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Date: 11/19/22

Time: morning

Location: river

Cloud Cover: started cloudy, clearing by 730

Wind Direction and Velocity: wsw 10-20

Temperature: 24

Moon phase: waning crescent

Special Notes: saw an incredible hen to drake ratio. At least 2 hens for every drake and probably 5 hens for every drake green winged teal. The last time I recall this many hens was 2013, which (maybe not so) ironically was the last time we had temps this cold this early with low water conditions. I know this to be the belief with bwt, but do mallards and green wings follow the same pattern of drakes migrating first and hens following?

Waterfowl Activity: good early flight; with streams of high ducks headed south until 930.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: couldn’t break mallards. Teal very good. Wood ducks decoyed without any coaxing. Gave most of them a pass.

Hunters: 3 but only 2 guns, as Jason worked his dog.

Guns: Stoeger 3500 was a single shot a couple times. M2 worked fine.

Malfunctions: buddy’s outboard wasn’t peeing. He didn’t run enough water out last time he took it out of the water and it froze internally, so we all 3 piled into my slow(er)-devil. That set us back 30 minutes, so we didn’t run as far as I’d planned.

Dog(s): Scout, who had an adventurous morning. His first time in any kind of current had him a little spooked. He kept losing sight of birds as he got closer, leading me to tell his owner that I don’t think his vision is right. Sure enough, a trip to the vet on Wednesday confirmed “corneal opacities”. He’s headed to a canine ophthalmologist next week for more info.

Special Equipment: put some full body black ducks on a sand bar I’d been itching to use since my field hunting days.

Curses: only the lack of low mallards and frozen outboard.

Kudos: nice to be back out there and with a couple of my close buddies.

Birds By Species: 8 gw teal, 3 wood ducks.

Photo Ops:

Lagniappe:

Now I'm feeling unobservant, as I'd not paid a lick of attention to green-wing sex ratios, and find myself wondering if there aren't still males without their winter plumage. Will have to remember to pay more attention and check distal tertials on what appear "hens".

May well be the case Rick, as I’m not educated enough to tell the difference without their winter plumage. But there were two separate 20 packs without a winter-plumed drake in sight. Saw several winter-plumed drakes the next two days however.

Duck Engr wrote:Date: 11/19/22

Time: morning

Location: river

Cloud Cover: started cloudy, clearing by 730

Wind Direction and Velocity: wsw 10-20

Temperature: 24

Moon phase: waning crescent

Special Notes: saw an incredible hen to drake ratio. At least 2 hens for every drake and probably 5 hens for every drake green winged teal. The last time I recall this many hens was 2013, which (maybe not so) ironically was the last time we had temps this cold this early with low water conditions. I know this to be the belief with bwt, but do mallards and green wings follow the same pattern of drakes migrating first and hens following?

Waterfowl Activity: good early flight; with streams of high ducks headed south until 930.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: couldn’t break mallards. Teal very good. Wood ducks decoyed without any coaxing. Gave most of them a pass.

Hunters: 3 but only 2 guns, as Jason worked his dog.

Guns: Stoeger 3500 was a single shot a couple times. M2 worked fine.

Malfunctions: buddy’s outboard wasn’t peeing. He didn’t run enough water out last time he took it out of the water and it froze internally, so we all 3 piled into my slow(er)-devil. That set us back 30 minutes, so we didn’t run as far as I’d planned.

Dog(s): Scout, who had an adventurous morning. His first time in any kind of current had him a little spooked. He kept losing sight of birds as he got closer, leading me to tell his owner that I don’t think his vision is right. Sure enough, a trip to the vet on Wednesday confirmed “corneal opacities”. He’s headed to a canine ophthalmologist next week for more info.

Special Equipment: put some full body black ducks on a sand bar I’d been itching to use since my field hunting days.

Curses: only the lack of low mallards and frozen outboard.

Kudos: nice to be back out there and with a couple of my close buddies.

Birds By Species: 8 gw teal, 3 wood ducks.

Photo Ops:

Lagniappe:

Remind me what state you are hunting in again?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Was in Arkansas on this trip. I live in Alabama but bounce between Missouri and Arkansas for my “trips out west” depending on water levels.

Sand bar? What river?
I have been pushed by my pals to try the st Francis.
That's about as far from Alabama as it gets tho.

Not at liberty to reveal which river publicly but just about every river in the state had sand bars last weekend.

