Category: Tennessee

Posted By:
Martin-Hall
Field Editor

12-10-2012 14:14
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Okay guys, do we still have any TN hunters left on here. Sound off like ya got a pair.

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Mississippi River area 02-07-2012 17:07
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
Had a great youth hunt on a lake near the Mighty Miss. Saturday, one kid got a 6-duck limit of 3 gads, 2 mallards, and 1 merganser. Sunday, two kids got 6 gadwalls – could have gotten more, but it was difficult with the wind-direction and one of the kids got cold.

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Eastern Arkansas 02-03-2012 19:09
Cloudy, High Winds – 45-50 Degrees
Well, until the last couple of weeks, it’s been pretty weak. Youth hunt should be good, though, as huge numbers of ducks are reported. We’ll see tomorrow.

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

St. Francis River – near Forest City, AR 12-23-2011 10:32
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
I’ve hunted several times, and there is just too much water for too few ducks. I have not been skunked, but I haven’t shot any limits yet either. We need some serious cold up north and we need the water levels to drop. Fortunately, it looks like we’re getting the latter, so now we just need the ducks to show up.

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Bayou deView and St. Francis River 11-27-2011 08:13
Cloudy, High Winds – 50-60 Degrees
Opening weekend was cloudy and warm. Not too many birds – I think it hasn’t been cold enough yet. Big thunderstorms scattered the ducks that were around.

Ironically, out spot near the St. Francis didn’t get the rain, and it’s short of water.

Big, slow-moving storm moved through yesterday. Temp dropped about 20 degrees. Looks like the coming week should be an improvement.

Posted By:
ReelfootGuide
Guest

reelfoot lake 11-04-2011 21:40
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 45-50 Degrees
the ducks showed up on reelfoot today in large numbers, we working on brushing blinds this week, been slow on duck numbers til today, mallards , teal, gadwalls , and smiling mallards spoon bills. they flew all day. south end of reelfoot, big rafts in eagle nest timber also crossing the grassy bend area, just in time for the hunt next weekend.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 11-03-2011 08:51
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Working on the pit field this weekend. Anyone in the neighborhood wants to help, you work, you hunt.

Posted By:
ubtheone
Web Member

Reelfoot Lake 09-28-2011 21:20
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – Over 70 Degrees
Had the pleasure of hunting with professional guide, Allen Smith (Reelfoot Guide) in the Wood duck, Teal season. We hunted the famous Grassy Bend hole that has been in the family over 100 years. This is a killing hole…not a hunting hole. Woodies and Teal worked the spread like Mallards. Thank you for fabulous hunting and can not wait for the upcoming duck season.

Posted By:
ReelfootGuide
Guest

reelfoot lake 09-27-2011 12:00
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 60-65 Degrees
the early wood duck and teal season was a hit. we enjoyed hunting sep10 thru sep14 season on reelfoot and was very fortunate. we harvested our limit on wood ducks and teal every day. wednesday morning the teal showed up in big numbers and we limited out 9 hunters. had some awesome teal shooting with the opportunity to shoot on bunches of 20 plus birds. lots of fun

Posted By:
Martin-Hall
Field Editor

Southern Middle Tennessee 09-12-2011 14:49
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 50-60 Degrees
Found a pretty good group of Wood Ducks feeding in a wet spot near the river. Slipped in Sunday morning and killed a pair right after legal shooting time. Watched the Woodies work the spot for and hour hoping maybe a teal or two would show up but they didn’t. Two groups of Gaddies circled but didn’t land. May have to hit this hole again befor the season closes.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Juvenile hunts. Reelfoot 02-05-2010 08:17
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Anyone with juveniles that would like to hunt Reelfoot next weekend, send me a pm. Got the pit for statewide this weekend if anyone is interested, next to Reelfoot.

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Bayou DeView 01-23-2010 19:08
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 40-45 Degrees
Dec. 15 – ice was gone, but overcast. Ducks migrating, not many down low. Shot our limits, though, by 10:00.

Dec. 22 – still cloudy, still tons of water. Ducks are spooky. Shot some early, then tapered off.

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Nowhere 01-13-2010 08:25
Arctic Blast – 10-20 Degrees – Ice
WTH?! Where is global-warming when you need it? Temps are supposed to get up into the 50’s this week, so maybe there will be some water to hunt over this weekend.

