2022 - 2023 DUCK SEASON

[5 stand]

Mighty fine !

[DComeaux]

Nice hunts. Glad you guy's had some birds to play with.

[Darren]

Nice hunts! Hope Abby recovers soon

[5 stand]

Yeah, I kind of dismissed Abby's injury, I also hope she's better soon... Just not the same if you are not able to hunt with your dog...

[Bud]

Always been a man of strong faith, and fog has never stopped us hunting but once. It was when my partner started worrying and telling me I was going the wrong way halfway to the pullover. Yes, he was kind of new to duck hunting. Tide was going out and we were going out with it. My old partner and I never had a problem with going the three to four miles to the pullover (may he RIP from cancer) in the fog. No markers, we were right on track when he started telling me and pointing which way to go. Couldn't see the sky for a star. I finally had enough of it and told him to throw the anchor out.

"Do what?" The boat turned 180 degrees and came to a stop. I asked him which way to the pullover and he could not tell me. I told him I knew which way to the boat ramp. Told him to pull in the anchor and I slowly made my way back to the boat ramp, which had a street light there. After running slowly against the tide about 20 minutes, a hint of light appeared in front of the boat. We crept toward it. There was no other light in the area. He asked me what we were going to do if it wasn't the boat ramp. Told him we would go to the light and stay there until we could see. He calmed down.

We could not actually see the landing until we were right in front of it. I was ready to just go home. We loaded up and drove slowly to the Interstate.
Never question the experience of someone that has hunted the place over 25 years. Mainly, don't worry: just do something about it.

That was the second-thickest fog I was ever in. That time, I took the wheel from the guy and drove us about ten miles back from the sound. He was a shrimper and could not tell me where we were correctly. It was my brother's boat. He couldn't even use a Loran C, and I had taken us out there. Nothing worse than not knowing at low tide, and directly in front of us was a sandbar.

Thanks for all you share with us. We learn from others' experiences, too. Probably won't see much fog for the next week or longer.

[Ricky Spanish]

Fog?
This place gets foggy.
Warm water creates it.
You can see the marina, beach, and power plant it's pretty simple.
Launch at the launch by the beach.
Use the boys along the swimming area to point towards the power plant. Usually the light on top of the reactor dome is visible just aim at it.
You eventually see bouys at the cove entrance.
Somehow I saw a light in the fog and ended up at the marina.
Only once in 40 years have I got lost on the lake.
The power plant don't move.

Screenshot_20221219_151710_Maps.jpg

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Wednesday, Dec 21, 2022

Hunters: Matthew, William, Christian and I (grandsons) no room in vehicle for Abby

Temp: Low 40's, NE - E wind 10mph

I told my grandsons they have become a jinx. I thought before the big front coming we would have ducks moving everywhere, once again I was wrong. I shot twice and downed 1 gadwall, Christian shot once and wiffed. Matthew and William were in another blind and I am told Matthew shot 3 times at a teal over the decoys and missed, William shot twice and got 1 teal.
We just did not have any ducks moving.

Total: John & Christian - 1- gadwall
Matthew and William - 1 - greenwing teal

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Thursday, Dec 22, 2022

Hunters: Matthew, William, Christian and I

Temp: Upper 40s, wind NE - E zero to 8mph and light fog

Once again no ducks. It is hard trying to entertain a 9 year old when there are no ducks, or any other birds flying. I saved a lot on shotgun shells the past 2 days.

Totals: Christian and John - 1 - greenwing teal

Matthew and William- 1 - greenwing teal

[Deltaman]

Bummer on the bird numbers, but you got some quality time at the camp with the Grands!
Thanks for the reports MB!

[DComeaux]

Where are the ducks? Maybe this weekend we'll have a change. Two of our camp neighbors hunted this morning on their lease in the fresh/brackish marsh just north of the refuge. One blind took two and the other scratched.

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Friday, Dec 30, 2022

Hunters: Me and Abby

Temp: 64 degrees, wind NE 5 - 10 mph

Buddy was using my boat he had grandsons with him, so I was dropped off at my blind by another club member. Did not notice it until I got in the blind, but almost all the decoys had been blown to the bank during the cold weather and high winds. Our marsh is not walkable, the bottom has no bottom, so I was stuck with what I had, 9 decoys to my north and about 18 decoys to my south. This blind started with 8 dozen decoys. I decided not to put out a mojo so I had very little to attract ducks. I watched as ducks moved north and south of me and other blinds shooting. Finally a pair of teal flew over the decoys and I got one, 1/2 hour or so another teal decoyed in perfect and Abby brought that one in. I sat for over an hour with out shooting, some of this was my fault looking the wrong way when ducks passed. Then a flock of about 50 teal came low over the decoys, I shot 3 times and 4 teal laid dead on the water. Abby went out picked up 2 at a time, sent her back again and she brought in the other 2 at the same time. I was done but had to wait for my ride, and while waiting did not have another duck that would have been in range to shoot.

