2023 - 2024 Duck Season

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Saturday, Nov 4, 2023 - Opening day of Youth/Veterans hunt

Hunters: Christian, Hayden, and me

Temp: 58 degrees, wind ENE 5 - 10 mph

Not many ducks in our area. Christian is only 10 and only hunted twice before, every bird he saw he asked if that was a duck, unfortunately I had to tell him no most every time. Hayden has only hunted a few times but surprisingly good at duck ID, he is 15.
Hayden shot well for the few times he has hunted, and I did not shoot well at all.
We heard very few shots from other hunters in our area
Another blind with 2 youths - 16 year old - only managed 2 ducks

Total: 3 - Spoonies, 1 - Greenwing teal, 2 - Gadwall

We did not see a duck on our way back to the landing

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Sunday, Nov 5, 2023 - last day of youth hunt

Hunters: Hayden and I - Christian had to leave Saturday he had a football game on Sunday

Temp: 61 degrees, wind 5 - 10 mph ENE

There was a little fog in our area when we left the camp, but clear at the boat landing. We hunted about the first hour and it was clear, then we could see the fog rolling in. We had heavy fog for about an hour. We saw a few more ducks today than the day before, but still not the numbers we were hoping for. Hayden again shot better than I expected and I shoot a little better than yesterday. Had about 20 Gadwall locked and coming into the decoys when another blind decided to shoot, that would have been our largest group to shoot at. Had 6 greenwing teal pass over the blind, should have been an easy shot, 6 shots later they flew away.
The other group with 2 youths killed 8 ducks today.

Totals: 2 - bluewing teal, 2 - spoonies, 2 - greenwing teal, 1 - gadwall, 1 - wigeon.

Will be going to camp on Friday for opening weekend - forecast is for rain.

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Sunday, Nov 5, 2023 - last day of youth hunt

Hunters: Hayden and I - Christian had to leave Saturday he had a football game on Sunday

Temp: 61 degrees, wind 5 - 10 mph ENE

There was a little fog in our area when we left the camp, but clear at the boat landing. We hunted about the first hour and it was clear, then we could see the fog rolling in. We had heavy fog for about an hour. We saw a few more ducks today than the day before, but still not the numbers we were hoping for. Hayden again shot better than I expected and I shoot a little better than yesterday. Had about 20 Gadwall locked and coming into the decoys when another blind decided to shoot, that would have been our largest group to shoot at. Had 6 greenwing teal pass over the blind, should have been an easy shot, 6 shots later they flew away.
The other group with 2 youths killed 8 ducks today.

Totals: 2 - bluewing teal, 2 - spoonies, 2 - greenwing teal, 1 - gadwall, 1 - wigeon.

Will be going to camp on Friday for opening weekend - forecast is for rain.

[5 stand]

Sounds like a successful weekend to me...

Good luck this weekend...

[Deltaman]

Good on you for getting them out there for the youth weekend, and glad some birds showed up for y'all!!!!!

[Darren]

Some nice hunts!! Same on my end of not seeing too many overall but if you made your shots you could put a lil stringer together.

Good luck Saturday !

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Saturday, Nov 11, 2023 - Opening day of hunting season

Hunters: Buddy and I with Abby

Temp: 59 degrees, wind N - 10 mph, chilly with the humidity

Saw very few ducks, and what we did see were mostly Scaup and Spoonbills. We did hear one blind to our north (not on our lease) shoot about 2 boxes of shells, don't what he was shooting at. Most of our members only had a couple ducks per blind.
Last weekend during youth hunt my boat starting acting up, first thought it was water in the fuel, but emptied the gas tank into a clean 5 gal bucket and found no water.
Today the motor was running worse than last week. My mechanic (a club member) took a look at it and said I had a short somewhere going to the computer (EFI engine).

Did not feel comfortable taking the boat out on Sunday, so Buddy and I packed up and took the boat to my mechanic's shop and headed home.

Total: 1 - Spoonbill, 1 - Scaup

I think I will be stupid and hunt again this coming weekend

[BGkirk]

I’m still running a 35 carb motor for that reason. I hate that for you. Cannot tell you how many efi issues I’ve seen. Hopefully it’s a warranty fix!