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Several 12-31-2009 12:02
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
Been a while, so I’ll tell you what you already know – there’s a pot-load of water. Water, water, everywhere and the ducks are spread to match.

The Loosahatchie river bottoms, north of Bartlett, TN, are all flooded and should have ducks, but there are too many places for the little feathery bastages to go.

Around the Bayou DeView, there are ducks, but again, they have their choice of places to go, and lots of places that are normally wade-able, are not. A boat with an old-school Tree-Loc is necessary equipment right now. And make sure your decoy lines are long and your weights tied on tight.

With ducks having the opportunity to be picky, clean your decoys up, pay attention to your spread, think about your calling, shoot straight, and be willing to relocate.

Monday, January 4, should be an interesting day – if you have access to moving water, it should be a good day. It will be sunny, fields will likely freeze over, and northern ducks should be pushing in.

Good luck!

[Edited By Thomas-Quinlen on 2009-12-31 12:03]

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Didn’t go 12-15-2009 12:53
Cloudy, Occassional Rain Showers – 40-45 Degrees
Weather was crap for hunting. Ducks are still around, but overcast meant it was hard to hide, and it was sometimes rainy. Reports were of some shooting but not much.

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Bayou DeView 12-07-2009 17:05
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Youth hunt was Dec. 5-6 in Arkansas.

Sat. morning was 24 degrees. Loads of ducks feeding all night under the full moon. Clear skies. Ducks were not moving much once dawn came around, but we worked a number of gadwalls and mallards. Lots of new mallards have moved in.

Sun. morning was slightly warmer, with a south wind, but it was overcast. The overcast meant less night feeding and more daylight flying, but it also meant the ducks could see everything clearly. We worked good numbers of ducks within 40-50 yards, but only a few groups inside 40 yards.

Pray the ducks hang aroudn for a week and we goet some sunny weather next weekend.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 12-07-2009 15:29
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Worst opening weekend I can remember. had tons of ducks on the refuge Fri. eve. Moon came out and they left. We got 2 and some of the best blinds didn’t do any better. Next time.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 12-04-2009 08:41
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Here’s hoping everyone has a good opening weekend. Headed to the lake this aft. Seeing a few groups of migrator geese, not so many ducks. Mostly divers.

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Bayou DeView 11-23-2009 23:42
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 50-60 Degrees
Wind was from the northeast, shifting to the east. Three of us limited out, but 12 of our 18 ducks were teal. We even shot a blue-wing and saw a couple more blue-wings.

I have NEVER shot a blue-wing during the regular season, and only seen one once in my life. This indicates to me that we’re WAY early in the migration – hope the cold moves some birds down, because there weren’t many birds overall.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 10-12-2009 15:24
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Hope some of you got tomake the Waterfowl Festival this past weekend at Samburg. Great attendance, good times.

Posted By:
1897cdm
Web Member

watts bar 09-14-2009 15:11
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
much better today no fog we killed two limites of geese and two limites of woodies, my two year old dog did great sitting on the edge of the boat waiting for shooting time was a killer for him

great day

[Edited By 1897cdm on 2009-09-13 09:37]

Posted By:
1897cdm
Web Member

watts bar 09-12-2009 09:16
Sunny & Clear, Morning Fog – Over 70 Degrees
the fog was so thick we were lost for 45 min had 20 mallards landed in teal decs 5 minute before shooting time i tough my dog was going to jump out and catch one they were so close. three woodies came by sot one and did not see anymore

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Western Arkansas and North Mississippi 09-10-2009 23:34
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – Over 70 Degrees
Opening weekend of dove season. Not many doves. Where did they go?

Posted By:
Martin-Hall
Field Editor

2009-2010 Late Waterfowl Season Dates 09-01-2009 16:13
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Ducks and mergansers:
Statewide zone — Nov. 28-29 and Dec. 5-Jan. 31, 2010

Reelfoot zone — Nov. 14-15 and Dec. 5-Jan. 31, 2010.

The daily bag limit of six ducks may include no more than: four mallards (two hens), three wood ducks (during the late waterfowl season only), two scaup, one pintail, one canvasback and one black duck. The daily bag limit for mergansers is five, only two of which may be hooded mergansers.

