WaterfowlForum.Net

Date: Sunday, Dec 17, 2023

Hunters: Keith and I - no Abby

Temp: 44 degrees, wind NNW 10 mph

Stupid me, I forgot to give Abby her medicine with her evening meal last night, and she was so stoved up I left her at the camp. Keith and I heard lots of shooting early, but not many ducks came our way until after 8:30, still did not see many, but what we saw came in.

Total - 9 - Gadwall, 3 - Wigeon

Date: Monday, Dec 18, 2023

Hunters: Keith, Me and Abby

Temp: 44 degrees, wind NNW 5 - 10 mph

Keith and I were the only camp members hunting today. Abby was back to her usual self after her meds. The marsh was dead, dead, dead, no shooting to be heard, and we saw very few ducks.

Total: 2 - Gadwall, 1 - Wigeon, 1 - greenwing teal

Leaving the marsh, pulling out onto the highway we saw at least 500 teal in a burnt area by the highway with sheet water from the rains. At least we still have some in the area

Sounds like a good weekend to me...

Couple of good hunts in there MB

A fine weekend indeed! I’m sure that one was fun with just you and Abby, shooting woes or not.

Much better than your last trip, hope it stays heading in right direction as we move along in the 2nd split.

Date: Wednesday, Dec 27, 2023

Hunters: William & Matthew in 1 blind me in another

Temp: Upper 40's wind NE 10 mph

Ducks were moving around and the boys were having a blast, pun intended. I think they shot 2 and 1/2 boxes of shells. We use walkie talkies in the marsh for instant communication so I knew what they were hitting and missing. I had a good day, mostly Gadwall at my blind

Totals: boys - 7 - gadwall, 5 - greenwing teal
me: 5 - gadwall, 1 - greenwing teal

Date: Thursday, Dec 29, 2023

Hunters: William & Matthew in 1 blind, me in another

Temp: Lower 40's wind 10 - 15 mph

The boys wanted to go back to the same blind as yesterday, I choose a different blind. Not as many ducks around as the day before. Stronger wind made the shooting a little more difficult, they were laughing at each other about their misses.

On the way out of the lease, but before we got to the highway, the low tire indicator came on my vehicle. There is a large limestone area to pull onto. Tire pressure showed 8 lbs, tried to use an airpump but the air went out as fast as it went in. Matthew and William ages 17 and 18 said to me don't worry Papa we have this - all I had to do was find where the jack was hidden.

Totals: boys - 3 - gadwall, 2 - greenwing teal, 1 - spoonbill
me - 1 - gadwall, 2 - greenwing teal

Saturday, Dec 30, 2023

Hunters: Larry and I, with Abby

Temp: mid 40's wind o - 6 mph

Dead calm for the first hour, and very little duck activity. Then the breeze picked up a little from the N and the were on the move. Poor Larry was not shooting very well at the beginning, but got better with a little practice. I did get a triple on teal that really pissed Larry off. Then for our last duck a lone Gadwall came in low and slow on Larry's side he shot 3 times missed on all of them and I dropped the duck on my first shot

Totals: 11 - greenwing teal, 1 - gadwall

Date: Sunday, Dec 31, 2023

Hunters: Larry and I with Abby

Temp: Lower 50's wind 0 - 6 mph

Again no wind to start, patchy fog. We went back to same blind as yesterday, why mess with success. About 8:00 the wind started to pick up. We did not have as many ducks moving today, but it was enough. Larry shot better and I shot worse.

Totals: 10 - greenwing teal, 2 - gadwall - again Larry missed on the Gadwall

Date: Saturday, Jan 6, 2024

Hunters: Keith and I with Abby

Temp: 40 degrees, wind N 5 - 10 mph

At legal shoot time it sounded like a war all over the marsh, but nothing coming close to our blind. After about 1/2 hour we started having our chances. Keith only has 1 eye, lost the other in an accident in high school (1967). We missed a lot of opportunities to shoot, I have to take blame on some of them also. The ducks we saw in time we did well with.

Totals: 11 - greenwing teal

Date: Sunday, Jan 7, 2024

Hunters: Keith and I with Abby

Temp: 42 degrees, wind NE 5 - 10 mph

What a difference a day makes. Little to no shooting anywhere in the marsh. I don't think Keith and I saw 20 ducks all morning. On the way back to the camp we saw hundreds and hundreds of ducks in the ponds along side the highway.

Totals: 2 - Spoonbill, we only shot twice

MARSH BEAR wrote:Date: Thursday, Dec 29, 2023

Hunters: William & Matthew in 1 blind, me in another

Temp: Lower 40's wind 10 - 15 mph

The boys wanted to go back to the same blind as yesterday, I choose a different blind. Not as many ducks around as the day before. Stronger wind made the shooting a little more difficult, they were laughing at each other about their misses.

On the way out of the lease, but before we got to the highway, the low tire indicator came on my vehicle. There is a large limestone area to pull onto. Tire pressure showed 8 lbs, tried to use an airpump but the air went out as fast as it went in. Matthew and William ages 17 and 18 said to me don't worry Papa we have this - all I had to do was find where the jack was hidden.

Totals: boys - 3 - gadwall, 2 - greenwing teal, 1 - spoonbill
me - 1 - gadwall, 2 - greenwing teal

All that time invested in them paid off!

Sounds like some good times, glad Abby's back after them...

If anyone is interested:

Teal season is 25 weeks from today, or 175 days

Call and I are still enjoying the few that traffic a farm where we make morning training/exercise rounds. Never many there, but more than enough to make our good times there even better.

Rick wrote:Call and I are still enjoying the few that traffic a farm where we make morning training/exercise rounds. Never many there, but more than enough to make our good times there even better.

A buddy reported some nice numbers right off the road last week in Lake Pontchartrain area public land.

The farm I'm talking about seldom sees many at any time of year. Clark called a couple days ago to say the marsh is beautiful and loaded with birds - but he's only caught one fish so far. Think he's just going to mow and doubt he's trying too hard for fish, but they've apparently taken a good lick from the salt.