Preseason 2018-2019

[Darren]

Looking really good, that's some A+ marsh work DC!

[DComeaux]

Thank you kindly...

[Rick]

When I saw the dressed blind, I was going to reply, "Just add ducks." And then you did.

If it doesn't work, it sure won't be because you didn't try.

[Deltaman]

Lookin' good Dave, and nothing like watching birds working the area to get your excitement level up
How was the crab boil?

[DComeaux]

Lookin' good Dave, and nothing like watching birds working the area to get your excitement level up
How was the crab boil?

We didn't bait the traps yet, they're sitting empty. We deployed those now to eliminate just one more thing we'd have to transport this coming weekend. We'll bait em up next Sunday and the boil is the following weekend, and those following.

[DComeaux]

When I saw the dressed blind, I was going to reply, "Just add ducks." And then you did.

If it doesn't work, it sure won't be because you didn't try.

I think our chances of working what we've seen cross this marsh are a lot better in this new blind location. I'll have no excuses going forward other than the lack of birds, which I hope isn't an issue. I'm hoping to fool the groups of wary gadwall we saw last year as well as the many flocks of Pintail that would leisurely make their way past us. This new blind set up will also allow us a 360* engagement area, where the old blind had it's limitations due to construction.

[Ducaholic]

Looking really good, that's some A+ marsh work DC!

I second that notion. If you can keep it that way the ambush is on...

[DComeaux]

I was looking for the type of grass I used for the blind, one that's been in that marsh forever and I came across this document from 1968. I remember a time when muskrat mounds were everywhere and nutria were plentiful in that marsh. Trapping was a big part of life. I't was in an interesting read of a time that is no longer. They speak of a time when the snow goose roosted and fed in the Louisiana marshes, which doesn't happen much anymore.(Rick) There is even a picture of Canada geese used as a reference.

Oh, and the grass I used is classified as a species of "wire grass". I'll just keep my name for it. "Whip"



http://talltimbers.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Perkins1968_op.pdf


I wanted to add that I don't see the amount of controlled marsh burns as I did growing up.

[Rick]

Oh, and the grass I used is classified as a species of "wire grass". I'll just keep my name for it. "Whip"

"Wire" or "salt" grass is all I've ever heard it called, and since it can be found up here, far from salt, I tend to call it wire grass. Is very tough stuff (for dogs, too, where dense), and we once watched a little buck the airboat spooked across the road from you thrown back by a high patch he bounded into. Grandson's South Cameron ag class digs it for blind cover to make money each fall.

[DComeaux]

"Wire" or "salt" grass is all I've ever heard it called, and since it can be found up here, far from salt, I tend to call it wire grass. Is very tough stuff (for dogs, too, where dense), and we once watched a little buck the airboat spooked across the road from you thrown back by a high patch he bounded into. Grandson's South Cameron ag class digs it for blind cover to make money each fall.

The area we took our wire grass from is a very dense patch. It's almost impossible to walk through.

Blake and I saw a trailer with quite a few bundles on it. I'm now wondering if this wasn't from the ag class digs?

[MARSH BEAR]

We have the same grass in our marsh - I wish it would grow taller, the top falls over rather than growing higher. If it grows thru another plant it does help it stand taller.

Dave I hope your water is not as high as ours, we had 3 blinds under water last Friday.

[DComeaux]

We have the same grass in our marsh - I wish it would grow taller, the top falls over rather than growing higher. If it grows thru another plant it does help it stand taller.

Dave I hope your water is not as high as ours, we had 3 blinds under water last Friday.

I hate that for you.

We actually went down some from two weeks ago, and once the front comes through this week we should drop even more. I set the top of our blind about 6" or so above our current high water level. I can't wait till the water is completely off of the land areas.