Duck Engr wrote:Not at liberty to reveal which river publicly but just about every river in the state had sand bars last weekend.

The ditches have sand bars too.
Ok you hunted the new cache like a fool.
It's basically a ditch now. They straightened it.
Naw that's way too far north.

Ricky Spanish wrote:

Duck Engr wrote:Not at liberty to reveal which river publicly but just about every river in the state had sand bars last weekend.

The ditches have sand bars too.
Ok you hunted the new cache like a fool.
It's basically a ditch now. They straightened it.
Naw that's way too far north.

You caught the tater

Duck Engr wrote:

Ricky Spanish wrote:

Duck Engr wrote:Not at liberty to reveal which river publicly but just about every river in the state had sand bars last weekend.

The ditches have sand bars too.
Ok you hunted the new cache like a fool.
It's basically a ditch now. They straightened it.
Naw that's way too far north.

You caught the tater

if u look at a map.
Which river is closest is not the black or st Francis.
That's where I've went before.

Date: 11/20/22

Time: morning

Location: river

Cloud Cover: severe clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: light northerly

Temperature: 21, but didn’t feel as cold as the day before with the light wind.

Moon phase:

Special Notes: debated on making a long run but my compadres didn’t want to run so far in the cold… weenies.

Waterfowl Activity: saw a mere fraction of previous day’s flight.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: thankfully good

Hunters: 3

Guns: buddy brought his grandfather’s 1187 he’d received before his grandfather passed away. He was able to take a couple of birds with it.

Malfunctions: some bent barrels early and me not having my gun in hand for our mallard op.

Dog(s): Scout had a better day

Special Equipment: jerk chord, the deploying of which cost me a mallard op.

Curses: none from me.

Kudos: neat to see the appreciation my buddy had for the two ducks he killed with his grandfather’s old gun. After he downed the second duck, he smiled, turned around, took two steps, and found an arrowhead laying on the river bank. That was pretty cool.

Birds By Species: 9 teal. 4 wood ducks.

Photo Ops:

Lagniappe: I had a “scotch triple” on a group of 20 teal that tried to light right in the decoys. A first for me.

Duck Engr wrote:Lagniappe: I had a “scotch triple” on a group of 20 teal that tried to light right in the decoys. A first for me.

How many decoys did you get?

Rick wrote:

Duck Engr wrote:Lagniappe: I had a “scotch triple” on a group of 20 teal that tried to light right in the decoys. A first for me.

How many decoys did you get?

There was one casualty but only took a stray BB to the noggin, so we’re still in business. Had I not been purposely dodging decoy collateral damage, I probably only would’ve ended up with one duck. Two zigged when they should’ve zagged. $10 a pop makes you think thrice before shooting.

Duck Engr wrote:

Rick wrote:

Duck Engr wrote:Lagniappe: I had a “scotch triple” on a group of 20 teal that tried to light right in the decoys. A first for me.

How many decoys did you get?

There was one casualty but only took a stray BB to the noggin, so we’re still in business. Had I not been purposely dodging decoy collateral damage, I probably only would’ve ended up with one duck. Two zigged when they should’ve zagged. $10 a pop makes you think thrice before shooting.

My decoys were brand new. The guys I hunt with won't hesitate to shoot a $20 flocked decoy then criticize the decoys appearance. So you shoot a few of their Dakotas.

Awesome hunt!

Date: 11/21/22

Time: morning

Location: river oxbow

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: light shifting back and forth between south and east.

Temperature: 23

Moon phase:

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: best I’ve seen in a long time as far as low and looking ducks

Waterfowl Responsiveness: they didn’t want much calling at all. Had to go real light

Hunters: had the full knucklehead squad together again for the first time in a long time. Plus a couple extra locals we met that we’re headed for the same hole.

Guns:

Malfunctions: had a shot call here or there we’d like to have back, but otherwise no complaints from me.

Dog(s): wore Jax to an absolute nub.

Special Equipment: two jerk chords. They needed to be longer in hindsight.

Curses: had a group set up south of us that I’m fairly certain was shooting right when we had ducks lined up to finish early on. Fortunately the wind switched and the ducks quit lining up where they could see them. I’m too old to fistfight over a duck.

Kudos: we try to get in the craziness of people and ducks at least one day per trip, and today was the day.

