Duck Season 2018-2019

Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby DComeaux » Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:00 pm

Man, that marsh looks familiar. I hunted the next road south and west of you on that ridge. I really liked that marsh. We'd get speckle bellies there as well.
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby Rick » Thu Dec 13, 2018 4:35 am

It's a very good thing that you've given him some acclimation time there. More than a few dogs have hit the flotant for their first time and said, "That's enough of that." Then dad gets embarrassed and pissed, things go downhill fast and Pup ends up really hating the marsh. One of our guides has been spending part of the split with his trainer out at his blind trying to work through a pup's largely man-made confusion and fear. (Nice pup that loves retrieving anywhere but the marsh shut down there.)
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby BGkirk » Thu Dec 13, 2018 10:57 am

DComeaux wrote:Man, that marsh looks familiar. I hunted the next road south and west of you on that ridge. I really liked that marsh. We'd get speckle bellies there as well.
weve shot some last year, but no credit to me. I just pulled the trigger... other guy did the calling. I’m still learning, and haven’t put the time in. Haven’t seen the goose traffic anyways


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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby Rick » Thu Dec 13, 2018 11:17 am

BGkirk wrote:Haven’t seen the goose traffic anyways.


Doesn't seem like some start roosting in marsh until later in the season. 'Least in our area. The east end of Cherry Ridge, where the mallards have been hiding, generally has a mess of specks by season's end, but none to date.
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby BGkirk » Fri Dec 14, 2018 6:56 am

The ones we shot last year, and ones we see come from our south.
Where they are down there I do not know? Rockefeller? Shallow flooded pasture?


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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby Rick » Fri Dec 14, 2018 7:12 am

Early on, we assume ours from the south are bouncing back from migratory overflight to the Gulf. Always tough to more than lock specks headed north, and we don't get to kill many until some start hanging in the marsh, presumable to avoid ag land pressures. Cherry Ridge generally does much better on them, as there's often a flight from the rice to our east to a grit pile west of them. (Nothing but Grand Lake and marsh west of us.) Might(?) be the same flight that fed us quite a few specks when I hunted our eastern-most blind. Know that it was their eastern-most blind that took top first split speck honors with 5 or 6, most of which Ric Berken called for them the last afternoon.

Hoping to see our odds improve, as they generally do, this split...
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby DComeaux » Fri Dec 14, 2018 8:32 am

BGkirk wrote:The ones we shot last year, and ones we see come from our south.
Where they are down there I do not know? Rockefeller? Shallow flooded pasture?


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Every evening they pile into the refuge at the grit piles and shallow managed marsh area, and in the mornings head north for the day. We had a good flight every day last year doing this, some even would settle into the cow pastures near the camp to feed, but they haven't started this yet this season. I need to try to get permission to set up in these cow pastures mid morning...It wouldn't take long to get a pair.
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby BGkirk » Fri Dec 14, 2018 10:43 am

DComeaux wrote:
BGkirk wrote:The ones we shot last year, and ones we see come from our south.
Where they are down there I do not know? Rockefeller? Shallow flooded pasture?


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Every evening they pile into the refuge at the grit piles and shallow managed marsh area, and in the mornings head north for the day. We had a good flight every day last year doing this, some even would settle into the cow pastures near the camp to feed, but they haven't started this yet this season. I need to try to get permission to set up in these cow pastures mid morning...It wouldn't take long to get a pair.
good to know, we could only fool them on stiff north winds when they seemed to be tired of fighting the flight north


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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby Rick » Fri Dec 14, 2018 1:58 pm

DComeaux wrote:I need to try to get permission to set up in these cow pastures mid morning...It wouldn't take long to get a pair.


Much thanks. Enjoyed envisioning you and Blake in cow camo.
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby BGkirk » Sat Dec 15, 2018 5:10 pm

Date: 12:15

Time: left @9

Location: marsh pit

Cloud Cover:heavy

Wind Direction and Velocity: NW @8

Temperature: truck said 50 but I got chilly

Special Notes: 6rd old newphew and my first retrievers “first hunt”

Waterfowl Activity: 0 big ducks to speak of, local blue wings know what a blind looks like

Waterfowl Responsiveness: worked big ducks, didn’t have sense to shut off mojos in time

Hunters: Ryan & son Simon

Guns: Silver & Traditions 20 gauge

Malfunctions: no ducks. And my dog Boone may have a new fear of one particular Spoony decoy

Dog(s): Boone man

Special Equipment: 2 mojos

Curses: awfully quiet. Wish there was more for Boone

Kudos: my goofy idea that hit me last night while laying in bed to bring “my wife’s” light 20, just in case Boone was steady enough for me to get some shots off.

