Big Duck

[MallardBay]

Had one flock of 4 yesterday that we shot one out of. But I normally see several on straps of other blinds. More in the last couple weeks.

[Rick]

I am so, so very jealous of your "X".

(When I kill them it's all skill and gile, when the other guy does, it's his spot.)

[MallardBay]

TUE 12/3/19

3 GUNS

A nice easy am. Not a ton of birds moving but most worked nice and tight. We ended a couple short but no complaints.

2 mallards
3 pintail
2 greys
2 spoons
1 widgeon
6 teal
__________
16 ducks

[MallardBay]

Tight single mallard

[BGkirk]

Well done


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[MallardBay]

THUR 12/5/19

Had a group of 30 GWT do it right at shooting time and was it for teal flight. Hard to fill out the strap with so few teal moving. Still had a few big birds work pretty including a group of 30 plus pintail that circled 4 times then put out the landing gear. Mallards came as singles except for a drake that was with 2 others that flew away unscathed.

3 guns


4 mallards
3 pintail
2 scaup
2 spoons
2 teal
________
13 ducks

[Deltaman]

Beautiful strap!!!!

[MARSH BEAR]

I hope to have that much opportunity tomorrow

[Darren]

I'd knock three guns for getting 2 GW teal that "did it right" but know just how that can happen, first hand.

nice hunt

[MallardBay]

I'd knock three guns for getting 2 GW teal that "did it right" but know just how that can happen, first hand.

nice hunt

Thanks and believe me that's the way it goes often. I know which gun killed both teal. Ha

[DComeaux]

Sweet!!!

[MallardBay]

Fri 12/6/19

2 guns

Was fogged in thick enough that we kept the guns in our hands ready to shoot. Finished off the limit as the fog was burning off.

12 ducks

[MallardBay]

Keeping the pirogue bow down.

[BGkirk]

Home made pirogue ?


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[MallardBay]

Sat 12/7/19

Good early GWT flight. Had 6 and a BWT about 30 min in and thought mallards and pins would fly with sun and wind but was wrong. Only had 2 opportunities at mallards. Did finish on spoons and the first greys in a few hunts. They went from 200 yards up to 20 in less time then it took to read this sentence. Impressive acrobatics. The speck came as a threesome that shoulda, coulda, woulda stayed but only 1 made it to the strap.

18 ducks and 1 speck

[MallardBay]

Biggest bill, big bill, tiny bill

[MallardBay]

Home made pirogue ?


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Yes, although the next will have to come from elsewhere as the previous maker is passed.

[Darren]

18 ducks and a speck? Count about all SW La marsh hunters jealous.

[BGkirk]

Bayou fiberglass makes some fine pirogues if you end up going that route


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[Rick]

Can't imagine any glass pirogue matching wood's stability.

[MallardBay]

Can't imagine any glass pirogue matching wood's stability.

Absolutely agree. I have been in a nice fiberglass Chapman and a couple others but none I can manage to stand and pole with a dog and gear without changing underwear. The next will be wood too.

[MallardBay]

SUN 12/8/19
Close of Coastal Zone

Things didn't look good at first with no teal flight then we started picking up a few greys and pintail. Nailed 2 Jack's as they screamed by overhead and young dog making his second hunt made an excellent hunt finding them both. I remarked to my guys that some green would color up the strap. Just as the wind started to make the slightest ripple in the decoys, the mallards came too. We didnt miss a single mallard. They came as a single,pair,three some and a single greenhead to finish the hunt.
Maybe the best hunt of the season and reminds me of the old normal.

3 Guns

7 mallards
3 pintail
2 Jack's
1 teal
5 greys
________
18 ducks

[MallardBay]

Big duck Swat

[Duck Engr]

Wow what a strap!

I always enjoy reading responses to this question: When did you first notice the old “normal” falling off?

[BGkirk]

Very nice,
Is your wooden pirogue a flat bottom?
I have no issues poling my fiberglass with dog.
Excellent first split, is your 2nd split usually as strong ?


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[Rick]

Walk proud, T-boy, walk proud. Great way to end the split.

[MallardBay]

Wow what a strap!

I always enjoy reading responses to this question: When did you first notice the old “normal” falling off?

Good question and no clear answer but I saw a noticable downturn of GW teal numbers as I stepped away from this particular property at end of 14-15 season and returned in 17-18. Couldnt believe how the GWT #'s have nose dived on the property. I guess a good analogy would be that you don't notice the weight your friend gains if you see them every day but if you see them after a 3 year hiatus, well......

Specks too for that same time frame. It was not uncommon to shoot a 3 man limit in the marsh often a few times a week. Now will be lucky to kill 19 to 20 for the season out of the best blind.

But I would say this year has been particularly bad. My first split last season was solid. Killed 3 man limits 19/21 days hunted and low days were 9 and 11 birds. This first split I had several barely double digit hunts and a hunt of 2 birds. Alarmingly, last seasons second split was slower than first split so I hope that trend doesn't continue the pattern.

[Duck Engr]

Wow, scary stuff indeed. Thanks for the commentary.

[MARSH BEAR]

In our area the second split is usually slower than the first split

[DComeaux]

In our area the second split is usually slower than the first split

Same here. I don't even want to think about it.