Birds By Species: mallards, gadwall, and a couple of incidental teal and a wood duck. We gave teal and woodies a pass for the most part. The highlight of the day and likely the season was a mallard/pintail hybrid. Still a beauty even though it was a juvenile. It came in with a drake mallard and we thought it was a hen at first glance. My buddy and I both thought something looked off and after further review he saw a glint of green on its head right as I saw the blue on the bill. Both immediately freaked out and started hollering and shooting. Not sure who connected first. No curled pin feather unfortunately.

Photo Ops:


Lagniappe: felt good to have the full gang back together. We don’t all get to hunt together much anymore due to the complexities of schedules.

Highlight of the season... I reckon...

Duck Engr wrote:Date: 11/21/22

Time: morning

Location: river oxbow

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: light shifting back and forth between south and east.

Temperature: 23

Moon phase:

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: best I’ve seen in a long time as far as low and looking ducks

Waterfowl Responsiveness: they didn’t want much calling at all. Had to go real light

Hunters: had the full knucklehead squad together again for the first time in a long time. Plus a couple extra locals we met that we’re headed for the same hole.

Guns:

Malfunctions: had a shot call here or there we’d like to have back, but otherwise no complaints from me.

Dog(s): wore Jax to an absolute nub.

Special Equipment: two jerk chords. They needed to be longer in hindsight.

Curses: had a group set up south of us that I’m fairly certain was shooting right when we had ducks lined up to finish early on. Fortunately the wind switched and the ducks quit lining up where they could see them. I’m too old to fistfight over a duck.

Kudos: we try to get in the craziness of people and ducks at least one day per trip, and today was the day.

Birds By Species: mallards, gadwall, and a couple of incidental teal and a wood duck. We gave teal and woodies a pass for the most part. The highlight of the day and likely the season was a mallard/pintail hybrid. Still a beauty even though it was a juvenile. It came in with a drake mallard and we thought it was a hen at first glance. My buddy and I both thought something looked off and after further review he saw a glint of green on its head right as I saw the blue on the bill. Both immediately freaked out and started hollering and shooting. Not sure who connected first. No curled pin feather unfortunately.

Photo Ops:


Lagniappe: felt good to have the full gang back together. We don’t all get to hunt together much anymore due to the complexities of schedules.

Maybe I misunderstood but I read it to say the other hunters were observing birds decoying to you and then shooting to drive them away. That would not go unpunished in my woods. I'd collect a gang and ...

Ricky Spanish wrote:

Duck Engr wrote:Date: 11/21/22

Time: morning

Location: river oxbow

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: light shifting back and forth between south and east.

Temperature: 23

Moon phase:

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: best I’ve seen in a long time as far as low and looking ducks

Waterfowl Responsiveness: they didn’t want much calling at all. Had to go real light

Hunters: had the full knucklehead squad together again for the first time in a long time. Plus a couple extra locals we met that we’re headed for the same hole.

Guns:

Malfunctions: had a shot call here or there we’d like to have back, but otherwise no complaints from me.

Dog(s): wore Jax to an absolute nub.

Special Equipment: two jerk chords. They needed to be longer in hindsight.

Curses: had a group set up south of us that I’m fairly certain was shooting right when we had ducks lined up to finish early on. Fortunately the wind switched and the ducks quit lining up where they could see them. I’m too old to fistfight over a duck.

Kudos: we try to get in the craziness of people and ducks at least one day per trip, and today was the day.

Birds By Species: mallards, gadwall, and a couple of incidental teal and a wood duck. We gave teal and woodies a pass for the most part. The highlight of the day and likely the season was a mallard/pintail hybrid. Still a beauty even though it was a juvenile. It came in with a drake mallard and we thought it was a hen at first glance. My buddy and I both thought something looked off and after further review he saw a glint of green on its head right as I saw the blue on the bill. Both immediately freaked out and started hollering and shooting. Not sure who connected first. No curled pin feather unfortunately.

Photo Ops:


Lagniappe: felt good to have the full gang back together. We don’t all get to hunt together much anymore due to the complexities of schedules.

Maybe I misunderstood but I read it to say the other hunters were observing birds decoying to you and then shooting to drive them away. That would not go unpunished in my woods. I'd collect a gang and ...

That was our suspicion. It wasn’t blatantly obvious but happened enough times to where we were fairly certain. Like I said, I’m too old and have too many people counting on me at home to fight over a duck. Back in my mid to early twenties, I’d have been over there after the first time to observe the goings on and fighting after the second.

