Teal Season 2018

[Darren]

Sat. 9/15/2018 Opening Day
SE La Public Marsh
Johnny and I w/ Harry
Wind WSW to NNW 5-10+, clear, 70's

Only saw a few birds in our area scouting yesterday morning and today saw about the same, maybe a few more by the time we picked up and headed in. Just not many birds in the area but late in hunt saw a few nice groups coming through. One group we fired on bought in beautifully but we only managed two from it to add to a single I took earlier. With better shooting maybe we take home 6 birds.

Reports in the area range from "Didn't even see three birds" to a high blind of 6 I've heard of so far, waiting to hear from a couple others in some traditionally good areas.

3 BW teal

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Try them again tomorrow in same location.

[Darren]

Sun. 9/16/2018
SE La Public Marsh
Johnny and I w/ Harry
Wind WSW to NNW 5-10+, clear, 70's (identical to day before)

This wind direction is the worst for our long boat ride and it again beat us up, but the nice part is getting away from other hunters; then again not very many are even going in the area due to such slow reports.

Seemed we saw a few more groups early than we did yesterday but had committed to wait them out to see if the late flyers of yesterday again materialized. True to form, they were no shows. Made out pretty good with the FIVE birds we fired upon, putting 4 of them on the strap. Got to experience both the frustration of being ignored and the fulfillment of reeling them in on a string to the guns. Have given the Bayou Beast teal call a go in two hunts but finding that it just can't handle being hit hard without pinning the reed to a harsh squeal......a no go at a time I'm finding results in laying on the call harder and longer than ever to get attention from our (few) passer's by. The River Mallard teal call has been on the lanyard since I got hands on it a couple years back due to it's realism. It can handle the reaching out I need while sounding really authentic in more finesse work finishing them in close, so looks like it will remain the go-to.

Obviously it's no numbers but it's still duck hunting in a comfortable setup with a good friend, my dog and no one else for miles so not much to complain about at end of the day. Did hear of a good hunt on another area I frequent today after only 3 yesterday so hoping to give that a shot mid week after the planned trip to White Lake's marsh on Tuesday.

4 BW teal

Razzle Dazzle duck poppers/bombs 2018 edition that includes andouille-mixed cream cheese to kick it up a notch, and of course finished with the signature raspberry reduction glaze to go with the LSU Tigers' road win at Auburn. All is well down at the camp!

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[Rick]

Johnny looks like he may have been a bit too razzle-dazzled.

[DComeaux]

Those poppers sound and look delicious!

[Darren]

Tues. 9/18/2018
LDWF's White Lake Conservation Area - Marsh Blind #7
Johnny and I w/ guide
Wind WSW at 0-3+, clear, 70's, hot!

Enjoyed rides in three different boats before we got from truck to blind this morning on the storied White Lake property. Grounds were as-advertised in beauty, with a whole lot of teal seen. Unfortunately, they wanted nothing to do with our pond, wouldn't cross it, wouldn't respond to calls, nothing. Had a suicide single at 8:15 save us from a full fledged DNS. Sounded like marsh to our north and/or very southern rice was blazing away much of the morning, but no one anywhere close to us was doing much of any shooting. Didn't help us that the tall roseau stand on one side of the boat hide happened to be the downwind side keeping us from seeing anything that remotely turned for the call on that end, and also knew we would be behind the 8-ball when I found the mojo teal in the blind to be dead as a hammer in the pre-hunt darkness. Grrrrrrrrrrr........."don't bring anything" they said. Our guide, while a very friendly fella that had been there for many years, spoke mostly of how great it used to be back in the day.

Later found out that the fella who usually hunts this blind had bailed on it for greener pastures as the blind struggled over the weekend.......so not sure why we weren't stuck in another one elsewhere. When we described to the other guide picking us up how the birds acted, "yea that's what they did yesterday and over the weekend" was the response he gave.....ughhh. All other blinds had some decent chances, with one filling a limit, others said they shot poor and/or lost a few downed birds.