Youth waterfowl season:
Statewide zone — Feb. 6-7
Reelfoot Zone: Feb. 13-14

Canada goose:
Statewide zone — Oct. 3-9 and Nov. 28-Jan. 31, 2010.
Northwest zone — Dec. 5-Feb. 14, 2010. Daily limit is two.

White-fronted goose: Dec. 5-Feb. 14, 2010. Daily limit is two.

Light geese (snow, blue, Ross): Nov. 25-Feb. 14, 2010. Daily bag limit is 20.

Light geese conservation order: Feb. 15-March 10, 2010. No limit.

[Edited By Martin-Hall on 2009-09-01 16:14]

Posted By:
Martin-Hall
Field Editor

Southern Middle Tennessee 09-01-2009 15:58
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 60-65 Degrees
September 1 Early Goose Season
Had a good opening morning today for the Early Resident Goose Season. Redman came down from Illinois last night for the opener. He, Hooter and I were joined by a couple of guys from my duck club in Arkansas that live near here. We met at 5 a.m. at a little country restuarant and got to the lake about six a.m. The geese were already there, as we knew they would be. The weather was perfect for this time of year with a few clouds and the temperature in the mid sixties and just a slight breeze from the north east.

The 80-90 geese flew out to feed about 6:15 and we went to work. We launched the War Eagle and packed it with all the gear and the five of us. It was a pretty good load. Probably in the neighborhood of 1500 pounds. We were only going a couple hundred yards to an island and could only use the electric motor on this lake anyway so we weren’t in any danger in the knee deep water. We put out about a dozen floater decoys and dropped two of the guys on a small island. We tucked the boat under the edge of and island about 60 yards away and tied it to a tree to stabilize it and made our selves comfortable.

About 9:30 a.m., when the sun started getting hot in the fields, the geese started coming back in. In just a few minutes it was over for the morning. We ended up with 14 geese. Not bad for such a low effort hunt on a weekday when we should have been at work. No dozens of full bodies to set out and pick back up and no layout blinds to fool with. It was a good opening day of the 2009-2010 waterfowl season. We even got to see a bald eagle make a pass over the lake. Good omen if there ever was one.

Wind at your back and good friends in your blind. MuddyDucker

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

w.tn 08-20-2009 14:30
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Has Tn. set their waterfowl dates yet? If so, what are they?

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 08-16-2009 08:56
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Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 01-15-2009 15:33
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Been gone for awhile, was wondering how the fields were doing. Hitting the pit this weekend as the lake will probably freeze over.

Posted By:
1897cdm
Web Member

Tellico 01-14-2009 16:17
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
I was one of the volleys on tellico some high ducks moving from the refuges to farm pond. there has been alot of water creeks out of there banks. its hard to kill ducks when all the low spots full of water.

Posted By:
huntin sum
Guest

Sweetwater Valley, Loudon Co. 01-13-2009 16:57
Cloudy, Occassional Rain Showers – 35-40 Degrees
Sad to see so few hunters posting. Every state around us does so much better; maybe everyone here in TN not on the MS has quit hunting but I doubt it.

Hunted Sat and Sun. Sat with my 8yr old daughter and 5 yr son. Both have lifetime sportsman’s lic and love to get out. Three volleys from Watts bar, four volleys from Tellico. We saw close to 100 mallards in 8-10 flocks. I get the sharp eyes to count.
Geese are still grouped up but six pairs did come through.
No shots Sat. but took a goose Sun. with the 5yr old. Only two volleys from Watts Bar. Can tell they quit dumping corn for the sand hills. Watched close to 5-600 work the valley for 5 hours. Trashing the rye fields and the two farmers I talked to are not happy. Never seen so many so I guess Hiwassee is grain-less and probably no ducks there. No whoopers seen.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 01-02-2009 07:56
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Hate to hear that. I used to have that problem until we laser planed jerk that drains naturally saving the levee.

Posted By:
jameson
Guest

headed back to Arkansas 12-31-2008 20:08
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The rain over Christmas blew our levee in bogota….. im back to arkansas ducks are there.

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Bayou DeView 12-29-2008 16:21
Cloudy, Heavy Fog – 60-65 Degrees
This past Friday, Dec. 26, three of us hunted flooded millet from a stand of trees in the middle of the field. Fog was thick and the ceiling was low. There were plenty of birds around, but we heard far more than we saw.

Birds worked but seemed to dislike coming too low in the fog. Still, we shot singles, pairs, and a couple of small groups to get three 6-bird limits.

