2019-2020 Season Log

[BGkirk]

Bringing in the wax myrtle for late season cover I see


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[DComeaux]

What a sweet hunt.

[Duck Engr]

Mighty nice of Darren to bring birds with him.

[Rick]

Bringing in the wax myrtle for late season cover I see

Been incorporating it since last year, but still trying to keep my little pile on the prairie as see-through-scabby as I feel we can get away with.

[Rick]

Mighty nice of Darren to bring birds with him.

Yes, indeed, been craving greenwings.

[Bruce Yerkes]

One week to go, and I'll be down there. Save me a few guys. Always enjoy my time spent with Rick at Doug's.

Bruce.

[Rick]

Date: 12/29 Sun

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: cloudy, misty, threatening rain

Wind Direction and Velocity: Southerly moderate

Temperature: t-shirt

Moon phase:

Special Notes: front's coming

Waterfowl Activity: Brief show of teal early followed by a nearly all morning flight of nearly all pintails from both the north and east.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: While many of the pintails were beyond the realm of possibility, there were also many I initially thought I could break. But I was lucky even to bend a few or cause dissension within a flight. Maybe not going to stop until they met the coming rains? Did break a wigeon pair and a mallard pair off pintail flights, and the later was interesting in that the drake began showing off, for lack of better description, with aerobatics for the hen which held back as he dove, slipped and juked around before eventually tripping up and getting too close to the guns.

Hunters: 2, Tom and Cole

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s):

Special Equipment: sos

Curses: The hoped for repeat of yesterday's south wind teal show didn't materialize, and being so helpless to break any of so many pintails was flat embarrassing.

Kudos: Had a good time, anyway.

Birds By Species: i gadwall, 4 gw teal, 1 mallard, 1 shoveller and 2 wigeon

[Rick]

One week to go, and I'll be down there. Save me a few guys. Always enjoy my time spent with Rick at Doug's.

Bruce.

Bring ducks.

[Darren]

From what we could see Clyde was the only one the pins showed any interest in; know for sure Ed nor Isaac had luck breaking them all morning.....and there were sooo many.

[Rick]

Know Clyde had the most shooting. But didn't note what species they brought in, just that his guys said most of it was awkward out the back with a lot more shooting than hitting.

[Deltaman]

Looks like Darren brought his 4-leaf clover with him and glad the much anticipated hunt with Rick went as planned. Beautiful strap of birds!!!!!!!!!

[Rick]

Date: 12/30 Mon

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: none to moderate NW

Temperature: 40s

Moon phase: 20% waxing

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: next to nothing moving for what seemed a long time, but then a little of this and that

Waterfowl Responsiveness: In start contrast with yesterday, it seemed like everything called to came.

Hunters: 2, Ben O and Coach Reed

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): The bug had another good day.

Special Equipment: sos

Curses: Not complainin'.

Kudos: Nice guys, nice hunt.

Birds By Species: 5 gw teal, 4 mallards, 2 ringnecks, 2 shovellers and 2 wigeon

[Darren]

Good one!


Following up from our alligator chatter at breakfast table, forgot to mention to you a four footer in Isaac’s pond yesterday, near first decoys when entering pond from the run.

Noteworthy was that despite multiple ducks drifting past him, he made no moves toward taking one. Can only presume most likely case was him being still too cold for any activity, including taking down a small meal, much less trying to take on a dog.

Or maybe he’d already eaten and is burnt out on ducks or some other such (unlikely) scenario.

[Rick]

Science and experience to date, POUND TIMBER, says water's too cold for them to eat.

[Rick]

Date: 12/31 Tue

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: rubber stamp of yesterday: mostly calm to moderate NW later in the morning

Temperature: upper 30s

Moon phase: waxing 29%

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: Dribs and drabs of this and that most of the morning.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Just as we'd wish it always was

Hunters: 2, Ben again and new hunter BIL, Alane

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): The bug had another fine morning.

