2018-2019 Preseason...

2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Rick » Sat Aug 11, 2018 6:59 am

Don't know that I've ever been quite so mindful of the prior season when preparing for the next than currently. Even used the lagniappe (something extra) section of that season's overview as a prompter for the coming one:

Lagniappe:When one of the site's log keepers posted his hunts' birds-per-hunter-effort averages and another responded with "...the true measure of success at least for me. Anything above 3 ducks per man per hunt is a good average above 4 is very good!" it set me to figuring our own regular season averages. (I lacked the nerve to tally September teal's.) And what I came up with was 3.4 birds per during our first miserably slow split and 4.2 during what seemed a pretty strong second one.

The second split I'd thought strong was numerically less than a single bird per-hunter-effort better than the first one I'd thought abysmal.

There are certainly elements of the "everything's relative" idiom to be seen in those perceptions: as our lack of first split action was driven home more mornings than not by all the little duck shooting the more broken marsh blinds to our east were enjoying, and no doubt heightened my enjoyment when the second split's weather brought the big ducks that made it our turn to shine brightest what at least seemed more mornings than not. But that single bird per man difference in satisfaction also reminded me of the old "3 and 30" days when the resulting precipitous drop in duck hunter numbers may have indicated that a great many duck hunters might not think three birds enough to merit going.

In any event, I know I'd sure rather not have another first split like this past one. And since I plainly can't count on conditions putting enough little ducks in the marsh that the Mudhole enjoys an overflow, much less westerly winds that pull what's around to our end or fronts carrying big ducks, I've been contemplating ways to draw more little ducks from their preferred more open marsh. Which is going to lead me in two worrisome directions I feel worth a shot.

The first, and least problematic, is adding a second spinner positioned to add line-of-sight flashing attraction to two higher traffic areas where low birds can't see my current one. Being philosophically opposed to spinners and aesthetically offended by them, as well as the problem of getting just one killed white-side-down in high winds to work big ducks or geese without their deterrence, has long stood in the way of carrying my September teal two spinner practice over into the regular season. But there will be a second standard Mojo in the Mudhole next November. Whether it will be there in December remains to be seen...

The second, and much more problematic, change I've just about talked myself into is knocking the heck out of the live canes on the blind's island. There's absolutely no question that they're a great aid in hiding hunters who can't or won't help hide themselves on northerly and easterly wind mornings. But they also block my view of marsh to our south that little ducks plainly favor and keep me from seeing how to handle flights that power-dive down over us and too often end up sliding away over that preferred marsh - unless I keep screaming at them blindly, which may then blow out those that swing and return too close to the racket for comfort.

Last year I experimented with spot poisoning the island's canes at the end of September teal, leaving me with sick canes, many of which lost their leaves and provided good visibility by the second split but were still too much cover to see through in November. This year's plan is to knock them back earlier and more thoroughly and adjust my blind and boat hide practices to compensate. If it turns out to be a terrible move for those won't help hide themselves, it will be easy enough to put it on them. But if it turns out to hurt the guys who can't help hide themselves, I'm going to hate myself...


Also continued my off-season practice of compiling a list of log entries speaking to issues in need of improvement. Some recurring, like birds lost to training Marsh still hasn't had enough of or my usual forgetfulness of calling tactics that have demonstrated usefulness. Some brand new like the past season being the first when we didn't manage to kill so much as a single teal with the boat in or near the pond, much less several. To that last point, even the photos helped highlight how eye-catching the faded camo tape on the boat's push pole and grab bar had become.

Am both pleased and disappointed to say that nearly every potential improvement I came up with has been or is being addressed.

Second standard Mojo spinner has been rigged with wings that stop white-down or into the wind and (along with it's metal conduit pole) painted to match the pond. And it's hard-wiring is ready to go. Canes, both on the blind island and in two spots blocking view of our spinners from distant waters teal and ringnecks favor, were poisoned and at least knocked well back early enough in the summer that greenery of some sort should be returning to camouflage that potential sign of hunting activity. Boat, grab bar and push pole have been camoed (in addition to other needed maintenance), and those recalling last season's "rookie move" might get a smile out of the addition of a 1.5 gallon "auxiliary" fuel can. Even making a point of giving Marsh a handling refresher or two most mornings, now that I'm home for the "cool" portions of them. And now that school's started and Sweet Chereaux's out of earshot, I'll soon be cutting "teal" reeds to see how much more reach for them I might get of the Stanley Deceiver that proved its long range usefulness for big ducks last winter. Duck decoys have long since been washed and repaired, and speck decoys are as ready as I know how to get them for painting when lower humidity allows. Don't know about the painter, but I'd like to think I've experimented enough to at least have a loose handle on airbrushing them satisfactorily. OK, halfway satisfactorily

