Posted By:
WERD
WFC Sponsor
Alabama River near Montgomery 01-15-2007 08:53
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 50-60 Degrees
Duck hunting has been slow for big ducks. I have seen several groups of big ducks, but they don’t want to work. I guess they have been “sky-busted” too many times by people that don’t know when a bird is in range or not.
I have shot a lot of woodies on a regular basis and the occasional diver. Duck and goose activity will continue to be low as long as the weather is warm. Good luck to your guys hunting this week, it should be good with this cold front coming through.
WERD
[Edited By WERD on 2007-01-15 08:53]
Posted By:
r-n-tms
Web Member
alabama river north and south of montgomery 01-15-2007 05:42
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 45-50 Degrees
past two weekends hunting river killing limits of woodies with two to three hunters each time out not seeing any big ducks and geese are already paring up
Posted By:
Ross-Malone
Guest
Guntersville Mid-Winter Survey 01-08-2007 22:30
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 50-60 Degrees
OK the duck survey numbers are in and then really tell the story. Bottom line we are about 45% less mallards from a year ago and only 15% increase since Thanksgiving. So you know why your not shooting mallards. Black ducks are down 70% less from this time last year. Only 74 total.
Canvasback down 87% from last year. Divers numbers have decreased since Thanksgiving so you figure it out. Warm weather makes it hard to work any ducks into the shooting range of a blind. So read the numbers and think about it. It’s too late for any new birds to migrate. Hang in there and keep the faith. Maybe the youth day will be best ever.
First survey number is from 1-3-2007 (mid-winter), second is from 11-21-2006 (Pre-season) and third is from 1-5-2006 (last year’s Mid-winter).
Mallards -1764/1605/3100
Black duck – 74/4/270
Gadwall – 16,951/11,662/16,500
Wigeon – 80/30/806
GWT – 79/75/960
Shoveler – 530/210/640
Pintail – 10/0/80
Wood duck – 0/0/200
Total Dabblers 19,488/13,586/22,556
Redhead – 0/2/45
Canvasback – 142/15/1000
Scaup – 83/320/360
Ringneck – 351/300/1310
Goldeneye – 5/0/20
Bufflehead – 13/10/411
Ruddy Duck – 20/10/60
Hooded Merganser 54/52/390
Total Divers 668/899/3206
Canada Geese 171/175/670
RAM
Posted By:
Ross-Malone
Guest
Jackson County, Stevenson 01-07-2007 09:17
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
Well, it’s slow and whatelse is new.
Here is an report from some of my friends that hunt in Alabama. It’s not worth the drive for me to make from Chattanooga. Kind of sad for we do not have any winters anymore. When you out hunting and never have to use gloves that just about tells one the story.
Be Safe.
Copied from Chattanoogan.com/outdoors.
Jackson County, Alabama
44 Degrees and rising
No wind, Minimal fog
2 Hunters, 5 Hours
Zero Ducks
Ran about 80-100 ducks off of the roost early, set up and waited for them to come back. One group shot in Raccoon WMA about 15 minutes early. Come on guys! One lone greenhead came back about 9:15. Should have had him but waited for one more pass and he didn’t do it. Didn’t see more than a
handful all morning. Very little shooting, heard lots of geese on the river though. Even the divers and Gadwalls that “land out in the middle” were gone. Talked with the game warden and three officers hadn’t checked in a single duck at a little before noon, surveying 3 different WMA’s. They had however checked in 3 coots, yummy. It is as slow as I have ever seen it. We were attacked by ants and mosquitoes and heard frogs most of the morning. Spring has apparently arrived.
L. Lewis, J. Boles
Posted By:
Ross-Malone
Guest
Jackson Cty. Stevenson Alabama 01-01-2007 22:13
Cloudy, High Winds – 40-45 Degrees
Well, we need to just give it a rest. Heck I have seen more action in a morgue.
Took out a 11 year old today. Got started about 1pm and did not see much all afternoon. Some ringnecks and one mallard. Birds did come in till after shooting hours eneded. Also above the 117 flat bridge we heard at least 7 volleys that were shooting as late as 30 minutes after hours. You know I have faith in Alabama Conservation Department, but I have hunted this area 7 times this year and 3 of these times have heard late shooting. Really do not know whatelse to say about it except someday I do hope they get caught and have to pay big time. Hard to explain to my young hunting partner today why is not just a law it is a conservation tool to help keep ducks in the skies for future years.
Keep the faith and pray for rain and cold weather to help make this year a good finish.
RAM
Posted By:
Bama
Guest
Rivers other than TN 01-01-2007 12:19
Sunny & Clear, Morning Fog – 40-45 Degrees
Hunted in West Central Alabama one day and in East Alabama another day. Skunked one Day and One woody the other. Not much going on. Glad to get a woody drake to Ring in the New Year right this AM.
May head to North Alabama today to a couple of Days.
Happy New year go kill some ducks and maybe even a goose.
[Edited By Bama on 2007-01-01 12:19]
Posted By:
Ross-Malone
Guest
Jackson County, Stevenson 12-27-2006 11:23
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 40-45 Degrees
Well, it was a typical holiday routine in Raccoon WMA yesterday. In the four different launch areas I counted 16 boats with 7 walk in cars. WOW! That would be great if the birds were working, but from our hunt of the day one ring-necked. Yes that was it. We left out early due to all of the different hunting groups. I know of only one hunting group that did very well at all. They shot some gadwalls, woodies and ring-neckeds in the early morning. Not to say there are not mallards somewhere in the county, but we sure did not see them. I think we saw a total of 14 all day with none giving anyone of the different hunting setups a second look. The calling by some of the hunters is OK, but I guess when you see the birds not responding you would think they do not want to hear you or maybe see those flashing strobes lights. Really does not matter to me just hope you enjoy the holiday routine season out there and take a boy or girl out and experience the outdoors this year.
Still observe late shooting on this WMA and this is the worse thing that can happen to any duck hunting area. The later you shoot the later they come in. Wake up and smell the coffee everyone for someday you will receive what you reap and have to pay the piper. From my understanding it has potential lost of license for one year so think about it before you shoot late and go before the judge and tell him your weak excuses for we all have cell phones with the correct time. Shooting 20 minutes after sunset is just not smart and there were more than one group playing this game so do not get caught up in the fever. More rain this weekend may help the situation, but without snow and hard freezing weather north of us it will be limited success in our areas.
Be safe and do what is right.
RAM
Posted By:
Bama
Guest
North Alabama 12-24-2006 14:53
Sunny & Clear, Morning Fog – 45-50 Degrees
Hunted a few days of late in different spots. Mallards are on many of our lakes. The Geese are getting real wise. Still seing woodies every morning.
The rain will help open up some spots. Should flood some new food ont the WMAs that have any.
Still getting a woodie or two and a Green head or two each day.
We need some Wind and Cold.
Merry Christmas to all you Quack types.
Posted By:
WERD
WFC Sponsor
Alabama River near Montgomery 12-22-2006 10:27
Cloudy, Occassional Rain Showers – 60-65 Degrees
Hunted the “pen” hole and shot 2 wood ducks. Saw a couple of “very wary” mallards and one flock of Canadian geese.
Posted By:
Bama
Guest
TN river 12-18-2006 07:35
Cloudy, Heavy Fog – 40-45 Degrees
Unreal fog. I was back up in a creek and we could not see Squat until well into the morning. The two of us did get a drake and Hen Black Duck.
Not big #s sure but I just love those Blacks. They had super thick yellow fat.
Yankee birds I would think.
Stayed foggy until almost 11:00
