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Started By
Message
re: Maurapas wma
Posted on 10/20/14 at 4:46 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
Posted on 10/20/14 at 4:46 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
quote:
Remember that how ever far you go in, it's that far to go out, and Lord forbid you actually kill something.
Same thing goes for areas like Tunica. I stepped out of my truck there one morning and heard a turkey gobble 2 ridges over. I walked off the road 20 yards and couldn't see the bottom of the hill. I got back in my truck and went somewhere else. One of the only places I've hunted where you are standing up and laying down at the same time.
2
Posted on 10/20/14 at 4:55 pm to tenfoe
Yea you gotta be careful getting into hunting tough places if you aren't experienced in the woods.
To answer an earlier question, there is no turkey season in st James parish. It is not legal to shoot them.
To answer an earlier question, there is no turkey season in st James parish. It is not legal to shoot them.
Posted on 10/20/14 at 4:57 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
Posted on 10/20/14 at 5:26 pm to tenfoe
I used to have to cruise timber in that shite every day. I find it easier to get turned around in places like that (with ridges) than in the swamp. At least I can read the ground and trees in the swamp to figure out where I'm at. Maybe it's because I didn't grow up anywhere near hills, but idk.
Absolute worst day I ever had was in Thistlewaite cruising hardwood timber in knee deep water with palmettos taller than my head. They were thick as hell and it was just about as hard as walking through a yaupon thicket for 8 hours. Couldn't see 5 feet in front of me, and was walking using a compass alone. I could only see palmettos and the top half of trees. I grossly underestimated that day and almost called it a night and slept in the woods. Got back to the wheeler right around dark and started throwing up from exhaustion and dehydration. It was not fun
Absolute worst day I ever had was in Thistlewaite cruising hardwood timber in knee deep water with palmettos taller than my head. They were thick as hell and it was just about as hard as walking through a yaupon thicket for 8 hours. Couldn't see 5 feet in front of me, and was walking using a compass alone. I could only see palmettos and the top half of trees. I grossly underestimated that day and almost called it a night and slept in the woods. Got back to the wheeler right around dark and started throwing up from exhaustion and dehydration. It was not fun
Posted on 10/20/14 at 5:30 pm to Hammertime
quote:
I used to have to cruise timber in that shite every day
There's a good reason why a lot of that timber will never get cut. There is no way to get it to the mill and make money.
Posted on 10/20/14 at 5:40 pm to tenfoe
You'd be surprised at the timber that gets cut. The cutters will get into some hairy shite. They'll also push a road to get stuff out if need be. Homochitto is similar and we had anywhere from 3-10 crews in there during the summer months
Only stuff that slows them down is water and deep mud
Only stuff that slows them down is water and deep mud
Posted on 10/20/14 at 6:35 pm to Hammertime
Pardon the hijack, but I need some timber guy advice. Hope yAll see this/know what's up.
Is it true that very old/big black walnut trees are worth a bunch of money? Had this discussion today with a lady that has one, needs cutting, and we'd both heard that over the years? Is there a local market for this type of thing ?
Also, same question regarding old growth pine to a sawmill. I know that the Alford Mill in Coushatta is always on the lookout for trees to make "yellowwood"/heart pine floors.
This lady/co worker just bought this land, has the walnut tree, and 4 huge pines, and all need to go. Are 4 trees worth a sawmills time (in the case of the pine). What about one big ol black walnut?
To whom does one place a call on the walnut? I'd assume you'd just call a sawmill on the pine?
Is it true that very old/big black walnut trees are worth a bunch of money? Had this discussion today with a lady that has one, needs cutting, and we'd both heard that over the years? Is there a local market for this type of thing ?
Also, same question regarding old growth pine to a sawmill. I know that the Alford Mill in Coushatta is always on the lookout for trees to make "yellowwood"/heart pine floors.
This lady/co worker just bought this land, has the walnut tree, and 4 huge pines, and all need to go. Are 4 trees worth a sawmills time (in the case of the pine). What about one big ol black walnut?
To whom does one place a call on the walnut? I'd assume you'd just call a sawmill on the pine?
Posted on 10/20/14 at 7:56 pm to TigerTreyjpg
quote:
Posted by TigerTreyjpg
Awesome post. I've heard stories from the 80s as well. We see a few wood ducks now per year but that's about it.
