Duck Season 2021 - 2022

[DComeaux]

If what we have around us stays we'll be okay. I know you're thoughts are on migration, but Blake and I we're discussing "best" hunts for us and we both agreed that the majority happen on a ESE winds and warmer temps.

[Darren]

If what we have around us stays we'll be okay. I know you're thoughts are on migration, but Blake and I we're discussing "best" hunts for us and we both agreed that the majority happen on a ESE winds and warmer temps.

Have definitely had plenty luck on southerly winds and warm temps. But southerly winds and warm temps are merely shaking up what's here, and not bringing you anything newly-arriving. In my areas, that includes Avoyelles parish and the eastern coast, there's just not a whole lot of bulk numbers in place......we need new arrivals. There's been reports of significant dos gris migration/influx to the coastal marshes around us/Lake Borgne, but grays still comparatively scant.

With above average temps all the way up to the border, I have to figure this year as much as any in recent memory, there's numbers just enjoying the resources north of us with no reason to move on....until it turns ugly. (or MUCH uglier)

[Rick]

There's been reports of significant dos gris migration/influx to the coastal marshes around us/Lake Borgne...

Hard to see him unless you follow Marsh's stare, but one landed with my poule d'eaus while we were picking up the spinners:

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The kamikazes of duckdom.

[DComeaux]

We're starting to see Dos Gris at the blind. We gave three a pass that had landed in our decoys and few more that passed overhead over the weekend.

[Ducaholic]

Darren ran across a nice group of specs in Whiteville to go with some snows and blues.

[Darren]

Darren ran across a nice group of specs in Whiteville to go with some snows and blues.

Nice! Have not seen any callable traffic over the farm yet, just few high flights. Pretty good flight of new snows and blues couple hunts back, though.

Early in the game up there for sure.

[Darren]

Was chatting with a contact in the Dakota's this morning:

"weather has been very mild, still waiting on real weather, creepy to be in December with no snow on the ground"


This morning's low was 75 at my house, not really what we had in mind. The low next Friday night in Avoyelles Parish forecast to be around 60, high around 75, with only light E to S winds. Stale, junk

Models show a front making it down to maybe Arkansas before fizzling late next week, and another one making it through us around Tuesday the 21st but nothing particularly potent.

[Darren]

Got third hand report from Bunkie area this morning of "a lot of ducks in the area", so hope it bodes well for our plans to be there Saturday morning. Friday night's projected low of 59-60 doesn't exactly sound like good campfire weather but weather looks headed in the right direction Saturday PM and beyond so we'll just look forward to that.

[DComeaux]

Good to read....

[Ducaholic]

Got third hand report from Bunkie area this morning of "a lot of ducks in the area", so hope it bodes well for our plans to be there Saturday morning. Friday night's projected low of 59-60 doesn't exactly sound like good campfire weather but weather looks headed in the right direction Saturday PM and beyond so we'll just look forward to that.

Several thousand geese were in the air in Whiteville about 7:00 this morning. I was hoping Saturday’s front would blow through about 9:00 in the morning but it appears to be an afternoon arrival. I’m going to plan on sitting tight on Saturday to see if we get a push on top of that is here already. Bring your rain jacket!

[Darren]

Oh we'll be ready. Saturday afternoon looks to be first "nasty" event of season, hoping for more to come. I'm not seeing much for any wind Saturday morning (maybe 5 mph), but pressure should do just fine to move them. Hoping to stay over and see what Sunday's about as well, or head south to the marsh. Did get a couple of third hand reports of good many birds down on that end as well, SE La marsh near us.

[Ericdc]

Oh we'll be ready. Saturday afternoon looks to be first "nasty" event of season, hoping for more to come. I'm not seeing much for any wind Saturday morning (maybe 5 mph), but pressure should do just fine to move them. Hoping to stay over and see what Sunday's about as well, or head south to the marsh. Did get a couple of third hand reports of good many birds down on that end as well, SE La marsh near us.

Could y'all hunt the frontal passage Saturday afternoon?


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[Darren]

Oh we'll be ready. Saturday afternoon looks to be first "nasty" event of season, hoping for more to come. I'm not seeing much for any wind Saturday morning (maybe 5 mph), but pressure should do just fine to move them. Hoping to stay over and see what Sunday's about as well, or head south to the marsh. Did get a couple of third hand reports of good many birds down on that end as well, SE La marsh near us.

Could y'all hunt the frontal passage Saturday afternoon?
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Technically yes since the no-pm-hunting rules for the farm dont apply to this piece/blind, though we typically don't. Hoping the morning goes well and the law won't let us hunt the PM.

[Ericdc]

I hear ya, I just like hunting those front passages when the weather changes. Used to wait em out in pit in Jones sometimes till 2 or 3 knowing it was coming.


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[Darren]

Well it's one of those things where if we stay, and morning hunt doesn't go well or leaves us a few birds, we literally could just walk out to the blind if we are seeing birds working the field/blind. There aren't a whole lot of places like that

Looks like winds will be gettin going more like mid-day and early afternoon

[Ericdc]

Good deal. Yea that would be fun to go back out when wind gets going.


