DComeaux wrote:I like the North/South zone. We could close the first week of January to get the pressure off of the marsh and let imprinting begin.
Darren wrote:GOT TO HUNT INTO FEBRUARY, NO BIRDS IN LA TIL THEN!!
SpinnerMan wrote:Hen mallards are sluts and drakes rapists. I read somewhere but I can't find it but most clutches don't have one daddy. Does anyone know the statistics on that?
It has always bothered me knowing we're shooting into mated pairs in December and January and possibly a bit earlier, and it seems to bother me more now that I'm older. I love to duck hunt and have for a long time, but I feel we're taking advantage (read being greedy) of a wild living things used just for our enjoyment. [/quote]DComeaux wrote:
Ducaholic wrote:East Zone should mimic Arkansas's season day for day but it won't happen. LDWF/Larry/Commission have been hung up on hunting as many weekends as possible and with opening days on Saturday for years. I think we see the East/North Zone open on the 2nd Saturday of November going forward rather than the 3rd as is the case now to allow for the second split and closing on the 31st of January regardless of what day it falls on should we end up with a two zone scenario. That will satisfy those that want to hunt early and those that want to hunt late.
DComeaux wrote:It has always bothered me knowing we're shooting into mated pairs in December and January and possibly a bit earlier, and it seems to bother me more now that I'm older. I love to duck hunt and have for a long time, but I feel we're taking advantage (read being greedy) of a wild living things used just for our enjoyment.
Ducaholic wrote: Then you won't like what could be coming down the pike in terms of coastal zone season dates.
And I would caution you to never forget it's scientifically proven that 90% of what makes a duck a duck happens on the breeding grounds. Somewhere in that 10% is hunter mortality and it's also scientifically proven that hunting is not additive meaning it does not impact the species survival rate.
SpinnerMan wrote:Geese mate for life, so you are shooting mated pairs no matter when you hunt.
Darren wrote:"hunter's rifle"
DComeaux wrote:Darren wrote:"hunter's rifle"
Heard tell of some drive by sniping taking place for bands, so you never know.
DComeaux wrote:SpinnerMan wrote:Geese mate for life, so you are shooting mated pairs no matter when you hunt.
I'm well aware of that and have a recurring well etched memory of a time we took only one of a pair of speckle bellies. I would rather we had taken both and do push for that, but he or she was missed. I'm not going to go into detail of what I experienced but those high lone specs we see flying over mid morning yodeling non stop are probably involved in that same situation.
I've always been aware of pair bonding, mating rituals and timing but it seems those thoughts have migrated more to the front of my brain as I've aged, so to speak. I've always said that I have more respect and compassion for wildlife and domesticated animals than I do most humans. We were given the ability of thought and reason and we screw that up. Their struggle is to survive and reproduce.
Darren wrote:DComeaux wrote:Darren wrote:"hunter's rifle"
Heard tell of some drive by sniping taking place for bands, so you never know.
no doubt! Stacks of bands mean you are the ultimate duck/goose slayer, for sure.
Stumbled on an old newscast from my hometown region for Thanksgiving 1994, which of course included a weather forecast for the days to follow T-giving....
So next time someone tries to claim that it doesn't get cold any more like it "always" used to, I'm glad to point them to a chunk of the season in 1994 when it was not cold at all then either.
DComeaux wrote:SpinnerMan wrote:Geese mate for life, so you are shooting mated pairs no matter when you hunt.
I'm well aware of that and have a recurring well etched memory of a time we took only one of a pair of speckle bellies. I would rather we had taken both and do push for that, but he or she was missed. I'm not going to go into detail of what I experienced but those high lone specs we see flying over mid morning yodeling non stop are probably involved in that same situation.
I've always been aware of pair bonding, mating rituals and timing but it seems those thoughts have migrated more to the front of my brain as I've aged, so to speak. I've always said that I have more respect and compassion for wildlife and domesticated animals than I do most humans. We were given the ability of thought and reason and we screw that up. Their struggle is to survive and reproduce.