WOW! One for the wall.

Duck Engr wrote:
Curses: had a group set up south of us that I’m fairly certain was shooting right when we had ducks lined up to finish early on. Fortunately the wind switched and the ducks quit lining up where they could see them. I’m too old to fistfight over a duck.

We had an issue once (one morning) with a neighbor on leased rice land. After the third incident that morning I stood up on the seat of the blind and voiced my disapproval quite loudly. It didn't happen again, and they left the blind shortly after. I didn't hear any calling coming from that blind at all that morning, just the one shot every time we had birds committed. They had an unobstructed view of our working birds.

DComeaux wrote:WOW! One for the wall.

Duck Engr wrote:
Curses: had a group set up south of us that I’m fairly certain was shooting right when we had ducks lined up to finish early on. Fortunately the wind switched and the ducks quit lining up where they could see them. I’m too old to fistfight over a duck.

We had an issue once (one morning) with a neighbor on leased rice land. After the third incident that morning I stood up on the seat of the blind and voiced my disapproval quite loudly. It didn't happen again, and they left the blind shortly after. I didn't hear any calling coming from that blind at all that morning, just the one shot every time we had birds committed. They had an unobstructed view of our working birds.

One of our guys did yell “I hope you idiots killed that wood duck.”

It’s going on the wall for sure despite its juvenile age and plumage. I may never see one again and will likely never be on a hunt where one is killed. My buddy won the flip so he’s first in line to send it to the taxidermist.

Great reports DE, and a cool hybrid!!!!!
Very little respect on public land these days

Very cool bird!

Glint of green on its head eh?
Sure it's not a shoveler hybrid?

Cool. A greenhead will hump anything.
The extra green wing patch means it identifies as a drake.

11/28/22

Had a late evening flight today for a work trip so I went up to the farm this morning and “rode” with Dad (Dad always refers to quail hunting as “riding.”) Warmer than we would’ve liked, upper 60s by the time we had the horses saddled, me atop Jackson and Dad on Elvis. Broken cloud cover with peeks of sun. Wind from the north pretty steady at a 10 mph.

Dad’s English pointer Sadie is about the best dog I’ve seen him have over the years, and he’s had a over 10 in my lifetime. She’s 7 this year, in her prime, and she did not disappoint today. We paired her with her young understudy Ruger, who is 18 months and very slowly figuring out the game. He sported a 20’ check cord today, as he’s not exactly steady yet. We broke away from the barn around 1030 and headed down the driveway, Sadie and Ruger leading the way. Off the north side of the driveway and we hadn’t yet topped the first hill when Sadie steadied on point. Ruger rumbled, stumbled and fumbled his way up behind her until he too got wind of the birds. I wasn’t quick enough dismounting my horse to get to the aforementioned check cord and he broke, diving in on a nice covey of 15-20. Sadie glared with displeasure as Dad read Ruger the riot act and worked on his steadiness. Steady lesson behind us, we remounted our horses and rode on to the north side of the property, turning east as we neared the northern boundary. Up and down four hillsides with no luck until Sadie disappeared in the bicolor patch atop the next hill. We nearly rode right over her trying to find her. She was pointed again, and once again, up lumbered her understudy, this time stopping to honor her point. We were able to hop down and grab his check cord this time but didn’t end up needing it, as it looks like the steadiness lesson took some root. Walked up and flushed a nice covey of 15+, with both dogs steady to wing. Didn’t bring guns on the trip today. Just working dogs.

Made the rounds along our eastern property boundary and back to the barn with no more finds. Ruger, however, did learn that chasing deer earns him a fried neck. We’ll see if his lessons learned from today carry over to the next time he hunts.

Saw a juvenile bald eagle over the pond as we rode back up to the barn. That’s noteworthy in our neck of the woods. I don’t recall ever seeing another one in the 30 years we’ve had the place.

I would love to make a good quail hunt. They've disappeared from our area. I remember being startled by flushing coveys many times while dove hunting, or just walking fence lines. It's been a long time since I've heard wild bob white trying to covey-up in the evenings......I miss it.

That is some beautiful habitat.

Mighty fine !!!

I read this story to Moe...

I agree with DComeaux on the habitat....

Thanks for the ride. Been a while.

Glad to see that you still have some wild birds to play with, and watching a good dog work is a beautiful thing