Preseason

Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Sun Nov 15, 2020 2:03 pm

Blake and I got up early yesterday morning like we have for many opening days of duck season, but there was a big difference with this one, we weren't together at the camp. I picked him up at his home before daylight with the urgency to be in the blind before LST as a nonissue. We drove down to Grand Chenier watching the morning light break the horizon over the marsh and the sun rise open to a beautiful day. It was a bit heart wrenching for me but I think I'm coming to grips with the realization of this years hunting situation.

Blake and I swept the entire slab again, cleaning off hurricane Delta's lighter mud cover that had dried, and we dug up and found existing conduit for water and electrical conduit that may be reusable. There were a few hunters out and all we saw or talked to were hunting north of hwy 82. Some did well and others struggled. The guy we lease from hunted on a well managed, high dollar piece roughly 4 miles east of our camp and north of 82. Two blinds, five people limited by 7:15 with one banded mottled duck. He will be hunting there this season.

We had planned to make a trip in our marsh after his hunt so I hooked up to his boat and we took off. It doesn't looked good for that and the adjacent marshes for the future. At the current water level, which is almost normal, we could make it from our boat launch into the gulf 3 miles away without much issue. We had the option to hunt our blind this year but seeing only one dogris on the entire ride, the open water and dead vegetation my heart isn't in it. Not having the camp there and no electricity for possibly months to come makes that decision easy.

We will see how things develop over the winter and into the spring to make a determination on whether we keep or drop that lease. It's fairly clear that I may be looking for a new place next year and possibly selling our camp space, if we even rebuild in that time. Meeting with the parish on Dec 12th will be the determining factor.

This is more than likely Elie's last year be in the blind. She still has a lot of spunk but she's getting old. I think this bothers me about as much as everything else does. I'm going to have to find a place to take her here locally to pick up a few wood ducks.

What a screwed up year this has been.
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Re: Preseason

Postby Rick » Sun Nov 15, 2020 2:58 pm

Literally crossed by fingers before opening your post, but didn't find the happy surprise opener I'd hoped for you. But here's to better times ahead...
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Re: Preseason

Postby Duck Engr » Sun Nov 15, 2020 11:49 pm

Likewise Rick.

Dave I feel for you guys and especially the landowner.
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Re: Preseason

Postby Deltaman » Mon Nov 16, 2020 11:11 am

Sorry to hear your area of the marsh has taken such a hit Dave, and hope there is some amount of recovery, before the gulf decides to take it back. Maybe, with all of the storm damage this year, it will open up some new duck hunting opportunities for you and Blake in the general area, and know your fishing/crabbing and shrimp catching will still be good :thumbsup: Accentuate the positives right? Good Luck, and I hope you can get Elie out this season!
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you in trouble. It's what you know for sure, that just ain't so"
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Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Mon Nov 16, 2020 11:57 am

Thanks guy's.


Deltaman wrote: it will open up some new duck hunting opportunities for you and Blake in the general area, and know your fishing/crabbing and shrimp catching will still be good :thumbsup: Accentuate the positives right? Good Luck, and I hope you can get Elie out this season!


I've run this through my head as well but my concerns are with the hurricane activity we've seen this year. Is this going to be the new normal? There is a cat 5 headed for landfall in Nicaragua now in virtually the same location the cat 4 hit just weeks ago. If it were earlier in the year odds are they would have both been gulf coast storms.

I really need to find a place to hunt to bring my world back in order. I'm as lost as a goose right now.
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Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Mon Nov 16, 2020 8:21 pm

I was outside this evening watching the space station fly by and heard some blues headed south.
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Re: Preseason

Postby Rick » Tue Nov 17, 2020 4:27 am

Didn't note it in my log but we had a few presumably new strings of blues over the marsh this morning and saw a couple more strings on the post hunt ride back to camp. It's a start...or not...
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Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:45 pm

This picture popped up on my daughters FB page today. It was taken on this date in 2011 near Gueydan. Oh how I miss that place and time.

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Re: Preseason

Postby Rick » Tue Nov 24, 2020 4:29 am

If we'd known it was that good, we'd have raised the rent.
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Re: Preseason

Postby Rick » Tue Nov 24, 2020 4:29 am

If we'd known it was that good, we'd have raised the rent.

Saw a fellow you might know on Friday's schedule.
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Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Tue Nov 24, 2020 8:18 am

Rick wrote:If we'd known it was that good, we'd have raised the rent.

Saw a fellow you might know on Friday's schedule.



He's looking forward to it.
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Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Tue Dec 01, 2020 10:10 pm

I'm sure happy that I have the opportunity to put a few wings in the mail.
20201201_194731.jpg



After many, many days of mulling over our situation down in Chenier I've decided to let it all go. The rebuild will be costly and the high probability of future hurricanes is front and center in this decision. The degradation of our marsh which was accelerated by years during the two hurricanes is also a major factor in my decision.

