2021-2022 Season Log

[Ericdc]

I don't understand using an O/U when waterfowl hunting. It's counter productive, much less a .410.


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[Rick]

Just guys who shoot a heck of a lot of birds (including high-dollar boxed birds) making it more challenging. But given that they're about as good as folks get, I have to think the .410 a step too sporting for waterfowl. Have seen guys on net claim nothing but DOA birds with them, but now find that even less likely than before.

[jrock75]

If just shooting decoying birds then I can see the merits of shooting a .410 adding discipline to your shot selection and diligence. At the same time, you would have to give up on pass shooting even at reasonable 12 of 20 gauge ranges in the marsh because of the issues you had with birds sailing too far. Also on any day with wind I would think that you are going to spend the whole morning chasing cripples.

[SpinnerMan]

I don't understand using an O/U when waterfowl hunting. It's counter productive, much less a .410.

Same reason people hunt deer with a bow, fish with light tackle for big fish, ...

This is entertainment, expensive entertainment at that, and its what entertains them. The most bang for the buck. Or I guess in this case the least bang for the duck.

To each his own

[Rick]

They own what at least was the second largest sugar mil in the country, so "the buck" is a non issue.

[Rick]

Date: 9/25 Sat

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: light NE

Temperature: cool

Moon phase: still bright

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: Did see what I'm thinking just a weekend/pressure bump, as we saw the fewest miscellaneous big ducks since the front along with more teal than the past two days.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Running scared at LST and taming to easy-peasy as the morning went on.

Hunters: 2 1/2, Buck and Scott again, plus Scott's daughter, Reece.

Guns: .410 O/Us again

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): Chipped birds gave the bug a workout playing whack-a-mole in the little holes dotting the flotant. Sleeping quite soundly as I type.

Special Equipment: SOS

Curses: Marsh might mumble a couple, but none from me.

Kudos: Beautiful and bountiful morning with nice folks, and Reece was great.

Birds By Species: 18 blue-winged teal (10 drakes and 8 hens)

Photo Ops: Our gang:

005a.jpg

Our official cripple shooter:

002a.jpg

Tip of the "dog wash" iceberg:

010a.jpg

Way to tame for comfort:

013a.jpg

[Darren]

Hope a few escaped the guns today, we sure could use a couple tomorrow. See ya in AM.

[Rick]

Tolled a more than we killed, but wouldn't bet on 'em coming back. Reckon we'll see...

[Duck Engr]

Nice to see the young lady afield!

Rick, hope you’re able to send Darren’s season out on a high(er) note.

[Rick]

Nice to see the young lady afield!

Hard to imagine,now, but there was a time when I carried her dad or his now also XXXL brother across water under an arm.

[Rick]

Rick, hope you’re able to send Darren’s season out on a high(er) note.

Would make my weekend, but it's pretty much up to the birds...

[SpinnerMan]

They own what at least was the second largest sugar mil in the country, so "the buck" is a non issue.

$'s aren't limited, but the ducks are.

How to get the most fun from six little ducks.

That's the bang for the buck.

This time of year would be a perfect time for a trip way down south. I need to see if I can get a couple guys that are up for it next year.

Although I won't be bringing the .410. I'd have more than enough fun if we shot out in 5 minutes or came up short by half.

Love the posts. I just hope you guys don't shoot more ducks in a day than I should all year this year.

[Rick]

...I just hope you guys don't shoot more ducks in a day than I should all year this year.

Looked like a two duck hunt for a scary long time this morning...

[Rick]

Date: 9/26 Sun

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: Easterly but way too light to be meaningful.

Temperature: cool to warm

Moon phase: still bright

Special Notes: last morning of September teal

Waterfowl Activity: Pretty much dead for way too long, then enough dribs and drabs to finish at the closing bell (9:30 curfew)..

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Generally fine, but given the lack of flight, particularly painful when singles or bunches plainly knew the drill.

Hunters: 2, Darren and Johnny

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): Only one really long hunt on the flotant - due to my mis-mark.

Special Equipment: SOS

Curses: Knowing how their season had gone to our east, I was flat miserable with how our first hour or so went.

Kudos: Ended up being one of those mornings early frustration made all the sweeter.

Birds By Species: 16 blue-winged teal and 2 green-winged teal

Photo Ops: Darren and Johnny:

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[Duck Engr]

Nice work! Came through in the clutch

[Darren]

Note my log amendment for your records, 15 BW/3 GW when they hit the cleaning table. Thanks again, great day!

[Rick]

9/26 addendum: was 15 bwt nd 3 gwt (Credit to Darren for catch.)

[Darren]

9/26 addendum: was 15 bwt nd 3 gwt (Credit to Darren for catch.)

