2019 - 2020 Duck Season

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Saturday Nov 2, 2020 - Youth hunt

Hunters: William and Matthew (grandchildren) with Abby and me

Temp: 51 degrees, wind NNE 10 mph

We saw plenty ducks moving early, but all the big groups just kept on going. Had a lot of Gadwall in groups of 5 - 10 flare as they approached - I got out the blind and looked around and did not see anything they would flare off of - I guess it was just Grey ducks doing what Grey ducks do.
The boys did have plenty opportunities on singles and groups of 2 - 4. Their shooting was not good, but they had enough chances to finally get their limit.

Totals: 1 - Green wing teal, 1 - Spoonbill, 10 - Gadwall

[Darren]

Great hunt! congrats!

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Sunday, Nov 3, 2019

Hunters: Matthew, William had to leave after the hunt on Saturday - he had a junior high football game on Sunday.

Temp: 48 degrees, Wind 5 - 10 mph ENE (east wind grrrrr)

Only saw about 25% of ducks Sunday that we saw Saturday. Poor Matthew's shooting woes continued on Sunday, until we had a shooting lesson, he forgot the proper way to mount his gun. He was upset he missed 2 Greenheads at very close range. Abby had a very easy day, the ducks he did kill fell close to the blind.

Totals: 1 - Blue 'wing teal, 1 - Spoonbill, 2 - Gadwall

Both boys had fun, and got to shoot a lot.

[DComeaux]

WOW! Awesome hunt! We can only hope to do as well on opening morning.

[Rick]

Good to hear they got into them.

[MARSH BEAR]

Going to the camp tonite. Tomorrow Buddy and I will go shopping for the camp - all the necessities, paper plates, paper towels, toilet paper, soap, cleaning supplies, seasonings - you know all the things you need for a camp with with 11 guys.

Good luck to all you coastal hunters, be safe.

Hope all of you will have a celebratory drink after the hunt, not a drink to drown your sorrows

[Rick]

Envy you guys heading for a marsh camp early, has to make the day before the opener seem shorter.

[DComeaux]

Have fun. Good luck.

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: November 9, 2019 - Opening day of duck season

Hunters: Buddy and I with Abby

Temp: 42 degrees, wind NNE at 8 - 10 mph

One of the boats at the landing had battery trouble, and I lent him my spare battery, did not get to the blind until after LST. Shooting all over the marsh. We got set up still hearing shots everywhere, but we were not seeing many ducks. After about 1/2 hour things picked up at our blind. Its funny how you will hit the fast flying crossing shot and miss the easy shot over the decoys. Abby had it pretty easy, all but 1 duck fell dead. 4 of our 6 blinds got their limit. Our best blind only killed 1 duck, but I think it was the hunter not the blind - a waste of a good blind when that member gets it.

Totals: 9 - Gadwall, 1 - Wigeon, 1 - Blue wing teal, 1 - Spoonbill

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Nov 10, 2019

Hunters: Buddy and I with Abby

Temp: 50 degrees, wind ENE 0 - 5 mph

Not as many ducks today as yesterday. Only 4 blinds hunted today, 2 groups celebrated the LSU victory too much. 2 of the 4 blinds got limits, we were not one of them. Saw more Greenwing teal today, but not many came to play. Every group of Gadwall coming from our NW corner flared just before getting into gun range, which was where the spinners were, may try not putting spinners our next time out.

Abby was not her usual self today, she picked all the ducks, but was not as excited as normal.

Totals: 4 - Green wing teal, 3 - Gadwall.

[Darren]

Used no spinners this weekend and had grays commit nicely, though know some that use them with a lot of grays around and say they often try to land ON it.

If others in the area are using them........I wouldn't.

[MARSH BEAR]

A friend of one of our club members who hunts on the lease next to us went on a hunt this morning. His lease has shallow water and no large water to cross.
He and a friend hunted yesterday and only managed 6 ducks, today there were 4 hunters and they limited out. He sent a picture to my club member of the ducks they killed, mallards, wigeon, green wing teal and greys. He said they saw a lot more ducks today than yesterday. We don't get the opportunity to shoot mallards in our area, but they had 5 mallards (greenheads) in their total.
Really looking forward to hunting on Friday.

[Duck Engr]

Good to hear a good report!

[Darren]

Looking up!

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Friday, Nov 15, 2019

Hunters: Buddy and I (No Abby - she hurt her front leg playing with my wife's 140 lb Great Dane)

Temp: 37 degrees, wind North 12 mph

Had a lot of shooting all around us early, but nothing around our blind. Greys are so skidish, they do not work with or without a spinner. At 9:00 the ducks worked a little better, and we shoot pretty good.

Totals: 6 - Gadwall, 1 - Greenwing teal, 3 Spoonies

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Saturday, Nov 16, 2019

Hunters: Buddy and I

Temp: 40 degrees, wind N 10 mph

We went to normally our most dependable blind, but someone forgot to tell the ducks. We did not shoot as well as we did the day before and it showed in our total ducks. There were not a lot of opportunities, but should have had a few more.

