2019-2020 Season Log

[DComeaux]

Date: 1/18/2020

Hunters: Me and Blake

Cloud Cover: Heavy fog for the entire hunt ( hunted until 10)

Wind Direction and Velocity: SE 5 to 10

Temperature: Upper 60's

Waterfowl Activity: Couldn't see for the fog

Waterfowl Responsiveness:

Birds total and by Species: (2) 1 gadwall 1 GW

Fog stayed put and is still there. Crab traps are out and cleaned up and we'll grab the decoys and pirogue in the morning after the hunt. I've been logging my personal take for the federal waterfowl survey since teal season and today made 28 hunts for a total of 32 birds with 3 downed but lost.

[DComeaux]

Date: 1/19/2020

Hunters: Me and Blake

Cloud Cover: Few high clouds early to clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: Blow your cap off in the blind strong

Temperature: Mid 40's

Waterfowl Activity: Nothing from LST until 7:30 or so then constant very low flights of gadwall and GW with a pintail or two in the thrown in the mix coming from the south. We had 3 very low specks pass just out of range that were silent. They didn't pay any attention my tune.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: They just came pretty to the decoys

Birds total and by Species: (12) (5) gadwall (7) GW

I had decided to not use the pirogue this morning due to the wind velocity and parked the boat very near the blind partially hidden in a tall stand of cordgrass. The way our season went this year I figured it wouldn't matter. Around 7:30 Blake and I were going to give it up and start picking up the decoys but things changed rapidly, finishing our limit around 8:45 on a 100+ flock of GW that were feet down over the decoys. The birds just kept coming while we were leaving and were still there when we went back out to get the decoys and pump water in the blinds.
While we were pumping, two boats in front of the blind with a generator running we'd stop to watch GW and gadwall work the decoys, just floating in the big wind. These winds must have taken someone's birds and blew them to the gulf. Today is what I remember waterfowl hunting to be in our area, and I hope it returns. This hunt made my season.

Blake with the brown pile

Blake.jpg

One extremely happy coonass.

Me.jpeg

[MallardBay]

Wow! Congrats! What a way to end the season.

[Duck Engr]

Excellent work! Great to see your perseverance rewarded!!

[Rick]

Chamber of Commerce ducks: "Y'all come back, now."

Glad you guys got to finish on a high note.

[Darren]

Chamber of Commerce ducks: "Y'all come back, now."

Glad you guys got to finish on a high note.

So very glad you closed it out with a pile, reinvigorate you going into this fall. Great hunt!

[Deltaman]

Congrats Dave, and WELL DESERVED!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ducaholic]

Hot dog you did it...

[DComeaux]

Thanks everyone.

After we gathered the last fast drifting birds I stopped for a moment, took a deep breath and felt the seasons frustrations lift from my soul. I have to say it couldn't have ended any better, though I know this was only a tease.... It's an addiction.

[BGkirk]

No kidding, what a memory to make you think about til next Nov. Crazy to think that many could come from “your” south


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[Ducaholic]

Thanks everyone.

After we gathered the last fast drifting birds I stopped for a moment, took a deep breath and felt the seasons frustrations lift from my soul. I have to say it couldn't have ended any better, though I know this was only a tease.... It's an addiction.

I have been teased many times this season. Many days we would have a nice flock do it right only to have that be the only significant action of the day. I guess I should be thankful for that and I am but man it just feeds the addiction. Hooked on quack is real!

[DComeaux]

Teal Season
8- Blue wing - 6 hunts

First Split numbers
2 - Mottled Ducks
4 - Scaup
4 - Blue wing
11 -Green Wing
10- Spoonbill
1 - Pintail
2 - Mallards
3 - gadwall

First split total only - 37 birds -13 hunts

Second Split Numbers
11 - Green Wing
10- Gadwall

Second Split total - 21 birds- 10 hunts

Grand total including teal season - 66 - 29 hunts

I sure hope it doesn't go this way next year. The only thing we have in our freezers are last weekends birds, and they'll be consumed shortly.

[Ducaholic]

Dave...How do those numbers compare to last year?

[DComeaux]

Dave...How do those numbers compare to last year?

This was our first year on this property in a boat hide blind with pit. 2017-2018
GW Teal - 112 (1 banded GW)
BW Teal - 16
gadwall - 9
Red Head - 2
Scaup - 9
Shoveler - 19
Mallard - 2
Pintail - 3
Ruddy - 1
Ring Neck - 1

Regular season - 174 ducks on 25 hunts (3 scratch hunts recorded) 6.9 ducks per hunt average------ Teal Season 21

The four blinds combined on our place took just over 700 this year. I don't remember the exact total.

This was last years numbers. We moved the blind after teal season to a sunken pit in the marsh with no boat hide.2018-2019

Teal Season 6 hunts 14 teal

(2) Green wing (12) Blue wing (One banded BW)

Regular season - 24 hunts 143 birds

54 - Green wing
4 - Pintail
10 - Blue wing
19 - Gadwall
42 - Scaup (one banded)
7 - Shoveler
3 - Mottled ducks (one banded)
2 - Mallards
1 - Wigeon
1 - Bufflehead

We'll just have to see how things go over the next couple of years.