Posted on 10/20/14 at 8:03 pm to TigerTreyjpg
Older black walnut will probably be rotted out. Best bet on the pine trees is to find a local guy to cut them
Posted on 10/20/14 at 9:34 pm to Hammertime
Where in thistlethwaite is there flooded hardwoods?
Posted on 10/20/14 at 10:04 pm to Slickback
Appreciate you reading all that, but believe me, I had more fun writing it than you did reading it. The stories you heard of the 80s were true.
Looking back on it all these year later, the thing that still amazes me is the lack of pressure on those ducks. We knew we weren't supposed to be pulling off of i10 and launching, but lots of folks did that back then. (Sidebar......the "thing" at garyville hunting club was to pull off the interstate, park at the bridge where I 10 crossed garyville canal, and "bugle" w/your weapon. Someone would come pick you up in a boat, as the camps not 500 yards off the interstate.). Anyway.....the lack of pressure......literally, the few times we showed up to camp, the other folks there WERE PISSED that we were duck hunting. I mean, there's 50 ppl in a camp chasing probably 100 deer on that lease, which sat on the greatest mallard flight in the world, an NO ONE was hunting them.
To my knowledge, there was ONE permanent duck blind built on that whole lease, which ran from airline Highway to the lake. It was built by MF'er himself, and I'm sure the hole can be seen on Google earth to this day. Find i10, find garyville canal, look a little west of the canal, and a little north of 10. Less than 500 yards off canal, and less than a mile off 10. And I'm talking NO ONE was in there. You know that familiar rumble you hear in known good duck hunting areas? We never heard it.
Yall remember the early duckmen videos w/Phil and Warren Coco? Those were made in the same general area. And other than them, man THAT WAS IT.
In the evenings, the sky would be dotted w/thousands of mallards, making what many hunters refer to as "the feed call." Which is obviously not a feed call. As a wise duck hunter once said, "they ain't eating at that altitude......know how I know? Rice and corn don't grow that tall."
Really was awesome, and the best I can tell, pretty much anywhere there was continuous water (be it off of reserve canal, garyville canal, blind river), the mallards were there too.
I'm so glad I got to see what it's "supposed" to look like.
Looking back on it all these year later, the thing that still amazes me is the lack of pressure on those ducks. We knew we weren't supposed to be pulling off of i10 and launching, but lots of folks did that back then. (Sidebar......the "thing" at garyville hunting club was to pull off the interstate, park at the bridge where I 10 crossed garyville canal, and "bugle" w/your weapon. Someone would come pick you up in a boat, as the camps not 500 yards off the interstate.). Anyway.....the lack of pressure......literally, the few times we showed up to camp, the other folks there WERE PISSED that we were duck hunting. I mean, there's 50 ppl in a camp chasing probably 100 deer on that lease, which sat on the greatest mallard flight in the world, an NO ONE was hunting them.
To my knowledge, there was ONE permanent duck blind built on that whole lease, which ran from airline Highway to the lake. It was built by MF'er himself, and I'm sure the hole can be seen on Google earth to this day. Find i10, find garyville canal, look a little west of the canal, and a little north of 10. Less than 500 yards off canal, and less than a mile off 10. And I'm talking NO ONE was in there. You know that familiar rumble you hear in known good duck hunting areas? We never heard it.
Yall remember the early duckmen videos w/Phil and Warren Coco? Those were made in the same general area. And other than them, man THAT WAS IT.
In the evenings, the sky would be dotted w/thousands of mallards, making what many hunters refer to as "the feed call." Which is obviously not a feed call. As a wise duck hunter once said, "they ain't eating at that altitude......know how I know? Rice and corn don't grow that tall."
Really was awesome, and the best I can tell, pretty much anywhere there was continuous water (be it off of reserve canal, garyville canal, blind river), the mallards were there too.
I'm so glad I got to see what it's "supposed" to look like.
Posted on 10/20/14 at 10:20 pm to TigerTreyjpg
quote:
TigerTreyjpg
hell of a post, man...I am about the same age as you and that brought back some real memories...