Besides the mosquitos, when the temp got into the 60’s, the tree frogs decided to come out and serenade us. That was weird, and it took a minute or two to figure out what the noise was.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 12-29-2008 08:48
Cloudy, High Winds – 45-50 Degrees
Slow weekend. Both fields and lake. Crappie are biting. Water is up at least 1 ft.

Posted By:
ohioriverhunter
Guest

12-25-2008 21:47
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Hey guys, I’m from northern kentucky, close to Cincinnati and will be traveling to reelfoot Jan. 4th to hunt with a guide from Acorn Point Lodge, anyone know what I can expect ? Please send me a message, but i will also keep looking at the tennessee boards

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Loosahatchie River 12-24-2008 10:17
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
Hunted Sunday before the temp dropped too much (it was about 27, and I saw no ice). I saw a few ducks when I went in, then nothing. I think (hope) they had moved ahead of the front that is now finishing up dumping rain on us. It’s 70 degrees out. WTH?!

Going to Bayou DeView on Friday. Will report.

[Edited By Thomas-Quinlen on 2008-12-24 10:18]

Posted By:
jameson
Guest

NW 12-22-2008 22:24
– – 25-30 Degrees – Ice
DKA i hunt in Bagota and arkansas, 2 of us killed 7 today on the ice it was hilarious.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 12-22-2008 13:24
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Where do you hunt Jameson? All the geese ran the ducks off Phillippy. We have been having a banner year there on ducks until this weekend.

Posted By:
jameson
Guest

NW 12-22-2008 11:09
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went sunday killed 5 limits in less than 2 hours. ducks everywhere.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 12-22-2008 08:41
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Jameson, when you are looking at a two mile stretch of timber that has birds stacked from the water up to 700 feet or so high, I figure that is a pretty good guess.

Posted By:
huntin sum
Guest

Sweetwater area 12-22-2008 04:01
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 35-40 Degrees
Saw some mallards;saw some geese. Lots of sandhills in all directions. I assume Hiwassee is picked clean and the trucks aren’t dumping corn this year. Eight volleys from Watts Bar early.

Posted By:
jameson
Guest

its all foggy 12-18-2008 16:06
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really 100k???? how did you count those… havent heard those numbers just curious.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 12-17-2008 08:37
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 25-30 Degrees – Ice
Had a good shoot on the lake yesterday. Birds are back in force. Watched at least 100K birds get up and stretch their wings around 11 am. Black the sky.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 12-10-2008 08:02
Cloudy, Rain & Thunderstorms – 50-60 Degrees
60 mph gust at the pit, even blew a goose floater/sinker w/ big J weight all the way to the road. Birds were eating it up for 8 hours non-stop. different flight of birds every 3-5 mins. Great push.

Posted By:
redlegged
Guest

Reelfoot Lake 12-09-2008 16:24
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 45-50 Degrees
No water. Ducks starting to work just not finshing.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 12-05-2008 08:40
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
Shot the pit yesterday. Lots of birds working the fields. Done by 9 am. Lake is extremely low. Several guides have cancelled customers for lack of water. many can’t get to their holes.

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Eastern Arkansas 12-01-2008 10:07
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 45-50 Degrees
Didn’t hunt opening weekend in Arkansas, but the reports have been pretty uniform – not enough water.

Lots of ducks around Harrisburg and Claypool opening weekend, fewer by Thanksgiving. Few ducks around the Bayou DeView (absolutely NO water in the Bayou), but flooded fields surrounding the Bayou were gaining birds heading into Thanksgiving.

Hunted Bayou DeView on Thanksgiving and hunted south of Harrisburg on Friday. Shot a two-man limit on Thursday and a three-man limit on Friday. Lots of teal in both places, not many mallards at either place.

Overall, there weren’t a lot of birds, but they worked well and we shot our limits within an hour or two, so it’s not like we had to really work hard to get our limits.

Raining all over the Mid-South right now, so hopefully the rivers and bayous will start to rise soon.