Special Equipment: sos

Curses: fell one short of full limits

Kudos: but not a bit short of a fine time

Birds By Species: 3 bw teal, 4 gw teal, 2 mallards, 1 mottled, 3 pintails, 2 red heads and 2 shovellers

Photo Ops: Wanted shot of the bug bringing in both redheads - and found I'd forgotten the camera.

Lagniappe: Ben had predicted three mallards would finish our limits at 9:00 sharp, and danged if I didn't break three out from a bunch at Stanley Deceiver-only altitude about that time by staying on them loud and long until they power dove from the heavens, swung around the back at nearly shooting altitude, where I let up on the call - and watched them bee-line straight to Clyde, where they all three died with so much as circling first. Sure enough: 9:00.

Just one more in a long list of reminders not to let up on anything getting a look at the prettier broken marsh to our east...

[Rick]

Date: 1/1 Wed

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: overcast

Wind Direction and Velocity: Easterly nil to light

Temperature: 40s

Moon phase: 35% waxing

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: Very nearly none. Maybe all waiting on tomorrow's rains.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Only green-wings we saw came (but didn't fall) pretty, and most everything else was either local or to high to feel bad about not tolling.

Hunters: 2, long time father and son regulars: Robert and Chris

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): easy motning

Special Equipment: sos

Curses: No birds and the first loose round of the season.

Kudos: We survived.

Birds By Species: 1 gw teal and 2 shovellers

[Rick]

Date: 1/2 Thur

Time: morning

Location: mushole

Cloud Cover: dense fog until 8 and again after 8:30

Wind Direction and Velocity: dead-assed calm until right at quitting time

Temperature: warm

Moon phase: n/a

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: Told the guys we could expect to do best when the fog broke enough to see the trees on the Cherry Ridge boundary canal, but I lied. Killed nearly all of our birds in denser fog.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Whistled until 8 and again from when it got thick again around 8:30 until 9:30 curfew. Don't know how much it helped, but was almost, if not, always whistling when we spotted game. Finished everything quacking, kacking or with hostile feed.

Hunters: 2, Robert and Chris again.

Guns:

Malfunctions: Robert's SX 2 or 3's been giving him fits again this year, not always going into battery for second shots. Suggested oil...

Dog(s): The bug did a jam-up job on a chipped greenhead out the back, but otherwise had an easy morning.

Special Equipment: sos

Curses: Wasn't the spitty rain day I expected and hoped, but, given the givens, no serious curses from me.

Kudos: Nice morning with nice folks.

Birds By Species: 1 bw teal, 3 gw teal, 5 mallards, 2 pintails, 1 mottled and 1 shoveller

Photo Ops: Robert and Chris with a nice string:

066a.jpg

The bug about to double on sprig:

026a.jpg

Wrecked mottled:

059a.jpg

[Ducaholic]

In the limited time that you are hunting the mudhole is proving to once again be the place to be under your guidance.

[Deltaman]

Reads like an excellent hunt for a foggy morning to me Rick, congrats!!!!!!!

[Rick]

In the limited time that you are hunting the mudhole is proving to once again be the place to be under your guidance.

Mighty thankful not to be suffering the first split's spooky barren skies, if only for a little while, as we wait for the inevitable effect of the current weather pattern and forecast to set in.

But Clyde's blind in the bend of an open water chain was the place to be this morning, as he was out with 18 long before quitting time.

[Rick]

Date: 1/3 Fri

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: heavy overcast

Wind Direction and Velocity: dead calm until curfew

Temperature: 60s?

Moon phase:

Special Notes: rained much of yesterday afternoon and all night up until nearly shooting time

Waterfowl Activity: A very few little bunches of green-wings came our way, but saw flight after flight of mile high big ducks nearly all going either east or west. Those low enough to ID were mostly pintails, and best I could do from any was a single spin or two. Vast majority just kept on. Blinds to our east shot scads of little ducks.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Could turn some of our way too few green-wings, but could not get them to try landing.

Hunters: 2, Robert and Chris' last morning

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): easy morning

Special Equipment: sos

Curses: Much scabbier hunt than I would have liked to send the guys home on.