Am certain I've forgotten a good bit, as I've been as ate up with getting it right as I've ever been and am starting to scratch pretty hard for ducky things to do.
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Rick » Sat Aug 11, 2018 5:09 pm

Isn't often that my worry is too little to do to pass the preseason, but it looks like it could happen this go-around.
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Rick » Sun Aug 12, 2018 8:47 am

My problem was getting paint to stick to the bare aluminum once the original Go-Devil paint let go, so I wrapped it with cheap (Wally World?) camo tape that too soon faded to almost day-glo:
002a.jpg


and, I've learned using that pole with the pirogue this summer, doesn't hold paint a whole heck of a lot better than bare aluminum, just "better".

Were I doing it over, I might find a proper aluminum primer and etch the bare aluminum with a paste made of Tide detergent before applying that. Have a canoe thus etched and zinc chromate primed that's still holding the Parker paint I applied while in college.

That photo's a nice example of these logs' value, as I looked at that pole every day without thinking about it until it jumped out at me here.
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Rick » Mon Aug 13, 2018 8:30 am

I've black, brown and green in the boat for when the blind's burlap drape fades and was constantly hitting the pole with some prior to taping, just got out of the habit when the tape initially did the trick and guess it faded slowly enough I didn't notice, while the bare, unprepped aluminum didn't hold paint long enough for me to forget about it.
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Darren » Mon Aug 13, 2018 9:06 am

Used to use this on my flat boat and on outboard motor, worked well

https://www.amazon.com/MOELLER-MFG-COMP ... ate+primer

Can paint whatever color you want over it, but one I used was a pretty decent marsh green at the time.
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Rick » Mon Aug 13, 2018 9:23 am

I'd heard somewhere that zinc chromate was no longer available at all, so it's good to know it's still around.

(Don't know but what it may have even saved my sorry ass, as I once left my scout bird's replacement tail fin bright zinc chromate primer green, instead of painting it official OD per SOP, to draw the bad guys' focus to our most likely to be missed end.)
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Rick » Tue Aug 14, 2018 6:26 am

IMG_3086.jpg


Will make a lot more difference than you might think. Only about $4 a pair, so I've pairs handy most everywhere my hands are apt to get wind-chilled or wet on cold days. Beats snot out of cracked hands. Can add cheap wool liners under for serious warmth on really cold mornings.

(Or add a ring of talc baby powder around the cuffs, and they're also the ticket for picking eggs from nests fire ants have colonized.)
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Deltaman » Tue Aug 14, 2018 6:58 am

Rick, I've got an old pair of those that I picked up over a dozen years ago that still see use from time to time. Like you mentioned, they are cheap, but do the job when it is nasty cold!
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you in trouble. It's what you know for sure, that just ain't so"
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Rick » Tue Aug 14, 2018 8:00 am

Flat embarrasses me how much I spent on gor-tex, seal skinz, neoprene and such "super-duper" leaky gloves that were a pain in the ass before coming to my senses.
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Darren » Tue Aug 14, 2018 11:06 am

Rick wrote:Flat embarrasses me how much I spent on gor-tex, seal skinz, neoprene and such "super-duper" leaky gloves that were a pain in the ass before coming to my senses.


Admittedly, Rick, I'd not thought of those gloves shown simply combined with a liner glove. My go-to's are some black or olive green neoprene's from Academy that are pretty cheap, think < $12-$15 per pair. None have been dry for me but still insulate well enough. Would think those rubber gloves the best for being water tight when poling, paddling, tending dekes. With the amount of brushing we do, we're pretty hard on gloves.

My biggest investment to prevent cold hands on our lengthy marsh boat ride this season? Installed the GPS and will establish a bread crumb trail so now someone else can drive the boat while I sit on the floor out the wind with Harry amongst the gear.
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Rick » Tue Aug 14, 2018 11:54 am

Harry's probably a fine hand warmer - on the way to the blind...
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Darren » Tue Aug 14, 2018 12:32 pm

Rick wrote:Harry's probably a fine hand warmer - on the way to the blind...


He's about entirely aired out and dry by the time we get back to the camp.....and surprisingly fluffy at that. Amazing how the marsh water conditions his fur
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby DComeaux » Tue Aug 14, 2018 12:52 pm

Darren wrote:
Rick wrote:Harry's probably a fine hand warmer - on the way to the blind...


