2018-2019 Season Log

[Rick]

Guns: This category brings nothing of note to mind except that I took the 16ga Model 12 on a couple duck hunts and did quite well with it. But I've yet to develop any real confidence in it for geese beyond ranges where my 20s would be fine. Hoping that's simply lack of familiarizing opportunities on specks - shot at just five: ground one up, knocked two others down, one of which a very long fall and had two (one thought to be hard hit) fly from sight carrying shot.

Malfunctions: Seemed to be quite a few plainly op-error malfunctions, but don't recall any clear equipment breakdowns other than the Mallard Machine's motor crapping out.

Dog(s): Found myself shushing Marsh for whining a time or two as birds worked during regular season, which is something we usually put behind us during September teal, when active gator water temps force him to watch birds downed on the pond without being allowed to retrieve them. Likely due to how slow the gunning was, but will try to be extra vigilant about it next year, just in case. Otherwise, the bug was blessing befitting his breeding and experience.

Special Equipment: Believe by far the most significant change was my marsh-scaping and addition of a second spinner, so one can be directed at each of the two highest little duck traffic locations within view of the mudhole, as we experienced a dramatic increase in our teal take relative to our marsh's previously much better teal blinds. (Didn't, however, do pecans for our ringneck odds.) Another change I hoped would bear fruit was painting my four brands of speck decoys of differing hues to a more uniform color scheme:

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But we didn't get to work remotely enough specks to draw even preliminary suspicion as to their effect on our chances beyond probably not hurting. And finally in this category, I wore a face mask virtually every hunt, whether my guests had them or not, so I'll be curious to see what effect, if any, that has on how many show up next season.

Curses: Had the usual outbreaks of chimes ringing, but it was at least a too rare season without a single loose round or other potentially deadly act. And I can always bitch about the lack of respect so many guests show for the birds' vision. But the inescapable and completely inescapable curse of this season was the lack of true winter to our north and resulting abysmal show of game and number of guests I disappointed. A long anticipated trip to duck camp just isn't supposed to go as most did.

Kudos: Still, most folks at least put on a good face and appeared to take it well, and we still managed to have generally enjoyable mornings despite the poor hunting.

Birds By Species: We took 374 September teal (3 banded) but only 506 regular season ducks (1 mallard banded) and 5 specks (all shot by me on play hunts), making the regular season likely the poorest for my parties since the late '80s. Thankfully, the blue-wings stuck around throughout the regular season to become that period's top species in the bag for the first time ever, surpassing our usual top-spot green-wings and more rarely top-spot mallards, as well as the others that usually quickly surpass them once the regular season is underway.

Photo Ops: I really fell down in this regard, and can only claim that it just didn't seem right to be fooling with a camera on my guests' time when the hunting was so weak. Or maybe I just didn't feel like it. Anyway, here's to the anticipation of better seasons to come:

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Lagniappe: Last year I loaded this section up with plans for the mudhole's future, at least some of which worked out pretty well. This year...well, I'm still licking my wounds and maybe feeling too sorry for me and mine to envision ways to improve our lot that are within my power. Hopefully, some will eventually surface, as a waterfowler without schemes for improvement isn't having nearly as much fun as those who have them.

[Ducaholic]

Good Stuff Rick.

[Darren]

Enjoyed the recap, agreed in how much less fun it is to put together coming off a sorry season. Nonetheless, your note below was my favorite, something that likewise gets me excited be it between hunts or between seasons. I've got plenty of schemes for upgrades to fit in before September

Hopefully, some will eventually surface, as a waterfowler without schemes for improvement isn't having nearly as much fun as those who have them.

[DComeaux]

Good read, thanks! I have an MM motor for you, I haven't forgot, and If I didn't have this cold I'd take a ride out there tomorrow.

Wanted to add that your spread with the FB specks looks damn good.

[Rick]

Thanks guys.

Dave, please don't make a special trip - or forget that it would be a lot easier for me just to send you the parts needed to make your MM whole again.

Re: the speck decoys, I'm still not the airbrush artist I'd wish but find them easy enough to look at and hope my hunters did, too, but they certainly didn't make any more of their kind pass our way. Don't think our setup has ever looked as inviting as it did this go-around:

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But to what end? Doubt the teal that at least made our first split more solid than most gave a rat's tail about anything but the increased spinner visibility and my own for calling to them, and I can only hope the rest of my efforts at least showed some of the folks I disappointed that I'd given it an honest shot.

(Have to admit my especially slow morning tendency not to turn and go straight out the run to the boat house, as has always been my custom when wind conditions allow, but to make a lap through the spread and around the blind's island before heading down the run. Sort of a low budget jungle tour with fake animals.)

Best thing to come of my speck painting venture may be having some of the super light old '04 and '05 Hardcores that again look good enough for walk-ins. Couple of those ("Charlie and Agnes") weigh next to nothing - especially compared to the Deceivers I've been toting. 'Course, that presupposes a speck spot worth walking into that won't interfere with the camp's paying hunters...

[Rick]

Took advantage of speck season's end and this morning's fog to run the bug and a speck call on a piece specks usually pass but had been sublet, and I feel better now. Got to experiment with trying to break and work what may have been more birds than during the entire season prior. The bug and I were poorly hidden and certainly didn't influence them all, not even most, but enough made it into "Oh, my!" range to realign my previously badly askew attitude toward next season.

Could be they really do read the LDWF pamphlet and were just setting me up for more disappointment, but at least I've envie enough to see that again that I'm already anxious for their return next fall.

[Darren]

Took advantage of speck season's end and this morning's fog to run the bug and a speck call on a piece specks usually pass but had been sublet, and I feel better now. Got to experiment with trying to break and work what may have been more birds than during the entire season prior. The bug and I were poorly hidden and certainly didn't influence them all, not even most, but enough made it into "Oh, my!" range to realign my previously badly askew attitude toward next season.

Could be they really do read the LDWF pamphlet and were just setting me up for more disappointment, but at least I've envie enough to see that again that I'm already anxious for their return next fall.

Very cool! Cant forget you also managed to put a big wad over the Mudhole this season.......by yourself