2022 2023 Season Log

[Deltaman]

Very interesting journey Dave!!!!!
That bird must've gotten hooked up with some of those left coast Pins when it was on it's way back

[DComeaux]

Wow DC that is incredible! With as dry as it is in California I guess she wasn’t too picky on where she sat down for a rest.

Can’t have your ducks over there canoodling with the Russians though.

Cajun spy.

[DComeaux]

Very interesting journey Dave!!!!!
That bird must've gotten hooked up with some of those left coast Pins when it was on it's way back

.....and stopped at a prison, of all places.



Wanted to add that the description written is taken from and email sent by Paul Link. He is the Research Program Manager
for the LA Department of Wildlife & Fisheries at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge.

[DComeaux]

Blake and I caught a few shrimp this weekend.

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The water in our marsh is very low right now which I like. I hope it stays this way to firm up the strip of mush that our blind is in. Saw a few teal in the evenings while out and about. Our soon to be screened area is all painted and in a couple of weeks the screens and doors will be installed

[Duck Engr]

“A few…”

[Rick]

That'd be pretty hard to take.

[Deltaman]

Marsh bounty!!!!!!!!!

[BGkirk]

I need to learn that skill


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[Rick]

I need to learn that skill

I was taught to toss full nets by a master in the form of a little Vietnamese kid, but don't terribly mind that a grandson's been doing it for us. Still, I can't look at many of Dave's coastal posts without missing that - and the reds - from my Pecan Island days.

[BGkirk]

There’s two things, other than ducks, that I kick myself for not putting more effort into…..

Frogs and shrimp


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[Deltaman]

I've heard that in LA, you can't puncture the skin on a frog when hunting them..........is that true? I grew up gigging them, then started using a .22. AL finally outlawed the .22 action on them, but we can still gig them or shoot with an air gun.

[DComeaux]

I've heard that in LA, you can't puncture the skin on a frog when hunting them..........is that true? I grew up gigging them, then started using a .22. AL finally outlawed the .22 action on them, but we can still gig them or shoot with an air gun.

This from the LA LDWF website.
FROGS
LEGAL METHOD OF TAKE
• Frogs may be taken using any visible light and mechanical devices
known as frog catchers or with devices that puncture the skin, such
as gigs or spears.
ILLEGAL METHOD OF TAKE
• Possession of firearms while taking or hunting frogs at night is prohibited.
BULLFROGS AND PIG FROGS
• Length requirements (measured from tip of the muzzle to the posterior end of the body between the hind legs)
• Bullfrogs harvested must be 5 inches or larger.
• Pig frogs harvested must be 3 inches or larger.
• Frogs harvested on private lands, ponds or waters where the individual is an authorized representative are not limited by length
requirements.
• Harvest is legal during all months of the year except April and May

[Darren]

Can't say I realized that it was basically always frog season year round, except for April and May.

I'd always thought some pursued them in some months more than others. Never been myself, but hear it's a hoot, wife would want to go too. Do love some fried frog legs

[Ducaholic]

Can't say I realized that it was basically always frog season year round, except for April and May.

I'd always thought some pursued them in some months more than others. Never been myself, but hear it's a hoot, wife would want to go too. Do love some fried frog legs

I'm fresh out of kids to go with while I drive the boat. It is for sure a hoot

We caught thousands growing up and they are great table fare!

[Rick]

I've heard that in LA, you can't puncture the skin on a frog when hunting them..........is that true?

Now have a stepson who is our family frogger, so I couldn't tell you when it changed but that was, indeed, the case when I moved here in '83. One fellow I went with in those days carried an old polymer paddle he called his "frogamatic" to whack them with and a black windsock-looking thing on a long stick he'd get them to jump into and then twist to hold them.

Stepson just grabs them by the hundred, as our frogs are flat stupid compared to those under greater pressure.

[Deltaman]

I spent a week in May on a houseboat in Stevensville, LA a few years ago, and had my duck skiff. Caught plenty of fish, and was amazed at how many bull frogs there were . It was a family get together with a BIL that was working in the area, and had I done my homework, I would've taken a light and gig along. Listened to them all week long, a saw lot of them all over.
Old timers here talked about using a cane pole, fishing line with a small bream hook, and a little piece of red cloth to dangle in front of them when shining a light. Said they would attack it, but can't say I've taken the time to try. Any of you ever heard of such?

[SpinnerMan]

Old timers here talked about using a cane pole, fishing line with a small bream hook, and a little piece of red cloth to dangle in front of them when shining a light. Said they would attack it, but can't say I've taken the time to try. Any of you ever heard of such?