Total: 2 - Gadwall, 2 - Greenwing teal

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Sunday Nov 17, 2019

Hunters: Buddy and I

Temp: 42 degrees, wind ENE 0 - 5 mph

Dead calm early, we saw a few ducks but nothing would decoy with no wind. Then the wind picked up a little and saw no ducks.
We just don't have any ducks left in our area. When we get a good cold front like we did last week, our ducks leave, this has happened for 25 years. Don't know where they go, but they leave, with the warmer weather this coming week, hopefully some of the ducks will return

Total: 1 - Gadwall, 1 - Spoonbill

[Duck Engr]

No Abby - she hurt her front leg playing with my wife's 140 lb Great Dane

This is a big fear of mine. My wife has a 140 lb Newfoundland and they wrestle pretty aggressively. What’s the prognosis on Abby?

[MARSH BEAR]

Abby seems to be fine now - by Saturday evening my wife said she was walking fine. I got home Sunday and she was her normal self - I threw a few short dummies for her and she did not limp.
The dane is only 2 years old and still has plenty of puppy in her. She will pick and pick at Abby to play. Abby is very passive until she gets pissed, then her disposition changes and she gets aggressive - she will take that 140 lb dog down to the ground.
She should be ready to go to the camp Thursday night.

[Duck Engr]

Same way out our house with about the same age of the horse-dog.

[Rick]

Abby seems to be fine now - by Saturday evening my wife said she was walking fine. I got home Sunday and she was her normal self - I threw a few short dummies for her and she did not limp.

Probably knew how slow it would be and was sandbagging to get out of going.

[MARSH BEAR]

Rick you are right - I am hoping the warming temps this week will bring some ducks back to our marsh - it has happened before.
We have friends here with a camp in Pecan Island and they are doing much worse than us - 9 hunters 3 ducks this past Saturday.

[Darren]

Rick you are right - I am hoping the warming temps this week will bring some ducks back to our marsh - it has happened before.
We have friends here with a camp in Pecan Island and they are doing much worse than us - 9 hunters 3 ducks this past Saturday.

Wow! Heard some more poor reports from my end today as well (from the weekend). Know my buddy Will wasn't far from us Saturday and killed 1 gray. Our north blind (500 yards from me on Saturday) killed 1 gray and missed another......granted they were likely busy cooking breakfast but still.

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Nov 22, 2019

Hunters: Joey and I with Abby

Temp: 55 degrees, wind NE 5 - 10 mph

Hunted a blind Joey has south of our lease, blind is set up very strange for a dog, Abby worked out of the boat all morning. We saw plenty ducks moving high, no particular direction, very few were responsive to the call. We shot well except for a pair of greys that were cupped over the decoys 6 shots no ducks. The other group from our camp that hunted got a limit.

Totals: 7-Gadwall, 2-Greenwing teal

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Saturday, Nov 23, 2019

Hunters: Joey and I with Sugar - Joey's dog

Temp: 45 degrees, wind NNE 10 mph

Much better response from the ducks today. Did not see as many ducks today as yesterday. Went to a new blind we put in during the summer and so far the ducks are liking it. Joey's dog is good at marking the ducks and retrieving, but very difficult to get her to bring the duck to hand - more Joey's fault than the dog's.

Totals: 11-Gadwall, 1-Pintail

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Sunday Nov 24, 2019

Hunters: Joey, Kurt, me and Abby

Temp: 58 degress, wind E Zero to 2 mph

Saw less ducks today than yesterday, but did see more teal. Kurt is a once a year hunter, trying to let him shoot first cost us a few birds, but he enjoyed himself. Kurt is vertically challenged, so he stands on a box we made for kids so he can see over the brush, we had about 25 teal pass on the outside of the decoys, we peeped them and here they come - told Kurt to get ready as the teal pass over the decoys he falls off the box and into me so neither of us got a chance to shoot
Abby did well on a couple of cripples - I love my dog.

Totals: 5-Gadwall, 1-Wigeon, 1-Bluewing teal, 3-Greeenwing teal

[MARSH BEAR]

Leaving today to take 2 grandchildren hunting Tuesday and Wednesday - same 2 I took for youth hunt. Tomorrow is the day before a front, should be good if the rain does not get us.

[Darren]

Some nice hunts!! Good luck tomorrow and Wednesday, should be good

[Rick]

Yep, hope you get the kids into them.

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Tuesday, Nov 26, 2017

Hunters: William, Matthew (grandchildren), Me and Abby

Temp: Upper 50s, wind SE 8 - 10 mph

The boys had some good opportunities early, but had the bent barrel syndrome, I didn't pick up my gun on the first few groups knowing they would get a few - WRONG. After the first hour they settled down and started making some good shots. We saw an average amount of ducks, but most decoying after 8:30.

Total: 10- Gadwall, 2 - Greenwing teal