He's about entirely aired out and dry by the time we get back to the camp.....and surprisingly fluffy at that. Amazing how the marsh water conditions his fur



Flesh eating bacteria does wonders for their hair.
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Rick » Wed Aug 15, 2018 4:48 am

One more month.
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Rick » Wed Aug 15, 2018 5:47 am

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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Darren » Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:02 am

Rick wrote:



Though I'm pretty certain of the one group I saw saturday, was relieved to not find a pile of them (or any at all) in the areas I know they'll be holding in the next few weeks. Dont want any sign of abnormally early activity!
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Rick » Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:41 am

Pleasure of my own first sighting remains in the future, but I'm starting to hear of them. Lacasine (how they spell it) Land Company's Illinois Plantation being the most recent.
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Rick » Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:36 am

Rick wrote:And now that school's started and Sweet Chereaux's out of earshot, I'll soon be cutting "teal" reeds to see how much more reach for them I might get of the Stanley Deceiver that proved its long range usefulness for big ducks last winter.


Celebrated yesterday's one month mark by trimming a couple teal reeds for the Deceiver, and rather than help bank the fire, that's really fanned it. Thing will make an old, deaf guy's ears bleed. And I expect to be calling birds off both Lacasine NWR and the White Lake Complex. Maybe Rockefeller, too...
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Darren » Thu Aug 16, 2018 7:17 am

Rick wrote:
Rick wrote:And now that school's started and Sweet Chereaux's out of earshot, I'll soon be cutting "teal" reeds to see how much more reach for them I might get of the Stanley Deceiver that proved its long range usefulness for big ducks last winter.


Celebrated yesterday's one month mark by trimming a couple teal reeds for the Deceiver, and rather than help bank the fire, that's really fanned it. Thing will make an old, deaf guy's ears bleed. And I expect to be calling birds off both Lacasine NWR and the White Lake Complex. Maybe Rockefeller, too...


Just take it easy on that for Tues Sept 18, please :lol:


A fella on FB from central La area has been turning out some poly calls modeled after old cane call design. Picked up one of his hen mallard calls and a bluewing teal call to field test. Like them both and think I'm going to give that teal call a real shot next month.

bayou beast calls

not sure if you can access this or not without account

https://www.facebook.com/bayoubeast/
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby DComeaux » Thu Aug 16, 2018 8:08 am

Darren wrote:
Rick wrote:
Rick wrote:And now that school's started and Sweet Chereaux's out of earshot, I'll soon be cutting "teal" reeds to see how much more reach for them I might get of the Stanley Deceiver that proved its long range usefulness for big ducks last winter.


Celebrated yesterday's one month mark by trimming a couple teal reeds for the Deceiver, and rather than help bank the fire, that's really fanned it. Thing will make an old, deaf guy's ears bleed. And I expect to be calling birds off both Lacasine NWR and the White Lake Complex. Maybe Rockefeller, too...


Just take it easy on that for Tues Sept 18, please :lol:


A fella on FB from central La area has been turning out some poly calls modeled after old cane call design. Picked up one of his hen mallard calls and a bluewing teal call to field test. Like them both and think I'm going to give that teal call a real shot next month.

bayou beast calls

not sure if you can access this or not without account

https://www.facebook.com/bayoubeast/


I've been wanting for some time now to meet up with Dale to try his mallard calls. They sound really good in the files I've heard, and the price is reasonable. Very hen like.
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Rick » Thu Aug 16, 2018 8:31 am

Checked out his stuff when some guys on the fuge were excited about it. Not for me, but I'm a little odd...
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Darren » Thu Aug 16, 2018 8:45 am

Rick wrote:Checked out his stuff when some guys on the fuge were excited about it. Not for me, but I'm a little odd...


The Boss Hen model he's got isn't far off from running at DR-85 so fits right at home for me.
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Rick » Thu Aug 16, 2018 10:34 am

Any internal difference between the mallard and teal aside from tuning?
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Re: 2018-2019 Preseason...

Postby Darren » Thu Aug 16, 2018 10:41 am

Rick wrote:Any internal difference between the mallard and teal aside from tuning?


Here ya go:

Boss hen in brown, the teal call blue.

IMG_7727.JPG


IMG_7728.JPG


The teal call with squack for sure, and love the tone of the boss hen, only have to watch myself and not overblow, it won't scream but has great sound at more typical volume.
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