Total: 6 - greenwing teal

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Saturday, Dec 31, 2022

Hunters: Me and Abby

Temp: 68 degrees, wind NW 5 - 8 mph, shifting to the SW 5 - 8, then down to about zero then back to 5 - 8

Very few ducks moving early, did not hear much shooting in the area. Finally a grey duck came to die straight to the decoys, I am not skunked. Then a flight of 16 pintail passed on the side of me just out of gun range, I watched as they circled one of our blinds that was vacant, then headed back my way, this time a little closer, I was able to drop a pintail drake, but it was still very lively. Abby chased that pintail all over the pond, with the duck diving, then going to the grass, then back to the water, Abby chased that duck for 15 - 20 minutes before she finally got him. Then the fog rolled in, and it was thick, could not see a duck for over an hour. When the fog lifted I could see some big flights of teal, but none wanted to come and play. Then a flight of teal passing on the far end of pond responded to my call, and here they come, I shot 3 times and 4 teal were dead on the water, that is twice in 2 days, the duck gods were shinning upon me. Again Abby went out twice picking up 2 teal at a time. I had my boat today, so I packed up and went back to the camp.

Totals: 4 - greenwing teal, 1 - pintail, 1 - gadwall

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Sunday, Jan 1, 2023

Hunters: Me and Abby

Temp: 68 degrees, wind almost zero, FOG, FOG, FOG

I did not hunt

[DComeaux]

Nice solo hunts!

[Rick]

God bless the green-wings.

[Darren]

Nice solo hunts !

[Duck Engr]

A regular Tom Knapp on those teal!

[Deltaman]

Glad your solo hunts with no boat went well, and pretty darn nice to shoot three times and kill four birds, two days in a row

[MARSH BEAR]

Thanks, but it was more luck than ability

[5 stand]

Mighty fine !

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Monday, Jan 9, 2023

Hunters: Buddy and I, no Abby

Temp: 60 degrees, wind NE about 10 mph, mostly clear

We had very few teal this morning, but we did see a lot of Gadwall moving north to south mostly high, and nobody wanted to come and play. As always a few flights of teal caught us looking the wrong way, and when it is slow that hurts.
Took Abby to the vet and it appears she has a torn ACL in her left rear leg. Have not decided what to do yet, but she is out for the rest of the season.

Totals: 4 - greenwing teal, 1 - Gadwall

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Tuesday, Jan 10, 2023

Hunters: Buddy and I

Temp: 64 degrees, wind SSE 2 - 10 mph, almost foggy early, just a little haze.

Saw a few more teal this morning, but most had other destinations in mind. Did not see the Gadwall this morning that we saw yesterday, hope they were not leaving. Lost a Mallard hen in the grass, really miss Abby

Totals: 4 - greenwing teal, 1 - Gadwall, 1 - Mallard (drake)

[5 stand]

The dog I had before Triggers mother was named Ann and she tore her cruciate ligament... I had it fixed at Oklahoma State University, TPLO surgery it worked great, but wasn't cheap...
She tore the other cruciate on her other leg a few years later and I tried the band, it only lasted about a year, she was a big dog weighed about 90 pounds... The band might work better on a 60 lb dog... Wishing you and Abby the best of luck on whatever decision you decide to do...

[Duck Engr]

Really hate to hear that about Abby, MB

[Deltaman]

Sounds like you had to work for them, but still came back with a decent bag of ducks both days. Sorry to hear of Abby's ACL issue, and hope she mends well!

[DComeaux]

Sorry to hear about Abby.

[Rick]

Hate that for Abby, and you.

[Darren]

Very sorry to hear of ol gal's injury.

[BigHutch]

I am very very sorry to hear about Abby. I feel your pain. My lab Honey has the same injury. Surgery is $3000-$3500 with no guarantees. I didn’t pay for surgery. I still hunt Honey on “easy” rice field hunts but she can’t hunt the marsh.

Robbie aka “Big Hutch”

[MARSH BEAR]

Thanks guys, vet says to let her "rest" for a month or six weeks and see what happens