Teal Season 2020

[Darren]

Sat. 9/12/2020 - LA Teal Opener
Delacroix lease
Kyle, Johnny & I with Harry
Winds N/NE 5-15, 70's, heavy clouds, high water


Didn't see much by the blind yesterday morning but then saw next to nothing out on the public option for plan B so hit the lease anyway. Despite a single in the dekes at LST to break the scratch, was really slow to start with only singles moving around. Saw more after 7:45a or so and ended up with a nice strap by 8:45a or so when we packed it up to (try) to beat some storms in...which we didn't win that race.


9 BW teal

Harry was far busier this morning than I thought he likely would be, had a great morning, handled well and saved us a couple birds for sure

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Overall story around here was very poor results, most scratched and a few had 2-3 birds max so we are feeling good about our take. Water is high and rising, storm in the gulf so getting boats out but still hoping to get one more hunt in tomorrow, we'll see.

[Rick]

Larry's survey made it sound like tough sledding in the SE. May have been fortunate to have what you did just now.

Too salty for tatailles? (Saw Cory/Bkirk's dog was in swimming water, too, and figured the salt surge might be a clue?)

[Darren]

Larry's survey made it sound like tough sledding in the SE. May have been fortunate to have what you did just now.

Too salty for tatailles? (Saw Cory/Bkirk's dog was in swimming water, too, and figured the salt surge might be a clue?)

There are a few around in the main bayous but haven't seen one in our ponds, this being our shallowest one......nonetheless he's kept pretty close.

[BGkirk]

Larry's survey made it sound like tough sledding in the SE. May have been fortunate to have what you did just now.

Too salty for tatailles? (Saw Cory/Bkirk's dog was in swimming water, too, and figured the salt surge might be a clue?)

I was curious how the birds would react now that our marsh and presumably Miami is salty too. Would they feed either way or even use it to rest?
I saw quite a bit of seed blown up against debris yesterday.


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[Darren]

Sun. 9/13/2020
Delacroix
Johnny, Will and I with Harry
Winds N/NE 10-15+, 70's, pt cloudy, water higher than day before

With higher water than day before, had low expectations for this hunt but ended up seeing fair many birds overall, though fewer in immediate vicinity. The real issue though was we played hell getting what was around to the decoys, they weren't having it. Had a few singles that were thought to be locks get to edge of the pond and say NOPE, flared hard. Later a group of 6 that we had on a string did the same, very frustrating. Fired only on one tough op of a single teal that buzzed in from behind under a pair of mottleds we were watching, that was it. Harry got back into the boat to go in as dry as he arrived for the morning hunt. Besides, my mind was running wild on preparations needed at the camp to be as ready as we could for approaching TS/Hurricane Sally, likely to end our teal season down there, at best, if not at all of our SE La locations. We called the hunt a little early and made the rounds at a couple of blinds to pull out dog stands and benches that could be saved.

0 BW teal

Will scratched at his blind not 2 miles from us on opener so he joined us for this hunt, was bummed we didn't have the luck from the day before for him. Front door of camp is boarded up, everything picked up, the boats are hauled off to safety. Prediction is for 7-11 ft in lake borgne which would put it close to getting in our shed, but camp is at 22 ft above MSL so wind really only danger there. Going to be an anxious few days around here

As of this morning's 7am update:

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Right now that keeps the storm just east of us so hoping it stays that way

[Deltaman]

Glad you got to scratch the itch a little Darren, and Harry got a good work out! I hope this storm has minimal impact in your area. I did not hunt the teal opener here in Mobile, chose to the dove opener instead (just can't handle doing both ). Did not get any good teal reports from the few I've spoken with so far, but they show up when they show up, so we'll see. Killed a quick limit of doves, then feasted from the grill and visited with old friends the rest of he afternoon, good times!

[Darren]

Glad you got to scratch the itch a little Darren, and Harry got a good work out! I hope this storm has minimal impact in your area. I did not hunt the teal opener here in Mobile, chose to the dove opener instead (just can't handle doing both ). Did not get any good teal reports from the few I've spoken with so far, but they show up when they show up, so we'll see. Killed a quick limit of doves, then feasted from the grill and visited with old friends the rest of he afternoon, good times!

Sure does sound like a good one!

[Darren]

Looks more and more likely that we'll dodge a big bullet with Sally staying east (Sorry Deltaman, best wishes for you and yours over that way). That said, we still have plenty of surge and more to come, currently in the ballpark of 4-5 ft over my dock at the camp in Shell Beach.