Posted on 10/21/14 at 7:51 am to TigerTreyjpg
I promise Phil and CoCo weren't the only ones back there hunting ducks. I hunted out of Big Casino Hunting club(used to be on the corner of Petite Amite and New River where the check station is now) with my Step-Dad and it was the exact opposite, being that everyone hunted ducks and only a couple hunted deer. I can remember trading hunts with either McElroy or New River hunting club a couple of times where we let them hunt our lease for deer and we would hunt ducks on their lease just to change it up a bit. I started hunting back there in 85 with my Step-Dad and your description is pretty much spot on. Man the sky was full of mallards! Like swarming mosquitoes sometimes. Got into a roost a couple of times and the damn things were practically landing on our heads. We used to be able to drive from the pumping station, down new river spoil bank to hunting camp on corner of petite amite in our trucks lol. Good Memories!!
Posted on 10/21/14 at 8:38 am to Spankum
I was born and raised in that swamp. My Granddad and Dad Hunted and trapped most of that land. When I was in high school Phil, coco and Fred Parnell would stop at the camp in dutch bayou and find out where we hunted. There was times that I seen the sky get black from so many duck taking off from the back pull boat runs.
Posted on 10/21/14 at 9:33 am to slimcat
quote:
was born and raised in that swamp. My Granddad and Dad Hunted and trapped most of that land. When I was in high school Phil, coco and Fred Parnell would stop at the camp in dutch bayou and find out where we hunted. There was times that I seen the sky get black from so many duck taking off from the back pull boat runs.
Dutch Bayou.....that is in fact exactly where they hunted/filmed.
Posted on 10/21/14 at 9:38 am to mooseofterror
quote:
I promise Phil and CoCo weren't the only ones back there hunting ducks. I hunted out of Big Casino Hunting club(used to be on the corner of Petite Amite and New River where the check station is now) with my Step-Dad and it was the exact opposite, being that everyone hunted ducks and only a couple hunted deer. I can remember trading hunts with either McElroy or New River hunting club a couple of times where we let them hunt our lease for deer and we would hunt ducks on their lease just to change it up a bit. I started hunting back there in 85 with my Step-Dad and your description is pretty much spot on. Man the sky was full of mallards! Like swarming mosquitoes sometimes. Got into a roost a couple of times and the damn things were practically landing on our heads. We used to be able to drive from the pumping station, down new river spoil bank to hunting camp on corner of petite amite in our trucks lol. Good Memories!!
I looked at a map, and found the places you referenced.....that was for sure the same contiguous swamp, but really far from us. I'm not sure how far a man can hear "duck gun rumble", but that's for sure too far for us to have heard it. You are right in that there were obviously other folks in there though. I know some of the Lutcher boys (if y'all are from down there, y'all know the likely suspects...I'll just use nicknames/initials...."Stick", the son of a well known area planter - RIP/died much too young, "Frog", and SN - as well as other folks last names start w/N - used to hunt the same swamp, but they went in via Blind River. That's closer to us than your area, but still pretty far (I think) from where we were.
Posted on 10/21/14 at 9:41 am to Spankum
quote:
TigerTreyjpg
hell of a post, man...I am about the same age as you and that brought back some real memories...
Did you hunt in the area?
Posted on 10/21/14 at 10:08 am to Boats n Hose
I have a 1442 duck boat, not sure how useful it would be in there.
I hear there are a few wood ducks in there, any truth to that?
I hear there are a few wood ducks in there, any truth to that?
Posted on 10/21/14 at 10:17 am to TigerTreyjpg
All the stories i hear of the 80's are exactly like this. Wish i coulda lived it 
Posted on 10/21/14 at 11:24 am to GEAUXLPOST
It's literally been a lifetime ago since I've seen it, but I'd imagine there is a duck or two around there still. It's just that the big numbers are long gone, and best I can tell, it's ALL due to giant salvania plant, which, as I said earlier, may God please damn that plant to hell.
I'ma quit talking about this I swear, but for those that never saw the great Louisiana mallard flight, think of it like this......there were places - and LOTS of them - that when a man wanted a couple of ducks for gumbo - he could go to a railroad track that ran through the swamp, or a ridge, or just really anywhere that easily accessed that swamp being talked about, and PASS SHOOT a couple of mallards in the evening. You read that right. Roll up, walk down a train track, and pass shoot yourself a couple of mallards.