Posted By:
huntin sum
Guest

Sweetwater Valley 11-30-2008 16:13
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 40-45 Degrees
No birds. Sunday only. Some shots from Watts Bar area. Not even woodies.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Tn. River 11-18-2008 07:57
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The guy was with a party of 8 on the Tn. River near Birdsong Creek. The dummies sent a phone camera shot to a friend that made it to the internet. The Feds set up on them the 3rd day of early season and when they came out one of the feds had been in the grass watching them hide some ducks that day. While arguing that they were legal, the fed in the grass came out and they started crabbing. Finally, they fessed up, feds kept asking where are the rest of the birds. Finally, they took them to the two ringleaders houses and found the rest of the birds in the freezers. So I heard.

Posted By:
jameson
Guest

Im from Jackson…. 11-17-2008 21:15
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this is a terrible way to get kicked off to the season. i wish people like this would buy pen raised birds with thier bait money and shoot them. here is the local article. http://wbbj.com/NewsStories/081117jpdofficer.html

Posted By:
Martin-Hall
Field Editor

The Wrong Kind Of Hunting Report From Jackson 11-17-2008 18:33
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Saw on the Nashville News a few minutes ago where a Jackson Police Officer was caught shooting over the limit of ducks. I won’t give the person’s name here but I’m sure those of you from Jackson already know his name. According to the News, the group he was with killed 107 ducks (Just got word there were 8 poachers in his group). The picture they showed looked to be all Wood Ducks so I’m assuming the incident happened during the early Wood Duck season. The Ex-Officer resigned from the force Friday and will pay a $3000 fine and must also repay the Department for the cost of his training. I’m guessing this will be several thousand dollars also. He also lost his hunting license for SEVEN YEARS.

I’m glad this guy got caught and I’m glad he lost his job as a Police Officer. As far as I’m concerned, if he’ll break this law, he’ll break others. I don’t need his type protecting me.

I don’t know how many others were in his group, but I would hope that they received fines just as severe. With a two duck limit and 107 ducks taken, we can guess there were less then 54 people in the group.

Folks, we all know this is not a rare or isolated case. We all hear about people breaking the law all the time. Most of us just turn a deaf ear and don’t do anything about it. We’ve got to realize that these guys are criminals and they’re stealing OUR wildlife. This is not a victim-less crime. WE are the victims. It’s time we started using the Poaching Hotlines and let these people know that they can’t always get away with these crimes. They’re giving all of us a black eye. The News refered to this guy as a HUNTER. This guy and those like him are not hunters, they’re criminals. It doesn’t take two ounces worth of brains and woodsmanship to hunt illegally. Any idot with a gun can shoot game illegally. What kind of loser thinks he’s accomplished anything by doing it that way.

I’ll get off my stump now. Sometimes I just get burned up when something like this happens. And a COP no less.

[Edited By Martin-Hall on 2008-11-17 20:12]

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 11-17-2008 13:48
Cloudy, High Winds – 45-50 Degrees
Dux3, we got a limit Sat. Extremely high winds made for tough hunting with all the pressure going on around you. Get birds trying to work in the 25+ winds and someone would shoot. Sianora. I tried to respond to your PM and the site wouldn’t let me send you a PM. I couldn’t open your’s I guess because of no subject line. MY friend, Johnnie’s blind, knocked down 35 and picked up 34. Everything is still very dry. Low lake, came close to losing it in the Go Devil on a big stump just under the water. Always wear the kill switch.

Posted By:
Sean Riley
Web Member

11-15-2008 18:50
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How did the Reelfoot boys do today??
DKA whats goin on,ya kill em today or what?

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 10-09-2008 15:23
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Waterfowl Festival sponsored by the Reelfoot Callmakers and Collectors Assoc. is this weekend in Samburg, Tn. Fri. nite auction and fish fry. Sat. vendors and calling competition. Ya’ll come.

Posted By:
Martin-Hall
Field Editor

Southern Middle Tennessee 09-01-2008 21:12
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – Over 70 Degrees
Me, Redman and Hooter took good advantage of the opener and thinned the resident population of Golf Course Geese this morning. We stopped at Hardees and fueled up then made a run to a local wet spot. We watched the geese fly out about 6:30 a.m. then put out the decoy spread, set up makeshift blinds and waited for their return. Like the last two morning, they started coming back in around 9:15 am. Around 9:17 a.m., it was all over except the cleanup. Fifteen geese made the wheel barrow a nice-to-have tool.

We took the geese to a local area where English is the second language and made several families happy. When you try this, just say “Fajita” and they may take them off your hands. I told them we’d be back Friday.

