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Wow, that’s sad.

Duck Engr wrote:Wow, that’s sad.

It is, and IMO It's telling of things to come. A comment made to me by a certain person on this subject over the last couple of years comes to mind. ( "unfortunately it'll take hitting rock bottom before things change")(Me -purge). This seems inevitable.

We'll probably struggle through a few more years of low numbers, with some being teasers, but the long term prognosis (IMO) is grim.

There's another flooded corn jab in there, but, of course, the long term prognosis is grim. How could it be otherwise?

DComeaux wrote:https://www.mnwaterfowl.com/news_article/show/1047083?fbclid=IwAR0QuqRmQ4el7W0vXM51iGv8TnWEO5MdcxwgFGBKrSn6vpEy6XspwFnQRi0

Though the La Waterfowl Alliance was far shorter lived........we couldn't keep such an organization going down here either......with much better present day hunting. Color me really not all that surprised at such news, disheartening as it is.

Darren wrote:Though the La Waterfowl Alliance was far shorter lived...

As was the circa '80s Louisiana Waterfowl Association.

Rick wrote:

Darren wrote:Though the La Waterfowl Alliance was far shorter lived...

As was the circa '80s Louisiana Waterfowl Association.

Was the later one at all related to this earlier one? Carryover of any folks?

Rick wrote:There's another flooded corn jab in there, but, of course, the long term prognosis is grim. How could it be otherwise?

Duck hunting has become overwhelmingly commercialized with little regards for the fowl themselves. Money and greed will be it's demise. I don't see the "market" being able to sustain itself knowing the eventual loss of a large number of average joe duck hunters, like myself. The future will be a handful of wealthy individuals keeping it on life support.



Link to the Documentary page

https://www.intheblinddoc.org/

We greedy commercializers have been the only thing allowing a whole lot of folks, who'd otherwise have had to put their interest in the birds behind them, to indulge their love of waterfowling for quite a while now, Dave.

Rick I likewise think the guiding community is serving a key (positive!!) role in today's waterfowl scene in doing just what you said, allowing some without the time, money, or other means to chase the birds on their own to get their fix a time or three per season. That can undoubtedly lead to some getting bit with the bug to get their own place and go more frequently.

I think Dave's reference to commercialization of the resource is largely with regard to the massive uptick in people doing videos (or TV shows), creating/selling new brands, etc. etc. etc. that capitalize on hunting success, with significant ripple effects throughout the industry. Bigger, fancier lodges (that still cannot guarantee birds on straps), selling of the "experience" beyond strapping birds.......looking good doing it, for all of social media to experience with you.

Rick wrote:We greedy commercializers have been the only thing allowing a whole lot of folks, who'd otherwise have had to put their interest in the birds behind them, to indulge their love of waterfowling for quite a while now, Dave.

In my thinking, (honest opinion) Doug's and a few other outfitters are grandfathered in, those that have been part of the waterfowl world for a long, long time. None of my comments were pointed at you or Doug's. Waterfowl hunting outfits have multiplied substantively over the years, as well as privately owned duck hunting "farms". Nothing I or anyone can do about free enterprise but suffer the consequences.

Darren wrote:Rick I likewise think the guiding community is serving a key (positive!!) role in today's waterfowl scene in doing just what you said, allowing some without the time, money, or other means to chase the birds on their own to get their fix a time or three per season. That can undoubtedly lead to some getting bit with the bug to get their own place and go more frequently.

I think Dave's reference to commercialization of the resource is largely with regard to the massive uptick in people doing videos (or TV shows), creating/selling new brands, etc. etc. etc. that capitalize on hunting success, with significant ripple effects throughout the industry. Bigger, fancier lodges (that still cannot guarantee birds on straps), selling of the "experience" beyond strapping birds.......looking good doing it, for all of social media to experience with you.

You just beat me to it. BINGO!

I've received a couple of teal videos over the weekend from a local down near our marsh. He's doing blind work at a few different properties in the area. It seems the usual manged places have quite a few, and all we can hope for are a few refuges fleeing the onslaught. The only problem is, those hunters finish very early and leave, allowing those to pour back in..... Nothing wrong with that.

Our other blinds in our marsh saw nothing while at the blinds on Saturday. We had no work as we'll not be hunting our blind so I stayed home. We'll launch the boat Friday evening and put out the decoys and spinners on Saturday morning.