[DComeaux]

El Nino

https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/2018-10-30-el-nino-snow-impact

[Duck Engr]

I hate when the weather man starts speaking Spanish

[DComeaux]

Blake and I got the blind ready to go, installed a boardwalk to the blind from the drop point, and set the decoys. The board walk is 2 x 12's with 3' 2x4 legs driven in the mud. The 2x12's are just below the mud line and covered. We were to bait the crab traps after the rain this morning but we had motor issues. Rather than messing with it in the marsh we brought it home.

It turned out to be a vapor lock issue. It had happened once before but cleared itself quickly, before we tried to figure it out. We thought the fuel line from the tank to the pump may have been pinched, or a tank pick up issue, apparently this wasn't the issue. We now now what to do in this situation.


Oh!, and we saw a few ducks this weekend.



Turn up the volume. You may be able to hear the wigeon.

[Duck Engr]

Wow, that’s a sight for sore eyes!

[Rick]

"Damn refuges are holding all the ducks, ought to open them all to public hunting."

[DComeaux]

"Damn refuges are holding all the ducks, ought to open them all to public hunting."

Nope.... It's sort of like a zoo without walls or fences. It's the only place to see these in any number down here, and a few do leave occasionally to explore the surrounding marshes.

[Darren]

"Damn refuges are holding all the ducks, ought to open them all to public hunting."

Where are the corn ears?? How could there be ducks outside of corn fields? This cannot be

Surely this was not in La

[DComeaux]

"Damn refuges are holding all the ducks, ought to open them all to public hunting."

Where are the corn ears?? How could there be ducks outside of corn fields? This cannot be

Surely this was not in La

Exactly! That is all natural vegetation in a well managed marsh.

[Darren]

"Damn refuges are holding all the ducks, ought to open them all to public hunting."

Where are the corn ears?? How could there be ducks outside of corn fields? This cannot be

Surely this was not in La

Exactly! That is all natural vegetation in a well managed marsh.

Someone does hunt that area there right? Wont be a quiet refuge for them on Saturday?

[DComeaux]

"Damn refuges are holding all the ducks, ought to open them all to public hunting."

Where are the corn ears?? How could there be ducks outside of corn fields? This cannot be

Surely this was not in La

Exactly! That is all natural vegetation in a well managed marsh.

Someone does hunt that area there right? Wont be a quiet refuge for them on Saturday?

That was on the refuge, and after December 1st it will be closed to all human activity until March. We need that place for the birds to rest and get away the the guns that are in every bush. Without it they'd raft up in the middle of lakes and on the gulf when possible to get away from the pressure. No one is against refuges, and I'm sure you're aware of that.

[Rick]

That was on the refuge, and after December 1st it will be closed to all human activity until March. We need that place for the birds to rest and get away the the guns that are in every bush. Without it they'd raft up in the middle of lakes and on the gulf when possible to get away from the pressure. No one is against refuges, and I'm sure you're aware of that.

Or they'd get the hell out of Southwest LA. And if you believe "no one is against refuges"... Well, you can't possibly believe it.

[Ducaholic]

All Federal refuges should be open to hunting on 40% of the acreage per Federal Law on a limited basis. Good tool for recruitment of young hunters. I'm familiar with two NWR's that are managed this way and it's a win win for hunters and waterfowl alike. And why not hunters are footing the bill anyhow.

[Darren]

All Federal refuges should be open to hunting on 40% of the acreage per Federal Law on a limited basis. Good tool for recruitment of young hunters. I'm familiar with two NWR's that are managed this way and it's a win win for hunters and waterfowl alike. And why not hunters are footing the bill anyhow.

Bayou Sauvage in SE La.......really strong hunting for guys taking kids.

[DComeaux]

All Federal refuges should be open to hunting on 40% of the acreage per Federal Law on a limited basis. Good tool for recruitment of young hunters. I'm familiar with two NWR's that are managed this way and it's a win win for hunters and waterfowl alike. And why not hunters are footing the bill anyhow.

