Post-Season 2019-2020

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Darren » Wed Jul 01, 2020 6:49 am

I can see how distinguishing between the golf geese and the big migrators could be a management challenge.

Down here, if its on a golf course and big, zero chance that Canada migrated here. The golf/park/neighborhood pond population of Canada's is thriving down here, I even have a flock buzz my office parking lot about every morning, hear them coming from way out. I always peak out to catch a glimpse and contemplate just how methodically I'd take down the bulk of the slow flapping flock with my three shots.
User avatar
Darren
 
Posts: 4043
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 7:58 pm
Location: SE La Marsh

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby SpinnerMan » Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:39 am

Darren wrote:I can see how distinguishing between the golf geese and the big migrators could be a management challenge.

In hand it's actually pretty easy to distinguish between GCG and migratory geese because of size.

The GCG weight 10-12 lbs with an occasional one quite a bit bigger. That's a whole other topic. Back when they were first reintroducing the giants many were farm raised before released or escaped and some would get 18+ lbs. That's a swan. In the wild that does not happen so these giants are now folk lore. I know of some weighed back then that legit weighed that. I actually shot one with the crappy steel when I didn't know what I was doing and body shot him and he flew off. He was with the other 10-12 lb local geese and he dwarfed them. Saw a small group about 40 yards away a few weeks before season the other year that were backlit and I couldn't figure out what these dark swans were and circled around for a better look. They were friggin' huge geese. Largest I have weighed was 14 lbs. These were bigger.

There are something like 13 subspecies of Canada/Cackling geese. Most of ours are lessers that weigh around 6 lbs. While it can be very hard to tell if you have a small goose in range or a large goose out of range when in the air. Everybody messes that up. Try judging distance when you don't know if it is a 12+ lb goose or a 6- lb goose. In hand, you know.

We also get some cacklers but not many. My buddy also shot a subspecies that is from out around Utah. It was about 8 lbs and had a white ring on its neck. I looked it over carefully when the size was too big for a typical and too little for a GCG plus the ring and then looked it up when I got home. Moffit I think if I remember correctly that somehow ended up in Illinois. I really want to get a cackler. They are smaller than the lessers but overlap on the low end in size. I actually think I got one the other winter when I was so sick I shouldn't have been hunting. Smallest goose I ever got by far and it looked really cute compared to other geese. Wasn't thinking because I really felt like shit and didn't take any pictures. Later I realized I probably screwed up and had final had gotten my cackler.

We used to shoot about 2 to 1 GCG to MVP and that was consistent with the banding data. It seems to be much heavier GCG lately. I'm curious if the banding data suggests that or if I'm just getting better at calling in the locals.
User avatar
SpinnerMan
 
Posts: 2226
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2014 12:08 pm
Location: Joliet, IL

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Rick » Wed Jul 01, 2020 6:33 pm

SpinnerMan wrote:[
The GCG weight 10-12 lbs with an occasional one quite a bit bigger...


The two seemingly to me quite a bit bigger Mid Ohio Valley residents that prompted me to put them on a local sporting good's certified fish scale both barely topped 13lbs, despite my thinking the second appreciably bigger than I remembered the first. Never weighed our run of the mill residents, but they were noticeably larger than the Mid Continent migrants - that I never weighed either.

Been some years back, but the fellow who owned Drop Zone sponsored an 18lb Canada contest on the then popular goose forums with the prize for the first such being a dozen of his ultra expensive full-bodies. No one shot a qualifying bird that wasn't eaten by a coyote or some such after the shooter weighed it until year-by-year the weight was eventually dropped to 15lbs.
Rick
 
Posts: 11597
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:38 pm

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby SpinnerMan » Thu Jul 02, 2020 5:31 am

Rick wrote:
SpinnerMan wrote:[
The GCG weight 10-12 lbs with an occasional one quite a bit bigger...


The two seemingly to me quite a bit bigger Mid Ohio Valley residents that prompted me to put them on a local sporting good's certified fish scale both barely topped 13lbs, despite my thinking the second appreciably bigger than I remembered the first. Never weighed our run of the mill residents, but they were noticeably larger than the Mid Continent migrants - that I never weighed either.