Birds By Species: 1bwt

Photo Ops:Imagegot tangled in a spoony decoy on the way back from first retrieve and every time he tried to get away it attacked him. As you can see he’s still staring it down

Lagniappe: were holding hundreds of bwt, but they know the drill and were too lazy to setup where they want to be. But, on an opener I wouldn’t expect to have to bush whack em. Guess we’ve been blessed in years past.

Ryan went to get boat and made a lap north of us and got some bwt stirred up. Group came over top, a little high, Boone was eyeing them so I said what the heck. Held onto him with one hand and swung the gun up with the other and group shot em. 1 fell which is all I needed for his first duck. Nephew handled first hunt well, didn’t get Cold so that’s a win.


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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby Rick » Sat Dec 15, 2018 9:00 pm

Boone and his spoon made me smile. Happens with every retriever ever whelped.
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby BGkirk » Sun Dec 16, 2018 8:46 am

12-16
Small 4 acre crawfish pond by the house with neighbor
Saw 2 woodies, they definitely bumped off the mojo.
No shots fired.
Neighbor has killed all the normal species of duck at this pond over the years, including snow geese.
It’s good for the first 30 min.
Boone’s getting a lot of patience work in, although I threw him a bumper in some heavy cover, he circled for a solid 60 seconds before sniffing it out.
He did not like the separation we had going on this morning Image


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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby BGkirk » Fri Dec 21, 2018 5:38 pm

12-21
Marsh pit
Beautiful weather
Teal were everywhere 3 min before shooting time, then they sat down and shut it off pretty quick.
Had some missed ops with passing teal as always and guest had a misfire.
2nd hunt for Boone and I feel bad for him, he just looks at me and other hunters waiting for birds/bumpers to be thrown.
Knocked down 1bwt that was a true blind for Boone, which he is not to that stage in training but I attempted it anyways. I had to walk out 1/4 of the way with him and finally get laid eyes on it. Although he did handle much better in the water versus what I thought he may do.

1 bwt.
Saw less than 30 big ducks in the skies.


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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby BGkirk » Mon Dec 24, 2018 7:46 pm

Image
Oak Grove: from Last Saturday

Corn fed mallards or nah? We didn’t see a 1/16th of these amount of birds... I found it strange


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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby Ericdc » Mon Dec 24, 2018 7:50 pm

5 miles can be night and day. My old lease was 5 miles too far west and it was dramatic how much better the hunting was 5 miles east of us.

Y’all are at least that far from OG


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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby Ericdc » Mon Dec 24, 2018 7:55 pm

But yes, it is odd that we didn’t at least see a mallard, much less get sloppy seconds.


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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby Rick » Tue Dec 25, 2018 4:37 am

Fellow called me last night for a hunting report and to tell me how many mallards he's seeing swarm into his Basin deer club (where they're not hunted while deer's open) during the first few minutes of daylight. He's hunting with me tomorrow, and I've prepared him for disappointment.
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby DComeaux » Tue Dec 25, 2018 12:29 pm

I have a friend and coworker that has asked me for the last 3 or 4 years to make a duck hunt with him in the basin on his deer lease. Every year in mid to late January the mallards pile up in the flooded timber on their lease. He took a video one year. He hasn't mentioned anything yet this year of them showing up. I just might take him up on his offer this year.
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby BGkirk » Fri Dec 28, 2018 7:35 pm

Date:12-28

Time: left @930ish?

Location: #3

Cloud Cover: heavy until we left (weather man missed it by a mile, twc said bright & sunny @7am)

Wind Direction and Velocity: N-NNE @10-15

Temperature:50-55, felt nice

Special Notes: best hunt since 2nd split opener

Waterfowl Activity: zilch besides the locals

Waterfowl Responsiveness: meh

Hunters: Ryan David Tate Simon

Guns: Gold .silver .BPS . Versamax

Malfunctions: boat battery didn’t get us back to truck, although after charging battery and getting nothing, I missed a simple connection to starter that was loose.
Tate and Ryan did good poling us in

Dog(s): Boones 4th hunt. Made it into a “short blind” training day as he only marked a couple that fell front and center

Special Equipment: 2 lucky ducks

Curses: wish more would’ve fell into Boone’s view, but wasn’t gonna hold the guys back from pass shooting when they could

Kudos: enough bwt to make it feel like we did something

Birds By Species: 11 bwt, 2 spoons

Photo Ops:Image

Lagniappe: no big ducks or gwt... prolly won’t return to the lease unless it’s a non-refuge day and I feel like bush whacking blue wings


