Duck Season 2022-2023

[Ericdc]

I'm going after them tomorrow Darren, I can only some are preening on my pit cuz it hasn't been hunted since Saturday.


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[Rick]

Check the blind in the background. They’re partying in front of some fella’s blind who must be at work.

Reminds of "the scratch blind" on what was Shot's/LaCrois' on the way to Oak island: geese will sit in the field between it and the road and giggle at the folks in the blind that's obviously just that.

[Darren]

Headed to the salt marsh tomorrow for the weekend.

Turns out, nope, marsh is out of the picture for us this weekend. Front blew through and took advantage of a weak tide range and just ran all the water out of southeast Louisiana.

It ripped over 30 kts at Shell Beach camp last night, alllll night long. So it fell awfully hard, and was still falling this morning. Think buddy's family is heading up to the farm so we may just be staying put this weekend.

That said, did get a report from buddy Will who apparently stacked the teal quick on his end of Delacroix this morning. Said apparently all their little hidey holes had been drained so they were wanting the only water he could find to float a decoy.

[Darren]

Check the blind in the background. They’re partying in front of some fella’s blind who must be at work.

Reminds of "the scratch blind" on what was Shot's/LaCrois' on the way to Oak island: geese will sit in the field between it and the road and giggle at the folks in the blind that's obviously just that.

And the one pictured surely doing its best to give the "scratch blind" a run for its money on "best blind-looking blind."

[DComeaux]

Headed to the salt marsh tomorrow for the weekend.

Turns out, nope, marsh is out of the picture for us this weekend. Front blew through and took advantage of a weak tide range and just ran all the water out of southeast Louisiana.

It ripped over 30 kts at Shell Beach camp last night, alllll night long. So it fell awfully hard, and was still falling this morning. Think buddy's family is heading up to the farm so we may just be staying put this weekend.

That said, did get a report from buddy Will who apparently stacked the teal quick on his end of Delacroix this morning. Said apparently all their little hidey holes had been drained so they were wanting the only water he could find to float a decoy.

Man that sucks.... I hope it took our water out a bit. We had too much. I'll find out this afternoon.

[Rick]

Man that sucks.... I hope it took our water out a bit. We had too much. I'll find out this afternoon.

If north wind does it, you got it.

[DComeaux]

Man that sucks.... I hope it took our water out a bit. We had too much. I'll find out this afternoon.

If north wind does it, you got it.

We were down a bit but not enough.

[Darren]

Monday 1/16/2023
SE La public marsh
My son and I, Johnny, with Harry
Winds NE to SE 0-5+, cloudy, upper 50s, low water

Water been low all weekend so lost a couple of hunt ops with that, back up a little for today but still too low for lease hole. Tried public spot I’ve hit but once in regular season but knew it historically had some birds. Sure enough saw fair many though didn’t get too many ops on our fairly short hunt, johnny had work today. Mostly grays but green wings around and passed on dos gris in the decoys as has been our usual this season. Got my wheels turning to maybe start focusing more here…no one around for miles and lots of room to move around. Missed a pair of decoying grays. Had we stayed past 8:00a think we would have got a few more of them.

1 gray


Good outing regardless

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Hunted an old blind my cousin had built few years back and always produced for him. Got wheels turning on a replacement in a more strategically sound location. Bunkie farm blind produced well this weekend on Sat and Sun from reports I got.

[5 stand]

Good pictures !

[Rick]

Good pictures !

Indeed.

[Deltaman]

Glad your son is able to go with you, and looks like he's going to be a chip off the old block

[Darren]

Sat. Jan 21, 2023
SE La public marsh
Johnny and I with Harry
Winds mostly rippin to 20+ out the NE but came and went some, heavy clouds/sprinkles, 50’s

Back to same blind from Monday with more wind we’d hoped would stir them. Saw fair many birds again but seems they have largely found hideouts and aren’t doing much flying around unless jumped by boat traffic. Missed a couple birds but didn’t have too many ops either. Managed to stalk and flush a very-rare mallard pair that lid wide on us in a pothole. Got the drake and couldn’t be too bummed to have missed the hen. Hope she beats end of season next weekend to go north.