I must say I'm not without a very heavy heart in doing this, but I think It's best. The odds are definitely against us and I don't have the disposable funds to throw at a very high probability of destruction. I'm a bit lost at the moment and not sure of my future in waterfowl hunting, but as Rick had mentioned I've been poking around in, and will give a certain public area a try later in the season. However, I will not put up with, and have no patients for an overcrowded hunting situation filled with imbeciles. As for next season, I'll have to just let things unfold and see what pops up, or not.
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Re: Preseason

Postby Ducaholic » Wed Dec 02, 2020 6:40 am

Sorry to hear this DC but I think you have made a wise decision. You are welcome to make it back this way whenever you like. As for imbeciles lol they are everywhere.
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Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Wed Dec 02, 2020 8:53 am

Ducaholic wrote:Sorry to hear this DC but I think you have made a wise decision. You are welcome to make it back this way whenever you like. As for imbeciles lol they are everywhere.


Thank you.

I'm hopeful with this public land stuff as this particular area doesn't get the pressure most do. From my approach it's ride in on a four-wheeler 3 or 4 miles and then a mile or less walk to set up. My son will be the pack mule....LOL! We'll see how it goes.
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Re: Preseason

Postby Rick » Wed Dec 02, 2020 12:12 pm

DComeaux wrote:My son will be the pack mule...


When I hunted that area, the hikes were usually long, but we took just a handful of decoys and tried to put them where they'd show best. Birds were the heaviest part of the load when things went well.
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Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Wed Dec 02, 2020 3:31 pm

Rick wrote:
DComeaux wrote:My son will be the pack mule...


When I hunted that area, the hikes were usually long, but we took just a handful of decoys and tried to put them where they'd show best. Birds were the heaviest part of the load when things went well.



I had planned to go in with a small number of decoys but will definitely change those heavy weights we've been using in the open pounds of the marsh. I have a bucket full of lead strips I've kept from our time in the rice. I also see a jerk string in my future. I was thinking about using the base of a tree climbing stand to give Ellie a platform, if need be.
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Re: Preseason

Postby Duck Engr » Wed Dec 02, 2020 4:07 pm

Look into the summit tree stump stand. $40 from academy. Light weight. We’ve started using them so we don’t have to drag tree stand climbers with us.
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Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Wed Dec 02, 2020 4:47 pm

Duck Engr wrote:Look into the summit tree stump stand. $40 from academy. Light weight. We’ve started using them so we don’t have to drag tree stand climbers with us.



Looks good...Thanks!
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Re: Preseason

Postby aunt betty » Fri Dec 04, 2020 8:40 am

You're not the only one going public from private. Its a thing. Ive been approached by several of my old pals that went private but shut me out after I bought the right color dog for the lease. It stings still.
I wonder if they realize how im going to send them down the muddiest roads I can think of.
I've heard that it's incredibly stupid to fuck around with a crazy man's head.
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Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Sun Dec 06, 2020 4:46 pm

This picture was taken yesterday at the Lacassine pool. I waited for permission from an individual on a birding site I frequent before posting.
I made a trip down to Chenier yesterday to install a utility pole for the land lady that manages the property the camp is/was on. During the late afternoon 2 hour drive back I saw only one group of fowl. It was a very large group of waterfowl that I believe were GW. This was right at the transition from ag to marsh and this was slightly after LST. They were heading to the marsh. Those I spoke too are really struggling down there and one that has a nice camp in PI, who was on the fence the last couple of years told me this is definitely his last year to duck hunt his place of 30 years. He's now going to have a.... crabin cabin.

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Preseason

Postby BGkirk » Sun Dec 06, 2020 7:41 pm

Awesome pic. DU Bird watch page :
How many species can you spot?
I see Gwt bwt spoons and some dos gris or maybe scaup?


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Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Sun Dec 06, 2020 8:50 pm

BGkirk wrote:Awesome pic. DU Bird watch page :
How many species can you spot?
I see Gwt bwt spoons and some dos gris or maybe scaup?