With that in mind, and recall our discussion of green wings yesterday in the blind, see note below from area rice outfit regarding same:

greenwings count.jpg

[BGkirk]

So I guess they really did get “blown out” to Mexico. First time in my short career I admit that I was expecting another push of birds but instead seems they left or scattered about after the front


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[jrock75]

So I guess they really did get “blown out” to Mexico. First time in my short career I admit that I was expecting another push of birds but instead seems they left or scattered about after the front

Same for me in SETX. Was expecting a new push this weekend that just didn't materialize. What we were left with are "local" birds that are feeding at night and sitting up all day. Morning blinds were very slow with nothing flying. Evening blinds in rice fields were on fire.

[Rick]

Anyone else do the math on Spoonbill Adventures?

[BGkirk]

Anyone else do the math on Spoonbill Adventures?

I didn’t
But a friend did:

If you back out the numbers that's 31 limits per day. 477 limits total......


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[Duck Engr]

Have mercy

[Rick]

I went at it with how many guns and how much land that would take in mind. "Have mercy," indeed.

[Darren]

Rick, maybe not as much land as you might think given I've heard references to "11 paying guns" in the "blind" on a hot field.

[Rick]

Before I forget it, altogether, here's our September teal summary:

Date: 9/11 - 9/26

Time: every morning and four afternoons

Location: Mudhole every morning and new Welsh farm on afternoon hunts

Cloud Cover: Some of everything, to include a tropical storm's passage.

Wind Direction and Velocity: Again, some of everything from dead-a--ed calm all morning to northern and storm fronts.

Temperature: Cooler than usual for the most part, albeit not always.

Moon phase: A big one may have contributed to the last week's slowdown.

Special Notes: Given the number of higher than usual number of hens (presumably without young to wait on) in the bag, one has to wonder how significantly drought in the Dakotas and other breeding grounds helped this September season - and will hurt longer term
.
Waterfowl Activity: Their usual trend toward sometimes scary slow starts continued on all but the morning a cool front hit. Overall, though, we saw better than usual teal numbers. Lots of woodies and tons of squealers but not as many mottleds as we'd like to see in the marsh.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: True to form, the teal were almost always running scared at the onset and taming as the mornings wore on. Big spinners and aggressive calling are credited with our better-than-most success.

Hunters: Little of everything from old friends and relatives to brand-new to me and/or the camp guests. And, of course, running the gamut of experience and proficiency.

Guns: Buckley and Scott's .410s were the first I've hosted in adult hands.

Malfunctions: MMM splasher acted up despite repair attempts until the last few days and don't know if it's really fixed or on its way out...

Dog(s): Marsh suffered a break or two, but mostly did us and his breed proud.

Special Equipment: SOS: two standard-sized Mojos, a jacked-up Mallard Machine and our special "PhD duck decoy":

003a.jpg

Curses: I'm way too lazy to hunt up something to bitch about in such a September.

Kudos: Also too lazy to list our blessings, but chief among them were sharing a marsh day with "Uncle Franklin" and getting Bruce into plenty of birds after his only previous September hunt with us was such an incredible bust.

Birds By Species: We took 334 teat, 329 blue-winged teal and 5 green-winged. (with nary a band in the bunch)

Photo Ops: My runaway pick of the photo litter:

014a.jpg

Lagniappe: Whether by location, tactic, dumb luck or, perhaps most likely, all of the above, we were blessed compared to most in our marsh and immediate area, and I am most grateful for that and the fine company shared on each and every hunt.

[Rick]

Yarch!!! I see that I managed to post that dang rubber duck, instead of Uncle Franklin as my favorite pic. Couldn't have screwed that pooch much worse. Joseph Heller pegged it when he called me "the reason God made copy editors".

[Darren]

I mean I knew you were a big fan of the rubber duck, seemed to make sense!

[Rick]

Date: 11/6/21 Sat

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: heavy

Wind Direction and Velocity: NE light

Temperature: chilly

Moon phase: small

Special Notes: first day of youth and veteran's weekend

Waterfowl Activity: Not nearly what my guys needed.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Pretty darn good but wouldn't hold still.

Hunters: 2, Reese, 17, and Riley, 12, with dad, Jason observing

Guns:

Malfunctions: Bent barrels

Dog(s): The bug had to be cautioned for whining.

Special Equipment: SOS

Curses: First we were frustrated by all the shooting at the east blind while we sky watched, then we were frustrated by the can't-hits, when our turn started.

Kudos: They got to shoot a fair bit.

Birds By Species: 1 gadwall and 1 mallard

[Darren]

Tough one! Slow reports in Delacroix from today's youth hunt as well.

Other end lit up the green wings?