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Debate on Coastal Zone opening to early

Posted on 12/19/13 at 4:24 pm
Posted by Whatafrekinchessiebr
somewhere down river
Member since Nov 2013
1580 posts
Posted on 12/19/13 at 4:24 pm
I have lurked on here for a while, never posted on any forums until yesterday when I got frustrated with the ignorance of some duck chasers. Reading this forum has provided me with great info and I respect some of your opinions. Once again Larry Reynolds comes through with some great responses.

what is your opinion on this debate?
not sure if it is allowed or not:
LINK
This post was edited on 12/19/13 at 4:30 pm
Posted by jimbeam
University of LSU
Member since Oct 2011
75703 posts
Posted on 12/19/13 at 4:33 pm to
this will be good.


I have no opinion because our rice fields have no birds at all and I wish I lived closer to a wma/nwr and yes I am mad
Posted by Fat Neck
Member since Dec 2013
466 posts
Posted on 12/19/13 at 4:40 pm to
Here is my take, wether you want to hear it or not:

I dont' think the coastal zone opens to early. Ive hunted the marshes of vermillion parish my hole life and typically you have a large number of the birds that are coming by the first week of november. Remember, with exclusion of some of the freshwater marhses and rice fields on the coast, I would safely say the majority of the bag is grey ducks and teal. Theses birds dont' come down here based off weather, like the mallard does. They migrate early and dont' follow the freeze line. My logs traditionally show a great first split, good opener of the second, and then a slow lul until the last week of the season. I like the early season.

While many of the rice field hunters may not like it cause they see they first mallard of the year when they go pick up there decoys when the season over. "Oh My, the ducks just got down here and da seasons closed". I would say many of these quality birds been here but are smarter than the average coonass with one side of his pit dry for geese, the other side a grainless field with one dozen ol decoys floating half shot up. They sit on the refuges, Lacassine, Rockefeller, Rainey, the audubon property, and sabine impoundments never getting touched.

The real problem in that part of the world is there is just to many hunters, and thats a fact
Posted by jimbeam
University of LSU
Member since Oct 2011
75703 posts
Posted on 12/19/13 at 4:42 pm to
I agree with you and yes I am that rice field hunter.

but I think this is the biggest issue
quote:

The real problem in that part of the world is there is just to many hunters, and thats a fact
Posted by Charter n Coke
Member since Jan 2013
2786 posts
Posted on 12/19/13 at 5:01 pm to
quote:

The real problem in that part of the world is there is just to many hunters, and thats a fact


You stay mad about this. You did not invent hunting
Posted by Whatafrekinchessiebr
somewhere down river
Member since Nov 2013
1580 posts
Posted on 12/19/13 at 5:03 pm to
Fat Neck: thanks for your opinion i brought it here b/c I want to hear it from both sides hopefully without the whining, blaming, and excuses that are out of our control. No one disagrees that chasing greens in NELA benefits from staying open as late as possible. I just wanted to hear some other opinions on the coastal opening later, as I almost exclusively hunt both public and private land in SELA. What made me finally post was a few people on 1 thread claiming to be speaking for the majority of coastal hunters. I probably made it too easy to see where I fall on the issue when you compare screen names from this and my 2 posts there.
Posted by Fat Neck
Member since Dec 2013
466 posts
Posted on 12/19/13 at 5:13 pm to
quote:

You stay mad about this. You did not invent hunting


CHARTER, never said or claim to invent hunting. Simply pointing at the NUMBER ONE problem with waterfowling in the southwest part of the state. Plenty of ducks make it to that part off the world, the ridiculous pressure is what screws up the hunting. No way to fix it either, other than duck population to go way down and reduced season and bag limit would cull out hunters
Posted by Whatafrekinchessiebr
somewhere down river
Member since Nov 2013
1580 posts
Posted on 12/19/13 at 5:28 pm to
I totally agree that hunting pressure is playing a huge roll in the lack of birds you see rafted up in ponds, but would you really want to go back to 30&3 for 5 or 6 yrs just to let the birds rest. The only benefit I see in that would be a clearance sale on mudboats. As soon as the limit goes back up people will start hunting them just as hard.

Despite the lack of large numbers of birds being seen I am still having one of my best years. I do think the pressure is going to make it a tough January though.
Posted by jimbeam
University of LSU
Member since Oct 2011
75703 posts
Posted on 12/19/13 at 5:30 pm to
get rid of waders and surface drives.

should weed out the yuppies
Posted by Fat Neck
Member since Dec 2013
466 posts
Posted on 12/19/13 at 5:50 pm to
quote:

I totally agree that hunting pressure is playing a huge roll in the lack of birds you see rafted up in ponds, but would you really want to go back to 30&3 for 5 or 6 yrs just to let the birds rest. The only benefit I see in that would be a clearance sale on mudboats. As soon as the limit goes back up people will start hunting them just as hard.

Despite the lack of large numbers of birds being seen I am still having one of my best years. I do think the pressure is going to make it a tough January though.


Hell yes i would. And you are correct, clearance sale on mudboats. People would stop hunting ducks because its no longer the "cool thing to do". And I dont' duck hunt with my only goal to shoot 6 ducks for 60 days strait. I want to have qualitie hunts with birds that act like duck
Posted by xenon16
Metry Brah
Member since Sep 2008
3528 posts
Posted on 12/19/13 at 5:54 pm to
I didn't read the comments on LAS (yet) but...

I believe Larry's stats and have seen his presentation, but to be honest, there are many other factors that affect some of those numbers. Example: By the end of the season, many hunters are not still going out. The new has worn off or they are fatigued for different reasons.

In my gut I seem to think the later in January, the better for all duck hunting other than the teal (which seems to be consistent throughout). I can only base this on my past experiences. Thankfully the coast still has the teal because the remaining ones "just don't come like they used to." Or so I hear.

It just doesn't make sense to me that the Coastal season opens and closes before the NE and NW. Ducks migrate North to South. I understand it is based on evidence and trends, but it is illogical to me.

Just my $0.02
Posted by Whatafrekinchessiebr
somewhere down river
Member since Nov 2013
1580 posts
Posted on 12/19/13 at 6:13 pm to
We might disagree on cutting days and limits but I totally agree on shooting quality ducks when there toes touch the water. That is what it is all about to me, but in order to get those opportunities I avoid hunting out of permanent blinds, typically don't hunt 1 spot more then twice (never back to back) and cut and haul enough blind material to build a new blind on almost every hunt. The extra effort has proven to pay off and I did do it for 3 ducks back in the day but I would prefer not to now because I am happy with the results I am getting on both public and private land.
I haven't figured out how to post pics yet but on the top of my posts in the linked thread I posted a pic on each post, 1 was nov9 and 1 was the weekend before thanksgiving.
Posted by jimbeam
University of LSU
Member since Oct 2011
75703 posts
Posted on 12/19/13 at 6:16 pm to
We don't have any permanent blinds either
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