Did get to tour the historic camp, "presidential suite" included, and enjoyed checking out the grounds. Would have been nicer to fire on more than one bird but at least we got the full experience.......minus the historically stellar hunting.

1 BW teal

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Back to reality and non-lottery public grounds later this week

[DComeaux]

Would love to ride out and see that place. Your luck today is something I know well.

[Rick]

...but at least we got the full experience...

So they took your cocktail order at the Intracoastal landing, and a black guy with a doily on his arm met you with it at the camp landing?

[Darren]

...but at least we got the full experience...

So they took your **** order at the Intracoastal landing, and a black guy with a doily on his arm met you with it at the camp landing?

Nothing of the sort, but the LDWF fella that did pick us up at the landing was a good guy and very knowledgeable about the area. fully enclosed pontoon boat ride was steamy but I bet it's nice when winter rolls around

[Darren]

Do They still have the canoe size boat with a tiny outboard as the final leg of the boat rides? I’d like to go back and tour the camp, I don’t remember too much as it’s been 10 years since I’ve been.

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Party barge/pontoon boat from landing to camp. Big fancy pro-drive boat down the runs to near the pond, then jump in "pirogue" for trip down the ditch into the pond. Their version of pirogue sure beats mine given it's got a dang outboard on it and i'm paddling mine!

Did not know that traditional hunting on the property never included dogs, maybe Rick can speak to that. So guides had their work cut out for them dealing with the floatant marsh and chasing crips all over the place that big shot guests who weren't regular hunters scattered all over the place.

Of note: was told that the three remaining wooden boats are on their way out......pro-drive rigs coming in, and will take you from camp to the blind. Getting rid of the lil "pirogue" boats with outboards.

[Deltaman]

I could read the frustration in your report Darren, and as Dave said, well know the feeling Bummer the birds weren't cooperative for your trip to White Lake, and hope your mid-week hunt turns the tide! Not many Rick Hall's out there in the guide world, who will go the extra mile for your hunting enjoyment.
I haven't hunted teal this year, but did get on a sweet dove opener Saturday, and caught a quick limit of Redfish Sunday morning on the falling tide, so I've nothing to complain about regarding missing teal season to date, and may still sneak a hunt in before the season is over.

[Rick]

Did not know that traditional hunting on the property never included dogs, maybe Rick can speak to that.

In the "way back when..." it was AMACO marsh, the then manager spoke to me about guiding for them and painted a sweet picture, with the "problem being to pick out something worthy to fill out on after the guns had their mallards and pintail, preferably wigeon. And knowing my particular interest at the time, he noted that most of the blinds also offered good speck flights and he'd hook me up with one of those. Despite the guides not shooting, he just about had me until I said it sounded like a great place to get the dog a lot of work.

"Oh, no," he replied, "Their toenails would scratch the paint on the antique wooden mudboats." Whereupon, he lost this potential guide. In those days they just kept shooting until limits were dead on the water and easily recovered, but no thanks.

I was told by others who've hunted with the State run operation that they now have a dog around that you can call in to look for birds in the grass, but that may have changed.

[Deltaman]

Darren, Your Razzle Dazzle Poppers look awesome!!!!! Any chance of getting your raspberry reduction recipe?

[Darren]

Did not know that traditional hunting on the property never included dogs, maybe Rick can speak to that.

In the "way back when..." it was AMACO marsh, the then manager spoke to me about guiding for them and painted a sweet picture, with the "problem being to pick out something worthy to fill out on after the guns had their mallards and pintail, preferably wigeon. And knowing my particular interest at the time, he noted that most of the blinds also offered good speck flights and he'd hook me up with one of those. Despite the guides not shooting, he just about had me until I said it sounded like a great place to get the dog a lot of work.

"Oh, no," he replied, "Their toenails would scratch the paint on the antique wooden mudboats." Whereupon, he lost this potential guide. In those days they just kept shooting until limits were dead on the water and easily recovered, but no thanks.