1 mallard, 1 gray, 1 BW teal

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Visited lease yesterday afternoon and saw good many birds on the way there and back but next to nothing jumped when I was running through the heart of it. Got main blind we hunt cleaned up and benches tied off for offseason. Thinking about a field hunt tomorrow, no one hunted it today.

New “duck boat” concept of pirogues in the bay boat was awfully handy today when area lakes were nasty. Making plans already to do a good bit of this come September teal and beyond this fall.

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[5 stand]

That blue Wing is NICE !!

[Ducaholic]

Stir em up in the morning I’ll be in Morrow

[Darren]

Sun. 1-22-2023
Bunkie field blind
Johnny, my son and I, with Harry
Post-front, heavy clouds, NW winds 5-15+, chilly 50s when wind blew

Couple lil bunches of teal working by early had me optimistic but it soon fizzled and everything thereafter was high and staying there. Should have downed a green wing or two for sure on one fast op but beyond that, didn’t think of shooting. Had no luck breaking specks out of a sporadic mixed goose flight. Of course ended up packing up ten minutes too early as a suicide spoon came in with my gun cased followed by two different visits by single LOW specks just looking to fall in…..c’est la vie. Picked up few dozen decoys to get a jump on next weekend’s work, and my little one had a good time chasing a mouse in the pit and eating donuts from our becoming-traditional stop in Port Barre on the way up.


Scratch!

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Talked to guys of a neighboring blind that gushed over last weekend’s success. Noted it was “sunglasses” weather and can’t help but feel that I’m coming around to more than a few long-time field hunters’ thoughts on sunny and south winds being more promising than what had been good to me, post-front north winds and cloud deck. Know Eric here of WFF has long made sun his preference and another friend up his way also swears by it. The log doesn’t lie and outside of fog days, it’s telling us the last few years have not produced on north winds behind fronts in heavy clouds.

[5 stand]

I would enjoy sitting in a blind with that boy trying to answer all his questions...
Good pictures...

[Rick]

If there's anything one can count on in waterfowling, it's those Chamber of Commerce birds.

[BGkirk]

Sat. Jan 21, 2023
SE La public marsh
Johnny and I with Harry
Winds mostly rippin to 20+ out the NE but came and went some, heavy clouds/sprinkles, 50’s

Back to same blind from Monday with more wind we’d hoped would stir them. Saw fair many birds again but seems they have largely found hideouts and aren’t doing much flying around unless jumped by boat traffic. Missed a couple birds but didn’t have too many ops either. Managed to stalk and flush a very-rare mallard pair that lid wide on us in a pothole. Got the drake and couldn’t be too bummed to have missed the hen. Hope she beats end of season next weekend to go north.

1 mallard, 1 gray, 1 BW teal

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Visited lease yesterday afternoon and saw good many birds on the way there and back but next to nothing jumped when I was running through the heart of it. Got main blind we hunt cleaned up and benches tied off for offseason. Thinking about a field hunt tomorrow, no one hunted it today.

New “duck boat” concept of pirogues in the bay boat was awfully handy today when area lakes were nasty. Making plans already to do a good bit of this come September teal and beyond this fall.

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Boy i could use that rig on occasion.


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[DComeaux]

Talked to guys of a neighboring blind that gushed over last weekend’s success. Noted it was “sunglasses” weather and can’t help but feel that I’m coming around to more than a few long-time field hunters’ thoughts on sunny and south winds being more promising than what had been good to me, post-front north winds and cloud deck. Know Eric here of WFF has long made sun his preference and another friend up his way also swears by it. The log doesn’t lie and outside of fog days, it’s telling us the last few years have not produced on north winds behind fronts in heavy clouds.

Nothing seems to be what it once was with waterfowl. I've given up on that and just go sit in the blind.

[Ducaholic]

Thursday is the day D given what you just stated. Friday it appears the SW wind will be slight. And Saturday's strong SE wind has clouds in the forecast.