I've heard of it. Never did it. I would be shocked if it didn't work. One day I caught three bullfrogs on a frog lure fishing for bass without trying.

[Rick]

Old timers here talked about using a cane pole, fishing line with a small bream hook, and a little piece of red cloth to dangle in front of them when shining a light. Said they would attack it, but can't say I've taken the time to try. Any of you ever heard of such?

Never at night, but that was the drill when I was a kid, fishing was slow and frogs were around. Older folks did claim a bit of red rag or yarn was the ticket, but any small spinner with a fuzzy treble hook tail turned out to be a pretty near sure thing.

[DComeaux]

You can even use a poule d'eau.

[Deltaman]

Holy Cow.......that frog was Haingry!!!!!!!!

[DComeaux]

Date: 11/12/2022 Opening Day BIG DUCK

Cloud Cover: low overcast

Wind Direction and Velocity: NNW 15 to 25

Temperature: Lower 50's

Moon phase: Wanning Gibbous

Waterfowl Activity: Next to nothing. What we did see was passing through

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Good

Hunters: ME and Blake

Birds By Species: 1 BW 3 GW 1 Gadwall

Photo Ops:

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The strong wind we had made it impossible to hear the shooting around us but from the NW. Everyone we spoke to in this area including camp neighbors had quick limits. Our water level is the lowest I've seen it to start the season which tells me that we are cut off from a strong tidal influence, which I found out for certain this evening. The big wind has pushed the water to the back of the property, and we will be running a 1/4 mile + section of ditch in a boat bottom sized trench carved out from our traffic today with no water. Once passed this stretch of mud we have a sheet of water to work with and our pond area is holding plenty.

We should have had a few more birds, as we did have the opportunity, but Blake's barrel was bent. One such event was three gadwall that came at us from the west. I let them pass us just a bit and called. They all broke and turned into the wind and gently fell into the decoys. I let the first two pass as they were falling fast and raised up and took the trailing and higher bird that seemed a little more reluctant. I watched it to the water then turned to the other two after Blakes 2nd and then final shot to see them flying away.

The back blind did take a red head hen which I had to identify through a text message stating "what is this". We did see a good-sized flock of Canvas back and other big divers that I'm now fairly certain were redheads. We also so a few bunches of scaup.

Surveyors were on the property Wednesday, Thursday and yesterday morning marking the property lines so the new landowner can get the new levees put in. I was told tonight that in two years the place should be set up and managed well for waterfowl. There will no doubt be a flurry of activity out there after this season ends, as the new owner wants to put a blind for himself at the most southern part of this property......... Fingers crossed.

We took more shrimp and some nice crabs which Blake and I indulged in of the latter for Lunch. We'll be taking home roughly 35# of Shrimp and 7 or 8 dozen extremely full crabs.

This is just a few of the crabs.

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Some of the shrimp. It was a busy day.

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[Duck Engr]

Not a bad day out on the water DC! Hope things pick up at your location duckwise.

[Anotherone]

South wind is coming, get ready.

[Ericdc]

South wind is coming, get ready.

When? I'm not seeing anything south down there or up here for at least 10 days.


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[DComeaux]

Date: 11/13/2022

Cloud Cover: Clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: NE 10 to 15

Temperature: mid 40's

Moon phase: Wanning Gibbous

Waterfowl Activity: More seen today, mostly teal.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: They just showed up. Low level flight makes it hard to see them until they're on us.

Hunters: ME and Blake

Birds By Species: 12 GW

Photo Ops: Blake with the birds.

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I needed two birds to fill my limit, and scotch doubled on a group of 4 that split apart when we rose to shoot. We had a lot of low traffic today consisting of small groups of GW teal. Had a 3 pack of spoons work and not get right. We finished up around 7:45. Did not see any high big duck's flights other than the spoonbill mentioned. Many of those who made limits around us yesterday didn't today. Particularly those who had BW yesterday.
When we got back to the camp, I first heard then saw my first robin of the year. I also forgot to mention yesterday that we saw a small flock of snows and did so again today.

The wife wanted my crab and shrimp stew concoction tonight, so I obliged.

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[5 stand]

Mighty fine hunt!
Pretty sure I'd eat that concoction and like it!!!

[Duck Engr]

Mighty fine hunts and eats indeed!

[Rick]

Pretty sure I'd eat that concoction and like it!!!

But you'd get your fingers messy...

[DComeaux]

Pretty sure I'd eat that concoction and like it!!!

But you'd get your fingers messy...

Finger licken good.

[Darren]

Great weekend all around, glad the birds showed for yall.....long overdue!