Darren wrote:I think Dave's reference to commercialization of the resource is largely with regard to the massive uptick in people doing videos (or TV shows), creating/selling new brands, etc. etc. etc. that capitalize on hunting success, with significant ripple effects throughout the industry. Bigger, fancier lodges (that still cannot guarantee birds on straps), selling of the "experience" beyond strapping birds.......looking good doing it, for all of social media to experience with you.

I'd bet a pair of dressed specks to spent shell that hunters got bent out of shape when they learned Phillip Olt had pressed that first 78 record with calling instructions. Hell, probably when he and others started mass producing calls.

DComeaux wrote:I've received a couple of teal videos over the weekend from a local down near our marsh. He's doing blind work at a few different properties in the area. It seems the usual manged places have quite a few, and all we can hope for are a few refuges fleeing the onslaught. The only problem is, those hunters finish very early and leave, allowing those to pour back in..... Nothing wrong with that.

Our other blinds in our marsh saw nothing while at the blinds on Saturday. We had no work as we'll not be hunting our blind so I stayed home. We'll launch the boat Friday evening and put out the decoys and spinners on Saturday morning.

It's all about whats simmering on the stove friday night and Sat night.

Im having a hard time talking myself out of another shrimp and crab stew if I've got time to catch a few crabs on Friday.

Rick wrote:

Darren wrote:I think Dave's reference to commercialization of the resource is largely with regard to the massive uptick in people doing videos (or TV shows), creating/selling new brands, etc. etc. etc. that capitalize on hunting success, with significant ripple effects throughout the industry. Bigger, fancier lodges (that still cannot guarantee birds on straps), selling of the "experience" beyond strapping birds.......looking good doing it, for all of social media to experience with you.

I'd bet a pair of dressed specks to spent shell that hunters got bent out of shape when they learned Phillip Olt had pressed that first 78 record with calling instructions. Hell, probably when he and others started mass producing calls.

It's just become too big and disruptive for the resource. Something will eventually give way.

Darren wrote:

DComeaux wrote:I've received a couple of teal videos over the weekend from a local down near our marsh. He's doing blind work at a few different properties in the area. It seems the usual manged places have quite a few, and all we can hope for are a few refuges fleeing the onslaught. The only problem is, those hunters finish very early and leave, allowing those to pour back in..... Nothing wrong with that.

Our other blinds in our marsh saw nothing while at the blinds on Saturday. We had no work as we'll not be hunting our blind so I stayed home. We'll launch the boat Friday evening and put out the decoys and spinners on Saturday morning.

It's all about whats simmering on the stove friday night and Sat night.

Im having a hard time talking myself out of another shrimp and crab stew if I've got time to catch a few crabs on Friday.

Haven't yet thought of Saturdays menu, but we may be doing sandwiches. We'll probably be out late afternoon chasing shrimp as the sun sets.

I have a wedding to attend in Texas just west of Shreveport on the second weekend of the teal season, but will be at the camp on the Thursday and Friday instead. I don't expect much in the way of teal but will hopefully get some shrimp and crabs. If it we're the regular season, or the teal were in abundance, I would be sending my apologies for not attending instead. Some peoples children!

Where are the ducks? "State of Waterfowl" an Xpress Outdoors series, presented by Grosse Savanne Lodge. Coming September 16th.

DComeaux wrote:Where are the ducks? "State of Waterfowl" an Xpress Outdoors series, presented by Grosse Savanne Lodge. Coming September 16th.

ive been wondering when this was going to come out. About time


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I’m looking forward to watching that. Several well-respected waterfowl minds will be contributing.

[quote="DComeaux"...presented by Grosse Savanne Lodge...[/quote]

There go those damned commercializers...

Rick wrote:[quote="DComeaux"...presented by Grosse Savanne Lodge...

There go those damned commercializers...

The whole lot of em.

It appears to me that their main concern and reason for doing these videos is losing the feed. I'll try to keep an open mind when watching these series of videos. I and most regular Joe's have nothing to lose but the ducks themselves.

DComeaux wrote:The whole lot of em.

It appears to me that their main concern and reason for doing these videos is losing the feed. I'll try to keep an open mind when watching these series of videos. I and most regular Joe's have nothing to lose but the ducks themselves.

The bind the resource is in now is nothing compared to where it would be in today's world without commercial value.

Rick wrote:

DComeaux wrote:The whole lot of em.

