Duck Season 2018 - 2019

[Darren]

Tues. 11/20/2018
Bunkie area ag field, Avoyelles Parish
David and his two young boys (not shooting) and I with Harry
Wind North 5-10+, 40’s to start, low cloud deck with some rain overnight, clearing line came through about 8am

Hoped that the weather would stir the birds a bit and get us in the game given the fair amount of rain received and decent winds this morning. Started out again with a a good bit of teal activity, though minimal numbers actually working us. A lot are coming from south and breaking down over us only to keep going to next cut and actually work that area and it's blind of hunters. Our front cut continues to be too locked up in this standing weed that has zero appeal to the birds. Coulda-woulda-shoulda had 2-4 birds down at least, but missed on the only op we fired upon, others we let pass in hopes they'd work better....nope. My buddy has plans to do more clearing/opening today for a hunt he's making tomorrow so hope that helps.

nada, skee-ratch.

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When the teal flight was over, it was over, BUT did have four mallards come look and a pair of grays which is more big duck activity than the weekend. Also saw and heard more specks today than the weekend, and lots of blues out and about mostly high but some starting to look to put down in the area. There was a nice big body on side of the road on my way out where there weren't any on Sunday.

Have plans to try our marsh tomorrow AM.

[DComeaux]

Hope you get em in da marsh.

[Darren]

Wed. 11/21/2018
Delacroix, St. Bernard Parish
Raymond and I with Harry
Wind Northeast 10-15+, 50’s to start, mostly clear with high clouds, big moon that set a little while before LST

Back down to the south blind on lease, hadn't been hunted since opening weekend. For first 30 mins looked like we may not pull the triggers today, just no birds at all. Ended up scraping a few together with a nice wad of greenwings that worked in and two ops on grays to go with two single buffleheads.

With better shooting we scratch out our 12, but Ray was out the blind for the best gray op and I only managed one from the group of four right over the blocks, front and center as pretty as could be. Still seeing them..........grrrrrrrrrr

3 grays, 3 GW teal, 2 buffleheads

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The last gray we picked up had winged waaaayy off but over an area I knew I could walk and had decent line on. Sure enough she had put down in a broken pothole and our trek was fruitful after initially thinking "no way we'll find that". Very little shooting today at all, most struggled in the area.

As note to log, a group hunted the bunkie blind and had three teal, said it should have been 10 as the front cut is now more open after some work yesterday afternoon and birds apparently worked it a bit better. No wind, clear skies.

[DComeaux]

Nice!

Seeing the needle grass in that picture with Harry we could do some nice things with a pit right there, ya now.

[Darren]

Nice!

Seeing the needle grass in that picture with Harry we could do some nice things with a pit right there, ya now.

Ohhhhh boy could we, DC. I've always got my wheels turning on that prospect. That said, hard to believe we could get the grays in any prettier (or closer) than the four pack op I squandered by hiding lower via pit.

[Darren]

Sun. 11/25/2018
Bunkie area ag field, Avoyelles Parish
Chris, Thomas and I with Chris's Rebel
Wind SE 0-5+, 50’s to start, low cloud deck with some occasional light rain

Same 'ol story here: early teal flight in too-dark visibility making ops very difficult to get up and going for. I managed to scratch one of out a skirting wad of bluewings and that was really it. Few more big ducks working than last hunt and a lot more low and seemingly workable specks, and just specks in general which is promising. We hadn't bothered with any decoys and my calling prowess likely isn't ready for luring them to no dekes, though did get some looks.

Very few trucks parked at the farm this morning so figured it's been slow all week, and very few trucks at nearby camps. No ducks seen on roadside during drive out of town either, just one massive body of snows that's built up near where I saw them on Tuesday. Going to leave it alone up there until 2nd split kicks off, just needs some time I believe (and hope). Will plan to hunt the marsh next weekend on what looks like some big south winds on the forecast.

1 BW teal

[Ducaholic]

I'll keep posting these updates on your log if that's ok? What I find interesting is the increase in the number of gadwall holding to our north.

https://extra.mdc.mo.gov/cgi-bin/mdcdev ... y/main.cgi

[BGkirk]

I'll keep posting these updates on your log if that's ok? What I find interesting is the increase in the number of gadwall holding to our north.

https://extra.mdc.mo.gov/cgi-bin/mdcdev ... y/main.cgi

do you know if these spots are hunted or are true refuges?
I’d hate for my public spot duck #s to be on the internet... maybe I’m selfish


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[Darren]

So is it implying that the bulk of birds are just arriving through there? Even with temps noted to be much cooler than normal? And plenty of snow events including another this week? Mallards are one thing, but the talk of green wings and grays is whole other matter. It at least paints a picture of hope that a tremendous bulk of our birds have yet to come........if they ever.

