Preseason...

[Rick]

Did eventually make it to the marsh yesterday, albeit through Cherry Ridge (where they had spent much of the day before reanchoring a blind that had been left covered and popped). Hearing that made me all the more happy I had the presence of mind and opportunity to uncover all of ours, which took in enough rain for ballast to remain securely moored. Most of the blinds were withing inches of being submerged by the high water, which their dog stands presently are. And most of the boat hides would be too low to get boats under if water levels were to remain as is, not that that's a very serious issue for teal.

My Mudhole seems to have fared pretty well and was the only blind set high enough that it's quite likely to be usable without us having to wear boots and stand in ballast water by the time season opens. Also learned that what I'd assumed floating black dirt in the pond was apparently the top of its "bottom" muck, as it's now all submerged. Which is probably good news in terms of how difficult it will be to get it to stay down when clearing the pond, but bad news for the dog who'll be working in it - though not before water cools considerable.

What appears the worst of my Mudhole problems is that much of the blind's flotant island's cane lacked foundation to stand up to the wind and was blown over onto the blind. Would like to think at least some will right itself, but we'll see...

What we found at the boat house is the most problematic, as the water is up on our parking area and the already badly rutted dirt road to it. Could be a week before the water drops enough and we can access it by land without making a terrible mess we'll have to deal with all season. And so the waiting and gauge watching begins...

(Saw less than a handful of wood ducks between the two marshes but several small balls of teal over the ag lands we passed en route.)

[Rick]

Landowner Doug rents the access road from is supposed to maintain it and doesn't, and Doug won't because the landowner is supposed to. So it stays problematic for those of us who have to use it.

[Rick]

The bug and I made the same rice land round where we made the video clips a couple days ago and found next to nothing in the rice and not a whole lot more in the flooded fallow stuff. But we did enjoy some one-on-one training time without nonk coyote's "help," including some work across flotant of the worst possible consistency: easy to break through with a big entry, but not so easy to resurface and navigate through. Also enjoyed a chance to call him off a barely airworthy gray duck, which was good proofing for times when chipped teal might otherwise lead him into alligator water.

[DComeaux]

Also enjoyed a chance to call him off a barely airworthy gray duck, which was good proofing for times when chipped teal might otherwise lead him into alligator water.

I wish I had better control of Ellie in these types of situations. I didn't start with her until she was 2, and didn't really take the time for more than the basics. Find it and bring it back is what she knows, and is stubborn with the rest. It's my fault due to laziness. We've been through all of the drills, and I've touched on other aspects, but I just didn't drill those in. She'll do great in the yard or at the ponds, but when the real thing is happening it's a different situation.

She knows whats up and does look at me for guidance while on a retrieve, but only when she's ready, and this really worries me at times. Think I can can get her under better control now, at age 7?

[Ericdc]

Where'd the gray duck come from? Leftover cripple?


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[Rick]

Think I can can get her under better control now, at age 7?

Probably with electronic manner reminder, I'd guess, but other than that...

I've always been inclined to think that if you can stop a squirrel, cat or stray dog chase in the yard, you should also have the control to stop a duck chase, but dogs are such situational learners that might not be the case. And especially so for a dog that's always had free rein to chase them and usually been rewarded for it with bird in mouth.

You may have noted I'm not a collar trainer, but we little doubt benefit from having places with crippled acting momma ducks to practice the dogs' OB on each summer.

[Rick]

Where'd the gray duck come from? Leftover cripple?

Almost certainly so, as he flushed it from a field's edge, and the bird could barely clear the water and stay airborne.

[Rick]

Spent my day on leases from Klondike to below Gueydan and the teal seem to have vanished from our countryside. Maybe they heard about Irma.

No shortage of flooded roads, though.

[Ericdc]

Spent my day on leases from Klondike to below Gueydan and the teal seem to have vanished from our countryside. Maybe they heard about Irma.

No shortage of flooded roads, though.

Sure would be nice to get started next Saturday


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[Rick]

Sure would be nice to get started next Saturday.

Water's still not dropping at the Catfish locks gauge, but we'll have to start next weekend, high water or not.

[Ericdc]

Yea I was meaning the weather for this coming weekend looks great, and it would have been our opener according to traditional 16 day structure.


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[Rick]

The north winds will surely bring more birds, but I'm sure not seeing enough now to be wishing for an earlier start - even if we weren't waiting on the water to drop.