[Darren]

Thursday is the day D given what you just stated. Friday it appears the SW wind will be slight. And Saturday's strong SE wind has clouds in the forecast.

Yep saw the sunshine for Thursday, but Saturday is our day to pick up and all, and I don't have the fire left at this point in the season to head up solo on Thursday like I do earlier in the season.

[Darren]

Talked to guys of a neighboring blind that gushed over last weekend’s success. Noted it was “sunglasses” weather and can’t help but feel that I’m coming around to more than a few long-time field hunters’ thoughts on sunny and south winds being more promising than what had been good to me, post-front north winds and cloud deck. Know Eric here of WFF has long made sun his preference and another friend up his way also swears by it. The log doesn’t lie and outside of fog days, it’s telling us the last few years have not produced on north winds behind fronts in heavy clouds.

Nothing seems to be what it once was with waterfowl. I've given up on that and just go sit in the blind.

I dont see it as a sign of diminishing production in the area, just that perhaps I was too bought in on one weather pattern and didn't give the other a fair shake......despite so many long-timers proclaiming the other to be their favorite. I still stand by "no wind, clear skies", no way, not going. And add in a full moon to that? Suicide. So I'll still be avoiding such combinations, given I've been-there, done-that enough to know, and the log sticks to it.

But I do have record of some notes, not sure if on here or on my own docs, of a couple of instances last season where we went with a group on Day 2, post-front, and they had hunted the day before as well, Day 1 pre-front south winds/warm, etc. and said flight was better Day 1 than 2. A matter also of falling atmospheric pressure, versus high?



Went and looked up a few entries from last year:

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
3-man limit about as fast as you could load


Sun. 1/16/2022
Bunkie area field
David R and son Will, Johnny and I w/ Harry
post-front, rippin WNW 15-30, low 40s, heavy clouds partially clearing later
2 spoons, 2 geese, very slow.

Also saw a hunt from last season that was post-front, north winds blowing, clear skies......1 speck taken. Nothing is fail safe!

[DComeaux]

Talked to guys of a neighboring blind that gushed over last weekend’s success. Noted it was “sunglasses” weather and can’t help but feel that I’m coming around to more than a few long-time field hunters’ thoughts on sunny and south winds being more promising than what had been good to me, post-front north winds and cloud deck. Know Eric here of WFF has long made sun his preference and another friend up his way also swears by it. The log doesn’t lie and outside of fog days, it’s telling us the last few years have not produced on north winds behind fronts in heavy clouds.

Nothing seems to be what it once was with waterfowl. I've given up on that and just go sit in the blind.

I dont see it as a sign of diminishing production in the area, just that perhaps I was too bought in on one weather pattern and didn't give the other a fair shake......despite so many long-timers proclaiming the other to be their favorite. I still stand by "no wind, clear skies", no way, not going. And add in a full moon to that? Suicide. So I'll still be avoiding such combinations, given I've been-there, done-that enough to know, and the log sticks to it.

But I do have record of some notes, not sure if on here or on my own docs, of a couple of instances last season where we went with a group on Day 2, post-front, and they had hunted the day before as well, Day 1 pre-front south winds/warm, etc. and said flight was better Day 1 than 2. A matter also of falling atmospheric pressure, versus high?



Went and looked up a few entries from last year:

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
3-man limit about as fast as you could load


Sun. 1/16/2022
Bunkie area field
David R and son Will, Johnny and I w/ Harry
post-front, rippin WNW 15-30, low 40s, heavy clouds partially clearing later
2 spoons, 2 geese, very slow.

Also saw a hunt from last season that was post-front, north winds blowing, clear skies......1 speck taken. Nothing is fail safe!

I'm with you, but I can remember a time when low overcast, wind, and spitting rain was a duck hunters dream, especially for rice hunters. I remember vividly a hunt I took my dad on near Pecan Island in the early 80's with that weather. Driving there with the wipers on occasionally to wipe the mist from the windshield, and seeing the roseau violently whipping in the north wind. It was a memorable hunt in a pond with no water and decoys leaning on the mud. This weather was more often then not the time to be in the field.
I don't think we have the numbers to cover the state in any weather as we once did. Today you'll find what's here are either concentrated in certain areas or spread too thin. Just my opinion.

