Duck Season 2025-2026

[Rick]

Making memories.

[Darren]

Fri 11/28/2025
HBFC - A51 Blind
Brother in Law Peter C. joining Johnny and I and Harry
Winds NNE 15-25, low 50s, clear skies/sunny

Stout wind off the bat and even some early action on green wings, grays didn’t do much until after 7:30 or so. We saw quite a few grays holding just north of us, mostly staying in that area, and also noted a whole bunch go down on our south end of the lease into some known potholes. We were mostly in between the bulk of traffic but what did come did it pretty for us for the most part. So glad my BIL was there to see it and enjoy the shooting. Harry was nails on anything that made it to the grass, and most were easy in pond.

(18) 10 grays, 8 GW teal
*saved the 18th duck, a nice drake gray, got potential mount. I called it in, Johnny shot it. Would like to do it as a standing mount on a log as a table piece kinda like the mottled I have.

#18 himself

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Our loooong time favorite blind on lease continues to show why, so sweet to see it return to form and we’re enjoying the new blind fab we did in September. The strategy of that move from the north shore to mid pond is definitely paying off.

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Will took a solo limit of 3 green teal, 2 blue teal, and one Bufflehead in our Redhead Blind, finishing out right before a whole bunch of grays converged in puddles just behind the blind.

[Duck Engr]

Awesome to see off-season projects paying dividends!

[Rick]

Definitely on a roll over there...

[DComeaux]

Why are you hogging all the waterfowl?

[Rick]

'Cause he can.

[Darren]

Why are you hogging all the waterfowl?

Per what I’m hearing in gunfire and getting from field reports, interior Delacroix is flat wrecking the teal, spoons, and smattering of pins. The grays, though, are in the outer marshes where we are. I’m sitting out this weekend for a family member’s poor choice in wedding date, in Gulf Shores AL, mind you. Weather next week looks enticing so I’m scheming.

[DComeaux]

Why are you hogging all the waterfowl?

Per what I’m hearing in gunfire and getting from field reports, interior Delacroix is flat wrecking the teal, spoons, and smattering of pins. The grays, though, are in the outer marshes where we are. I’m sitting out this weekend for a family member’s poor choice in wedding date, in Gulf Shores AL, mind you. Weather next week looks enticing so I’m scheming.

I think a wedding during duck season should be against the law.. You are allowed to not attend as a duck hunter.. Someone could face time you the festivities.

[Darren]

Did our duty and made a trek there and back yesterday so it worked out fine. No one out hunting today I think, but Will got a solo limit in A51 blind yesterday, 4 grays/2 GW teal.

[Darren]

Tues. 12/2/2025
Delacroix HBFC West Blind
Will and I with both our dogs, Harry & Loki
Winds rippin WNW/NNW 15 to nearly 30, heavy clouds, very chilly low 50s with the wind

Frontal passage of some kind so had to go try it, but unfortunately felt like it was too much wind. From what we saw, and how they treated us, we also had too much pond for that wind as well. Not whole lot of grays trafficking but what did come by showed initial interest then bailed, or circled and circled as grays do. Got one of a pair that finished OK for us here at West Pond. Seeing numbers on SE end of property, we made a move/scout effort that way and jumped a lot of birds plainly holed up in small waters surrounding our large Redhead Pond. Tried them in a pothole for an hour or so that yielded another gray and a BW teal, lost one other crip BWT. It was full of birds on arrival but seems they largely found another puddle to stay down in and didn't return as we hoped.

(3) 2 grays, 1 BWT


While a bummer to not harvest much, was nice to see that we still have plenty birds in the immediate area, just sitting tight in this wind. Lots of grays on north end seen that mostly just went back down when they flushed a time or two. Hearing reports of other tough hunts today, but local outfitter's two groups had scoters, and a buddy well north of us had 19 with four guys, mostly GWT, said grays were squirrely for them as well.

[Darren]

Lease neighbor makes some nice videos from his hunts, and is a strong hunter. I tipped him off to some birds we jumped on way out last week as we passed his place.

[DComeaux]

I like his videos.

[Darren]

Fri 12/5/2025
Delacroix HBFC South Pond Walk In Hole
Winds North 5-15, heavy clouds with some light rain, 50s
David B and I with Harry

Dropped off Will and Loki in pipeline hole nearby and finally tried the walk in spot he had been doing well with. Not much moved but what did wanted into here or very nearby. Didn’t see much at all and thankfully shot well with what we had, Harry rounded up everything for us with no losses, he was nails with his nose. Pintail came in with grays, thought I saw some long necks climbing out the hole.

(12) 4 grays, 1 pintail, 3 GW teal, 2 buffleheads, 2 scaup/dosgris

Small hole, small spread

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Will had 2 blue wings and 2 green wings in the pipeline hole. Very few shots heard in the distance. Think we are trying the field tomorrow. Made it back to camp just as the heavy rain was moving in.

[DComeaux]

Very nice.

[Darren]

Sat 12/6/2025
Bunkie area farm
Johnny, my son and I with Harry
Heavy clouds with ending rain, wind 0-5+ from north, 40s, full moon

Little bit of stirring early, too early to see, and didn’t last long. Though slow for us, blinds to our east and south seemed to be bangin pretty good most of morning so there are plainly birds around. Saw a lot of high goose traffic of all kinds, seemed like including some new arrivals, way more than seen on opener. When it quit it was dead for us so packed it up early to do a boudin tour on way home.

(3) 2 spoons, 1 GW teal

We had a nice time regardless, and Graham continues to spot what we can’t

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Waiting on report from the marsh, think Will went. No bday hunt tomorrow, instead heading to San Francisco in the late afternoon for a work obligation that I’m just glad is during the split. Will crunch some numbers and post.

[Rick]

If my eyesight declines much more, I may have to kidnap him.