Been some years back, but the fellow who owned Drop Zone sponsored an 18lb Canada contest on the then popular goose forums with the prize for the first such being a dozen of his ultra expensive full-bodies. No one shot a qualifying bird that wasn't eaten by a coyote or some such after the shooter weighed it until year-by-year the weight was eventually dropped to 15lbs.

I've weighed two at 14. I have not heard of one 18 since the 80's in PA. I know the contest and it made me do my research because I know of a couple actually weighed and the exactly 1 I shot at. They were pen raised birds from the initial reintroduction. A 14 lb goose is huge. 18 lbs is a swan and just doesn't happen in the wild. You don't get that big eating grass. My guess is they don't feed them like that anymore because that is too big. They aren't a freak of nature. They are a pig at the slop trough.

My buddy actually got a pen raised bird a few years ago. It had 2 bands. One with a guy's name. The guy was into the geese and set up shop in Maryland to raise them for reintroduction which I guess still goes on. This bird wherever it was released headed up to Thunder Bay where it got trapped and the second leg iron put on. Then it came down to Plainfield, IL to hang with the park geese and was shot with banded locals. I guess they were comparing bling.
User avatar
SpinnerMan
 
Posts: 2226
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2014 12:08 pm
Location: Joliet, IL

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Rick » Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:04 am

Since residents were what we had the most of in Ohio's south zone (affording us a 2 bird limit, instead of the north zone's single mcp pop migrant), it tickled me to see early '80s Eastern Shore guides get excited over "747s" flying with their migrants. 'Course they may well have as many or more residents as Atlantic pop migrants, themselves, now.
Rick
 
Posts: 11597
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:38 pm

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Darren » Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:10 am

LDWF commission meeting tomorrow @ 9:30a, will try to stream on Zoom at the office

AGENDA:

1. Call to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll Call
4. Adoption of June 4, 2020 Commission Meeting Minutes
5. Approval of July 9, 2020 Agenda
6. Commission Special Announcements / Personal Privilege
a) Introduction of New Commission Member – Andrew Blanchard
7. Enforcement Report, June 2020 – Major Edward Skena, Enforcement Division

8. Receive a Presentation on the 2020 Waterfowl Hunter Survey with Special Emphasis on the Upcoming Decision for Zones and Splits for Duck Hunting for the 2021-2025 Seasons – Larry Reynolds, Waterfowl Biologist
User avatar
Darren
 
Posts: 4043
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 7:58 pm
Location: SE La Marsh

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby BGkirk » Wed Jul 08, 2020 6:49 pm

New commission member taking place of someone getting out?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
BGkirk
 
Posts: 581
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2018 7:00 pm

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Darren » Fri Jul 10, 2020 8:22 am

Speaking of new ammo, came across this one in the new DU magazine:

https://www.migraammunitions.com/produc ... ten-steel/

Price is a tad on the high side :lol: but do like the concept of mixed HD shot with conventional steel, something we're seeing other brands start to offer as well. Some are also offering more options with mixed shot sizes in efforts to bolster pattern density while keeping some high energy pellets in same load. (see below, mixed 2s and 4s in regular steel)

Capture1.JPG
YOU MUST REGISTER TO VIEW THIS IMAGE.
User avatar
Darren
 
Posts: 4043
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 7:58 pm
Location: SE La Marsh

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby 5 stand » Sat Jul 11, 2020 5:59 pm

Darren, I'm a member but you might as well consider me a guest. My English and writing skills suck. So I don't post much anywhere. But I do enjoy keeping up with all you guys. The other day in Decomex log, you were talking about bismuth. Here's some reading material, from Dave in Arizona. He has a really good blog in my opinion. Maybe it'll help in your bismuth decision. I hope you try them for a whole year, and report on each hunt in your log as it happens. If I was going to shoot bismuth I would try the number fours, I tend to stretch my barrel (as Rick would say)so number 5 doesn't have enough downrange energy for me.
https://pipesf16.wordpress.com/bismuth- ... -analysis/
5 stand
 
Posts: 915
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2018 7:20 am

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Darren » Sun Jul 12, 2020 9:50 am

