2022-2023 Season Log

[DComeaux]

(pulled spinners at hunt's end in prep for tonight's predicted 40mph gusts)

One of our lease members left his boat in the marsh on Sunday for the first time this season. He headed down there this morning to get it out shortly after I sent a text telling him of coastal flooding and 50 to 70 MPH winds. I may not have any decoys left after this thing rolls through.

[Ricky Spanish]

(pulled spinners at hunt's end in prep for tonight's predicted 40mph gusts)

One of our lease members left his boat in the marsh on Sunday for the first time this season. He headed down there this morning to get it out shortly after I sent a text telling him of coastal flooding and 50 to 70 MPH winds. I may not have any decoys left after this thing rolls through.

I'll give you a clue on what I'd do.
I'll even draw a dumb Betty picture.
This is real and what actually happens.
I'll do two scenarios.
1. Your decoys WERE in bags in the pit.
In that case drive the roads.
If the wind was north go a mile south and drive the east west road. Your decoys are in the ditch.
If not try two miles downwind.
Take binoculars they can hang up in a fence.

2. The find them singly part sucks .
I've found many decoys by just driving around after a big storm. You find them in the middle of a road.
Sorry

[Rick]

Date: 1/25/23 Wed

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: heavy

Wind Direction and Velocity: WNW STRONG

Temperature: dropping into 30s as the morning progressed

Moon phase:

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: Even worse than I've come to expect from NW fronts at my spot. While both Joe in Isaac's blind and Matt in Joe's back blind both had big hunts with more big ducks than they've been seeing lately.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Most of what wasn't plainly local tried to make it, just wasn't much of it, and we weren't prepared to take advantage of it.

Hunters: 2, Jim and Brooks' last morning

Guns:

Malfunctions: Only issue with Brooks' gun this morning was plainly op error.

Dog(s): The bug stared stoically into an empty wind.

Special Equipment: SOS

Curses: Worst "flight" yet.

Kudos: Good company.

Birds By Species: 1 gadwall, 1 gw teal, 1 mallard and 1 ringneck

[DComeaux]

It can be frustrating when others are banging away, I know.

You need to post in a timely manner. It causes anxiety.

[5 stand]

You need to post in a timely manner. It causes anxiety.

I laughed out loud at that...


I had the same thought Comeaux, I usually leave the job around 3:00 or 3:30, was surprised that Rick hadn't posted anything, random scenarios were running through my head...

[Rick]

...random scenarios were running through my head...

"Lazy bastage" would be the correct one.

Been afraid to look at tomorrow's weather, decided that was silly and just did. More of the same. Shouldn't have looked.

[Rick]

Date: 1/26/23 Fri

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: nil to moderate NW

Temperature: 30s

Moon phase:

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: Sucked, except for Issac's, where Joe and a couple young regulars shot 13, while the rest of us had 2 to 4.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Nothing much to respond, except a group of 9 mallards that broke down and allllllmost did it before pushing off at an impossible angle for my left-handed man and his remanufactured shoulder. Five landed behind us, but I raised four that allllllmost made it twice more, but at the same impossible, for Tom, angle.

Hunters: 1, Tom a long time regular who missed last season due to shoulder reconstruction that he's still not fully recovered from.

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): Marsh started to whine when the mallards were within spitting range for the third time without shots fired. Unlike him, but I knew exactly how he felt.

Special Equipment: SOS

Curses: Just the above.

Kudos: A single lost greenhead spun to the call and dropped in so pretty in the sun that it was a very good thing Tom just chipped him. Made my otherwise mighty long morning.

Birds By Species: 1 green-wing teal, 1 mallard and 1 shoveller (Sneaking up on a scratch day by day...)

[DComeaux]

I can say honestly say that I'm glad it closes this weekend. This 3 split seems to go on forever.

[Rick]

Season's end has always seemed a crap shoot, no matter when it falls, so I'm OK with the extra split in that regard, as well as the extra time out for the birds - and self. But it sucks for the weekend-ony hunters getting shorted and if it's causing pair bonding issues.

