State of the Season

[Darren]

Same week comparison, May 2024 vs. May 2023

Certainly does appear good bit better for South Dakota.

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[Duck Engr]

My comparison was to what it was coming out of winter without a lot of snow, but certainly better than last year too like you said.

[Darren]

Thought this fun for discussions, early Duck Commander video with both Go Devlil founder Warren Coco and Duck Commander's Phil R. in the Maurepas/Manchac swamp areas of Louisiana that dont get birds at all like this any more.




Mallards, sure, BUT the wigeon......gooood night.

[Rick]

site is running slow which could be the cause, but I'm just seeing youtube's "error" message. Your description, however, sounds like the very first video produced. Robertson told me it was produced by pros with zip hunting but tons of film experience, took far longer to finish than it appears and cost enough that he was worried about it paying for itself. Gave me a copy, which I watched and returned so he could pass it to someone else. Still the best such video I've seen.

[DComeaux]

Showing an error message on your post. I actually bought that video when it first came out.

[Darren]

Bummer, can't embed, maybe just link below will do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU5dT_Tlq_s

[Rick]

That would be a whole season's worth of wigeon ops today.

[Darren]

That would be a whole season's worth of wigeon ops today.

Absolutely. Just nuts how they've "shifted", one way or another, E/W, N/S, no one seems to know. Venice is still killing them and a few in Delacroix but nothing like the video shows, or even the 2004 and 2005 seasons in Lake Pontchartrain area.

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We were picking stud drakes out of wads of 15-20 over the decoys. Not one made it to the taxidermy, we were poor college kids. Thankfully shells were 89.99/case for Winchester Xpert.

[Rick]

Have to go back to a '90s morning, but I had a party of collectors and their taxidermist shoot 14 drake wigeon to get their four perfect little footballs with clean masks and caps and long (for wigeon) sprigs. My parties shot 12 all last season - and that seemed exceptional.

[Darren]

Have to go back to a '90s morning, but I had a party of collectors and their taxidermist shoot 14 drake wigeon to get their four perfect little footballs with clean masks and caps and long (for wigeon) sprigs. My parties shot 12 all last season - and that seemed exceptional.

Rick, note the Chien Caille I was toting along at that time. It's for safekeeping, off-lanyard, these days.

[Rick]

Still occasionally see someone seeking one of Mervis' duck calls and wonder if it won't eventually be more collectable than the speck.

[Darren]

Have to go back to a '90s morning, but I had a party of collectors and their taxidermist shoot 14 drake wigeon to get their four perfect little footballs with clean masks and caps and long (for wigeon) sprigs. My parties shot 12 all last season - and that seemed exceptional.

Rick, your mention of a wigeon sprig reminds me of a buddy reporting having taken a "hybrid" wigeon/pin last year because it had a sprig of sorts. Nope, its just a good wigeon!