Posted By:
Ray-Sands
Field Editor
Griscom Swamp 09-29-2008 00:00
Cloudy, Occassional Rain Showers – Over 70 Degrees
Greetings from the flatlands down Jersey!
September Canada season has been a bit of a disappointment but being out and about our hopes are up with the arrival of all of the BWTeal in Griscom. The Nor’easter stopped and they were here! I was seeing small groups 10-20 birds but yesterday it was 50-200 birds in a group. And the local greenheads seemed to have done well this breeding season … but I fear they will be just like the local Canadas – once they are shot at, it will take ice to move them back into the meadows. Southern opener is just around the corner – can not wait!
Posted By:
Ray-Sands
Field Editor
Cape-Atlantic County 08-27-2008 20:23
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
Greetings from the flat lands down Jersey!
September Goose Season is almost upon us, running Sept 1st to Sept 30th. Some BIG changes this year … you are permitted electronic calls, shotgun capable of hold 7 shotshells, and shooting hours run to ½ hour AFTER sundown! Might be a little late to curb the resident flock but may even out the playing field a bit.
Remember hunters 16 year and older need Federal Duck stamp, State duck stamp and HIP number with a current hunting license to engage in migratory waterfowl hunting.
Some other changes is an increase in the Brant season and bag limit, reduction to Scaup and CLOSED for Canvasbacks. Check out these and all of the regulation before you go afield at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/artmigratory08.htm
Almost always out there …
Posted By:
MKGF
Web Member
02-15-2008 14:28
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I heard 3 guys died in Cumberland County hunting for snow geese. Is that true??
Posted By:
saboo301
Web Member
02-15-2008 10:44
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Anyone down go after the snows? Want to come down and try my luck. Willing to swap a hunt if anyone is interested. If not any info you could pass a long would be appreciated!
Posted By:
Ray-Sands
Field Editor
Cedar Swamp Creek 11-28-2007 19:58
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 40-45 Degrees
Greetings from the flat lands down Jersey! Gunned Cedar Swamp between the bridges Friday and Saturday – Pair of Woodies and a Black both days. Hooded Merg’s seemed to fly by all day. Only saw five teal. Thay had a plan and I was not part of it.
Snows are on the move jumping the bay tonight. The flight started just before dark and has been going none stop five hours now. They have been high flying and barking in all directions. Wish that I could be in the meadows of Griscom tomorrow AM … I am sure that there will be stragglers that settled in for the night and suckers for a white spread at sunrise.
Well maybe they’ll hang in until Saturday …
Posted By:
Ray-Sands
Field Editor
Griscom Swamp 11-17-2007 20:44
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 50-60 Degrees
Greetings from down Jersey! The teal-fest is over. A few GWteal around but it was nothing like two weeks ago. Quite a few local geese on the move today … I am not sure if it was the wind, the Yo-buckers or a combination of the two. I did manage to convince a pair to stay for my dinner. The flights were blacks and mallards. No high flying mass migrations of Snows or Canadas yet this year … may be traveling the Delaware and not the Coast. Already praying for ice : )
Posted By:
Ray-Sands
Field Editor
Cedar Swamp 11-03-2007 23:39
Cloudy, High Winds – 60-65 Degrees
Greetings from down Jersey! Today was a bit of a chore against tide and wind in the canoe. The adventure paid off. I had a great air show of birds bailing in from the Eastern side of the parkway. Seems the Black ducks did well this breeding season. Had GWTeal buzz the decoys four times. I didn’t manage to have the gun shouldered in time to get off a shot. Did bring home (2) Drake Woodies, a Black and a pair of Mallards. Must have had +300 Blacks in and out of the stools – could not find a wing bar or a white belly to make limit. The dip in temp they are calling for should make it interesting on the bay this week. May just turn into striper season!
Posted By:
Ray-Sands
Field Editor
Griscom Swamp 10-31-2007 12:04
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 60-65 Degrees
Greetings from down Jersey! The southerly flow kept the birds from jumping the bay last Saturday but the rain it brought with it was no fun. I was glad for the warm temperature because I was wet straight through to my birthday suit. Limited with (5) GWTeal and a Gray – six ducks – six shots. Also another 22 shots on (7) different flocks with NO KILLS – I could not believe it. Single bird – dead with a single shot. Have 30 sprig drop in and hang on the 18 yrd line and three shots – not a feather. Or a +50 flock of teal – three shots – four shots – not a feather – didn’t even hit a bird I wasn’t shooting at. Must have been the rain in my eyes … maybe the mud on my boots … that sounds good doesn’t it? Haven’t flock shot that bad since I was 15 years old!
The about face in the wind direction and temp drop this week moved 70% of the Teal out of Griscom Swamp and most certainly carried them across the Delaware Bay to the more – southern wintering grounds. Have to wait on the arrival of the “big ducks” to flock shoot again. The northerly winds did bring with it brant, brant and buffleheads. The coastal boys will have some good shooting open day after all. Make sure to check your brant’s hinny. If they are white it means they haven’t started to eat the sea cabbage and are the most delicious waterfowl on the face of the planet. So just keep telling yourself “The brant just arrived”, “The brant just arrived.” Then when you eat them and they should taste like the smell at low tide in August … know that they must have went rancid in transit home. That’s what always happens to me – even if I pack them with dry ice. SO I stopped shooting them in ’88.
This weekend Coastal opens and South Zone closes. I will be 5 miles into the South Zone from the parkway. Let me thank all of the Coastal boys in advance for chasing the ducks inland to me and not hunting the South Zone close. I almost forgot … you welcome Bruce for the scouting information.
Almost always out there …
Posted By:
patrick flaherty
Guest
Delaware River near Lambertville 10-23-2007 11:50
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Was up from MD visiting a friend and we did a 8 mile kayak trip down the river. Started somewhere near Lambertville and pulled out right before route 95. Saw tons of geese loafing in the shallows and rocks. Counted 23 mallards hanging or flying up the river.
Thought about getting a hunting license and hunting around the Chester area in a swamp I used to hunt. Always held good numbers of birds. I was severely dissapointed to see the lack of rain had diminished it to a small steam barely wide enough to get my poke boat through. So I guess that is out of the question.
My mother-in-law just moved to Barnegat and I plan on scouting that out sometime in the future for next season.
Until then, I am hunting in MD.
Ray, I am jealous. I miss the float hunting for woodies.
Good luck up there.
patrick flaherty
[Edited By patrick flaherty on 2007-10-23 11:50]
Posted By:
Ray-Sands
Field Editor
Griscom Swamp 10-22-2007 21:45
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
Keep putting in the two cents … maybe raise it to a field-editor?
Some pics from today down Jersey… just had enough light and time get out the meadows to see if I should plan an outing for tomorrow am. Well I will be there because the birds just waiting to jump the bay. Today they here and tomorrow … with the right front … they will be gone!
http://img526.imageshack.us/my.php?image=20071022tuckspookld3.jpg
http://img528.imageshack.us/my.php?image=20071022tuckmanyvg4.jpg
Everyone I talked to who gunned the Southern Opener from South River to Cedar Swamp and back out to Swan Pond hade limit by 9am no matter how many guns were in the blind! 90% teal in the bag … BWTeal & GWTeal
[Edited By Ray-Sands on 2007-10-22 21:46]