Last story for that area, then, I'ma quit memorializing. And I really appreciate those that have humored me by reading/replying, as it does bring back some incredible memories.
I've told this tale here before. Y'all remember that year it go SO cold? When everything froze? The only open waters in the entire area was the middle of the Ms River, parts of Lake Pontchatrain, and the hot water canal that ran from the sugar mill in reserve into that same swamp, pretty much right through the middle of Reserve. It dumped into the swamp right close to East St. John High School, and likely still does. Anyway, I seem to remember that Maurepas actually froze completely over, and good bit of Lake P did as well.
So, it's FREEZING cold, and me, my cousin, and my aforementioned buddy, the grandson of the great "Gagoo", a founding member of Garyville Hunting Club, decide we're going to "go to camp". My mom pitched a bitch, as two hunters had just been brought into East Jeff Hospital after being "chisled" off of stumps. In a horrific accident, they'd flipped a boat, and froze to death. Mom refused to let me go, but dad got her to acquiesce, and let me take the boat. The plan was to launch at Garyville Canal (buddy had a key), head to camp, drink beer, eat onions, fart, and kill ducks.
So, we roll up to the launch with the idea that the weight of the trailer would bust the ice, and since my boat, at the time, was a 16 foot heavy ribbed, V bottom, aluminum bateau, we'd bust ice via the V hull all the way to camp. As I back the trailer into Garyville Canal, it just rolled straight back onto the ice. Going to camp was not an option. So, we head to Reserve, and begin to make tail chasing plans at my buddy's house, instead of duck hunting plans, as we COULD NOT GET A BOAT INTO THE WATER.
Anyway, my Reserve buddy, already mentioned, had two younger brothers. They were on a robin hunt behind their house w/Benjamin pellet guns. My buddy lived on the 3rd left past where Central hits Airline - Reserve's equivalent to Country Club of La. All new, brick houses. Riverside Academy was "behind" his house. Between his house and Riverside was nothing but a bunch of huge, overgrown, fields. It was decent robin, rabbit, and snipe terrain. Most importantly to this story though, that hot water canal ran through those fields. The temp was probably 25 degrees, although I'm sure as I get older, the 25 will turn to 6. Trust me, it was cold, and those younger brothers would hunt for about 20 minutes, come back in, warm up, rinse and repeat, right? Well, on one of their "warm ups/come back", I see them coming through the fields, and instead of carrying a paper sack full of robins, they are each trying to tote more ducks than they comfortably carry. I haul butt outside to meet them, and ask them "WTH?" One's probably about 6 years old, the other 9 maybe? In my best Cajun accent (remember, I'm a transplant)....
"Gaw, Trey, boy dey got alotta ducks in dat hot watah ditch, yeah. Dey aint even flying off brah. We kill'em w/pellet guns, and jis finuh big stick to pull'em in."
I accused him of shooting someone's pets. They told me (and remember, they are like 6 and 9) "put some clothes on bitch and come see fuh yaself."
So, the three big boys rolled back there w/bigger artillery, and the sight was amazing. There were places on that ditch that you COULD NOT FIT ANOTHER DUCK.
We killed ducks there for days. The area had been frozen about a week, IIRC, when they found it, and stayed that way for about another week +, but for about 4 days, it was ON.
There was no good place to hide, so it wasn't AS easy as it sounds, but it was by far the easiest place to shoot (over shoot) mallards that I've ever seen. Because every launch was locked up (we figured that was the reason), we did see a game warden truck riding around "the neighborhood" one day (for those my age and from that area, the game wardens then were known as the "M and M's" - Metasallus and Mitchellette (sp), and this was on the heels of ALOT of shots being fired back there......we weren't the only ones that knew about it.....so we got scared after a couple of "overshoots". Like every place else, word got out enough, and eventually we shot them out of there, but it's again one of those "if I never see it again, I've seen at at least once.....a ditch in a field full of mallards that don't even want to fly off".
In the words of MrSportzzzz, "thank you for reading my post", and I'll now quit memorializing.