5 stand wrote:Darren, I'm a member but you might as well consider me a guest. My English and writing skills suck. So I don't post much anywhere. But I do enjoy keeping up with all you guys. The other day in Decomex log, you were talking about bismuth. Here's some reading material, from Dave in Arizona. He has a really good blog in my opinion. Maybe it'll help in your bismuth decision. I hope you try them for a whole year, and report on each hunt in your log as it happens. If I was going to shoot bismuth I would try the number fours, I tend to stretch my barrel (as Rick would say)so number 5 doesn't have enough downrange energy for me.
https://pipesf16.wordpress.com/bismuth- ... -analysis/


Many thanks, will have a look !
User avatar
Darren
 
Posts: 4043
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 7:58 pm
Location: SE La Marsh

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Darren » Thu Jul 16, 2020 7:53 am

Buddy made it up to the Bunkie area farm this week and snapped some pics.

Bad news being water is on fields around us, pit is still full of water as we left it. We're told water will be pulled off shortly and maybe it'll drain or we need to go up and pump.....long road ahead on any project to patch the pit.

Good news being rice is in all around us save for the cut in front of pit that we knew was to be left fallow. Have couple of photos of it below with hope of someone identifying what may be growing there. In any case, it does NOT appear to be the plant that grew up and royally screwed us two seasons back when left fallow.

Front cut is left side of both photos taken driving down the levee. Looked to me like it had some volunteer rice among others but I wasn't there to see in person. Likely will make plans to get up there mid-late next month

Photo (1).jpg


Photo (2).jpg
YOU MUST REGISTER TO VIEW THIS IMAGE.
User avatar
Darren
 
Posts: 4043
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 7:58 pm
Location: SE La Marsh

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Darren » Thu Jul 16, 2020 8:06 am

5 stand wrote:Darren, I'm a member but you might as well consider me a guest. My English and writing skills suck. So I don't post much anywhere. But I do enjoy keeping up with all you guys. The other day in Decomex log, you were talking about bismuth. Here's some reading material, from Dave in Arizona. He has a really good blog in my opinion. Maybe it'll help in your bismuth decision. I hope you try them for a whole year, and report on each hunt in your log as it happens. If I was going to shoot bismuth I would try the number fours, I tend to stretch my barrel (as Rick would say)so number 5 doesn't have enough downrange energy for me.
https://pipesf16.wordpress.com/bismuth- ... -analysis/



Finally had a chance to browse through the article, thanks again.

The excerpt below from the piece is what I'm interested in:

My analysis of bismuth tells me the optimal size shot for me, on ducks, would be #4.5, with a diam of .125″; unfortunately no one sells that. The two bismuth shot sizes of interest for duck hunting are #4 which is a bit “better” than #2 steel, and #5 bismuth which is about like #3 steel: #5 bismuth at 1300fps (most bismuth recipes are around this) essentially gives the same penetration as #3 steel, but a 25% increase in pellets for same payload; #4 shot at 1300fps gives the same pellet count as #3 steel, but a 10 yard increase in range, just a bit better than #2 steel ranges.

Not looking for increased range, per se, mostly the pattern density with hopes of cleaner, quicker kills in the pond instead of the 300-yard-fly-off-and-fall-dead-as-a-hammer variety that plagues us.
User avatar
Darren
 
Posts: 4043
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 7:58 pm
Location: SE La Marsh

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby 5 stand » Thu Jul 16, 2020 1:31 pm

You're welcome Darren.
If you were shooting number 3 steel
1 1/4 ounce has 197 pellets.
Number 5 bismuth 1 1/4 Has 235.
Hopefully 38 more soldiers is the ticket.
You have to have confidence in your cartridges.
Confidence kills birds!
5 stand
 
Posts: 915
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2018 7:20 am

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Johnc » Thu Jul 16, 2020 1:57 pm

I agree pattern density important ,but core pattern density really important

You can have high energy hevi shot and if the choke is too open that’s also a factor,or if pattern blown for a particular load/choke combo all the high energy shot in the world won’t fix

Bismuth isn’t going to do much over steel,easier on older fixed choke barrels,but hevi metal with tungsten mixed in or hevi “x” is advantageous —-Rogers sporting goods has good deals on both with free shipping

If timber hunting or in a very small pond,open chokes are fine,but much outside of that—-if you aren’t breaking wings or producing multiple hit shock —- the exact result is gut shot ,glide and die birds

Goose wise——happens with either too small of shot size or too open of constriction —- seen it a million times in 40 years—-