From my circles, most agree with one thing........not many ducks here.

Scheming to try them the next three mornings on the big south wind, and will be scouting a nearby public area to see if we don't stumble on something there. Friend of a friend has been doing pretty decent

[Ducaholic]

I'll keep posting these updates on your log if that's ok? What I find interesting is the increase in the number of gadwall holding to our north.

https://extra.mdc.mo.gov/cgi-bin/mdcdev ... y/main.cgi

do you know if these spots are hunted or are true refuges?
I’d hate for my public spot duck #s to be on the internet... maybe I’m selfish


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Both but even the hunted areas have refuges on them and planted unharvested grain. Missouri taxpayers passed a millage tax some 20 years ago specifically for habitat improvements in their state and it shows.

[Ducaholic]

So is it implying that the bulk of birds are just arriving through there? Even with temps noted to be much cooler than normal? And plenty of snow events including another this week? Mallards are one thing, but the talk of green wings and grays is whole other matter. It at least paints a picture of hope that a tremendous bulk of our birds have yet to come........if they ever.

From my circles, most agree with one thing........not many ducks here.

Scheming to try them the next three mornings on the big south wind, and will be scouting a nearby public area to see if we don't stumble on something there. Friend of a friend has been doing pretty decent

I hunt a good public spot. It's very ducky and the private hunting land around it are well managed. No ducks! Hope is all I got. I'm a firm believer that a 16 day first split for the East Zone is a total waste of time. We should be in the split right now.

[Ericdc]

Green wings are exceptionally hardy birds, I would argue they are more apt to hang around longer further north than gadwall.


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[Ericdc]

With Arkansas closing this past Sunday and not re opening until a week from today, don’t except anything to come through unless we get a storm like we did the first week of December in 2013.


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[SpinnerMan]

Green wings are exceptionally hardy birds, I would argue they are more apt to hang around longer further north than gadwall.

I don't know. Windchills that week were -20F to -30F range.

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A buddy was killing nothing but gadwalls a few years ago when everybody was froze out. He'd spend hours busting ice to do it. More work than I'm willing to do. Especially given I can just drive up to the pit in the field when it is like that.

[Ducaholic]

With Arkansas closing this past Sunday and not re opening until a week from today, don’t except anything to come through unless we get a storm like we did the first week of December in 2013.


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Even more reason to be in the split right now. Is this typical dates for Arkansas?

[Ericdc]

With Arkansas closing this past Sunday and not re opening until a week from today, don’t except anything to come through unless we get a storm like we did the first week of December in 2013.


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Even more reason to be in the split right now. Is this typical dates for Arkansas?

Yes they never change, first split runs Saturday before thanksgiving to Sunday after thanksgiving. Then they break for a week and a half and open on Thursday to account for them closing Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.


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[Darren]

Banking on second split being productive, especially in Bunkie area field. Will be doing most of my January hunting up that way given it's closer to the homefront and any potential early arrival of next little one.

With this marine forecast, heading down to the Shell Beach camp tonight to hunt the next three days to close out our first split:


TONIGHT
South winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
Dominant period 4 seconds.

FRIDAY
Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
Dominant period 4 seconds. Slight chance of showers in the
afternoon.

FRIDAY NIGHT
South winds 15 to 20 knots. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
Dominant period 4 seconds. Showers likely and chance of
thunderstorms in the evening, then showers with thunderstorms
likely after midnight.

SATURDAY
Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
Dominant period 4 seconds. Showers likely and chance of
thunderstorms in the morning, then chance of showers in the
afternoon.

SATURDAY NIGHT
Southwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 1 to
2 feet. Dominant period 4 seconds. Slight chance of showers.

SUNDAY
South winds 5 to 10 knots. Waves 1 foot or less.
Dominant period 4 seconds. Chance of showers through the day.
Slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.

[Darren]

Fri. 11/30/2018
Delacroix, St. Bernard Parish
Beau and I with Harry
Wind Southeast 0-5+ until we were picking up, 60’s to start, mostly cloudy with some clearing

Had a fair wind for boat ride to lease but it was pretty calm once down there and stayed mostly that way for much of the morning......gnats were out and about as a result. Again very little moving overall, just not many birds around us. Had a three pack of grays work in pretty, all three stayed, and same for a pair that followed a short while later. Managed to also jump shoot a pretty mottled from a nearby pothole, and have Harry to thank for sniffing him out. Jumped a good few birds from one of our other ponds on the way out so may give that a try tomorrow but also planning to scout some nearby public stuff so we'll see.