Wind at your back and good friends in your blind. MuddyDucker

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Waterfowl dates 08-27-2008 09:39
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Statewide ducks-11/28-1/25; Reelfoot-11/29-1/25 Early goose-10/4-11;Statewide goose-11/28-1/30,/reelfoot goose-11/29-2/8. Juvenile statewide-1/31-2/1, Reelfoot 2/7-8. Reelfoot may have an early date, to be determined.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

TWC 08-25-2008 14:44
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I saw theyset the big game numbers. Anyone seen the dates for waterfowl?

Posted By:
Martin-Hall
Field Editor

Southern Middle Tennessee 08-22-2008 13:38
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
Well guys, it’s getting close to that time again. Ten days till the early resident Canada Goose season and just a little longer till the Wood Duck/Teal season.

Same routine as last year, time to get out the decoys and give them a once over, buy your Federeal Duck Stamp, start scouting the grain fields to see where the geese are feeding and give the retriever a refresher course. So put your fishing gear away and clean the shotgun. It will be here before you know it.

Wind at your back and good friends in your blind. MuddyDucker

Posted By:
Kevin-Stewart
Field Editor

Have Gun, will travel 07-11-2008 11:09
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HARK! All you waterdogs, mudpuppies, featherheads, et al. The time is near! The TWRA Blind drawing is coming! It’s time to turn the ground and plant Jap Millet. Hold off on winter wheat, till late Aug-mid Sep, if you can, and at least drag it to cover up the seed.

Repaint those old decoys your grandfather gave you.

Start an exercise program for your dog, and yourself. Start slow, early mornings and late evenings in this heat!

I think we “currently” have more water to play in this year than we did last year.

I think the mid west floods created corn crop damage, which might allow some birds to keep flying for food this year.

Good luck at the blind drawings.

“Have gun, will travel” – Paladin

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Loosahatchie River 01-28-2008 12:58
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 30-34 Degrees – Ice
It was COLD and dreary. But Friday afternoon, we hammered the wood ducks, shot a couple of mallards, and wiped out a flock of 4 Canadas. Great hunt!

Saturday was slower, but we shot a few mergansers and a mallet.

Great way to end a pretty good season.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 01-28-2008 08:38
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 35-40 Degrees
I have my pit open this coming weekend for the statewide juvenile hunt if anyone is interested in bringing their kids for a hunt.We killed alot of geese there last week and lots of ducks have been in the area. Send me a message if youare interested. Pit shoots 9 and two spots are taken. Dads bring your goose gun.

Posted By:
Martin-Hall
Field Editor

Harrisburg AR Rice Field 01-24-2008 17:16
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 25-30 Degrees – Ice
Today was a Pintail day.
Fields froze up again last night with the temps gettins down to 25 degrees. Slept in till 7:30, had a hugh breakfast and kept looking out the kitchen window every little while. John put a potroast in the crock pot and we watched the hunting channel on TV all morning. A check with the binoculars at 12:30 showed the birds starting to fly around over the Claypool woods. John had to leave to visit family in Memphis about 11:00. Too bad John. Two of us got in different pits so that both our dogs could get some work. The Pintails were working in flocks of 50-100 birds. Just one flock after another. Must be new birds. They weren’t here yesterday. Took the first bull with a long sprig then started working on the Greenheads that were mixed in with the Pintails. Finished up the limit with a GW Teal and got out of the field to let the ducks feed. In the pit at 1:00 and out by 2:30. I love it. Other hunter did the same except his off bird was a Shoveler.

Fellows, this is the pattern right now. Take advantage of it. With the fields freezeing each night and the sun thawing them out about noon, the birds just aren’t feeding early in the mornings. But with the cold, they have to feed. I figure they are keeping holes open by paddleing around and when they see the ice isn’t freezing back, they leave to see if they can find some chow.

You can’t beat it. Sleep in and shoot ducks after lunch. Three days left to hunt, don’t let the ice fool you and keep you at home. Get out and take advantage of the pattern.

Wind at your back and good friends in your blind. MuddyDucker

Posted By:
Martin-Hall
Field Editor

Harrisburg AR Rice Field 01-20-2008 19:58
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 10-20 Degrees – Ice
I know this is a TN page but I thought this might get some folks motivated to go.