I used to be exactly like many on this page—-“oh all you need is improved cylinder and whatever smaller shot size” chasing cripples for many years proved I was wrong
Johnc
 
Posts: 430
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:34 pm

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby 5 stand » Thu Jul 16, 2020 2:28 pm

Beware of EMI (parent company of heavy metal) they're great marketers.
There is no tungsten in heavy metal anymore. They put bismuth in it now.
The only shell that has tungsten in it from emi is $4 or more a shell.
5 stand
 
Posts: 915
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2018 7:20 am

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Johnc » Thu Jul 16, 2020 2:47 pm

5 stand wrote:Beware of EMI (parent company of heavy metal) they're great marketers.
There is no tungsten in heavy metal anymore. They put bismuth in it now.
The only shell that has tungsten in it from emi is $4 or more a shell.


Even hevi “x”?
Johnc
 
Posts: 430
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:34 pm

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby 5 stand » Thu Jul 16, 2020 3:38 pm

I shouldn't have made that statement.
They do claim that it has tungsten in it.
Hevi x - Shot density of 10.1g/cc.
Bismuth is 9.6 g/cc.
Steel is 7.8 g/cc.
5 stand
 
Posts: 915
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2018 7:20 am

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Johnc » Thu Jul 16, 2020 4:53 pm

5 stand wrote:I shouldn't have made that statement.
They do claim that it has tungsten in it.
Hevi x - Shot density of 10.1g/cc.
Bismuth is 9.6 g/cc.
Steel is 7.8 g/cc.


To be honest I thought that hevi “x” was hype until I saw it in action on far geese in Arkansas and with the amount of damage caused on birds I have mounted shot with it

It’s good stuff if can afford
Johnc
 
Posts: 430
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:34 pm

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Darren » Fri Jul 17, 2020 7:32 am

Glad to see the discussion. Bismuth is essentially a trade off between steel and lead (or other extra high density shot that would be cost prohibitive). It's an improvement, and yes I am absolutely interested in even 40 more pellets. Will also tinker with some patterning of my chokes with these new loads as well......this is all for ducks, particularly in the marsh.

For geese, I'm shooting 3" BB or 1's and shooting our specks close, no issues to speak of. If anything, I tend to let some pass that maybe we shouldn't have because range looked iffy to me, just being conservative. See a number of notes on my log of a few speck ops that maybe we should have tried but erred toward trying to get them closer.
User avatar
Darren
 
Posts: 4043
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 7:58 pm
Location: SE La Marsh

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Darren » Sat Jul 18, 2020 6:03 am

Had pulled this from Larry's LDWF commission presentation that I thought was interesting. The LOUD contingent of disgruntled hunters makes our current seasons out to be the worst ever, times have not been so poor before, they say. Reacting from their rants on social media and other forums would have one think they're right, but not so apparently.

dissatisfaction slide.JPG


In fact, 15 years ago, in the alleged glory days some certain groups like to refer to, a mere 9% of polled hunters were pleased at all, and over half were obviously quite unhappy with their seasons. But this season over 1/5 hunters was satisfied to some degree, and that PO'd contingent dropped over 10%.

Now, has the scale slid, the goal posts moved? Perhaps. In other words, what was deemed "OK" back then is now seen as a "good" season, for some that's likely the case, being more easily satisfied in current times than years back.
YOU MUST REGISTER TO VIEW THIS IMAGE.
User avatar
Darren
 
Posts: 4043
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 7:58 pm
Location: SE La Marsh

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby BGkirk » Sat Jul 18, 2020 8:27 am

I think the majority has way too high of expectations leading to the unhappy hunters.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
BGkirk
 
Posts: 581
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2018 7:00 pm

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Rick » Sat Jul 18, 2020 10:23 am

Darren wrote:Had pulled this from Larry's LDWF commission presentation that I thought was interesting. The LOUD contingent of disgruntled hunters makes our current seasons out to be the worst ever, times have not been so poor before, they say. Reacting from their rants on social media and other forums would have one think they're right, but not so apparently.

dissatisfaction slide.JPG


In fact, 15 years ago, in the alleged glory days some certain groups like to refer to, a mere 9% of polled hunters were pleased at all, and over half were obviously quite unhappy with their seasons. But this season over 1/5 hunters was satisfied to some degree, and that PO'd contingent dropped over 10%.