5 grays, 1 mottled

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Rain supposed to be coming in this evening with stronger wing shifting to SW for tomorrow.

[DComeaux]

Love the grays......Listening to rain come down here at the camp as I type this. Wind is very strong out of the SE and was a bugger while fishing today, but it was worth the effort. Not seeing many ducks out this way, even on the refuge.

[Darren]

Sat. 12/1/2018
Delacroix, St. Bernard Parish
Johnny and I with Harry
Wind southwest 0 to 20+ at times, cloudy with occasional rain showers light to heavy, almost 70 deg to start


Had seen a few birds in our north pond on way out yesterday so opted for a change of scene this morning. Basically nothing early again and for most of the morning it was just pelicans, seagulls, etc. out and about but occasionally got surprised by a duck or two. Made pretty good hay with our few chances other than Johnny missing on last group of grays that would have closed us out. Still a good hunt when many struggled in the area, for those that even bothered to give it a try. Picked up dekes in driving sideways rain, arrived to camp in sunshine/80 degrees. Harry was nails for rooting up our two mottleds that fell just as I was about to start a radio show segment, but we did lose a green wing we thought dead and fairly close by behind blind in grass.

5 grays, 2 GW teal, 1 BW teal, 2 mottleds............ and a bonus nutria

Between squalls

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He'd had about enough of the rain

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Just before it began coming down sideways for our decoy gathering

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With very little wind forecast for tomorrow, I'm sure the gnats will be crazy and the few ducks not moving too great. Think one group might give our lease a try but I'm planning to stay in with the family down at the camp this evening.

[Rick]

Sweet way to close the split.

[DComeaux]

SWEET!!

My son and I had supper in a little restaurant in Creole this evening and listened to a couple of locals taking duck hunting. They both agreed it was the worst season they've ever had down here, so far. Both were 45+ in age.

[Ericdc]

Good hunt Darren. I’m bringing 2 buddies to Jones tomorrow to close it out. We are supposed to have clear skies and WSW 10-15 mph so I feel like we’ll have good speck conditions and the guys killed 8 ducks this morning so that’s a big improvement.


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[MARSH BEAR]

Darren you had gnats, we had mosquitoes.

[Darren]

Darren you had gnats, we had mosquitoes.

I'll take your entire marsh's worth of mosquitos over the gnats. ThermaCell's and Yard Guard work for mosquitos, but not so much on the gnats.

[Darren]

With first split wrapped up, a few notes below:

Logged 67 ducks on 10 hunts, about 20 birds off the pace for last two seasons' 1st split hunting same area.

Was first time I made more than one first split hunt in Bunkie area field, and it's slow start likely had numbers down for log a bit but given how Delacroix was doing all the while, unlikely that we'd have had too many more birds had we stuck to that game alone. Overall consensus among SE La entirely, and much of the state, was fewer birds than normal, something the initial surveys supported. Though bufflehead sightings are up, we are not seeing even a fraction of the gray duck traffic in our marsh lease area that we're accustomed to, and it wasn't too much better last year at same time. Many others in area are struggling, or from what I saw over weekend, just quit for the split. We were only blind for a very large radius hunting Sat and Sun to close the split, no other lights seen while setting up which is hurting us allowing the birds we do have to sit tight and cozy. Though up and down, have had our share of cold, more than enough, one would think, to move in plenty of early migrators, but story is they are scattered to our north holding in above average acreage of available flooded habitat. Greenwing activity in our marsh is also way down, usually they help fill bags when grays aren't moving, but they're very scarce.

That said, with expectations adjusted, we are usually having some decent hunts, and need to be thankful for what we do have. We'll look forward to kicking it off on the 15th. TBD whether I head north or southeast for that weekend

IMG_8771.JPG

[Ducaholic]

Cool photo thanks for sharing!

[Deltaman]

Bird numbers way down on the Al coast as well. Never seen it quite so bad, even if it is just a drop in the bucket in comparison to LA.

[Rick]

Cool photo thanks for sharing!

I'm wit' him.

[Darren]

One thing is certain, camp cuisine has been top notch, with shrimp and crab stew on the menu last friday, steaks, a gumbo johnny did with teal season birds, razzle dazzle duck poppers, fried duck nuggets, etc. etc. Most important to opening weekend of the second split.....we're already scouting.....prices on a sack of oysters. Nothing like shucking a few ice cold ones on the dock on return from a hunt. It's that time of year!