[BigHutch]

I have to agree with you on your overall numbers theory. The December count was 28% less than the long term average. That is after the long term average continues to decrease because of the poor numbers counted in the last 6-7 years. Throw those years put of the average and we are likely wintering close to 40-45% less than historical norms.

We hold birds on our managed marsh in Pecan Island. Depending on the wind direction we may have several days of hunts with easy limits while other blinds struggle. Then when the wind direction changes we struggle for a couple of days while other blinds do well. Even on days when our hunting is “poor” birds are still on the property as evidenced the clouds that get up and move a little when a boat passes too close.

We also never get significant numbers of “flight” ducks anymore. If/when we get true “flight” birds they come through (as Rick might say) in dribs and drabs. I hunted lots of places years ago that only had “good” hunts when you had “flight” ducks. We killed lots of flight ducks 20 years ago on cloudy warm hard south winds and the next day or so of sunny hard north winds. Now we rarely see a significant difference.

Just my 2 cents
Robbie aka Big Hutch

[DComeaux]

I have to agree with you on your overall numbers theory. The December count was 28% less than the long term average. That is after the long term average continues to decrease because of the poor numbers counted in the last 6-7 years. Throw those years put of the average and we are likely wintering close to 40-45% less than historical norms.

We hold birds on our managed marsh in Pecan Island. Depending on the wind direction we may have several days of hunts with easy limits while other blinds struggle. Then when the wind direction changes we struggle for a couple of days while other blinds do well. Even on days when our hunting is “poor” birds are still on the property as evidenced the clouds that get up and move a little when a boat passes too close.

We also never get significant numbers of “flight” ducks anymore. If/when we get true “flight” birds they come through (as Rick might say) in dribs and drabs. I hunted lots of places years ago that only had “good” hunts when you had “flight” ducks. We killed lots of flight ducks 20 years ago on cloudy warm hard south winds and the next day or so of sunny hard north winds. Now we rarely see a significant difference.

Just my 2 cents
Robbie aka Big Hutch

Well said. Things have definitely changed.

[Darren]

Good observations. Got plenty pics of heavy straps and sunglasses on my face, but historically had plenty where no sunglasses needed.

Looks cloudy for Saturday, with south winds; we're goin see regardless.

[Ducaholic]

Good observations. Got plenty pics of heavy straps and sunglasses on my face, but historically had plenty where no sunglasses needed.

Looks cloudy for Saturday, with south winds; we're goin see regardless.

Lots of folks will be out on Saturday doing exactly what you and I will be doing. I hope that leads to some birds on the move

[Darren]

Sat. 1/28/2023
Bunkie farm
Phil (and young son), Neil, Corey, Johnny and I with Harry
ESE winds 5-10+, mostly cloudy/occasional sun, 40s to start


Closing hunt up here for the season and hoped we could scratch a few. First few ducks to come looking were pins and indeed they were interested. Field had been opened up more by geese and flooded higher above stubbles. The overnight crew moved speck decoys and pulled good many ducks leaving really natural looking, scattered duck spread. Chipped at the pintails and caught occasional spoons, fired on two groups of teal, one of each color. Really good speck flight showed plenty interest. We ran three callers and it seemed to make for excitement at times but also a few times they wanted the field but calling was just too much, should have backed off. Better shooting with the ducks and we probably easily double their take, but awfully hard to knock what we managed for a sweet one to end on. Neil’s taking a nice barbelly to the taxidermist.

(10) 4 pintails, 2 spoons, 2 GW teal, 2 BW teal, 5 specks

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Was nice to have so many helping hands in getting decoys out and pit cleaned, all while a hot breakfast cooked on the porch. As we ate breakfast, a few specks lit in the field. Still such a special place to us. Great ending to what’s been a pretty solid season.

[Rick]

Sweet way to close the farm.

[DComeaux]

What an awesome hunt.