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[Duck Engr]

I’m still running a 35 carb motor for that reason. I hate that for you. Cannot tell you how many efi issues I’ve seen. Hopefully it’s a warranty fix!


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Same here. Had the option back in 2015 when I bought this motor and opted for the carb.

[DComeaux]

I've heard nothing but bad things about EFI on mud motors.

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Thursday, Nov 16, 2023

Hunters: Me and Abby

Temp: Low 60's wind NE 10 mph

Not much of anything flying, not even Seagulls. I only had 3 opportunities to shoot, and did not shoot very well. When I shoot poorly it is because I do not get my head down - I am looking on top of the barrel not down the barrel. Abby was bored most of the morning.

Total: 2 - greenwing teal, 1 - gadwall

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Friday, Nov 17, 2023

Hunters: Me and Abby again

Temp: low 60's wind SE 10 mph

Again not much flying, but I shot better today, I had a double on teal and gadwall. Abby made a great retrieve on one of the Gadwall. Our marsh is not holding ducks, all of our ducks are passing through.
Hunting by myself was peaceful, although a few opportunities slip by looking the wrong way.

Total: 2 - greenwing teal, 2 - bluewing teal, 2 - gadwall

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Saturday, Nov 18, 2023

Hunters: Me and Abby

Temp: low 60's, wind NE 10 mph

I went to a blind that has not done well so far this season, but has been a decent blind in the past. A few camp members showed up last night, but did not want to hunt with me at the blind I chose - they made a very poor decision. I had my limit in 20 minutes, and anyone with me should have done the same. The Gadwall wanted the pond I was in, and when I was picking up the teal were decoying 50-75 at a time.

Total: 6 - gadwall

[Rick]

Nice turn for the better.

[Duck Engr]

That’ll keep you coming back!

[DComeaux]

Nice turn for the better.

Love it when that happens...

[Deltaman]

Glad it picked up for you MB!!!!!

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Friday, Nov 24, 2023

Hunters: Buddy and I with Abby

Temp: 45 degrees, wind NE 10 mph

We pulled the blind I had done well in last Saturday. My luck was not so good this day. A blind to our north, on another lease was shooting all morning, I thought they would run out of shells, and we saw very few ducks.

Totals: 2 - greenwing teal, 2 - spoonbill, 2 - scaup

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Saturday, Nov 25, 2023

Hunters: Buddy and I with Abby

Temp: 50 degrees, wind N 5 - 10 mph

The day started out good, teal were moving, we had a few flights come through the decoys, and some of the flights we did not see until they were going away. Then the flights quit, I mean shut down, nothing. Pretty day to be in the marsh.

Totals: 6 - greenwing teal, 1 - mallard (drake)

A mallard is a big thing for us, we don't get many in our marsh.

[5 stand]

Six x better than DNS...

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Dec 1, 2023

Hunters: Me and Abby

Temp: 665 degrees, wind SE 5 - 10 mph

Another slow morning in the duck blind. About 8:00 am two teal passed on the side of the blind, I was able to down both of them - one was a blue wing the other a greenwing. When I was taking the blue wing out of Abby's mouth I saw here starring above the decoys, I turned and it was 6 Wigeon, I had moved my gun because Abby would shake after giving me the bird, I reached for my gun, but by then the Wigeon were moving away. I was able to down one of the birds, as I took it from her I saw it had a band.
The Wigeon was banded near Bell City, Cameron Parish, LA on 02-01-21, by Paul T LInk.
No other ducks came into shooting range.

Total: 1 - blue wing teal, 1 - green wing teal, 1 - wigeon (banded)

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Saturday, Dec 2, 2023

Hunters: Me and Abby

Temp: 60 degrees, wind NE 10 mph

Saw more ducks today, not many teal in the area, but more Gadwall. Hunting by yourself you aren't always looking the right direction, 2 teal passed, and I was lucky to get one of them. This blind has no brush left on it, and the person that hunted it previously did not tell anyone, I had no cover and it cost me a chance at a group of teal, and a small group of Gadwall. I got out of the blind and crapped up any small pieces of brush I could find, it wasn't good but better than I had. After that I had 2 groups of about 20 Gadwall come in pretty, I was able to get 2 ducks out of each group. After that not may chances and my shooting went south.