Kudos: Better than their first morning.

Birds By Species: 5 gw teal, 1 mottled, 1 scaup, 1 shoveller and 1 wigeon

[Rick]

Date: 1/4 Sat

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: NW fairly strong

Temperature: 40s

Moon phase: waxing 58%

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: A couple little bunches of teal early and very little of anything on our end after, while blinds to our east and north made what seemed a lot of noise.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Wind put birds either dropping right over the blind or into the lee west of the blind, neither of which proved doable for my once-a-year duck hunters.

Hunters: 2, twins Justin and Chris, who figure they've been hunting with me for 17 years - since aged 10.

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): Easy morning for the bug.

Special Equipment: sos

Curses: Pretty sure I'm cursed, as it seemed we were in the driest hole out there again this morning.

Kudos: Nice visit.

Birds By Species: 1 gadwall and 1 mallard

[DComeaux]

Curses: Pretty sure I'm cursed, as it seemed we were in the driest hole out there again this morning.

I know the feeling and wonder if it'll ever end.

[Rick]

Tomorrow, Dave, tomorrow...

[Rick]

Date: 1/5 Sun

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: calm to moderate southerly

Temperature: 40s and rising

Moon phase:

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: Only a couple lone teal even seen and not many more big ducks, high or local.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Mallards did their best to get killed.

Hunters: 2, Tim and ?

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): The bug made what will almost surely be the blind of the season on a mallard chipped down closer to the ICW than the boat run west of us. Took him as close as I could with the boat, then handled as best I could though through line-of-sight opening in the vegetation to its general area, where he eventually managed to scent and run the winged bird down. Wouldn't have given a nickle for his chances, just gave it a shot to have done so, and he came through.

Special Equipment: sos

Curses: Simply no birds.

Kudos: At least we weren't the only ones not shooting this morning. (My guys from yesterday went with Clyde this morning, where the shooting, if not the hitting, was again the marsh's best, but didn't fare much better.)

Birds By Species: 1 bw teal and 2 mallards

Photo Ops: Much too rare duck:

052a.jpg

and the bug's miracle bird somehow located and run down waaaay the hey back there nearer the ICW's tree line than the boat:

029a.jpg

030a.jpg

[Ericdc]

If it makes u feel better, it was pretty dead this morning up here in northeast LA, 1 pintail at mine and dakotas crew didn’t do well either. Got my eyes on Tuesday.


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[MallardBay]

Date: 1/5

Dog(s): The bug made what will almost surely be the blind of the season on a mallard chipped down closer to the ICW than the boat run west of us. Took him as close as I could with the boat, then handled as best I could though through line-of-sight opening in the vegetation to its general area, where he eventually managed to scent and run the winged bird down. Wouldn't have given a nickle for his chances, just gave it a shot to have done so, and

Boy, what a feeling! Any man with a retriever knows that when the beast does something we amazed by, it can be the best feeling in waterfowling. Props to both Bug and his trainer/handler!

[Rick]

If it makes u feel better, it was pretty dead this morning up here in northeast LA, 1 pintail at mine and dakotas crew didn’t do well either. Got my eyes on Tuesday.

This is a case where misery doesn't like company at all. Would like to think there are more birds in-state than there may be. Not seeing nearly the weather change it will probably take to make it right coming in time to beef up the season.

[Ericdc]

I agree, we needed an Arctic front sometime in the last month. The front on Dec 17 was strong but westerly.

We haven’t had a good one all season , I haven’t had one day with a 10-20 mph NNE wind followed by a few mornings in the mid to low 20’s. That’s fairly common for us in north LA. I fear it’ll be February and won’t be anything to do about it other than stay inside and cook something.


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[Ericdc]

At the same time, I’m not complaining about our year so far, just hope these last 3 weeks don’t go bad.

We’ve been fortunate, we’ve killed more birds than people paying 2X as much as we are for a blind. You gotta have good hunters though too.


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