I honestly wouldn't want to see guns on that place, or any NWR when it comes to waterfowl. Humans trash it up enough just being able to fish and crab there, it's ridiculous. I pick up trash often when I'm on that place and it makes me angry. If they (refuges) are maintained as natural habitats, then there are no issues. This place should be used as a template for all refuges to our north. Feed them naturally and let them leave naturally with the seasons.

[DComeaux]

And if you believe "no one is against refuges"... Well, you can't possibly believe it.

Wishful thinking on my part I guess. A man with enough hunting property will have a refuge on it, whether moist soil or harvested fields, if he's smart. He'll keep birds as long as mother nature allows him to, and the same goes for NWR's in the flyway. There's a balance (natural flow) that's not being maintained at the moment, IMO.

The birds in those videos will be joined by many, many more in the very near future. We're at the bottom of the flyway, so it's fitting.

[Rick]

And if you believe "no one is against refuges"... Well, you can't possibly believe it.

Wishful thinking on my part I guess. A man with enough hunting property will have a refuge on it, whether moist soil or harvested fields, if he's smart. He'll keep birds as long as mother nature allows him to...

And that's the case for flooded corn, as well. Manage pressure and many will stay as long as nature allows. Pressure them like they are most places here, and corn or no, they gone.

[DComeaux]

And if you believe "no one is against refuges"... Well, you can't possibly believe it.

Wishful thinking on my part I guess. A man with enough hunting property will have a refuge on it, whether moist soil or harvested fields, if he's smart. He'll keep birds as long as mother nature allows him to...

And that's the case for flooded corn, as well. Manage pressure and many will stay as long as nature allows. Pressure them like they are most places here, and corn or no, they gone.

I agree somewhat with you about the pressure, but I'd like to see "hot crops" taken out of the equation. Seeing ducks walking on ice in flooded standing corn speaks volumes about it's holding power. This, foiling mother natures plan.

[SpinnerMan]

Seeing ducks walking on ice in flooded standing corn speaks volumes about it's holding power.

I still want to see some data that more than a small fraction of the duck population is using flooded standing corn as a primary food source. My perspective is seeing 10's of thousands of mallards flying out of the cooling lake in January when there is no significant flooded corn anywhere in area.

However, we are talking about 10,000,000 mallards breeding population in the traditional survey area, so probably 15,000,000 or more mallards overall at the start of hunting season. That's a lot of birds. Even if holding 100,000 birds, which is a massive number of birds, that is only 0.67%.

I don't believe the ducks are roosting on the ice. There needs to be large bodies of open water to hold massive numbers of ducks. There are more of them now because there are more warm water discharges, especially large cooling lakes, but also those dumping into natural rivers. It's not uncommon to see ducks stacked deep on these. 5,000 here, 10,000 there. It's still hard to see how the distribution of 15,000,000 birds can be changed that much.

This, foiling mother natures plan.

Mother Nature's plan went out the window with the advent of the modern age. Warm water discharges and millions of acres of agricultural land was not the doing of Mother Nature.

Although I find this abstract interesting.

http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.2193/2007-028?journalCode=wild

The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is the most harvested duck in North America. A topic of debate among hunters, especially those in Arkansas, USA, is whether wintering distributions of mallards have changed in recent years. We examined distributions of mallards in the Mississippi (MF) and Central Flyways during hunting seasons 1980–2003 to determine if and why harvest distributions changed. We used Geographic Information Systems to analyze spatial distributions of band recoveries and harvest estimated using data from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Parts Collection Survey. Mean latitudes of band recoveries and harvest estimates showed no significant trends across the study period. Despite slight increases in band recoveries and harvest on the peripheries of kernel density estimates, most harvest occurred in eastern Arkansas and northwestern Mississippi, USA, in all years. We found no evidence for changes in the harvest distributions of mallards. We believe that the late 1990s were years of exceptionally high harvest in the lower MF and that slight shifts northward since 2000 reflect a return to harvest distributions similar to those of the early 1980s. Our results provide biologists with possible explanations to hunter concerns of fewer mallards available for harvest.