2019-2020 Season Log

[DComeaux]

Date: 11/9/2019 First Split Opening Day

Hunters: Me, Blake and Bennett

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: NNE 5-10

Temperature: upper 40's

Waterfowl Activity: Very, very few seen.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: What was around dove right in.

Birds total and by Species: (7) total - ! mottled duck 1 scaup 2 blue wing 2 green wing 1 spoonbill


There's just nothing around. Not optimistic about tomorrow mornings hunt. Did get 4 dozen beautiful large crabs, though.

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I need to get my cousin different head cover

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[BGkirk]

Where’s all the gadwall near Rockefeller?


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[Johnc]

Date: 11/9/2019 First Split Opening Day

Hunters: Me, Blake and Bennett

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: NNE 5-10

Temperature: upper 40's

Waterfowl Activity: Very, very few seen.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: What was around dove right in.

Birds total and by Species: (7) total - ! mottled duck 1 scaup 2 blue wing 2 green wing 1 spoonbill


There's just nothing around. Not optimistic about tomorrow mornings hunt. Did get 4 dozen beautiful large crabs, though.

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I need to get my cousin different head cover

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Glad you had some success

[Rick]

I need to get my cousin different head cover

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No wonder you weren't ate up by 'em.

[Ducaholic]

I keep a can of camo spray paint in my boat for those that need assistance.

[DComeaux]

I keep a can of camo spray paint in my boat for those that need assistance.

HAHAHAHA!

[DComeaux]

Where’s all the gadwall near Rockefeller?


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Not sure.

[DComeaux]

Date: 11/10/2019

Hunters: Me, Blake and Bennett

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: NNE light

Temperature: upper 40's

Waterfowl Activity: Saw even less of nothing today.

Waterfowl Responsiveness:

Birds total and by Species: (4) 2 scaup 1 pintail 1 Blue wing

Did hear my first specks and blues/snows this weekend. Actually got a silent flock of specks to chat with me for a little bit today.

[DComeaux]

Date: 11/12/2019

Hunters: Blake and Bill

Cloud Cover: Overcast

Wind Direction and Velocity: NNW 20 to 30 gusts to 40

Temperature: Mid to Upper 30's

Waterfowl Activity: Saw a fair amount of GW and gadwall.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Not good later in the morning. The birds were looking for skinnier water and small holes.

Birds total and by Species: (1) Mallard Drake

The two ventured out at daylight and made their way to the blind. The wind was too much for the pirogue so they beached the boat near the blind and covered what they could with fast grass. No dog with em so they didn't take shots with a high probability of loss. The water is low and falling which would have made it difficult if not impossible to get the big boat in most locations for a retrieve. In a text Blake told me they had an "imaginary" limit. (passed shots for both). They were content just watching the show.

[DComeaux]

I gave Blake a call this evening to talk about their day and he told me that there has been a big influx of fowl in the area. He said the GW were thick, thick, and they had big bunches on them most of the morning. As I mentioned in the log comments, without a dog they didn't want to chance losing birds. They saw quite a bit birds on their drives around the area as well. Ponds on the refuge that held lots of vegetation through teal season, and held no fowl the last couple of weeks were full. They'll give it another try in the morning with hopefully a little less wind. I'm packed and will be headed out tomorrow afternoon late for the camp.

[Duck Engr]

Sweet!!

Very refreshing to hear of folks respecting the birds enough to just enjoy the show instead of wanting to shoot knowing they wouldn’t be able to retrieve them.

[Rick]

Very refreshing to hear of folks respecting the birds enough to just enjoy the show instead of wanting to shoot knowing they wouldn’t be able to retrieve them.

I don't know Bill and poke some fun at Blake, but he's the kind of guy you want to partner with. Good man.

(Dave's "OK".)

[Darren]

Word I got from a buddy on the ground in Delacroix this am was "big wads of grays today"
So hopefully an influx for all.

Best of all for my end, the water didn't fall too bad yesterday and should be fairly stable rest of the week with big evening tides bringing what falls during the day back in. no need for mud flats in November!!

[DComeaux]

Word I got from a buddy on the ground in Delacroix this am was "big wads of grays today"
So hopefully an influx for all.

Best of all for my end, the water didn't fall too bad yesterday and should be fairly stable rest of the week with big evening tides bringing what falls during the day back in. no need for mud flats in November!!

Even with the big north wind the outgoing tides have been stubborn as of late. We're not getting the fall we'd like, and the big bright globe in the night sky right now might have something to do with it. We need draining to hold the green wing and gadwall.

Bill had stomach issues this morning and went home, so the hunt was called off. I'll be in the blind in the morning. Blake is currently scrounging up breakfast.

[DComeaux]

Very refreshing to hear of folks respecting the birds enough to just enjoy the show instead of wanting to shoot knowing they wouldn’t be able to retrieve them.