Seventeen degrees when I woke up this morning. I forgot to clean the rice straw off of the front drive axles last night and the four wheeler was froze solid. I was afraid to force it to go for fear of tearing off the CV joint boots. Drove the Avalanche around the fields to see if anything was moving at all. Everything was locked up solid with an inch of ice. The only ducks I saw in the hour I was out were in Claypool. There were enough ducks to keep several acres open but they weren’t about to leave it. I smelled bacon and eggs calling my name from the cabin and headed back to wait for it to thaw.

At two in the afternoon I looked out the kitchen window and saw ducks bombing into the nearest field and pit. The ice was starting to melt some and this field was pretty low on water with a lot of rice stubble above the water line. A quick change into waders and sprayed enough water on the axles to get them moving. As I walked out to the pit the Mallards and Shovelers were still diving into the field. Ten minutes later four greenheads hung from the strap. Ten minutes after that I added a bull Pintail that had the longest sprig I’ve seen this year. After missing a Teal and a Gadwall, I decided to take a Shoveler so I cound get out of the field and let them feed. Back at the cabin by three thirty. If it gets any better than that, I don’t think I could stand it. I only with that some of the other club members could have been there. Maybe tomorrow. I think I’ll sleep in and just hunt after the thaw. Wrong! I’ll be there listening to the ice crack by six forty five. When you’re eat up with it, you’re just eat up with it.

Wind at your back and good friends in your blind. MuddyDucker

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 01-15-2008 08:48
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 40-45 Degrees
Hunted Wed thru yesterday on the lake and in the fields at my pit. Had a great week. Probably150-200K snows and blues on Phillippy and Long Point. had a good time bustin their butts thurs and Sat. Ducks flew good at the lake Wed. and Fri. and Sun. and Mon. Great food and good times had by all.

Posted By:
MTA73
Guest

Jackson / South & Middle Forked Deer River / Reelfoot 01-14-2008 10:29
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 35-40 Degrees
I’m an Apache Helicopter Pilot for the Guard flying out of Jackson and flew several low level routes along the Forked Deer (south & middle) river toward the northwest. We saw large amounts of mallards on the route with the most concentrated groups being near Halls. Also saw a group of about 400 snows in the same area. The amount of ducks seen is a marked increase compared to the numbers I’ve seen on the same routes in recent weeks. Good luck with the remainder of the season.

Posted By:
huntin sum
Guest

Sweetwater Valley, E TN 01-12-2008 06:30
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 50-60 Degrees
Not many posts for the TN site. Killed hen and drake mallard 01/11 with my 4 yr old. Sat in canoe chairs in the flooded field with a doz. shells. Robo worked early but turned it off with sun up. Had a good stream of pairs and small flocks through 10 AM. The teal and several flocks were off limits with the cows knocking over the decoys. Hadn’t hunted much and they were curious. After the choc lab retrieved they saw her and walked up and surrounded us.
Anyway, saw 3 ducks 10 days ago so some birds have moved in.

Only one other volley from Watts Bar direction. Some small flocks on ponds but most in the flooded fields. Heard geese but didn’t see any. More flights of Sandhills heading north. Hiwassee is out of food from one account. Glad to know our duck stamp dollars are feeding cranes we can’t hunt.

Be safe and good luck.

Posted By:
hazwoper12
Web Member

Hatchie Bottoms 01-05-2008 20:21
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 25-30 Degrees – Ice
This has been by far the most difficult duck season in the books. One day you can see ducks everywhere and the next day its like they flew back North. I have hopes of good days to come in the last couple of weeks of this season. There is not much more to tell or say. So to all waterfowlers good luck and maybe your season will end on a good note.

LEU

Posted By:
Martin-Hall
Field Editor

Harrisburg, AR 12-27-2007 16:17
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 35-40 Degrees
I think the ducks have migrated back up north with the snow line. We’re killing a few ducks but not many of them are mallards. Two of us hunted a rice field pit yesterday and ended up with five spoonies, three mallards and a hen redhead. Not too bad but no barn burner. We didn’t let much get past.

This morning, three of us hunted the same pit and killed 6 green-wing teal, three spoonies and one blue snow goose. Still no barn burner but enough to keep us interested. This is the same kind of hunts you’d expect the first part of the season. I thought the spoonies and teal left a month ago.

The weatherman is talking sure-fire rain for tomorrow with the temps staying about the same until New Years when it’s supposed to turn cold.

Pray for snow up north and get off the couch. You can’t kill them from there.

