Teal Season 2018

[Rick]

"Trick" is to start training with the pirogue one the lawn and rock solid.

[Darren]

Wed. 9/26/2018
SE La Public Marsh
Johnny and I w/ Harry
Wind WSW 8-10+ steady,storms around, 70's

Saw a fair many birds overall in large groups but only had but one op while in the blind and even those stayed on my side. We were picking up at 8a for Johnny to head to work and sure enough two nice groups worked the pond. May try a shift east for tomorrow, was nice to see some numbers coming into the area, just not sure if they're hanging around. Went back out post-hunt and saw one nice group right away but didn't find any in some likely places I went kick around in.

2 BW teal

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[Darren]

Thurs. 9/27/2018
SE La Public Marsh
Beau and I w/ Harry
Wind WSW 5-10, cloudy 70's

Story of today was redemption; finally was our turn and we were in the right place at the right time. Was particularly sweet that we were successful in a location I'd scouted and insisted teal would want to be in. Started dark and early with a nice group passing us and coming back in the dark to in our faces lighting in the decoys, was so dark couldn't tell what was what save for places I knew I hadn't put any dekes. Got two. Next was a single that did it just right, still dark. Shortly after a nice wad worked in right but still dark and stayed low against grass line, only got two. "If on'y we could get a group to work in like that when we could actually see".........7am rolls around and we saw a nice wad of 25 or so off to our NE and gave them a shout, and they came beautifully......7 fell out to end our hunt right there. While I was working harry in the dekes another wad of 15 or so went round and round on us in easy shooting range, pretty sight to close the season for me.

12 BW teal (9 drakes)

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Beau was lucky rabbit's foot, perhaps, but regardless I was glad to have my scouting efforts pay off so well. Seemed like new birds to the area with the groups on a mostly N to S flight. Pretty sure that had we hit this location yesterday we would have had a much better hunt than we did. Lesson learned, we'll keep that in mind for teal season 2019. Only down side to our harvest was that the birds/meat were pretty beat up, guess it's just a testament to how close they were getting on us; Harry only made 10 retrieves with two falling in the dang blind. In the gumbo pot for opening weekend they'll go!

[Rick]

...7 fell out to end our hunt right there...

That's something I've definitely not seen this season. Not that my own shooting's been hot spit, either.

[Darren]

Finally it worked for you. I will be trying in the morning - hope my luck is half as good as yours.

Got a couple other reports today from others reporting "new birds" (presumably from big moon this week and/or stalled front north of us) so hope they've found your marsh. Good luck!

[Darren]

...7 fell out to end our hunt right there...

That's something I've definitely not seen this season. Not that my own shooting's been hot spit, either.

On the the last group I saw two fall from my first shot as they were low, close, and bunched over the blocks. Knew we were going to do OK from that but it just seemed like they kept raining out; Beau shot very well and it was his first hunt since January.

Been plenty of mornings I'd love to see 7 teal from a bunch fall out with FOUR guns shooting


As a note to the log: found my mallard hen lucky duck about dead this morning after the switch must have gotten pressed in the bag some how on it's own, so went with only the little green wing spinner today......they sucked right in all over and around it.

Had the hen been too much flash all along this season? Had they come in so right and close had we both spinners out this morning, large and small? Has me wondering. Already scheming for Sept 2019

[Rick]

Pure coincidence: teal spinners suck canal water.

[Darren]

Pure coincidence: teal spinners suck canal water.

I get it, less flash for the battery burn, BUT my results this season (though far less volume than yours) show fewer birds wanting to come in cozy and close than when I was running only small spinners teal/doves/doves painted to be teal. And obviously this one but one day but dang they were piling in and did NOT feed in there the night before or day before. Even when I didn't hunt the spot I still rode by it on my way out and never jumped a teal out post-hunt.

[Rick]

Go with whatever floats your boat. Confidence is huge.

I know which of mine they went for when I've employed them on either side of a levy and what's being used when Clyde's blind next to mine is killing well or not. But I also know that if my results differed significantly from, say, those who swear little spinners are better, I'd stick with what worked best for me.

Well, that and teal spinners suck canal water.

[Deltaman]

Congrats on the scout and hunt Darren Nice when everything comes together, and like everybody else......wooooohooooooooo on the 7 birds from one pack with only two guns, impressive!!!!!

[Darren]

Congrats on the scout and hunt Darren Nice when everything comes together, and like everybody else......wooooohooooooooo on the 7 birds from one pack with only two guns, impressive!!!!!

Rather be lucky than good, plenty more got away from us over the last couple of weeks than should have, though we did OK overall I thought in making the most of our very few birds.

[Darren]

Since my season is wrapped up, teal dekes are hung and spinners stowed, figured I'd go ahead and get my recap done here so I can officially close the books and begin prep for the regular season.

Overall story was the lack of birds in SE La as a whole, much fewer in our opening weekend area compared to last year and never saw an influx when we tried it again following weekend (middle weekend). Also never got a front through leading up to the season or during it, all stalled out north of us providing minimal help it seemed. Finally saw uptick in numbers the second week corresponding with Sept 24th full moon. Reports from Delacroix to Venice were generally poor to below average with only spotty reports of good hunting. Of course, SW La rice was again king and banged away while we scraped for crumbs

35 BW teal killed on 8 hunts, first season since the stellar 2011 season that we did not record a scratch or DNS (though the White Lake disappointment looked to be a certain DNS before being rescued by a suicide single).

Already scheming on Teal Season 2019 with some new blind locations and tactics based on this season's observations. For now, getting things together to kick it off in the coastal zone November 10.

[Deltaman]

Glad to see the uptick in bird numbers around the full moon for your area, and curious as to why you are not hunting the weekend??? Does y'all's season end today?

[Darren]

Glad to see the uptick in bird numbers around the full moon for your area, and curious as to why you are not hunting the weekend??? Does y'all's season end today?

Usually only hunt two of the three weekends of our 16-day season. Did the first two, and staying put this weekend to tailgate on LSU's campus tomorrow and have my little one's bday party on Sunday. I'm good with it, had enough of the bugs and all. Though I'd have been curious to see how tomorrow might go in that little hole from yesterday, of course.

[Deltaman]

Ahhh, gotcha! Keep momma happy, and I know an LSU tailgate party is never dull, enjoy!!!!!!! Thanks for the teal season reports

[Ericdc]

Nice, will definitely have to do some practicing with mine.

My brother HAD a Chapman rogue, I’ve got one nearly identical but not a Chapman made. I found a site that lists all pirogue makers in La and what serial #s they used. Have to look that back up if I can find it


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