Now, has the scale slid, the goal posts moved? Perhaps. In other words, what was deemed "OK" back then is now seen as a "good" season, for some that's likely the case, being more easily satisfied in current times than years back.


"Glory days"? Don't know where you were in 2005, but we were still feeling the post mid '90s-2000 slump where I was. Which was blessed with our marsh's east blind, while the rest of our camp, which was still stuck in the rice, struggled for ducks and thanked their lucky stars the specks were still around. If judged for ducks by my blind, it was a fine season, but by the overwhelming majority of our rice - to include where I'd enjoyed the prior peak, it sucked.
Rick
 
Posts: 11597
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:38 pm

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Duck Engr » Sat Jul 18, 2020 3:49 pm

I think Darren’s broader point is not many folks have a waterfowl memory like you do Rick. It’s easy for people to remember 99-00 and 09-10 seasons as being “the good ole days” but forget that 04-05 sucked wind. They think all 10 years in between were good too. I listened to an interview with Pat Pitt a while back and he mentioned everyone thinking it was “over” in the early to mid 2000s before the end of that decade turned things around again.
Duck Engr
WFF Administrator
 
Posts: 1867
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2018 12:50 pm

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Darren » Sat Jul 18, 2020 8:34 pm

Duck Engr wrote:I think Darren’s broader point is not many folks have a waterfowl memory like you do Rick. It’s easy for people to remember 99-00 and 09-10 seasons as being “the good ole days” but forget that 04-05 sucked wind. They think all 10 years in between were good too. I listened to an interview with Pat Pitt a while back and he mentioned everyone thinking it was “over” in the early to mid 2000s before the end of that decade turned things around again.


Both of you prove the points, particularly as Rick noted much of his outfit's rice blinds struggling in the 2005 season, known to most on the coast as the Katrina/Rita season. I've heard of glowing reports from marshes further west of there for that same year, despite Rita's wrath. Personally I had a very strong 2005 season after Katrina rendered my home marsh nearly unrecognizable. Venice was in even worse shape so felt like a lot of birds stuck to our area instead of moving further south.

For every season since, what was strong for some was "worst ever" for others, so there's tremendous variability in perspective from ones own vantage point in their favorite hole.

Specifically, though, I was alluding to a certain group of organized ranters that think Louisiana hasn't even been worth hunting since 2010 or something, or well before that even.........despite some very strong seasons (for most) within the last 2-4 years. They thought last season and one before were worst ever, may as well have stayed home..........but the masses surveyed told us it was WORSE 15 years ago. Thus it's not a tangible, linear downslide since XYZ year you want to point to as many have voiced.
User avatar
Darren
 
Posts: 4043
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 7:58 pm
Location: SE La Marsh

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby DComeaux » Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:41 pm

Rick wrote:
Darren wrote:Had pulled this from Larry's LDWF commission presentation that I thought was interesting. The LOUD contingent of disgruntled hunters makes our current seasons out to be the worst ever, times have not been so poor before, they say. Reacting from their rants on social media and other forums would have one think they're right, but not so apparently.

dissatisfaction slide.JPG


In fact, 15 years ago, in the alleged glory days some certain groups like to refer to, a mere 9% of polled hunters were pleased at all, and over half were obviously quite unhappy with their seasons. But this season over 1/5 hunters was satisfied to some degree, and that PO'd contingent dropped over 10%.

Now, has the scale slid, the goal posts moved? Perhaps. In other words, what was deemed "OK" back then is now seen as a "good" season, for some that's likely the case, being more easily satisfied in current times than years back.


"Glory days"? Don't know where you were in 2005, but we were still feeling the post mid '90s-2000 slump where I was. Which was blessed with our marsh's east blind, while the rest of our camp, which was still stuck in the rice, struggled for ducks and thanked their lucky stars the specks were still around. If judged for ducks by my blind, it was a fine season, but by the overwhelming majority of our rice - to include where I'd enjoyed the prior peak, it sucked.