Wind at your back and good friends in your blind.
MuddyDucker

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

McCrory, AR 12-27-2007 10:07
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Hunted yesterday morning in mostly sunny conditions. Birds worked great, as long as the sun was out. Front moved through in the early afternoon, bringing rain and overcast. But 24 hours ago it was perfect.

There were decent bird numbers, but we saw few groups bigger than 10. There are LOADS of Snows and Specs.

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Cowen, TN 12-27-2007 10:05
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
Hunted with Tro-Tro and his brother on 12/21 near Cowen. We saw a few ducks, but didn’t get any shots – the boat-load of un-cammoed idiots across the water from us may have had something to do with the ducks’ reluctance to come any closer than they did.

While we didn’t fire a shot, it was still a great time. Troy and Andy are great guys and great hosts.

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

Penrose, Arkansas 12-17-2007 23:46
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
I was in the office, but my dad was hunting in the Penrose area. Said they could have shot as many teal as they wanted and been done in 15 minutes. As it was, two hunters shot 8 teal and 4 mallards.

Later, near Bayou DeView, he said there were very few ducks in the fields and bayou.

Conclusion, ducks are around, but water has them scattered. Scout and good luck.

Posted By:
WAR DUCK
Web Member

HICKMAN COUNTY 12-14-2007 16:12
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 35-40 Degrees
DID NOT GET TO HUNT THIS MORNING,HAD TO WORK.I DONT THINK I COULD HAVE GOT BACK TO THE CYPRESS HOLE ANYWAY.BAYOU DE CHIEN WAS OUT OF ITS BANKS LAST NIGHT IN SPOTS.CHECKED A LOCAL POND YESTERDAY AND TODAY BOTH AT LUNCH TIME 15-20 MALLARDS ON IT THUR.-ABOUT 10 ON IT TODAY.ME AND MY BUDDY ARE GOING TO SET UP ON IT IN THE MORNING.OBION CREEK CLUB KILLED 16 THIS MORNING WITH 12-MALLARDS.HAVE NOT HEARD FROM TWIN PONDS TODAY.RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW TONIGHT,OUGHT TO BE A GOOD WEEKEND!!THERE IS SOME SHEET WATER AND HEAD WATER IN FIELDS THAT WILL PROBABLY SPREAD THE BIRDS OUT SOME UNTIL IT FREEZES SAT. NIGHT.SUPPOSE TO BE IN THE LOW 20’S SAT. NIGHT.GOD BLESS AND GOOD LUCK.

[Edited By WAR DUCK on 2007-12-14 16:12]

Posted By:
Kevin-Stewart
Field Editor

MID TN 12-14-2007 11:46
Cloudy, Occassional Rain Showers – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
This ought to be the weekend fellas. 3d storm moving into the ohio valley, dropping snow on top of the snow/ice mix from last week. Reports show MO, KY, and Ohio all with ducks. When they show up here mid morn sat-sun afternoon, they won’t know where to go, and they will be spooked.
Good luck.

“Have gun, will travel” – Paladin

Posted By:
JAMIET
Guest

Reelfoot Lake 12-11-2007 19:31
– – –
Been good hunting all week birds moving good early then slow in the after noon picked up 17 today & 32 Monday mix of mallards,teal ,greys & smiling mallards.

Posted By:
earl33
Guest

Middle Fork, Forked Deer River 12-11-2007 15:35
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 60-65 Degrees
Lots of birds flying today, not many wanting to work. Came out with 2 green heads and a teal. Looks like numbers are picking up but the weather feels more like fishing season. From the sound of things around me the ducks are working the open bottoms but not the river holes.

Posted By:
Thomas-Quinlen
Field Editor

East-Central Arkansas 12-10-2007 14:20
Cloudy, Heavy Fog – 45-50 Degrees
On Friday, Steven Raymond and my brother-in-law both reported good hunting in the Harrisburg area. Saturday morning, I went to the Bayou DeView, near McCrory, expecting to hammer the ducks.

However, and extremely low ceiling made hunting quite difficult and I shot only 2 mallards and a teal. Could have drilled some low-flying snows, but I had just moved from the spot they flew over.

Posted By:
DKA
Web Member

Reelfoot 12-06-2007 08:03
– – –
Birds are here. Mon. 38, Tues 48, Wed. 50 plus 1 Canadian. Yeah baby!