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[Darren]

Sat 12/18/2021 La 2nd Split Opener
Bunkie area farm
Phillip, John S., Johnny, Kyle and I with Harry
70s, moderate fog that mostly stuck around, no wind most of morning, few breaths from the south later on

Was hot and dead as a hammer for first half hour or so for sure, save for hot shore bird flight. Broke scratch with a four pack of green wings and were thrilled to have them, but eventually came to have a decent sporadic flight. Shot well with our ops and as a result did much better than most in the area. Harry had a huge morning, found every bird and had a literal field day running down crips in the too-shallow-to-dive front cut that’s at ideal depth end to end right now. The way the flight kept trickling we figured we may be able to grind it out to full limits but eventually shut off, packed it up just before 10a with all smiles regardless.

(24) 5 spoons, 1 gray, 16 GW teal, 2 BW teal

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Fair many geese moving today mid morning on, even had a couple wads of specks give us a swing but nothing anywhere close to finishing. Storms are on the way in a few hours, tightening up some camp chores and lil blind brush before it hits. Hang out in the camp and watch it blow in, hopeful for the morning.

[Ducaholic]

Excellent!

[DComeaux]

Awesome!

[Darren]

Sun. 12/19/2021
Bunkie area farm
Johnny, Will E and I with Harry
Strong front over night, rippin north winds 10-20+, 40s, heavy clouds

Wind screamed all night, had to fix a good handful of decoys before LST. Field probably took on an inch and a half that we really needed and it’s perfect. Hot teal flights off the bat but hard to see and they weren’t getting right, just burning all around us in nice groups. As it got a little lighter they started really working calls and decoys better and we made pretty quick work of them, finished before 7:30a. Lot of goose activity in all directions but especially heavy from the north, saw multiple good bodies on the ground down the road on way home.

(18) 1 woodie, 1 spoon, 4 BW teal, 12 GW teal

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Since Will drove up from New Orleans on a last minute invite, really glad it paid off. LOTS of hunters out today and fair bit of shooting at times. Hoping to hit the marsh in next few days.

[Rick]

And all without having to bail (too much) water out of the blind.

[Darren]

We had the foresight enough to put the lids on the pit following yesterday’s hunt ahead of the rain. And I even cut some brush while it was still dry and kept it under the cleaning table for the storm. Tired puppy dog today now that we’re back home.

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[Rick]

...Tired puppy dog today now that we’re back home.

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Livin' the life..

[Deltaman]

Sweet hunts Darren, and glad the teal made a good showing for y'all!!!!

[Darren]

Tues. 12/21/2021
Delacroix lease, north blind
David B. and I with Harry
Winds N/NW 10-15+, upper 40's, heavy cloud deck

Was hopeful of a decent hunt at this blind that did well on Saturday in terrible conditions but whatever was around just sat today. Short of a pair of mottleds right after LST that we coulda, and shoulda, taken, never thought about shooting again. Saw but a few passing little bunches of teal and unknowns, did not see a single gray cruising around. Packed it in on the early side and sure enough on our way out immediately began jumping numbers of grays and teal, and scattered divers that clearly were content where they sat. No other hunters or fisherman out today to move anything around.

DNS


Report out of the bunkie blind was also dismal, 1 bird last I heard, after bumping fair many from the rear cut on arrival yesterday afternoon. Seeing Rick's note of "only the locals moving" seemed to connect the dots, with three reports of about the same flight (or no flight) today in three very different areas.

[5 stand]

Darren
On another forum, Rick mentioned Paul link on Instagram. And that he wasn't a member open Instagram but if people were they should follow Paul link. I joined Instagram months ago just to follow Paul, but it says private. So I figured he wanted to keep it that way, or at least limit his followers.Do you know of a way that I can follow him.?
I've heard you mention him so I think you are a member of Instagram?
Sorry about mucking up your log.
Please private message me going forward.

[Darren]

Made me look and saw he’s still on there, presumably still with same name but no posts since this spring can’t say I’m certain he hasn’t gotten another account that’s got newer activity.

[Darren]

Sun. 12/26/2021
Bunkie farm
Johnny, Matthew M. and I with Harry
Winds mostly 0, occasionally light from SSW, mostly cloudy, 60s

Hoped for more wind but was mostly pretty still. Fair many people out being it’s Christmas weekend I guess. Decent little flight early but it didn’t last too long. Did OK with our few chances, ace shooting probably gets us 2-3 more birds but was enjoyable to be out there watching what ended up being a whole lot of goose activity in all directions. Saw fair many high big duck flights at times as well. Seems like decent few more specks taking to the area.

(5) 4 GW teal, 1 spoon

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Matthew’s in town from Colorado Springs/Air Force Academy. We realized it’s been ten years now since the first youth hunt I took him on.

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Most of the farm was quiet so unlikely others did much more than we did. Trying to get a hunt in at the marsh lease early this week before heading over to see Rick for a day.

[Rick]

...before heading over to see Rick for a day.

Could be BYODs...

[5 stand]

Made me look and saw he’s still on there, presumably still with same name but no posts since this spring can’t say I’m certain he hasn’t gotten another account that’s got newer activity.

Thank you.