Darren wrote:Ducaholic wrote:East Zone should mimic Arkansas's season day for day but it won't happen. LDWF/Larry/Commission have been hung up on hunting as many weekends as possible and with opening days on Saturday for years. I think we see the East/North Zone open on the 2nd Saturday of November going forward rather than the 3rd as is the case now to allow for the second split and closing on the 31st of January regardless of what day it falls on should we end up with a two zone scenario. That will satisfy those that want to hunt early and those that want to hunt late.
My interactions have indicated that this is driven not by the regulators but the public outcry for losing a weekend. The average Joe hunter cannot make an opener on Friday, (muchless another weekday), as we saw from the Friday teal opener a few years back. I was a big fan of it, will make it regardless, but they caught a lot of hell for doing that........yes even though other states do the same thing.
No one I can think of is looking for an East Zone opener on the 2nd weekend, if anything they're wanting a later opener and running straight days if that were possible. (Recall my fights of years back to keep an EZ youth day on front end of season, to which some northeast La hunters argued they didn't have any ducks and/or had no water in first couple of weeks of Nov.)
Rick wrote:SpinnerMan wrote:Hen mallards are sluts and drakes rapists. I read somewhere but I can't find it but most clutches don't have one daddy. Does anyone know the statistics on that?
Has been my understanding that the production ideal is for pairs to bond and get away from the crowd early on so that the hen is free to take it easy and be in the best possible condition for motherhood. And that not being paired puts her back in the bars and physically worn down from dodging pickup artists and rapist when she eventually finds Mr. Right or gets knocked up in a gang bang.
Darren wrote:My interactions have indicated that this is driven not by the regulators but the public outcry for losing a weekend.
Darren wrote:no doubt! Stacks of bands mean you are the ultimate duck/goose slayer, for sure.
Ducaholic wrote:DComeaux wrote:SpinnerMan wrote:Geese mate for life, so you are shooting mated pairs no matter when you hunt.
I'm well aware of that and have a recurring well etched memory of a time we took only one of a pair of speckle bellies. I would rather we had taken both and do push for that, but he or she was missed. I'm not going to go into detail of what I experienced but those high lone specs we see flying over mid morning yodeling non stop are probably involved in that same situation.
I've always been aware of pair bonding, mating rituals and timing but it seems those thoughts have migrated more to the front of my brain as I've aged, so to speak. I've always said that I have more respect and compassion for wildlife and domesticated animals than I do most humans. We were given the ability of thought and reason and we screw that up. Their struggle is to survive and reproduce.
I could be totally wrong but I think our lack of success of late is impacting your thinking. You believe somehow if we reduced pressure, hunted fewer days, and lowered the limit ducks and geese would suddenly return in numbers of years gone by. I arrived at that conclusion based on our conversations and your recent comments. I’m sad to admit nothing will change so long as preferred habitat continues to grow to our north. Just have to make the best of it!
SpinnerMan wrote:Of course it does. That's the reason I have 13 band and not because they band the geese at the park that borders my club.
9 of 13 banded in Plainfield and shot in Plainfield. Obviously, that means I'm awesome
Ducaholic wrote:
As you are aware I’ve been involved for a while now. Been on both sides of the fence. It’s a combination of things but I’m happy to report going forward beyond 2020 if a certain person suggestions are followed we may have fewer days in November, more days in December and a season that runs to Jan 31 for better or worse.
Folks are going to have to get used to opening a split on a day that is not Saturday and closing a season out on a day that is not Sunday every year.
It’s past time that we hunt when the hunting is best. And you are right we won’t be opening any earlier.
DComeaux wrote:Ducaholic wrote:DComeaux wrote:SpinnerMan wrote:Geese mate for life, so you are shooting mated pairs no matter when you hunt.
I'm well aware of that and have a recurring well etched memory of a time we took only one of a pair of speckle bellies. I would rather we had taken both and do push for that, but he or she was missed. I'm not going to go into detail of what I experienced but those high lone specs we see flying over mid morning yodeling non stop are probably involved in that same situation.
