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
– – –
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
