Posted By:
Castille-Hebert
Guest
SW La. 01-23-2008 06:31
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 45-50 Degrees
I think the issue about splits is that the ducks have started a somewhat change in migratory patterns. More and more birds are staying North of us because of the availability of open water and food. Less hardy birds such as Teal and greys move down early in October and stay. These birds provide us with good shooting in the first split and by the time the second split arrives these birds are blind shy. I think we might need to rethink our hunting strategy for future seasons and maybe start some such of resting areas close to our hunting blinds that would allow the birds to filter in and out of these areas offering us ample shooting. Saw a show last week where an Arkansas hunter had done the exact thing and was enjoying decent shooting through both splits. Just a thought.
[Edited By Castille-Hebert on 2008-01-23 06:32]
Posted By:
hstep
WFC Sponsor
01-22-2008 18:58
– – –
Just got through reading some field reports for Arkansas and noticed they have two splits thus carying their season further into Jan. I was just wandering why Louisiana dosent have this in place, I think it would give us a chance have better hunts. The ponds are just begining to freeze in Ark. enough to push ducks out and on to us, a little late however. What do you guys think about this issue?
Posted By:
Castille-Hebert
Guest
SW La. 01-21-2008 07:06
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
Buddies hunted Saturday in the rain, managed a few ducks and three Blues. Season ended with a fizzle with no birds or geese. Might try a goose hunt now that duck is closed but chances are pretty slim for success. Was a fair season with good hunting during the first split but the second was poor. We just are not getting new birds during the second split.
Posted By:
Duck enticer
Guest
SW. LA 01-18-2008 18:48
Cloudy, High Winds – 35-40 Degrees
Well, this is the last weekend for the west zone guys and gals. It seems like it will be finished when it has just begun!
I am off to the killing ponds this weekend. Hopefully Mr. Grey duck will be nice and I will come back with a 24 bird report just like the last one. This has been a great year for us, we have been really blessed!
Good luck everyone, and may your barrels be hot!
Posted By:
Union BA
Guest
Jonesville 01-16-2008 14:26
– – –
Well, I heard there were no ducks in Louisiana but I had to find out on my own. Now I know, there are no ducks in Louisiana. I hunted from Thursday 1-10-08 to Tuesday 1-15-08 and 3 hunters killed 3 green wing teal.
Posted By:
cajunsorc
Guest
Pine Island 01-16-2008 13:49
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 45-50 Degrees
What a perfect day to be in the blind–so I decided to make a short hunt this morning (had to be in the office at 10). 8 to 12 mph wind, drizzle/rain & cold — what else could you ask for? Oh yeah–some ducks maybe. This day has made my mind up for me–I’m done. Picking up decoys, closing up blinds and throwing in the towel. We ended up with 2 pintail and 3 people shot a total of 2 shells. When some one figures out whats wrong please let me know. Same old story– plenty of birds across the hwy but they just sit there and give me the finger.
Posted By:
cajunsorc
Guest
Pine Island 01-14-2008 08:51
– – –
Hunted Sat & Sun. Saw thousands of ducks on sat most of them were high and ended up in the crawfish ponds to the East and West of Me. 2 guns managed 7 ducks and 1 goose.
Sun not as many ducks but the crawfish ponds still holding 3 to 5 thousand but the just wont move at all. 4 guns 16 ducks and 1 goose. The geese seem to be moving in now (about a month and a half late) but we are seeing 2 to 3 bodies every day and we should start smashing em soon! As far as the ducks go I’m about as frustrated as I can get. We have plenty of birds in the area but they just sit all day and the ones that do move wont look at my spread with the thousand of live ones so close. I’m ready to throw in the towel and start fishing!
Posted By:
Castille-Hebert
Guest
SW La. 01-14-2008 04:54
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
Looks like everyone is experiencing the same types of results. We down here aren’t the exception. Our’s has shut down completely. Read an article in our local paper on hunting in the 50’s. The writer described a hunt when a cold front was moving through during the hunt. The writer described the huge flocks of birds being pushed ahead of the front. I can remember such hunts myself, not anymore. Fronts blow through with no birds ahead of them. Have noticed the same results for the past couple of years. What is causing this is hard to figure out. All I know is that our numbers are down, and the season for us has been over since Christmas.
Posted By:
hstep
WFC Sponsor
01-10-2008 18:36
– – –
Well I guess I have my opinion also.
Too start with there is no hunting pressure problem, that is a fact.
Secondly, look back at the start of the season when everyone was talking about how many ducks they had and what a goo d eaon it was going to be, it wasent cold then either. The fact is ducks will migrate in mass numbers because that what they have been doing it for decades. However they migrate north as well as south. I think alot of the ducks that winter in La. dont have the food supply they once did and therefore they move north until they are forced to come back. I’m not sure about the duck number surveys being taken, maybe wright maybe not, but we have plenty to go around.
I also know someone is wanting to blame it on Global warming, personally I think thats a bunch of bull too. The warmest day ever recorded in the month of January was recorded in 1928.
I really dont know what the solution is but I do think that if the food was here as it is in Arkansas then we wouldnt be haveing the discusion.
I am just as discusted as every one else I havent killed very many ducks this year probably less than most everyone here however I have been in the field at least 35 days of this seaon and am not giving up till the last day.
BTW I was in Arkansas on the 15 and 16 of Dec. on a guided hunt and the first day 4 guys killed 2 ducks and the second day we killed 15 ducks and 2 geese and our shooting was not the reason for it either. They have bad days up there too.
Just my thoughts .
Posted By:
cajunlab
Guest
01-10-2008 15:15
– – –
cajunsorc-
I agree with you. That is one of the many reasons why we have a significany shortage of ducks. Like I said before, the ducks do not have any reason to come to LA anymore. They have food, cover and warmth up north. They can now winter north of us and stay fat, happy and warm. I don’t believe we don’t see them because of hunting pressure though. Each year we have less and less hunters in the field than the year before. That is another crisis all unto itself and can be another discussion. They way to fix that problem is easy. We need to teach our kids to hunt instead of playstation.