I don't know Bill and poke some fun at Blake, but he's the kind of guy you want to partner with. Good man.

(Dave's "OK".)

HA!

[DComeaux]

Blake just reported the first Robin sighting of the year. They're in the back yard at the camp.

[Johnc]

They have mallards here then

[DComeaux]

They have mallards here then

He just sent a text saying the ditches along the roads are packed with coots. I haven't seen this in many, many years down there.

[Darren]

They have mallards here then

He just sent a text saying the ditches along the roads are packed with coots. I haven't seen this in many, many years down there.

Saw more coots than we have in a few years last Thursday on some of my public stompin grounds, feed situation is also top notch for once.

[DComeaux]

Date: 11/14/2019

Hunters: ME and Blake

Cloud Cover: Overcast with light rain and drizzle during the entire hunt.

Wind Direction and Velocity: light NNE

Temperature: upper 40's

Waterfowl Activity: Just about nothing

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Most we squawked at turned and came to take a look, and some got close enough.

Birds total and by Species: (5) 4 spoonbill 1 gadwall

We stayed in the blind until 11 just to see if they'd move later. Didn't happen. Saw one big high flock come from the north and very little low level. The marsh was pretty much void of fowl. Rode the refuge yesterday evening and most ponds were full.

[Darren]

Given you and Rick saw (or didn't see) the same thing, wonder if this was the rest day following the big front event. You know there's some birds around (at least near you), just didn't move this morning apparently. Maybe clearing skies tomorrow will have them back up and about.

[DComeaux]

Given you and Rick saw (or didn't see) the same thing, wonder if this was the rest day following the big front event. You know there's some birds around (at least near you), just didn't move this morning apparently. Maybe clearing skies tomorrow will have them back up and about.

I'm not sure of anything anymore. We'll see.

[Darren]

Given you and Rick saw (or didn't see) the same thing, wonder if this was the rest day following the big front event. You know there's some birds around (at least near you), just didn't move this morning apparently. Maybe clearing skies tomorrow will have them back up and about.

I'm not sure of anything anymore. We'll see.

Emphasis on "maybe" they'll be up and about tomorrow. At least if they're not, I can commiserate with you since I'll be out there looking for them too.

[DComeaux]

Browning a few fresh fowl for a gravy to put over rice.

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[SpinnerMan]

Blake just reported the first Robin sighting of the year. They're in the back yard at the camp.

There were 4 Robins in my backyard. Always funny to see them with some snow on the ground.

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[DComeaux]

Date: 11/15/2019

Hunters: Me and Blake

Cloud Cover: Clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: Ne 5 to 10

Temperature: upper 40's

Waterfowl Activity: Empty skies

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Mallard drake turned on a dime making his way over the blind

Birds total and by Species: (4) 1 spoonbill 2 GW 1 mallard Drake

Hoping more hunters in the marsh tomorrow makes a difference. If not, we're packing up and heading home after the hunt.

[DComeaux]

Date: 11/16/2019

Hunters: Me and Blake

Cloud Cover: Clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: Light north wind

Temperature: Mid to upper 30's

Waterfowl Activity: Empty skies

Waterfowl Responsiveness:

Birds total and by Species: (1) spoonbill

Very quiet in our marsh this morning even with the many hunters in their blinds. I'm now home and will return to the blind next weekend. We took 38 nice crabs from the traps this morning, which I'll enjoy later this evening.

[DComeaux]

Blake and I will be headed to the camp tomorrow evening to give it another try. I wish crabs had wings then maybe we'd have something to shoot at. The reports I've seen from our area don't look good. We plan to check on the red fish after the hunt.

[Deltaman]

Blake and I will be headed to the camp tomorrow evening to give it another try. I wish crabs had wings then maybe we'd have something to shoot at. The reports I've seen from our area don't look good. We plan to check on the red fish after the hunt.

Dave,
Gotta love your back up plan!!!!! Our's was freshwater catfish when the ducks were scarce in Venice this year, most between 3/4 - 1 1/2 lbs, fried whole, and I just about made myself sick, couldn't stop eating them Your Crabs and Redfis ( especially when you share your cooking pics), always make my stomach talk Good Luck this weekend!

[DComeaux]

Date: 11/23/2019

Hunters: Me and Blake

Cloud Cover: Low overcast

Wind Direction and Velocity: NW 5-10

Temperature: Upper 40's?

Waterfowl Activity: Empty skies

Waterfowl Responsiveness:

Birds total and by Species: (2) 1 spoonbill 1 scaup

Few high gadwall moving north all morning and wanted nothing to do with us. Few scaup moving this morning and no teal. We did work one lone high mallard drake that didn't commit. Camps around us are mostly vacant and the two groups here we talked to killed one and the other DNS.

The traps are still producing. "BBQ" crabs with a gallic butter sauce tonight.

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