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LOL!.... I haven't analyzed it yet.
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Re: Preseason

Postby Darren » Mon Dec 07, 2020 8:35 am

Wow nice wad of green wings

Saw a good lil swarm myself on boat ride in Saturday using some shallow marsh, thought they were black birds at first till we got a little closer.
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Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Wed Dec 09, 2020 3:49 pm

Some Migrating Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks in New Orleans Area Test Positive for Avian Cholera


Birds from the most recent annual migration of wild black-bellied whistling ducks to the New Orleans area and Audubon Park have tested positive for avian cholera.
This naturally occurring bacteria can result in death especially when the bird is stressed. Comingling of waterfowl spreads the infection within the population.
“Avian cholera outbreaks are not an uncommon occurrence in waterfowl and occur throughout the country nearly every year,’’ said Dr. Jim LaCour, State Wildlife Veterinarian with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). “Unfortunately, an infected bird has brought the disease to us. Mortality events in the wild can be limited to a few birds or can cause mortality in many thousands of birds and can be short-lived or endure for months. Luckily, the setting for this outbreak allows some mitigation of natural spread which should help to minimize the mortality effects.”
Because the dead birds have been found near Aududon Zoo, the carcasses can be picked up, which is essential in stopping the outbreak. That is generally not possible or feasible in a wilderness setting.
“Audubon Nature Institute is working with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to manage avian cholera by reducing sources of potential contamination,” said Steve Marshall, Vice President and Managing Director, Audubon Zoo & Park. “Our veterinary team noticed a recent increase in wild whistling duck mortality in Audubon Zoo and sent samples out for testing.
“Out of an abundance of caution, Audubon is implementing new protocols to reduce the risk of contamination in our bird populations, including closing the Zoo’s aviary to the public and moving waterfowl out of the South American Pampas Lagoon.’’
Many species of birds and mammals, including pets, are susceptible to infection from the bacteria that causes avian cholera, but the waterfowl strain does not commonly infect these other species.
According to the Field Manual of Wildlife Disease by the National Wildlife Health Center avian cholera is not considered a high-risk disease for humans. This is because there are many different strains of the bacteria and humans don’t appear to be very susceptible to the avian strain.
Cases of avian cholera in humans have been documented, in rare instances, so do not pick up or handle dead wildlife. Common signs of avian cholera are erratic flight, loss of head control (floppy necks), and mucous discharge from the nasal openings, and death.
To report suspected cases of this disease in waterfowl, contact Dr. Jim LaCour at jlacour@wlf.la.gov or contact Audubon Nature Institute 504-212-5151 if you see distressed or deceased birds in Audubon Park.
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Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Thu Dec 10, 2020 5:02 pm

Over the last two consecutive days I've seen something I haven't seen in years around here, this happening just after 5PM local time nearing dark thirty. Both days I saw two big flocks of divers, either ring neck or scaup, low level headed east towards the Atchafalaya basin.

There is a large oxidation pond just on the outskirts of this little town that I frequented on foot in my youth in pursuit of fowl, and I'd bet that's where they had been. It held redheads, canvasback and other divers back then, and at times a few puddle ducks. I was chased from there on occasion tearing my good camo clothes while squeezing through barbed wire fences in a hurry. These birds would feed on the earth worms and other invertebrates that lined the banks in the warmer than other waters that time of year. They would sift through the bobbing tampon applicators' and prophylactic's that also lined the banks.... SIGH...What a wonder time that was.
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Re: Preseason

Postby Rick » Thu Dec 10, 2020 7:32 pm

Yum.
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Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:03 pm

Blake and I made the meeting with the Parish permits office official and other camp owners in Chenier this morning and we're going to reevaluate our decision and slowly move forward. The rain we had early this morning made a mess of things and there is nothing anyone can do concerning clean up and rebuilds due to the conditions.
We stopped by our lease holders camp to check on his rebuild and he asked us if we'd want to make a hunt on the lease to see what's out there, so we've planned to make a reconnaissance hunt for opening weekend of the second split if Blake doesn't have to work. We'll stay at his camp for the weekend. I'm undecided if we'll bail the water out of the blind and hunt it or just hunt in a pile of what grass or roseau we can find.

After the meeting Blake and I went to one of our road side redfish holes and had a good time. The crabs were also thick and were tearing up our soft artificial baits. No doubt these hurricanes bring total destruction of property and has displaced many people, the area down there is almost unrecognizable, but they sure seem to have revitalized the marsh. The fisheries seem to be coming back strong. It sure felt good to be down there.

20201212_142349.jpg


This picture I took about two weeks ago in Chenier. This was at a tower site in the marsh approximately 3 miles east of our camp that I was looking at for work. It appears he made it through two hurricanes at ground zero.
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Re: Preseason

Postby BGkirk » Sun Dec 13, 2020 9:35 am

DC I’ve seen more deer this year than any year. maybe because their displaced. But amazes me they are even alive.


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Re: Preseason

Postby DComeaux » Sun Dec 13, 2020 9:26 pm

Golden Nuggets.

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Re: Preseason

Postby Rick » Mon Dec 14, 2020 4:49 am

And that, to my mind, is the advantage of a coastal lease.
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