It appears to me that their main concern and reason for doing these videos is losing the feed. I'll try to keep an open mind when watching these series of videos. I and most regular Joe's have nothing to lose but the ducks themselves.

The bind the resource is in now is nothing compared to where it would be in today's world without commercial value.

I agree in part, but maybe they'd still be doing their natural thing. I think things got a little heavy handed. Everyone trying to one up the other.

FYI----The 2019-2020 logs are open. I just posted there.

Really look forward to that series. Again I'd caution getting too wild with our claims following the 2018 season, though I'm sure that drove a ton of the discussion since it was fresh on the minds when this series was filmed.

Darren wrote:Really look forward to that series. Again I'd caution getting too wild with our claims following the 2018 season, though I'm sure that drove a ton of the discussion since it was fresh on the minds when this series was filmed.

I have a pretty good idea of what will be said in those clips just from the teaser. I think I've heard it all over the last couple of years, and I'm fairly certain that the 2018-2019 Louisiana harvest numbers weren't published when it started.

DComeaux wrote:

Darren wrote:Really look forward to that series. Again I'd caution getting too wild with our claims following the 2018 season, though I'm sure that drove a ton of the discussion since it was fresh on the minds when this series was filmed.

I have a pretty good idea of what will be said in those clips just from the teaser. I think I've heard it all over the last couple of years, and I'm fairly certain that the 2018-2019 Louisiana harvest numbers weren't published when it started.

So they won't be able to point out that despite such a junk season, Louisiana killed 200,000 more ducks than the Missouri folk so many want to blame?

Darren wrote:

DComeaux wrote:

Darren wrote:Really look forward to that series. Again I'd caution getting too wild with our claims following the 2018 season, though I'm sure that drove a ton of the discussion since it was fresh on the minds when this series was filmed.

I have a pretty good idea of what will be said in those clips just from the teaser. I think I've heard it all over the last couple of years, and I'm fairly certain that the 2018-2019 Louisiana harvest numbers weren't published when it started.

So they won't be able to point out that despite such a junk season, Louisiana killed 200,000 more ducks than the Missouri folk so many want to blame?

We should take more than the northern states during the winter! We're at the bottom of the migration corridor. The issue is those numbers are slipping, regardless. There is a disturbance in the universe. I liken this to wealth distribution. Everyone trying to get a chunk by any means necessary.

DComeaux wrote:

Darren wrote:

DComeaux wrote:

Darren wrote:Really look forward to that series. Again I'd caution getting too wild with our claims following the 2018 season, though I'm sure that drove a ton of the discussion since it was fresh on the minds when this series was filmed.

I have a pretty good idea of what will be said in those clips just from the teaser. I think I've heard it all over the last couple of years, and I'm fairly certain that the 2018-2019 Louisiana harvest numbers weren't published when it started.

So they won't be able to point out that despite such a junk season, Louisiana killed 200,000 more ducks than the Missouri folk so many want to blame?

We should take more than the northern states during the winter! We're at the bottom of the migration corridor. The issue is those numbers are slipping, regardless. There is a disturbance in the universe. I liken this to wealth distribution. Everyone trying to get a chunk by any means necessary.

In an unseasonably warm winter, those at the bottom of the migration corridor will get screwed the most. Just like in an unseasonably cold winter, those at the top of the migration corridor will get screwed the most.

Warmer winters, if a warming climate is real, is going to have at least two important effects. Longer growing seasons for the northern nesting species which will on average increase production. Warmer winters, especially for cold hardy species like mallards, result in a more northerly distribution of ducks during winter.

However, the rate of change in the average is so small as to have zero effect year to year. Unusually warm or cold will have big swings year to year. Last year, while we had some cold snaps, we didn't have extended hard cold which is why we were still seeing tons of mallards at the end of January and our late season goose hunting was sporadic.

I use to end duck season hunting on top of the ice field hunting geese (before I had a place to hunt by the cooling lake). We haven't had safe ice like that in 10 years maybe. We had a hard freeze last year, but before it got to be safe ice it warmed back up. Screwed me because I had the best duck blind at our club that week and it was unreachable without major ice breaking efforts, but it warmed back up before it had a chance to really turn on the duck and goose hunting at the cooling lake.

If global warming is real, it seems possible that there will be more ducks and a greater share of them killed further north in the flyway. I don't know if the data supports that, but it certainly seems like what a very simple view of waterfowl behavior and biology would suggest.

We can only hope for an early, extended deep freeze to the north.