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Sadly, I fear that our barrier islands of the storied Chandeleur island chain are being decimated as this storm just sits out there and churns over them, some may be lost forever. With so much flooding, I'm thinking it likely my hunt grounds stay flooded for this weekend so plans are TBD. May have to seek a hunt elsewhere if we want to get out, maybe go west.

[Darren]

This morning water is falling hard and winds are strong from the NW on our end, that will keep it falling all day. Hopeful we can get back in the marsh for the weekend.

[Ducaholic]

This morning water is falling hard and winds are strong from the NW on our end, that will keep it falling all day. Hopeful we can get back in the marsh for the weekend.

Good News should have north wind all week and through the weekend.

[Darren]

Scouted a fair bit of marsh this morning with tides still a little up, just enough for me to run around in the flat boat where I wanted. From jump saw a fair many nice groups in different areas, though they seemed more entrenched on a particular end of my home stompin grounds/marshes. Staked out a nice shallow hole not far from where we ended our 2019 teal season in similar habitat, going to give it a shot in the AM.

[Darren]

Sat. 9/19/2020
Johnny & I with Harry
SE La public marsh
Winds N/NE 10-15+, light rain and heavy clouds the whole time from tropical storm out in SW Gulf of Mexico

Scouted some birds in this area yesterday and was optimistic for this morning but it was a bust. Literally dont think I saw a single teal, despite being wrapped up in mottleds, woodies, and BBWD's. Only slight consolation was the nearby areas some buddies have been hunting with good results were also slow, most reported a DNS. Sat in the rain til 8:00a and called it......launched boat in the rain and put it on trailer in the rain with no ducks to show, tough morning.

DNS



PS Kyle and Phil went to our other public marsh area near Shell Beach and downed 10 birds total, lost two cripples. Water is way high and will continue to rise with this storm giving us prolonged (and strong) easterly winds this week, not optimistic about trying the marsh again later this week sometime.

[Rick]

What's happening on Bunkie farm?

[Darren]

What's happening on Bunkie farm?

I've never actually gone up there during teal season (though I'd love to if had reason to) but I'm always told theres no water on any cuts and no one teal hunts on the farm. Given how high the tides are currently in entirety of tidal SE La marshes and will remain as such for rest of the season I'd be making better use of my time by loading up the bike and heading up there to do some work on the blind and around the camp.

(it's already over our dock in Shell Beach again as of yesterday, and marine forecast below will just keep pushing it up)

TODAY
East winds 20 to 25 knots. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Dominant
period 4 seconds. Showers and slight chance of thunderstorms.

TONIGHT
East winds 15 to 20 knots. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Dominant
period 4 seconds. Showers likely in the evening, then chance of
showers after midnight.

MONDAY
East winds 15 to 20 knots. Waves 3 to 5 feet. Dominant
period 4 seconds. Showers likely and slight chance of
thunderstorms.

MONDAY NIGHT
East winds 15 to 20 knots. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
Dominant period 4 seconds. Chance of showers.

TUESDAY
East winds 15 to 20 knots. Waves 2 to 4 feet. Dominant
period 4 seconds. Chance of showers in the morning. Slight chance
of thunderstorms through the day. Showers likely in the
afternoon.

TUESDAY NIGHT
Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 2 to
4 feet. Dominant period 4 seconds. Chance of showers through the
night. Slight chance of thunderstorms after midnight.

WEDNESDAY
Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 2 to 4 feet.
Dominant period 4 seconds. Rain likely and slight chance of
thunderstorms.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT
Southeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Waves 2 to
4 feet. Dominant period 4 seconds. Chance of rain and slight
chance of thunderstorms.

THURSDAY
Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Waves 1 to 3 feet.
Dominant period 4 seconds. Rain likely in the morning. Chance of
thunderstorms through the day. Showers likely in the afternoon.

[Darren]

Fri. 9/25/2020
Delacroix lease
Johnny and I with Harry
Winds N/NW 5-10+, pt. to heavy clouds, a pleasant upper 60s, water still very high

Water was approaching the top of the dock when we shoved off this morning, and was over it when we returned. Saw much fewer teal around the blind than the opener weekend hunts. Johnny missed on a tough early op on a pair and we took two singles later, never thought about shooting any other time and maybe saw 10 teal total. With the water so high, these birds have no reason to be around our piece of marsh, just too deep to do them any good. Harry had easy morning making two trips out to the decoys and back.

2 BW teal


Have plans to go scout some public ground closer to home to see if we might find a better option for tomorrow.

