Big Duck

[MallardBay]

Finished up prepping way to late yesterday for comfort. Was busy putting out others fires but squeezed enough work in to finish my own loose ends to late yesterday to even take a picture of pre opening day status like many do here. Sorry maybe next year,ha.

Was told all week of how many birds are in the area but they must be detouring my blind work schedule. I really had my doubts on what we would see this am, especially after reading the Nov survey just a few minutes before turning out the lights for bed.

Nevertheless, morning hunt went great after we straightened up after a specklbelly with egg shell came in to die at 20 yards but somehow flew unscathed at 6:05.

Finished with:

5 mallards
2 mottle
2 red heads
2 wooduck
7 teal
________

18 ducks

[MallardBay]

A whole lot flying tigers we passed on.

Tailgate shot

[Johnc]

Nice hunt.

[DComeaux]

What a beautiful marsh. Nice hunt.

[Rick]

Sweet. Pretty sure that's more mallards than our whole marsh (6 blinds) shot. Know it's more than I saw close enough to ID.

[BGkirk]

Flying tigers... that’s a new one. They would not have gotten the pass for our group


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[MallardBay]

11-11-19

Much slower flight and less responsiveness. Lack of wind is keeping alot of ducks from finishing I believe.

1 pintail
1 mallard
1 jack
9 teal
________

12 ducks

[MallardBay]

Definitely some new birds down. Our first greys of the season, a few more mallards moving but nowhere near what I consider to be normal. Will be hunting Wed so will see if post front brings more than pre front. Finished before 9 AM.

2 Mallards
2 pintails
5 Greys
9 teal
________

18 ducks

[Darren]

Definitely some new birds down. Our first greys of the season, a few more mallards moving but nowhere near what I consider to be normal. Will be hunting Wed so will see if post front brings more than pre front. Finished before 9 AM.

2 Mallards
2 pintails
5 Greys
9 teal
________

18 ducks

Quite a haul, especially in this young season.

Your flying tigers are not safe from me, especially not the ones I encounter in ag land.

[MARSH BEAR]

Great hunt today - I have not seen any Pintails in our marsh yet - but they usually come later in the season.

[MallardBay]

A head scratcher today. Had a group of about 30 teal float in and set up perfectly. Problem was it was about 8 minutes early, but I figured it was a good sign of the flights to come. Nada. Was only teal we thought about shooting all AM. Shot a pair of greys, pair of pintail, pair of mottle. That's it.


3 guns
6 ducks

[MallardBay]

11-15-19

Still no teal flight. And only an occasional mallard seen. Guys shot well enough that we were only double digit hunt in camp.

3 guns

3 wood ducks
1 teal
1 greenhead
5 greys
__________
10 ducks

[MallardBay]

11/16/19

Unbelievable how little duck flight. Shot a widgeon at first legal. Then nothing. About 8 o'clock I looked up and had 2 specks locked up drifting over the pond, didnt have time or need to grab the call, just the guns. Got out the blind to look for one that sailed and while I was out had another group come over and I dropped one clean. Got back into the blind and had a single work to the call and almost yodeled constantly till we shot at 20 yards. Dog made a great retrieve on one of the earlier birds. Thick,thick, tall marsh. Finished by plucking a grey out of a flock of 10.

3 guns

4 specks
1 widgeon
1 grey

[MallardBay]

Marsh Specks

[BGkirk]

Sweeet.. do you find that the specks you shoot are already giving you a look or do you break any and call them in?


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[Johnc]

Marsh Specks

Damn nice.

They usually come pretty in the marsh

[Rick]

Saved by the specks.

[Darren]

Don’t see specks in a Pirogue every day, very nice!

[MallardBay]

11/17/19

Another unbelievable slow flight. Had two very good shooters along from past hunts, just little opportunities. Will hunt again Tuesday.

3 guns

2 greys
1 blue wing
1 greenhead
__________

4 ducks

[MallardBay]

TUE 11/18/19

Slightly more ducks moving this am. Also heard a promising report of thousands stacked on a couple farms near Thornwell. Maybe this Sat they will move.

3 guns

1 greenhead
1 grey
1 wooduck
1 pintail
6 GW teal
___________
10 ducks

[Rick]

Those on Thibodeaux/Broussard with be moved for sure, but to where remains to be seen.

[MallardBay]

Those on Thibodeaux/Broussard with be moved for sure, but to where remains to be seen.

Speaking of 2 farms East of Thib/Broussard. Several farms in area seem to have good #'s

[Rick]

They'll be moved, too. Sorry farmer was still plowing some of our stuff in that area that's supposed to be flooded this morning, but what he has put water on just got it and isn't holding pecans yet.

[DComeaux]

Nice strap of birds!

Seeing this I felt a very slight glimmer of hope fire up inside, but it was short lived after some thought.

[Johnc]

I saw couple of good blue and snow bodies east of thornwell


Aa far as Ducks hopefully the pot will be stirred Saturday

Wish it would freeze for a week down to Alexandria

[Darren]

Wish it would freeze for a week down to Alexandria

About the closest thing I'm seeing as remotely possible in the next few weeks, all the way out on Dec 5. Count three other fronts between now and then, including Friday's, though they're looking more like pacific fronts and not arctic plunges. Though not necessarily ideal, it's weather so should make for good hunting conditions over stale/stagnant.

Capture.JPG

[SpinnerMan]

Wish it would freeze for a week down to Alexandria

About the closest thing I'm seeing as remotely possible in the next few weeks, all the way out on Dec 5. Count three other fronts between now and then, including Friday's, though they're looking more like pacific fronts and not arctic plunges. Though not necessarily ideal, it's weather so should make for good hunting conditions over stale/stagnant.

We are thawing out. 40's most days for awhile and even 56 on Thursday. Looks like relative mild weather for the foreseeable future. I was going to put my boat away for the winter because we were froze out, but I think we will be completely thawed out before the weekend. Almost no snow around either. Not good for ducks or geese, but much more pleasant for deer hunting. Now if I could actually see a deer.

[Darren]

That's a severe lack of snow on the ground compared to past years, at least in this flyway and southern Canada

[Johnc]

Wish it would freeze for a week down to Alexandria

About the closest thing I'm seeing as remotely possible in the next few weeks, all the way out on Dec 5. Count three other fronts between now and then, including Friday's, though they're looking more like pacific fronts and not arctic plunges. Though not necessarily ideal, it's weather so should make for good hunting conditions over stale/stagnant.

Capture.JPG

Yes at least winds and varying weather

These stale ground fog days are horrible for movement

Bunkie should be ok. Birds there from reports I heard. But as always that can change

[MallardBay]

WED 11/20/19

The way it should be. Had bent barrels to start off and whiffed at 3 or 4 GWT bunches. With the recent flight I made the call on a group of bluebills landing in the decoys and killed 3. A minute later, my once a year hunter doubled on spoonbills. I was happy we had 5 on the strap then the mallards started working like opening day in Canada. Quickly finished on mallards and a single pintail.

Maybe the slight slight South wind had everything to do with it? IDK

2 guns

5 mallards
1 pintail
3 scaup
1 GWT
2 spoons
___________
12 ducks by 7:45