[BGkirk]

Any chance at getting that pit back to more open water? I know you mentioned marsh is decreasing but maybe could do something like Marsh bear does with the vinyl barriers.


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[DComeaux]

Any chance at getting that pit back to more open water? I know you mentioned marsh is decreasing but maybe could do something like Marsh bear does with the vinyl barriers.


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We could but I think we'll stay put. We just don't have the birds we've had the first two years and I really don't want to deal with Roseau.

[DComeaux]

My back yard is covered with feeding Robins this morning.

[Rick]

My back yard is covered with feeding Robins this morning.

Nice to know some can still find us. I'm still waiting to spot my first. Maybe tomorrow...

[DComeaux]

My back yard is covered with feeding Robins this morning.

Nice to know some can still find us. I'm still waiting to spot my first. Maybe tomorrow...

I've been seeing flocks going to roost every afternoon after work when I'm out with Ellie. They've been around here all winter, just in low numbers.

[Rick]

I've been seeing flocks going to roost every afternoon after work when I'm out with Ellie. They've been around here all winter, just in low numbers.

You must be on the "X".

[MallardBay]

I heard a herding dog whistle will call those red breasts from way they hey up there....or Stanley can build you a Robin call

[Rick]

I heard a herding dog whistle will call those red breasts from way they hey up there....or Stanley can build you a Robin call

First you gotta see 'em.

[DComeaux]

This really makes me angry.



LDWF Agents Arrest Homer Man for Killing a Bald Eagle

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents arrested a Homer man for allegedly killing a bald eagle and other wildlife crimes in Claiborne Parish. Agents also arrested two other men and cited a juvenile for alleged hunting violations.

Agents arrested Daniel Smith, 18, for violating the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Protection Act, illegally taking a Hawk, taking deer during a closed season, hunting from a moving vehicle, taking deer during illegal hours, discharging a firearm from a public road, intentional concealment of wildlife, hunting turkeys during a closed season, criminal mischief and hunting from a public road.

Agents also arrested Jacob E. Lee, 19, of Bernice, Jared I. Lee, 19, of Bernice, and cited a juvenile from Homer, for hunting from a public road, hunting from a moving vehicle, taking deer during illegal hours and discharging a firearm from a public road. Jacob Lee and Jared Lee were also cited for taking deer during a closed season. The juvenile was also cited for intentional concealment of wildlife.

Agents received anonymous tips from two different sources in October and November of 2019 that Smith had shot and killed a bald eagle in Claiborne Parish. Agents contacted Smith and he denied the accusation.

Through the course of the investigation agents were able to secure a search warrant for Smith’s truck and phone. Agents found a bald eagle feather in Smith’s truck on Dec. 13. On Dec. 14, Smith admitted to agents that he shot and killed the bald eagle in February of 2017 off of Colquitt Rd. with a .223 rifle.

Agents also found photos and videos of Smith participating in several illegal activities including some with Jacob Lee, Jared Lee and the juvenile. Agents found evidence that Smith killed a turkey in July of 2019, killed a Hawk in November of 2018, shot out street lights in July of 2019 and harvested three deer at night and dumped them over a bridge in November of 2019. Most of these infraction occurred from his vehicle and on public roads.

Smith, Jacob Lee and Jared Lee were arrested and booked into the Claiborne Parish Jail. The juvenile was released back to his parents.

Violating the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Protection Act brings up to a $100,000 fine and up to one year in a federal jail.

Taking deer during a closed season, intentional concealment of wildlife, hunting turkeys during a closed season and hunting deer during illegal hours brings a $900 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail for each offense. Taking a Hawk carries a $400 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail. Criminal mischief carries up to a $500 fine and six months in jail. Hunting from a moving vehicle carries a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail. Hunting from a public road brings a $100 to $350 fine and up to 60 days in jail. Discharging a firearm from a public road carries up to a $50 fine and 30 days in jail.

Smith may also face civil restitution totaling up to $9,225 for the replacement value of the illegally taken bald eagle and three deer. Smith, Jacob Lee and Jared Lee also may face civil restitution totaling $1,624 for the replacement value of an illegally taken deer.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.la.gov. To receive email alerts, signup at http://www.wlf.la.gov/signup.

[SpinnerMan]

This really makes me angry.

x2

[Duck Engr]

That isn’t just a one off bad decision. That’s a pattern. Hope they receive very stiff penalties.

[BGkirk]

No father figure?
Sheesh that’s emberassing.. surprised I didn’t see anything about hunting privileges in the future


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[Deltaman]

Idiots............pretty amazing that they were able to go back a couple of years on the charges, and realize most of the folks (especially the younger crowd), just have to take bragging pics.............kinda funny that they used their own pics against them........that'l learn'em!!!!!

[Darren]

Geeeez

Put them under the jail for all that

[Rick]

On a much happier note, Dave was able to join this morning's banding party:

014a.jpg

And I know for an absolute fact his help was much appreciated. Could also see with great certainty, from his enthusiasm for the work, birds and the marsh, itself, that he's far from ready to take up deer hunting.

[DComeaux]

No other place I would have wanted to be this morning at daylight. It was a fulling experience being around passionate waterfowl enthusiast.