Preseason 2018-2019

[Ericdc]

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[DComeaux]

We could sure do without that extra stuff with a frontal passage.

[MARSH BEAR]

I am hoping all that red stuff on the radar is migrating ducks that are coming with the front

[Darren]

Weather stations saying Bunkie area got just shy of 1 inch of rain from Thursday's front passage, looking forward to seeing how that looks on the field Sunday.

Report I got this morning from a buddy doing some youth hunt blind prep was huge numbers of teal of both flavors in the shallow areas of north Delacroix. Water is low and falling which fits the teal just fine, though it should be back up around normal before next weekend when we open.

[Darren]

Bunkie work day Sun 11-4-2018

Finally got four of us up there at same time and got a lot done despite the rains. On arrival to the area it was nice to see the usual field down the road locked up in spoons, teal, and misc others. When we got to camp was pleased to find main field and all other cuts around us with nice water levels, though no birds outside of wading varieties. Took photo inventory of the varieties of weeds/grasses in the fields in hopes to identify this week. There is some volunteer rice here and there but also a few other things shown below.

This stuff is fairly stalk-strong, and has some clusters atop it. It's taken over a lot of the field. Dont know of its value to birds, if any at all, but it's there for better or worse.

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Also others:

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Cut behind blind

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Blind currently in middle of this pile on levee. We left much of it standing as I'm sure it'll die off/weather down. Extends a good 30 feet or so on either end of pit. May have set new record of NINETEEN counted black widows inside of pit. I dodged pit clean up duty in favor of building the cleaning table roof. Did briefly pick up one lid on an end and sure enough there was one under the lip........watch your fingers! A bug bomb was promptly deployed.

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Got down to business with the cleaning table roof and came out beautifully. Rain gave us just enough windows to work with and it was nice to listen to what at times was a fair flight of specks and blues, though no big numbers of either. Just feels 'early' there, but was indeed much more fowl seen and heard than this same date in 2017 there which was like a summer day.

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Though the blind was locked up in spiders, the camp had record low numbers of critters, snake skins, etc. so that was encouraging. Same field was locked up in ducks on our way out headed home. All is ready to rock up that way, just had an early/premature feel to it, still pretty green; hope birds start to fill in/spread out in coming weeks because fields around us look promising. Didnt take the time to go ride the bulk of the farm so could have been birds holding elsewhere on it.

Reports I got from home marsh for next weekend were good, with teal and grays on straps for kids. Looks like front coming through just in time to kick us off later this week!

[DComeaux]

Looking good!!

[Darren]

So as to keep my interests here and not get John's off track......did take inventory of goose dekes available to us at the farm.

6 GHG FB snows
12 or so GHG FB ProGrade specks (two harvester packs)
6 GHG FB FFD Specks

Wondering what we might do with them, if anything, this time around. Considering adding some floater blues/snows once the numbers show up, figure it may be worth a try since most years the goose traffic is very low so maybe enhanced draw on a curious few. Otherwise, these blocks just stay in the camp on a shelf, so aren't likely to help us like that as it's been.

Crude sketch of potential set up below based on usual spread of ducks; big north/NE wind type day, for example, shown with mixed geese top right corner, fair bit up wind.

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[Ericdc]

You decide to sell any more speck decoys, you know who to talk to.


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[Darren]

You decide to sell any more speck decoys, you know who to talk to.

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I want to either use all of these that we have in a bigger spread that mostly stays out, OR go back to the micro-spread approach with 4-6 of the best I can get my hands on. I've seen the micro-spread approach here for a number of years so figure now's as good a time as any to try something else, a different look from the neighbors.

[BGkirk]

What did you use for the top of the cleaning table?


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[Darren]

What did you use for the top of the cleaning table?


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Framed up with treated 2X4's, top is just a 3/4" treated sheet of plywood for now. Contemplating covering it with some sort of metal sheeting or plastic in future

[Darren]

Dont think I could draw it up any better myself for an opening weekend marine forecast in my marsh

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We'll keep the dekes close in with all that wind, should be plenty sporty. Nothing like waking up to the camp rocking and the front porch rattling (faces north)......

[DComeaux]

With those winds in our new spot we will have tranquil waters around the blind. We also need these winds to flush the marsh around us. We are very slow draining.

[SpinnerMan]

It's the rut, so it has to be windy. Seems to happen all too often.

I start seeing these on the camera and the wind starts blowing.