[Darren]

Sat. 9/26/2020
SE La public marsh
johnny and I with Harry
Winds N/NE 5-10, 60's, cloudy and then light rain late in hunt

Scouted all over this area yesterday but only saw one nice big band in our travels, water very high still. Water was a little lower this morning but tried a nice spot that allowed us to hunt from the boat, just pulled into a stand of cattails. Fired on but one 3-pack of teal that worked in nice, and they all stayed with us. Save for one bird we (think) was a teal in the decoys right at LST that we let leave without harassment, didn't work any other birds or think about shooting. Did see a 4-pack of spoonies, a first for me in this area during teal season.

3 BW teal

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Got much of my gear on this end put away, joining my cousin for a White Lake marsh hunt tomorrow AM to close it out.

[Darren]

Sun. 9-27-2020 Teal season closer
LDWF's White Lake Marsh
Kyle D. and I with guide Peter B.
Wind from the south at 0.0, clear skies, some ground fog around in places, comfortable temps in low 70's

Kyle drew this hunt in the lottery and I had hopes it would be better than the last trip in Sept 2018. Sure enough, it couldn't have gone any better. Hunted an island blind (#8) on a good size pond, and had birds lighting in the spread of mixed species amongst five spinners before LST. With just the two of us shooting, took our time picking easy shots and took a couple of breaks for Peter to round up birds before the resident alligator could get them, but even so it was done in under 30 minutes. Saw the numbers this area is known for but the masses weren't working us, just singles and groups up to maybe 3 at most but they were diving in. Not much shooting heard from the other blinds and no other parties came in to the camp while we hung around a bit. All blinds reportedly limited the day before.

12 BW teal for our too-fast limits to close out the 2020 teal season

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Headed in before sunup

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Was thrilled that for this trip we got to ride in one of the old(er) boats, ours being built in the 70's, but not as old as a couple left that are from the 50's.

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Scenery and LDWF personnel working it were wonderful, just a great morning in the south La marshes

[Rick]

Sweet. Glad it went as it should for you this go-around.

[BGkirk]

Sweeeet


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[Duck Engr]

Nice way to finish! Always fun to hear of a well-managed public place, even if it is through a draw. Pics were awesome. Looks like a beautiful place.

[Darren]

Yea its a special place for sure. Not near the hunt production it had just 5-10 years ago, but special nonetheless and still offers the avg Joe Louisiana resident an opportunity to hunt some grounds they'd not otherwise be able to even see.

[Darren]

With teal season now wrapped up, I took the 2 minutes it required to crunch and re-crunch my numbers for the details below:

26 BW teal taken on 6 hunts



Though we started with a nice hunt on opening day, the rising tides made sure we were unlikely to have any more success in SE La coastal (tidal) marshes. Our water levels stayed high thanks to not one but TWO tropical systems influencing our area in the two week season. On arrival back to the camp dock from the last hunt down there Friday Sept 25, we could have driven the boat up on to the dock......this after it had been falling for days already.

With such deep waters, the birds had nowhere to feed and thus kept us from holding anything in our usual places.

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teal season tide levels 2020.JPG

For reference, 5-5.5 ft on that gage is normal tide level, so you can plainly see when the two storms (Sally & Beta) were influencing our area with persistent (and strong) easterly winds piling water into this marsh. Was nice to close it out on a great hunt and see strong numbers of birds, with a potent couple of fronts on tap for this week, first of which is in NW La as I type.

[Deltaman]

Glad you got to end the season on a bang Darren, Great report!!!!!!!!

[MARSH BEAR]

Looks like Shell Beach could get some rain and water surge from Delta, good luck.

[Darren]

Looks like Shell Beach could get some rain and water surge from Delta, good luck.

Thanks, we are contemplating on the surge potential right now as to what to do with a boat down there currently on trailer under the camp. As a bitter sweet note, forecasts trending better for me, but worse for others with SW la interests already battered from Laura. On top of that, current track forecast puts baton rouge on immediate east side of storm so could get rowdy at my house.

[MARSH BEAR]

The storm track has shifted further west over night. I think our camp in Hackberry will be OK, we have a roof on the camp and garage, and I think they will be able to handle the winds on the west side of the storm, but soooo many people still have tarps on their roofs and I don't think they will do well.
I live in New Roads and looks like Delta is headed straight for us.
We have not received permission to enter our lease north of Holly Beach, and this should push back our date to enter the lease and see our damage to blinds and boat ramps.

[Deltaman]

Downright sickening MB, and I wish all of you that are in the cone good luck!

[Duck Engr]

There’s not a good place for this thing to hit but it has sucked to watch the projection drift west towards those who are still vulnerable from Laura.