I gave up a marsh lease of 15 years in the late 90's early 2000's when the bottom fell out. I did blind set up and pick up for others who leased property for a couple of three years after that and got to hunt those often due to the lack of birds. I reluctantly did a stint of deer hunting (read company lease hand) from 2005 to 2010 which seemed to dull the sucking that was duck hunting.
I began to really miss the ducks and found myself occasionally getting out of the box blinds to watch birds work flooded timber. During the cool days in September while plowing deer food plots my mind was on ducks. I had decided to look for a duck lease the following year and found a rice blind. We had a decent year or two in that time but It's now deja vu. Today and the last 10 years is no where near what I experienced 35 to 40 years ago. For me it's at the same suck level as the late 90's early 2000's.
User avatar
DComeaux
 
Posts: 4268
Joined: Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:48 pm
Location: South Louisiana

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Rick » Sun Jul 19, 2020 5:17 am

Duck Engr wrote:I think Darren’s broader point is...


Much as I like and respect Larry, the "broader point" is that anyone who thinks the once waterfowl rich ricelands of SWLA haven't gone to crap on all but a few large holdings more interested in holding birds than raising crawfish and those adjoining such relative refuge isn't hunting there.
Rick
 
Posts: 11597
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:38 pm

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Duck Engr » Sun Jul 19, 2020 7:17 am

Rick wrote:
Duck Engr wrote:I think Darren’s broader point is...


Much as I like and respect Larry, the "broader point" is that anyone who thinks the once waterfowl rich ricelands of SWLA haven't gone to crap on all but a few large holdings more interested in holding birds than raising crawfish and those adjoining such relative refuge isn't hunting there.
That doesn’t seem to be unique to SWLA unfortunately, minus the crawfish of course.
Duck Engr
WFF Administrator
 
Posts: 1867
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2018 12:50 pm

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Darren » Tue Jul 21, 2020 7:49 am

DComeaux wrote:I gave up a marsh lease of 15 years in the late 90's early 2000's when the bottom fell out.


Today and the last 10 years is no where near what I experienced 35 to 40 years ago. For me it's at the same suck level as the late 90's early 2000's.



Looks like you gave up that marsh lease at the wrong time??? late 99 and early 2000's shows some peaks in the trends pictured below, and if I recall some testimonials from FFL/FF, that was their boon period as well and now compare today's seasons against those.

grays.jpg


mallards.jpg



As for 35-40 years ago, there were fewer total ducks, if I recall correctly, but perhaps a higher contingent making it to S. La. It's also entirely possible that your particular vantage point was on the X for some time and then evolved to be not so much, as I alluded to in a prior post, just as we still see today. Make no mistake, and as the satisfaction survey depicts, there are some that think the absolute glory days are the last few years.......... and just as many think it's the worst ever and are giving it up or contemplating doing so.
YOU MUST REGISTER TO VIEW THIS IMAGE.
User avatar
Darren
 
Posts: 4043
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 7:58 pm
Location: SE La Marsh

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby Ducaholic » Tue Jul 21, 2020 12:05 pm

Nothing stays the same forever. Most of the reasons for that are man made because nature likes it easy just like we do. With that said the same high traffic areas of the 70's are the same high traffic areas of today for the ducks migrating southward in my neck of the woods. It's just that in some of these areas the human interface is much higher than it was in the 70's so they don't stick around near as long. That means you gotta be there when they get here to kill em. That's my take anyhow.
Ducaholic
 
Posts: 779
Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2014 2:53 pm

Re: Post-Season 2019-2020

Postby DComeaux » Wed Jul 22, 2020 8:17 am

Darren wrote:Looks like you gave up that marsh lease at the wrong time???


That lease never did well since then. The last I spoke to him two blinds produced 25 ducks for the season. They just can't let it go. They've had the lease and a camp there for 50 or 60+ years.


Darren wrote:As for 35-40 years ago, there were fewer total ducks, if I recall correctly, but perhaps a higher contingent making it to S. La.


That's an absolute fact.

Ducaholic wrote: With that said the same high traffic areas of the 70's are the same high traffic areas of today for the ducks migrating southward in my neck of the woods.


True for most, but the flow is sporadic at best and the numbers get slimmer by the year. There's no doubt that a free range hunter can still make a good hunt or two in this state, for now anyway.
User avatar
DComeaux
 
Posts: 4268
Joined: Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:48 pm
Location: South Louisiana

PreviousNext

Return to Darren 2019-2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests