" is usually not harvested. They'll be planting a little late at your place, if they chose to do so.

DComeaux wrote:

Darren wrote:Don't let me get us back on task, but....

DComeaux wrote:

Darren wrote:Farm hand we talked to mentioned that plans for this field are up in the air for now. Mentioned crawfishing it a while longer before eventually getting the water off, then doing some leveling work and "plowing it up real good". May leave it fallow for the fall with plans to put it in rice again the following year, or may plant some "crawfish rice". He did mention flooding it in the fall so while what's in the flood could be better or worse, his mention of having a flood is at least at the core of our needs.

@ Rick, what's all that mean?

Same scenario as standing corn. You should do well.

Huh!??

"Rice for crawfish" is usually not harvested. They'll be planting a little late at your place, if they chose to do so.

CRAYFISH-1-jumbo.jpg

Oh, gotcha. That's what he made it seem like....not harvested and planted late. Other fields that are getting rice are already being planted, BUT none of those were immediately around us so figure similar plans for those. We rode one end of farm to the other, majority still has water on it.

I guess question is if crawfish rice is not planted, best case scenario is various weeds and grasses? grow up and are flooded; worst case being a mud field like Eric's pic will be flooded. Ducks dont eat mud last I heard, not even a dosgris

My friends killed ducks and specks in that field last year Darren, they actually outdid my bean field a few days. They didn’t hunt much at all in January when, in my opinion, you are hunting the flight more than a feed.




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The problems with crawfish anything are too much water and human traffic. I'd gladly give up eating crawfish for life to have them go away and better habit return. Those, and crawfishermen can't abide geese in their fields.

Rick wrote:The problems with crawfish anything are water depth and traffic. I'd gladly give up eating crawfish for life to have them go away and better habit return.

Yea deep water and tall stubble....

I can’t say anything about the giving up part because they don’t grow them in our area...but i understand the problem. They are still better than sugar cane huh?


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Fire ants are better than cane.

Rick wrote:Fire ants are better than cane.

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With regard to the crawfishing ops........this field was in crawfish this year too, and we did fine. Our field nor any others surrounding us had traps until February, so human/boat traffic is not an issue. The geese were in it regularly when we weren't there, and yes they knocked down the standing rice, but no evidence of anyone running them out. I disturbed them from the field myself on a few afternoons on arrival. Hoping this scenario plays out again this fall.

The pond (and standing rice) was initially flooded to 5-7 inches in maybe October or so but then eventually accumulated with rainfall as it got to be deeper and deeper as the hunting season progressed, with less and less stubble showing from both submersion and/or fowl knocking it down.

Started like this in early November:





Ended up like this:

So y’all hunted an unharvested rice field, I didn’t realize that.


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Count your blessings and pray they continue.

Can't speak to the timing of harvest or what was harvested when, but this field was managed just the same as all others in the area. A farmer, I am not.

johnc wrote:

Rick wrote:Count your blessings and pray they continue.

Yes,talk about

Friend's family owns the field; would that not give them at least some input on timing of crawfish activities? Or farmer typically has the run of it?