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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby Rick » Sat Dec 29, 2018 4:53 am

Lot of guns, but that still looks pretty good to me just now. Tough to find a bluewing on my end that doesn't know and detour around my pond.
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby BGkirk » Wed Jan 02, 2019 12:27 pm

Date: 1-2-19 Wed

Time: packed up around 9, rain starting to roll in

Location: the bushes

Cloud Cover: heavy

Wind Direction and Velocity: NE @10

Temperature: low 50s

Special Notes: other guys hunted this spot yesterday and shot 8 bwt

Waterfowl Activity: just locals bouncing around

Waterfowl Responsiveness: no quacks, momma hen or anything works. But a “ peep” every couple seconds seems to make them keep searching for wherever the peep is coming from

Hunters: Tate and me

Guns: gold & bps

Malfunctions: just we started off 75 yards off the mark

Dog(s): Boone

Special Equipment: dozen bwt decoys

Curses: Boone seems to always look left when he hears his que to get ready and look Bc something is about to fall

Kudos: I didn’t have to pick up any ducks

Birds By Species: 8 bwt

Photo Ops:Imagefound him a cripple

Lagniappe: Could’ve had our 12 but I’m trying to shoot less and make sure the pup is sitting still, and no breaking. There was a lot stirring right at shooting time that could’ve been shot but never found


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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby Rick » Wed Jan 02, 2019 12:33 pm

BGkirk wrote:Lagniappe: Could’ve had our 12 but I’m trying to shoot less and make sure the pup is sitting still, and no breaking.


Wise investment, that.
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby DComeaux » Wed Jan 02, 2019 12:39 pm

Sweet! That would be fun. Sort of like teal season in January.
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby BGkirk » Wed Jan 02, 2019 1:01 pm

DComeaux wrote:Sweet! That would be fun. Sort of like teal season in January.
its every year after Christmas, you can shoot a few from blinds on certain days but you’re better off sitting where you see them jump from on the boat ride out. Although it’s frustrating/rewarding that these are the only ducks we have to hunt, but it’s better than nothing


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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby Darren » Wed Jan 02, 2019 1:20 pm

Have a buddy that used to hunt some marsh near Creole; recall him describing exact same pattern you describe with the bluewings later in season. They were there for the taking, but you had to go to small holes where they wanted. Most everyone in the club wouldn't fool with them, but he had plenty of fun (and solo limits).
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby Duck Engr » Wed Jan 02, 2019 3:27 pm

Rick wrote:
BGkirk wrote:Lagniappe: Could’ve had our 12 but I’m trying to shoot less and make sure the pup is sitting still, and no breaking.


Wise investment, that.


Agreed!
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby BGkirk » Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:31 pm

Date:1–5-19 sat

Time: packed up @845

Location: bushes

Cloud Cover: none

Wind Direction and Velocity: none

Temperature: 47-50

Special Notes: Boone getting steadier with just me shooting and no more hand on collar

Waterfowl Activity: local teal

Waterfowl Responsiveness: don’t bother calling

Hunters: Ryan Tate Simon myself

Guns: Traditions ALS 2100 20 gauge, BPS and Silver

Malfunctions: first 5 shells were blanks

Dog(s): Boone

Special Equipment: dozen bwt

Curses: the report from yesterday was 100 teal where we were setting up this morning, they moved between now and then

Kudos: more birds were taken out front and easy marks for the learning pup

Birds By Species: 5 bwt , 2 coot

Photo Ops:Image

Lagniappe: As mentioned before Boone was steady on all the birds he saw fall. Then decided to lunge out of pirogue and break in a dead sprint after a ghost bird after I coughed. Guess he thought there was still one out there and my cough sounded like his call name



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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby Rick » Sat Jan 05, 2019 4:20 pm

Can see why you didn't, but it might be a good idea to lay off coots, gallinules, snipe and rails while Boone is young, so he doesn't get led astray by the live ones he encounters while learning to work ducks.
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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby BGkirk » Sat Jan 05, 2019 6:02 pm

Rick wrote:Can see why you didn't, but it might be a good idea to lay off coots, gallinules, snipe and rails while Boone is young, so he doesn't get led astray by the live ones he encounters while learning to work ducks.
rick I thought the same prior to shooting the two. They were swimming in decoys and he paid them no attention. But yes, prolly won’t do that anymore. He’s more concerned about the blackbirds when they flush.


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Re: Duck Season 2018-2019

Postby BGkirk » Sat Jan 05, 2019 6:04 pm

Any idea how to post a video? Only gives me the options to attach photo


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