I was told by others who've hunted with the State run operation that they now have a dog around that you can call in to look for birds in the grass, but that may have changed.

I think maybe you made mention of that before, Rick. In any case, saw no signs of any dog in or around the area. No barking, no kennels, no nothing. Our guide similarly made reference to crips falling in the grass were just left, and they'd just shoot more that fell on the pond and easily recoverable. Also talked about the southern chunk, the "caddo" I think he said, and how just unbelievable it was with birds that they would hunt mid-day on closing day end of season.

[Darren]

Darren, Your Razzle Dazzle Poppers look awesome!!!!! Any chance of getting your raspberry reduction recipe?

Sure, nothing to it. Make your usual poppers, even if they might not be Louisiana-fied with the andouille-twinged cream cheese

Then in a small sauce pan, add half a small jar of raspberry jelly/preserves, ideally seedless, either (or both) just enough red wine or orange juice to (few splashes at least) just to give the jelly some liquid to meld into, and a few heavy dashes of sugar. Slow simmer and keep stirring so it doesn't stick and the liquid will bubble off and start thickening slowly. Keep it hot as you can, apply to poppers on the grill with brush and can finish with some more once you take them off. Candy duck

Fortunately some local gents gave us their three birds yesterday back at the trucks so we added a whopping FOUR to the freezer for this weekend's cookin'; Rick's luck, we don't have.

[Rick]

Our guide similarly made reference to crips falling in the grass were just left, and they'd just shoot more that fell on the pond and easily recoverable.

I'd think that a difficult policy for the state to justify, but guess they're the State.

[Darren]

Our guide similarly made reference to crips falling in the grass were just left, and they'd just shoot more that fell on the pond and easily recoverable.

I'd think that a difficult policy for the state to justify, but guess they're the State.

Think he was speaking to the Amoco days, which coincided with the glory days of way back when he described time and again.

[Deltaman]

"Sure, nothing to it. Make your usual poppers, even if they might not be Louisiana-fied with the andouille-twinged cream cheese

Then in a small sauce pan, add half a small jar of raspberry jelly/preserves, ideally seedless, either (or both) just enough red wine or orange juice to (few splashes at least) just to give the jelly some liquid to meld into, and a few heavy dashes of sugar. Slow simmer and keep stirring so it doesn't stick and the liquid will bubble off and start thickening slowly. Keep it hot as you can, apply to poppers on the grill with brush and can finish with some more once you take them off. Candy duck"

Thank You Sir, and I look forward to giving it a whirl soon

[Darren]

Everything sounds easy in that receipt except for the teal

We are barely scraping by with a few, glad I'm not trying to feed the masses

[Darren]

Thurs. 9/20/2018
SE La Public Marsh
Philip and I w/ Harry
Wind SE to NE 5-10+, clear, 70's

Finally hit a location I'd been eyeing and scheming on since prior to the 2017 teal season, thankfully with no one anywhere near us. Saw plenty of mottleds, woodies, and squealers but not many teal of course. Took a single that worked in but then managed to break a pack of 50 or so off their line for a with-the-wind swing and got three from that. One other pair skirted us but wouldn't commit. Nice morning with enough shooting for lagniappe on a beautiful teal hole. A buddy hunting solo just south of us a bit scraped together his 6 as singles, I believe.

4 BW teal

a hunter and his hound after running down a swimmer

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Hoping the big pack we saw was an indicator of new arrivals coming through; Johnny got word from some local LDWF agents that saw some good groups heading south out of the Pearl River area yesterday as well. Plan is to head down to Shell Beach tomorrow afternoon to hunt the weekend there where we opened it last weekend. Have plans to ride out to the area to poke around a bit, put eyes and boots on a broken marsh hole I've been scheming on.

Of note: first hunt in the new Gator Waders, waist-high's. So far so good, much like my old tried and true Cabela's Dry Plus that finally had a boot blow out over the weekend.
https://www.gatorwaders.com/

[Deltaman]

Sweet being able to walk around in your decoys without going down to your nad sack

[DComeaux]

Sweet being able to walk around in your decoys without going down to your nad sack

My poor dog would love a pond like that. With the water high she is swimming everywhere and when the water does go down she sinks to her belly in mud.