I'ma quit talking about this I swear, but for those that never saw the great Louisiana mallard flight, think of it like this......there were places - and LOTS of them - that when a man wanted a couple of ducks for gumbo - he could go to a railroad track that ran through the swamp, or a ridge, or just really anywhere that easily accessed that swamp being talked about, and PASS SHOOT a couple of mallards in the evening. You read that right. Roll up, walk down a train track, and pass shoot yourself a couple of mallards.
Last story for that area, then, I'ma quit memorializing. And I really appreciate those that have humored me by reading/replying, as it does bring back some incredible memories.
I've told this tale here before. Y'all remember that year it go SO cold? When everything froze? The only open waters in the entire area was the middle of the Ms River, parts of Lake Pontchatrain, and the hot water canal that ran from the sugar mill in reserve into that same swamp, pretty much right through the middle of Reserve. It dumped into the swamp right close to East St. John High School, and likely still does. Anyway, I seem to remember that Maurepas actually froze completely over, and good bit of Lake P did as well.
So, it's FREEZING cold, and me, my cousin, and my aforementioned buddy, the grandson of the great "Gagoo", a founding member of Garyville Hunting Club, decide we're going to "go to camp". My mom pitched a bitch, as two hunters had just been brought into East Jeff Hospital after being "chisled" off of stumps. In a horrific accident, they'd flipped a boat, and froze to death. Mom refused to let me go, but dad got her to acquiesce, and let me take the boat. The plan was to launch at Garyville Canal (buddy had a key), head to camp, drink beer, eat onions, fart, and kill ducks.
So, we roll up to the launch with the idea that the weight of the trailer would bust the ice, and since my boat, at the time, was a 16 foot heavy ribbed, V bottom, aluminum bateau, we'd bust ice via the V hull all the way to camp. As I back the trailer into Garyville Canal, it just rolled straight back onto the ice. Going to camp was not an option. So, we head to Reserve, and begin to make tail chasing plans at my buddy's house, instead of duck hunting plans, as we COULD NOT GET A BOAT INTO THE WATER.
Anyway, my Reserve buddy, already mentioned, had two younger brothers. They were on a robin hunt behind their house w/Benjamin pellet guns. My buddy lived on the 3rd left past where Central hits Airline - Reserve's equivalent to Country Club of La. All new, brick houses. Riverside Academy was "behind" his house. Between his house and Riverside was nothing but a bunch of huge, overgrown, fields. It was decent robin, rabbit, and snipe terrain. Most importantly to this story though, that hot water canal ran through those fields. The temp was probably 25 degrees, although I'm sure as I get older, the 25 will turn to 6. Trust me, it was cold, and those younger brothers would hunt for about 20 minutes, come back in, warm up, rinse and repeat, right? Well, on one of their "warm ups/come back", I see them coming through the fields, and instead of carrying a paper sack full of robins, they are each trying to tote more ducks than they comfortably carry. I haul butt outside to meet them, and ask them "WTH?" One's probably about 6 years old, the other 9 maybe? In my best Cajun accent (remember, I'm a transplant)....
"Gaw, Trey, boy dey got alotta ducks in dat hot watah ditch, yeah. Dey aint even flying off brah. We kill'em w/pellet guns, and jis finuh big stick to pull'em in."
I accused him of shooting someone's pets. They told me (and remember, they are like 6 and 9) "put some clothes on bitch and come see fuh yaself."
So, the three big boys rolled back there w/bigger artillery, and the sight was amazing. There were places on that ditch that you COULD NOT FIT ANOTHER DUCK.
We killed ducks there for days. The area had been frozen about a week, IIRC, when they found it, and stayed that way for about another week +, but for about 4 days, it was ON.
There was no good place to hide, so it wasn't AS easy as it sounds, but it was by far the easiest place to shoot (over shoot) mallards that I've ever seen. Because every launch was locked up (we figured that was the reason), we did see a game warden truck riding around "the neighborhood" one day (for those my age and from that area, the game wardens then were known as the "M and M's" - Metasallus and Mitchellette (sp), and this was on the heels of ALOT of shots being fired back there......we weren't the only ones that knew about it.....so we got scared after a couple of "overshoots". Like every place else, word got out enough, and eventually we shot them out of there, but it's again one of those "if I never see it again, I've seen at at least once.....a ditch in a field full of mallards that don't even want to fly off".
In the words of MrSportzzzz, "thank you for reading my post", and I'll now quit memorializing.
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