Total: 5 - gadwall, 1 - blue wing teal

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Sunday, Dec 3, 2023

Hunters: Joey and I with Abby

Temp: 55 degrees, wind NNW 0 - 5 mph

It was a slow morning not many ducks moving, heard very few shots in the area.
Hope to hunt the second split opener Dec 11.

Totals: 4 - gadwall, 2 - spoonbill, 1 - green wing teal

[Rick]

The Wigeon was banded near Bell City, Cameron Parish, LA on 02-01-21, by Paul T LInk.

Might have had my grubby little mitts all over your bird.

[Duck Engr]

Date: Dec 1, 2023

Hunters: Me and Abby

Temp: 665 degrees, wind SE 5 - 10 mph

Another slow morning in the duck blind. About 8:00 am two teal passed on the side of the blind, I was able to down both of them - one was a blue wing the other a greenwing. When I was taking the blue wing out of Abby's mouth I saw here starring above the decoys, I turned and it was 6 Wigeon, I had moved my gun because Abby would shake after giving me the bird, I reached for my gun, but by then the Wigeon were moving away. I was able to down one of the birds, as I took it from her I saw it had a band.
The Wigeon was banded near Bell City, Cameron Parish, LA on 02-01-21, by Paul T LInk.
No other ducks came into shooting range.

Total: 1 - blue wing teal, 1 - green wing teal, 1 - wigeon (banded)

Neat! Glad you were quick to your gun!


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[MARSH BEAR]

Monday, Dec 11, 2023 - second split opener

Hunters: Buddy and I

Temp: MId 30's, wind NE to ENE 0 to 5 mph

Not many ducks in our area, did not hear much shooting in the area except our #6 blind where they limited out, but our other 3 blinds did poorly. The few opportunities we had would not commit. We spoke to the lease manager after the hunt and he said all reports he got was poor.
Did not bring Abby - her leg was very sore after the 12/3 hunt and I decided to let her rest another week

Total: 2 - greenwing teal, 1 - Gadwall

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Tuesday, Dec 12, 2023

Hunters: Buddy and I

Temp: low 40's wind NE 10 mph all morning

Same story as yesterday, the few ducks we saw stayed away from the decoys. Buddy and I were the only hunters from our camp to hunt today, and we heard very little shooting in the area.

Total: 3 = greenwing teal

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Wednesday, Dec 13, 2023

Hunters: Buddy and I

Temp: mid to upper 40"s wind NE 10 mph, partly cloudy

I decided to leave the spinners at the camp, ducks seemed to be shying away from them. We went to our #9 blind which is the northern most blind on our lease - it has been hot and cold all year. With the north winds our marsh is lower than usual, that is good because it will flush out some of our extra salty water.
Leaving the spinners at the camp was a good idea, ducks finally were working. I don't know what was wrong with Buddy, but every group of ducks that came from his side he did not see coming, and they were always a surprise. We shot OK but not great.
We shot more than any other blind in area, again we were the only hunters from our club.

Totals: 3 - greenwing teal, 5 - gadwall, 4 - spoonbill

Normally would pass on the spoonbill, but after the last 2 days we took what we could

[DComeaux]

Louisiana is a duck desert. There are a few pockets of birds where blinds are doing good and are consistant.

[MARSH BEAR]

Date: Saturday, Dec 16, 2023

Hunters: Me and Abby

Temp: 55 degrees, wind N 10 mph

Big rain Friday night into Saturday morning. We decided to sleep late Saturday and hunt after the rain quit, so we got to the boat landing about 8:00 am and got settled in the blind about 8:30. I ran ducks out of the decoys when I drove up. I had on a light coat, but for some reason I kept getting my gun caught somewhere on the coat, I shoot 1/2 box of shells before I hit the first duck, took the coat off and did much better. I was seeing mostly Gadwall, but it wasn't until after 9:30 that they decoyed, they mostly stayed on the outer edge of the decoys before that.

Total: 6 - Gadwall