I was thinking the same thing.

[Darren]

Sweet being able to walk around in your decoys without going down to your nad sack

My poor dog would love a pond like that. With the water high she is swimming everywhere and when the water does go down she sinks to her belly in mud.

I was thinking the same thing.

It's pretty nice to walk in overall but has a few holes. Also favors me being 80 lbs lighter than Phil. Dreading walking out on the pond next visit where it's gotten soft from my kicking around in it that trip, may have to move decoys a bit to some non-stomped parts of the pond.

[Darren]

Sat. 9/22/2018
SE La Public Marsh
Johnny and I w/ Harry
Wind SE 0-5 (mostly nada), clear, 70's with some squalls developing

Went out to where we had been going yesterday evening to look at a broken marsh spot a little bit off where we had been setting up. Sure enough found birds using it but it was much smaller than appeared on the satellite imagery and a helluva treck it would have been dragging a pirogue in with all our stuff, good 140 yards. Opted instead to set up in closest regular pond we could get to it. Had a little early flight but not much after we got our first two at 6:40a. Did local radio show at 8:00 with our same two in hand but it brought us luck as we were able to take a pair as Johnny was unloading his gun to go get the boat, and I pulled in a single shortly after he'd paddled off to do so to round us out for our biggest hunt of the half-through season.

5 BW teal (4 drakes, 1 hen)

Paying attention in between snoozes

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Just before #5 came whipping on in

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Very little shooting heard, radio reports were pretty bad on our end of the state. We did see two nice groups of >20 birds so hoping a movement is under way. Hauled a** in to just barely beat a squall back to the boat house. Will scratched on his lease, said he saw 7 birds. Had given thought to trying our lease just for kicks if Will had seen a few birds on his place nearby but his scratch has us figuring we'll just go back to our little nutria hole and try it again tomorrow.

[Darren]

Sun. 9/23/2018
SE La Public Marsh
Johnny and I w/ Harry
Wind SE 0-5, clear, 70's

After hearing of Will's scratch on his place, opted for just going back to this blind today and ended up seeing a fair many more birds overall than yesterday, just seemed like fewer were wanting to work decoys. Watched a few again dropping into broken marsh to our east we know they want but others just went here, there and everywhere so long as it didn't involve crossing our pond. That said, got a trio to work in from behind us we dropped all of, lost one crip in flooded marsh we never had good mark on. Later had a pair I missed on and a nice group that buzzed edge of pond never checking up for a better look. Sure enough, Johnny opted to paddle out for the boat and had another pair nearly fly across his pirogue bow and swing for my call.....took them both with a single shot as they touched feet to water to close us out.

4 BW teal (3 drakes)

Pre-hunt paddle in

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Done down there for the teal season, will hit other area later this week a time or two to close season for me since I'm out for the last weekend.

[Darren]

Darren how is Harry in the pirogue? Any advice with paddling with him besides the obvious. I have places my dog will be joining me that we use pirogues. Some I can paddle, others are shallow that I have to push pole so he maybe walking beside us in those events

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It was something I was initially concerned with before his first hunt so spent a little time "practicing" the routine as we scouted around paddling the marsh which was uneventful. Hardest thing I fight him on is keeping sat or laying down instead of the standing up he'd prefer so he can be more inquisitive to whatever we're paddling through. Either way hasn't been a problem because he's been surprisingly steady with it. Since I've usually got my blind bag and gun behind me, I need him in the front to keep us from being too stern-heavy, but sometimes he'll lay down in my lap which is plenty stable and just fine too.

Guess the short of it is if you're dog will stay seated, he/she should be pretty stable so long as it's not a particularly unstable pirogue. I run a pair of Ron Chapman "cottonmouth" rogues.......the gold standard in SE La as they're made in Chalmette.

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