Have been hearing of massive gatherings of mallards and pintails in safe (private land) places - just waiting to come out of hiding when the shooting stops.

[DComeaux]

Have been hearing of massive gatherings of mallards and pintails in safe (private land) places - just waiting to come out of hiding when the shooting stops.

I don't doubt that.

This week myself and others in my area have heard a lot of goose traffic at night, all headed south. I've had a few calls telling me they're hearing geese. Some of these reports are not near my home. Seems some of the rice along I10 west is holding big bodies of geese as they once did. I got texts from a few driving out that way. It's been a few years.

[Rick]

We saw more geese earlier in the year than in the last however many, but it's been a good while since I've seen many of them. Maybe they're all on I-10.

[Rick]

Just read on The Refuge: "Specks have been heading south in central Illinois for the last two days"

Get ready boys!

[Ricky Spanish]

Just read on The Refuge: "Specks have been heading south in central Illinois for the last two days"

Get ready boys!

Define central Illinois.
You talking about Springfield or Havana?
East Central Illinois is a dead zone for that bird they simply don't go here

[Darren]

Have been hearing of massive gatherings of mallards and pintails in safe (private land) places - just waiting to come out of hiding when the shooting stops.

In Louisiana? Can't be, ducks dont come here anymore, they say.

Or could it be possible, that we still do get quite a bunch of them, our habits and habitats have just forced them into hiding, thus less likely to fly in the mornings to play our games.

Left farm couple weeks ago with very little "flight"....then went down the road and found a set of fields I know not to hold blinds.......wall to wall with every species one could hope for, in numbers all we could hope for. They were just smart enough not to play our games that day.

[Ricky Spanish]

Have been hearing of massive gatherings of mallards and pintails in safe (private land) places - just waiting to come out of hiding when the shooting stops.

In Louisiana? Can't be, ducks dont come here anymore, they say.

Or could it be possible, that we still do get quite a bunch of them, our habits and habitats have just forced them into hiding, thus less likely to fly in the mornings to play our games.

Left farm couple weeks ago with very little "flight"....then went down the road and found a set of fields I know not to hold blinds.......wall to wall with every species one could hope for, in numbers all we could hope for. They were just smart enough not to play our games that day.

You'd never believe how good a mallard duck is at not getting shot.
I know a few spots with aerated lighted ponds...country club living kinda thing and holy shit the mallards...
I'll even post where so you guys can take a trip.to McDonald's and look at mallard ducks THAT YOU CANT HUNT.
I swear they're geniuses at not getting shot at.

You want the city educated ones or the higher learning ducks that stay on the university stock ponds?
Either way ....NO HUNTING!
Ahahahahahaha.
Damned ducks

[Rick]

Date: 1/27/23 Fri

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: nil to light southerly

Temperature: frost

Moon phase: waxing 32%

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: Our marsh and Cherry Ridge were both mighty quiet, and ours may have been the big hunt.for ours.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Most, but certainly not all, of what moved worked well.

Hunters: 2, Josh and Craig

Guns:

Malfunctions: Craig, who was used to rear safeties struggled some finding his new Beretta's front one.

Dog(s): Wore himself out trying to dig out a long chipped mallard, I'm pretty sure I saw flush and go.

Special Equipment: SOS

Curses: Nope, not gonna.

Kudos: Nice guys had a nice time.

Birds By Species: 1 blue-wing, 3 green-wings, 1 mallard, 1 ringneck and 6 shovellers

Lagniappe: Had a second guy pee in the wrong end of the jug - even after I told of the first. Guess if you gotta go badly enough, it's tough to pay attention to anything else.

[DComeaux]

Pee on da boots....LOL!

[Darren]

Just never know who will walk through the camp door

[Rick]

Date: 1/28/23 Sat

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: cloudy

Wind Direction and Velocity: southerly moderate

Temperature: 50?