[Rick]

The last time a saw promising flights, most were with the mottleds on rain flooded fallow ground, instead of in rain flooded rice stubble with the squealers. But they'd moved on when I looked again a couple days later. Have heard similar observations of good concentrations showing and then leaving north and south of Welsh, and didn't find them, as reported, by Gueydan. Would guess they're still around somewhere, but either super sly or simply not enough of them to be readily encountered yet.

Will be checking farmers' work both below Gueydan and in Klondike tomorrow, and may see a bazillion...

[aunt betty]

The north winds will surely bring more birds, but I'm sure not seeing enough now to be wishing for an earlier start - even if we weren't waiting on the water to drop.

reckon they are in freshly flooded pastures ? Or shallower water in general? I know that's what a buddy observed


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Literally drove 4000 miles per season in Arkansas scouting for waterfowl for four years. Found that the skinny water is where it's at until it freezes.

[Rick]

When it's all said and done, there sure is an awful lot more said than done. Was scheduled to OK teal buffaloed ponds on one place and insure preparation was underway on another yesterday, but got word water had gone down enough to get trucks through to a BIL's place south of Winnie, and went there to help salvage what we could of what was left behind when he was air-lifted out. Which went about as well as that could.

But none of the promised teal pond prep had transpired when I checked on it this morning. "Tomorrow."

Teal report isn't much better, with few seen during my morning travels. Did hear from a friend who knows what "big" means that there were some big bunches coming north from the Amaco marsh over his place near the Intracoastal yesterday.

[aunt betty]

"Tomorrow."

How many tomorrows are we talking here?
Just got done blasting on a guy who told me "tomorrow" and it was freakin' five yesterday's ago.
Tomorrow eh?

[Darren]

some big bunches coming north from the Amaco marsh over his place near the Intracoastal yesterday.

With that description, sounds like he's probably in a good spot

[Rick]

Super spot farmed only for waterfowl with all the indigos a duck or goose could dream of. Well, that, and 2,500 decoys in the big season...

Usually one of the first spots to host teal and specks, and I don't blame 'em.

[Ericdc]

Super spot farmed only for waterfowl with all the indigos a duck or goose could dream of. Well, that, and 2,500 decoys in the big season...

Usually one of the first spots to host teal and specks, and I don't blame 'em.

Where bouts is this?


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[Rick]

Just west of the Florence Club. Last I heard $3,000,000 would buy it, if you're in the market.

[Ericdc]

Just west of the Florence Club. Last I heard $3,000,000 would buy it, if you're in the market.

Trump hasn't made America that great for me just yet.


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[Rick]

I am soooo looking forward to hiding out in the marsh today. May even take the opportunity to "accidentally" drown my phone...

[aunt betty]

May even take the opportunity to "accidentally" drown my phone...

The one I got right now has went swimmin "down by your feet deep" in two different states on several occasions.
The Japanese elves inside the bag of Riceland rice fix it every time.

[Rick]

Never had much luck with rice, but have saved more than a couple with time on the truck dash under our fine Louisiana sun.

Still should have drown my phone: just a couple anxious hunter calls and a couple more re: alligator stuff, but that damn DComeaux fellow kept sending me texts I'd try to answer on my throw-away flip phone without knowing how to text on it - or any other, for that matter.

Got waylayed with more boat work at the camp and didn't make it to the mudhole until noon. Water is dropping off the highway, and though we still had to pass through water on the farm road to it, the boathouse parking area was above water.

Mudhole and blind "island" were, of course wooly:

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But with ample water's help, a good lick was put on each:

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Of course much of the "bottom" will resurface and the pond would need a few more days' grinding even if I weren't determined to also take a few feet off the blind's ever expanding "island". But its a start and was sweet to be in the marsh, even if I didn't see a duck of any sort anywhere today, except a little bunch of teal that passed behind the camp.

[Ericdc]

Rick my uncle Ricky, short for Richard, will be hunting with you guys Friday morning. Don't know who will be guiding him and his partner but they'll be there.

His youngest, my cousin, is a pitcher at LSU.


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[Rick]

Assuming I'm not too fried from last minute stuff that should have been done last week, I'll keep an eye out for him. (Don't have a clue who I'm hunting.)

[Bruce Yerkes]

Rick, I am coming down Sunday, 9/17. I sent you an email, but it came back undeliverable. I had a gmail. com ending. What is your ending? I need a favor. If you could pick up some shells at G&H for me. If you could provide me your ending of email I will send you what I need. Thanks.

Your pain in Arse friend,

Bruce.

[Rick]

Got one from you on Sat?, but didn't look and see it until this morning. Will have your shells waiting. Not so sure about the teal...

Had another from Larry saying he's flying the survey now and should have his numbers tabulated by Thursday. But you only need for 6 to come by, right?