Darren wrote:After finally seeing things first hand from Clyde's vantage point, I'd definitely say there's some birds to be had off your back porch, especially teal but also others. Seemed a fair flight, on that one particular day at least, that was rebounding back westward from the ponds on east end as we'd see them pass us but later come trickling back. If you could see them.....who knows what it may turn up
Ericdc wrote:Weather got really bad last night at Grandparents house SE of DeRidder. They lost a bunch of trees, including a huge red oak that nearly missed centering their house. Waiting on pics, but I think they suffered a little damage to carport end of house. They are pretty upset, but ok.
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johnc wrote:...and why so many people get aggravated
Rick wrote:There's a ridge of roseaus just SW of Clyde's pond (under the "C" of Clyde's in photo)that folks who hunt it often complain about birds putting in on the wrong side of.
This year's survey estimated the coastal region, which covers the marshes, prairies and bays from the Louisiana border to and including Baffin Bay/Upper Laguna Madre, held just 521,000 ducks when observers flew the survey. That is the lowest number of ducks counted on the coast during the survey's history, 76 percent fewer ducks than the 2017 survey and barely one-third the 1.4 million ducks the region has averaged over the past 22 years.
The dramatic drop in the number of ducks wintering in Texas this year is hard to explain, Kraai said. North America's overall duck population is relatively unchanged from this past year and continues riding highs that have persisted for the past two decades. And this winter has seen several stretches of severely cold temperatures in states up the Central Flyway, conditions that locked much open water in ice and is generally expected to push birds from those frozen regions into Texas.
"The traditional thinking is that extremely cold conditions like we saw this winter pushed birds south, so we should have loaded up with ducks," Kraai said. But waterfowl managers are learning that wintering ducks and geese are just as likely to move east or west as they are to move north and south.
"Some of the radio-telemetry research is showing birds making these incredible movements on wintering grounds -hundreds of miles or more, just as often east to west as north to south," Kraai said. "They cover a lot more ground than we ever dreamed. They go where they can find open water, food and aren't pressured."
Four of the past seven years, the highest duck numbers counted in the mid-winter survey were in pond-rich regions such as the Rolling Plains and Oak Prairies, not the coastal marshes, bays and prairies.
"Those ducks are going to stop where they can find water, food and a place they aren't bothered," Kraai said. Absent significant improvements in coastal habitat, the trend of ducks wintering outside traditional wintering areas is likely to continue.
Rick wrote:That's it: just buy a few thousand acres, and you, too, can hold birds. 'Course, they may not always move like you'd wish...
DComeaux wrote:I read that article yesterday and it got me thinking. I do believe that pressure is a big factor with these birds. A gun in every bush, pond etc, has to play a part. Heck, I/we noticed a change in the rice just in the five years we were there. BUT, has the number of duck hunters really increased enough over the years to make such an impact? Or is it lessors cramming more blinds into smaller areas due to price increases?
The first year or two we were pretty much alone in our area. Do you remember the birds on that one hunt you made with me, coming from the south? There's just no place for them to sit unmolested anymore. They just head back to, and sit in the middle of White Lake, right where Larry counts them every year.
The marsh we're in now, IMO, has way too many blinds. We still get our birds, for the most part, but it could be managed a whole lot better. It only takes tons of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
Tell Arkansas Game and Fish Commission not to ban surface drives on public WMA's.
Hunting the flooded timber in the great state of Arkansas is one of the most exciting ways to duck hunt. Before surface drive motors, hunters used an outboard to navigate the flooded timber. When surface drives hit the market, many hunters began using them in the flooded timber because of the limitations of an outboard. Unfortunately, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is now considering a ban of all surface drive motors on public WMA's.
Many hunters agree that surface drive motors have made waterfowl hunting safer and more accessible. Surface drives allow hunters to spread out further into the woods so that not everyone is hunting so close together. With a surface drive, hunters can travel through the woods with a motor that can handle the abuse and keep hunters safe from stumps and logs so that they can return home safely to their families after every trip.
At Gator Tail, we love the waterfowl we hunt just as much as anyone. We would never want to see our products banned from hunting in the woods. That’s why we stand behind the use of our products on public WMA"s. We need your help to tell the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission that a ban on surface drives is wrong. Please watch the video below to see how to make your voice heard.
The best reason the AGFC will give us for this proposed ban is that the noise created by the surface drive motors is disturbing to waterfowl and other hunters. While we acknowledge their position respectfully, we also realize that hunting pressure by nature results in a variety of noises that disturb the environment such as shotgun blasts, loud duck calling, and modified outboard motors running through the timber. We ask that anyone using our products in the flooded timber please be courteous to waterfowl and other hunters by limiting loud noise as much as possible.
Please stand behind the surface drive industry and the many hunters that use them by letting the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission know that the use of surface drives should remain legal on all WMA’s. You can visit their survey here. In the survey they will ask if you support banning surface drives while gaining other privileges. Please check “strongly oppose” to let the commission know that you do not support a ban of surface drives. We look forward to your support.
DComeaux wrote:This is what I have to put up with in the spring on a once tranquil lake. Spawning areas are being ruined. There is absolutely no reason for this.
Deltaman wrote:Google earth, social media and mud motors.............no stone unturned.............over and over
aunt betty wrote:The beauty of Google Maps or Earth is it's not that good.
The pictures don't get updated very frequently.
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