We are getting the same wind up here. If there were any ducks around, I wouldn't complain too much. The entire club has been averaging about 1-2 ducks per day at the moment. So I slept in this morning and the forecast looks iffy for archery tomorrow.

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[DComeaux]

It's the rut, so it has to be windy. Seems to happen all too often.

I start seeing these on the camera and the wind starts blowing.

We are getting the same wind up here. If there were any ducks around, I wouldn't complain too much. The entire club has been averaging about 1-2 ducks per day at the moment. So I slept in this morning and the forecast looks iffy for archery tomorrow.

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WOW! That is a pig. Why did you take a picture of him behind a tree...

[SpinnerMan]

It's the rut, so it has to be windy. Seems to happen all too often.

I start seeing these on the camera and the wind starts blowing.

We are getting the same wind up here. If there were any ducks around, I wouldn't complain too much. The entire club has been averaging about 1-2 ducks per day at the moment. So I slept in this morning and the forecast looks iffy for archery tomorrow.

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WOW! That is a pig. Why did you take a picture of him behind a tree...

I need to move that camera or move that pine tree

That pine tree is 25 yards from my blind. If only I were there Friday afternoon.

Oh, and they get a lot bigger than that up here

That's a good one, but there are ones taken in the area every year that dwarf that guy.

My best buck with a bow so far is a button buck

[Rick]

I need to move that camera or move that pine tree

Seems to me the tree's likely to be more help than hindrance. Besides the more the camera shows of him, the sicker you'll be about his no-shows when you're there.

[SpinnerMan]

I need to move that camera or move that pine tree

Seems to me the tree's likely to be more help than hindrance. Besides the more the camera shows of him, the sicker you'll be about his no-shows when you're there.

I do need to move the camera. I agree that tree may serve me well. I have shot 3 deer within 20 feet of that tree.

[BGkirk]

What did you use for the top of the cleaning table?


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Framed up with treated 2X4's, top is just a 3/4" treated sheet of plywood for now. Contemplating covering it with some sort of metal sheeting or plastic in future

gotcha, or looked like you had a cutting material already on there. I was curious what you were going with for that purpose


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[Darren]

What did you use for the top of the cleaning table?


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Framed up with treated 2X4's, top is just a 3/4" treated sheet of plywood for now. Contemplating covering it with some sort of metal sheeting or plastic in future

gotcha, or looked like you had a cutting material already on there. I was curious what you were going with for that purpose

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Given we've been using the ledge of the front deck as the cleaning "table" for many years, this is a massive upgrade even sticking with the wood surface. Insisted on it being covered to both protect the table and extend it's life, but also keep us out the rain when cleaning birds.......seems I often look for rainy conditions to hunt there. Mission accomplished, can't wait to get feathers on it

[Ducaholic]

You should be good to go in your field location from a water perspective. The backwater in and around Avoyelles Parish is slowly filling up. Things are coming together. Looks like the first 9 days will be fruitful. Weather afterwards is spotty when I look at the extended forecast for states to our north.

[Darren]

On arrival to Bunkie area farm yesterday afternoon, it was initially pretty disappointing in that the good wad of birds down the road from us were no shows when we passed by and none flushed from our cut. However it didnt take but a short ride east on the farm to see where someone had put up what had to be a good few thousand ducks, like mosquitos. So that gave us a little hope for putting out dekes and battling about 8-9 more black widows found still inhabiting the pit. VERY few specks heard or seen yesterday but a fair many decent flights of snows passed through. Still just looks “early” for things up this way; probably because it is! We’ll give it a shot this morning in the clear and still conditions.

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[Darren]

Ray and I brushed blinds on the marsh lease late this morning and overall didn't see a whole lot. Found a few near my south pond but nothing holding in our others. Did end up bumping a fair many from property just north of us, and we're told there's a good many more around to our south so we'll hope tomorrow's activity stirs them for us. Did bump some from places they hadn't been in first split, but hoped to have more of an accumulation in our traditional areas.....maybe just not yet. High water is very likely a big factor, forcing birds to use the shallower stuff we largely lack, but it's falling nicely now with the westerly winds.

Harry and I did manage to make two quick fishing trips on either end of the brushing mission and found a few willing trout for the box. Johnny's en route with a sack of oysters, Will and I waiting with knives in hand having recovered from our duck sausage poboy lunch feast. We'll make out, alright ducks or no. Good luck tomorrow

Harry says its a keeper

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