Moon phase: 43% waxing

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: Slower, instead of better than yesterday. Ours was our marsh's big hunt.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: pretty good

Hunters: 2 older uncle and 6'8" 40-something nephew on first duck hunt

Guns: Nonk's O/U was breaking down cover, but he's the only one going to hunt that spot again this year.

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): Second time in the past week(?) that I thought I might lose Marsh way the hey out of sight and sound chasing a tipped mallard that eventually beat him in open water, only this time toward Cherry Ridge. But he showed back up as I was getting in the boat to go search.

Special Equipment: SOS

Curses: just the lack of game

Kudos: Blessed with nice folks once again and ever so grateful to have Marsh sleeping by my chair.

Birds By Species: 7 green-wing teal, 1 mallard, 1 ringneck and 1 shoveller

[DComeaux]

ever so grateful to have Marsh sleeping by my chair.

I know this feeling. Having Ellie older and slower has saved me a lot of anxiety over the last few years.

[Rick]

Date: 1/29/23 Sun

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: thunderstorms, heavy rain and light rain, rinse and repeat in no particular order Flat wet.

Wind Direction and Velocity: Southerly at varying speeds

Temperature: thankfully 60s

Moon phase: waxing 54%

Special Notes: last day of ducks

Waterfowl Activity: Not hot and heavy, but best it's been of late.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Excellent except the ultra high and local birds.

Hunters: 2, Dennis and Patrick again Confirmed that Pat is, indeed, 6'8"

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): Worked the bug's buns off with chipped and sailed with the wind stuff

Special Equipment: SOS

Curses: none from me

Kudos: Paid off for the only party to stick it out. Two didn't go at all and the others bailed out PDQ

Birds By Species: 2 black-bellied whistling ducks, 1 gadwall, 9 green-wing teal, 2 mallards, 1 mottled, 1 pintail and 2 shovellers

[Darren]

Handsome reward for some apparently legit waterfowlers in fowl weather on the closing day.

Meanwhile this less-than-legit-fowler has been awfully glad to be warm and dry inside this morning watching what's been the heaviest rain event we've gotten in a while, easily 4+ inches so far this morning at my house.

[DComeaux]

Nice hunt.

There were very few in the marsh in Chenier. We heard the occasional shot, but I was okay hearing it from my dry warm bed, with the sound of rain hitting the tin roof.

[Deltaman]

Nice season's end hunt Rick, and glad it was worth sticking it out in the weather!!
Most of all, Thank You for sharing your season with us!!!!!!!!

[Darren]

Rick you must have pulled out the super, double-secret mottled calling to trick one on the closing day.

[5 stand]

What's that saying: stick and stay and make them pay...
Nice finish !!!

[Rick]

Rick you must have pulled out the super, double-secret mottled calling to trick one on the closing day.

Thought it was a mottled pair and did nothing but a harsh, "Get outta my space." so-called "feed" as they passed, and they banked on in. But since it turned out to be a mallard hen and mottled drake mixed pair, I'd guess she got them killed.

Gonna be real interesting when we have to sure what's what for the first fifteen days next year.

[Rick]

Picked up, cleaned up and buttoned up the mudhole. And with all of it's and my future uncertainties had to wonder if this would be my last look at it:

011a.jpg

[Duck Engr]

That makes me sad just reading the uncertainty Rick.

I had wondered what the operation’s future held with its leader passing, but hadn’t brought it up without you first mentioning it. Did Doug make it known one way or the other what his wishes were before he passed?

If that was your last day at the mud hole, I’d feel you went out on a high note and did her proud one last time!

[Rick]

The power behind the throne, Doug's widow, Miss Mary, wants to keep the camp open, and Adrienne who's long handled the business end (and is, like me, family by love) is still in. Our marsh is for sale, but at a price no one's jumping on, and its executor says we have it until it does sell. Fellow owning the access passed last fall, but his widow and daughter who has her power of attorney want to continue our lease on it. So we're still in, so far, but everything's pretty tenuous.

Know I'd be best off bailing to a more stable situation if I still can, but I've been with these folks since '85 and can't quit on them.