was your season all that you ....

[don novicki]

Well, was your season all that you thought it would be? For me a resounding "Yes" I didn't expect anything, and that's exactly what I got, with the exception of a sea duck hunt in Ma. and RI with Ocean State Outfitters. The Pa. season sucks really bad anymore. I am thinking of not buying a Pa. license anymore, it's just that bad.................

[Rick]

In my case the question is largely one of whether their hunts were what our camp's guests expected or hoped they'd be. I know there were mornings when I was disappointed and my party was flat tickled and others when I was disappointed and my party was, too. I favor the former, but the latter is just part of it.

Overall, though, we were blessed to have the season we did, and I was blessed to know it.

[SpinnerMan]

My season was going to be unusual. I moved to Clearwater Beach, FL for the winter. So I really didn't know what my season would be. Hopes are always sky high, but practically I knew it could be tough.

Work truly took the big hit out of my fall. I traveled 7 weeks since mid October. This killed my ability to scout and figure out things down here. I had planned on getting a kayak early on and figuring out where I could use it to hunt ducks. Also planned to do a little deer and pig hunting. It simply didn't happen and end up hunting 0 days in Florida.

Now a few of those weeks took me back home to Joliet, IL where I did manage to get out hunting 15 days. And good fortune turned what could have been a very bad season into a memorable one. In particular, I had 5 consecutive days of Canada goose hunting that ranged from good to I've never seen it so good. I and everyone I hunted with limited every day on geese during that stretch. I got a Canadian Canada goose banded near Peawanuck, Ontario. We also got some ducks. And every day we could have shot more geese and the first two days we could have got a truck load of them. Most of the geese shot were beautifully decoyed birds about to land in snowball range responding to my call as if I was the Pied Piper of Canada geese.

I also had a huge heart breaker archery hunting. I have some arthritis in my shoulder. Usually doesn't bother me too much. Something flared it up pretty bad. I had a beautiful back within 15 yards and could not draw my compound bow to save my life. That has never happened, although on occasion it has been tough to pull when my shoulder is bothering me. The stupid thing is there is no reason for me to have the bow set so high. My max shot where I hunt is 30 yards. I had dialed it down a few years earlier when recovering from an elbow injury. I broke a couple strands on my string so I had to get the string replaced and when I did, I turned it back up since I had to re-sight. Cost me probably the biggest buck of my life and my first non-typical and first antlered buck with a bow.

They shot what looks to me to be a 180 inch 8 point near where I hunt. The thing was incredible. The guy in the area next to me actually saw it, it busted him, and went past my stand when I wasn't there. After a terrible archery season last year (saw 0 deer hunting and not a lot more on the cameras), at least I'm excited to archery hunt again.

[Throbbin Rods]

In terms of number of birds bagged, not so much
In terms of feeling better and being able to get into some of the back swamps with the canoe, and hunt with the son of an old friend, this was the best season in a long time. I put the boy on lots of birds, paddled him through some thick swamps that were filthy with ducks. Called geese in close enough that we could have killed them with a rock. New to me duck boat with all the trimmings that I did worked flawlessly. My health continues to improve and I can hardly wait for fishing season!

[Ducaholic]

2016/2017 was easily one of the worst years of the 60/6 era for me personally and those that hunt with and around me. After smacking them pretty good from 2008 thru 2013 (when I began keeping a log) my harvest totals began declining in 2014 and the drop off has been steady since then.

Winter or lack there of certainly was a major factor for my type of hunting which relies on cold fronts to move birds in and the water to hold them. We never got much in the way of cold fronts and the rain needed didn't come until after the first of the year which for me and my situation is too late.

Admittedly I made a couple of bad decisions on the location that I chose on a couple of hunts when I should have known better but that stuff happens. When you look back and begin to shoot holes in your own decisions it probably was just not your year.

Nevertheless I'll be chomping at the bit come next November.

[DComeaux]

Twas okay for me and my crew. New property this year and different spices of birds taken. Adjusting to logistics and all other newness are done with and I'm looking forward to next season. High water was a bit of a pain early on, but there's nothing we can do about mother nature.

[Darren]

Hard to complain about much on this season for us. Spent first split in the marshes of Delacroix (St Bernard Parish) and it was pretty strong and steady with grays and green wings, had some wonderful weekend hunts and weekday trips staying down at the camp. Just as that was fizzling in early second split, we got back to hunting the fields of Avoyelles Parish below Bunkie with the field holding water for first time in a few years after some repairs were made to levee/weir system. Got a good many hunts in here and, with the exception of the great freeze of early January that locked up the pond, always shot something. Rode this out till end of the season (this week) to the point where I've called it quits a few days early as I've gotten my fill, scratched the itch, and I'm ready for a break. One thing that was a drastic change this year was that it was first time I didn't make a single regular season public land hunt since I got started going on my own accord in the 2002-2003 season. The feeling of just showing up at shooting time to a blind I didn't have concern for someone else being in was a whole new, and enjoyable, ballgame.

Made plenty of hunts with usual crowd but also added a few new ones to the mix, and some that had been missing for a while. Harry showed significant improvement in his second season so we passed a good time. Log numbers crunched out to what we'd call a good season as well, surpassing a few seasons where I'd had similar numbers but with 7-9 more hunts.

Have already compiled plenty of to-do's for next season, mostly in preparation of more hunts at the Bunkie location, but also have some ideas for our Delacroix lease with regard to blinds, etc.

[Deltaman]

This has been a the worst season I have had in Coastal Alabama since I started hunting it in the early 70's. Thankfully, we get a decent showing of Gadwalls in the lower delta, but the constant pressure keeps them mostly sitting out in the middle of Mobile Bay. The big boost in duck hunting popularity over the past couple of years has made it a lot tougher. The increased pressure, coupled with the increased number of surface drives, has done more to cripple our chances than anything i could have ever imagined. Was a time when birds would gather in the skinny waters of all the inland bays to feed, pretty much undisturbed. If somebody wanted to hunt them, it would have be done with a push pole and some effort. The birds are are not so fortunate anymore, as they are being run up repetitively, and after being pressured this way so many times, either leave, or light out in Mobile Bay and wait until sunset to make the move to their feeding areas in the inland bays. If this keeps up, I reckon I'll pare down my local duck hunting, start saving my money, and hope that I can book a hunt or two with Rick!

[Darren]

Might have a surprising number rafted out on the gulf too, in addition to the bay. Come west on I-10, we'll go try 'em

[Deltaman]

Might have a surprising number rafted out on the gulf too, in addition to the bay. Come west on I-10, we'll go try 'em

I would not doubt it Darren! May have to take you up on that next season

[Olly]

My last season in Mobile? Let's just say I'm REALLY excited about moving to Oregon.

[FlintRiverFowler]

My last season in Mobile? Let's just say I'm REALLY excited about moving to Oregon.

Sounds like the beginning of a 90s movie.



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[aunt betty]

Dem OHreeGone boys gunna make you squeal like a ___.