I've always been aware of pair bonding, mating rituals and timing but it seems those thoughts have migrated more to the front of my brain as I've aged, so to speak. I've always said that I have more respect and compassion for wildlife and domesticated animals than I do most humans. We were given the ability of thought and reason and we screw that up. Their struggle is to survive and reproduce.
I could be totally wrong but I think our lack of success of late is impacting your thinking. You believe somehow if we reduced pressure, hunted fewer days, and lowered the limit ducks and geese would suddenly return in numbers of years gone by. I arrived at that conclusion based on our conversations and your recent comments. I’m sad to admit nothing will change so long as preferred habitat continues to grow to our north. Just have to make the best of it!
Nah, that's not my thinking at all, and I'm not really sure whats up with the migration as is anyone else, but I do have strong beliefs. I do agree that this preferred habitat (AKA buffets) do and will play a significant role in the demise of waterfowl hunting in this state.
a study from the University of Maryland found today’s climate conditions in Baton Rouge are similar to the climate conditions in Ciudad Gustavo Ordaz, Mexico more than 60 years ago, when the north-south distance between the cities is more than 300 miles.
Birds of all types and species are wintering farther north, a change taking place across the entire northern hemisphere.
“We know its true all around the globe,” Reynolds said. “The same type of white-fronted geese we have here in North America are wintering hundreds of miles farther north in Sweden.”
Another shocker: our wetlands are in a state of disarray. The Gulf of Mexico is continuously dissolving our coastal marsh, with about a third of our wetlands already lost since the 1930s. The remaining marsh is also being consumed by invasive pests like apple snails and nutria. Our native species are in another losing competition against non-natives like giant salvina, hyacinth and a host of others. Louisiana’s wetlands loss remains on a long-term trend of decline; it’s getting worse not better.
Remember the first “Duckmen” video? Phil Robinson and Warren Coco smashing greenheads, widgeon and grey ducks in flooded cypress swamp? That video was filmed in 1988 in the Maurepas Swamp.
“If you went to that same place today, it is a solid mat of giant salvina,” Reynolds said. “There hasn’t been a duck in there for 20 years.”
At the same time Louisiana’s natural habit declines, our rice production is also dropping, off 30% to 40% from historical highs. While our production declines, agriculture efficiency has improved. Thirty years ago the rice harvest left approximately 400 pounds per acre; today, it’s about 70 pounds per acre. That means there is 20% less waste grain available for foraging waterfowl.
The corn-producing acreage in the United States has increased by millions of acres over the past 20 years, a scale so large that waste grain can be found on the ground as late as spring.
“Species like snow geese are actually feeding on corn during their spring migration,” Reynolds said.
“In Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois, they had their best year in the last 10 year. They averaged 1.9 ducks per hunter,” Reynolds said.
It’s a stark lesson in perception. Midwestern states’ best average harvest is equal to one of Louisiana’s worst.
DComeaux wrote:SpinnerMan wrote:Of course it does. That's the reason I have 13 band and not because they band the geese at the park that borders my club.
9 of 13 banded in Plainfield and shot in Plainfield. Obviously, that means I'm awesome
It has puzzled me over the years as to why they even bother banding those Canada's. What is it that they are researching? Is it to get a taxpayer funded, research program, heaviest call lanyard winner? I've seen posts in the past of a group wiping out a whole flock in a single volley that were banded the day before in an adjacent field. I'm just not understanding the logic, and more importantly the waste in this.
DComeaux wrote:SpinnerMan wrote:Of course it does. That's the reason I have 13 band and not because they band the geese at the park that borders my club.
9 of 13 banded in Plainfield and shot in Plainfield. Obviously, that means I'm awesome
It has puzzled me over the years as to why they even bother banding those Canada's. What is it that they are researching? Is it to get a taxpayer funded, research program, heaviest call lanyard winner? I've seen posts in the past of a group wiping out a whole flock in a single volley that were banded the day before in an adjacent field. I'm just not understanding the logic, and more importantly the waste in this.
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