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Message
re: The golden years for ducks are gone....
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:02 am to Jonrubberman
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:02 am to Jonrubberman
quote:
was my fault, hit the wrong arrow
@Jonrubberman: no worries. We've been doing OK in Tensas since Thxgiving. Had to break ice with the ATV Monday morning, but we must have been some of the only open water between levee & river. Mallards, pintails, woodies, & gadwall funneled in on us and limited out by 730. then got our asses the F out of there, low tire and all...
1
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:07 am to Duckhammer_77
Awesome.
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:09 am to DirtyMikeandtheBoys
quote:
and crawfish ponds are simply not ideal duck habitat...
If it weren't for those ponds, a lot of ag fields wouldn't even be flooded in many places. I can't think of a single guy in Evangeline parish that floods his fields for the hell of it. Damn near everyone floods for crawfish, or doesn't flood at all.
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:16 am to Cowboyfan89
quote:
Increasing rice acreage in Arkansas does not help either.
Rice acreage in ARK hasn't really increased in 30 years.
They were planting 1.5million acres in the 80s. In 2017 they planted 1.1 million acres. It does ebb and flow year by year depending on prices though
But now everyone either floods for ducks or puts their pipes in and catches water.
LA planted over 600,000 in the early 80s and 90s, it got as low as 350,000 around 06 and now its back up over 400 most years. Vermilion parish plants about 50% of the rice they use to though Lots of rice acreage as shifted to NELA
Texas because of drought as gone from 500,000 acres down to 200,000
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:18 am to Jonrubberman
I think there’s a ton of factors including weather, habitat etc. none of these things can be controlled on our WMA’s though. A big problem I see is the irresponsible use of surface drive motors. I’m no duck expert, but I find it hard to believe that they will continue coming to areas where people are running surface drive through their habitat hoping to scare birds up as a form of “scouting.” In my opinion this is something that could be handle very easily.
This post was edited on 1/3/18 at 10:28 am
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:36 am to Cowboyfan89
quote:I know...... but you know what I mean...
If it weren't for those ponds, a lot of ag fields wouldn't even be flooded in many places. I can't think of a single guy in Evangeline parish that floods his fields for the hell of it. Damn near everyone floods for crawfish, or doesn't flood at all.
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:37 am to NCrouch0515
@NCrouch0515
In regards to the use of surface drives, hunters can't expect birds to remain stationary to an area that experiences threats to their roost on a daily or even hourly basis. What hunting up north taught me was that guides never over hunted good shoot spots. They would always be mindful to press a hunt and then back off of it long enough to allow the ducks to settle back in. There are hardly any areas in the Atchafalaya Delta or southern marsh for birds to hang their hats and settle in. You'll see huge numbers rafting out in open water sooner every year it seems. Vegetation is down. Safe roost areas are down. Sure fire duck limits are down as a result here in the boot of Louisiana. And to be honest, it's hard to see it making any huge leaps of improvement anytime soon.
In regards to the use of surface drives, hunters can't expect birds to remain stationary to an area that experiences threats to their roost on a daily or even hourly basis. What hunting up north taught me was that guides never over hunted good shoot spots. They would always be mindful to press a hunt and then back off of it long enough to allow the ducks to settle back in. There are hardly any areas in the Atchafalaya Delta or southern marsh for birds to hang their hats and settle in. You'll see huge numbers rafting out in open water sooner every year it seems. Vegetation is down. Safe roost areas are down. Sure fire duck limits are down as a result here in the boot of Louisiana. And to be honest, it's hard to see it making any huge leaps of improvement anytime soon.
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:38 am to Jonrubberman
Just a tough year this year, they’ll be back
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:39 am to NCrouch0515
quote:
I find it hard to believe that will continue coming to areas where people are running surface drive through their habitat hoping to scare birds up as a form of “scouting.”
I understand this theory but for the life of me, I cannot remember the last time I saw guys in a surface drive out with the sole intention of scaring birds up. I’ve spent a lot of time around in the Wax, Venice and some of the St. Bernard marshes and I just don’t see this happening.
This post was edited on 1/3/18 at 10:40 am
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:43 am to BucksNDucks777
I agree with everything you are saying. I believe that the way they surface drives are used by certain hunters is a contributing factor. I know for a fact it is in the Atchafalaya Delta. I get to my blind typically an hour and a half before sun up. Have birds working and am shooting birds, only to have a surface drive buzzing around at 7am and completely ruin a hunt. I believe correcting this would drastically reduce the pressure on the birds we do get.
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:44 am to Redfish2010
We spend every weekend in the wax and I can tell you for a fact it’s happening a lot.
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:50 am to choupiquesushi
quote:
I know...... but you know what I mean...
I know what you meant, but my argument is still the same. A lot of guys are flooding second crop rice for crawfish, or even planting rice solely for crawfish. You can't tell me that doesn't benefit ducks as well.
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:51 am to BucksNDucks777
@BucknDucks777
After spending most every weekend this season down the river. I'm actually alarmed we're not seeing the traditional mothership raft of ducks off the coast we've been accustomed to seeing these last few years. Guess we can assume it goes hand in hand with this whole topic about declining duck numbers in South Louisiana.
After spending most every weekend this season down the river. I'm actually alarmed we're not seeing the traditional mothership raft of ducks off the coast we've been accustomed to seeing these last few years. Guess we can assume it goes hand in hand with this whole topic about declining duck numbers in South Louisiana.
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:53 am to Cowboyfan89
quote:somewhat but.... for puddle ducks is it as beneficial as what rain flooded stubble is... I don't think so... maybe as a resting spot but not as a feeding spot.
A lot of guys are flooding second crop rice for crawfish, or even planting rice solely for crawfish. You can't tell me that doesn't benefit ducks as well.
and how much rest do they get with crawfish boats rolling through...
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:54 am to NCrouch0515
quote:
gone....
I agree with everything you are saying. I believe that the way they surface drives are used by certain hunters is a contributing factor. I know for a fact it is in the Atchafalaya Delta. I get to my blind typically an hour and a half before sun up. Have birds working and am shooting birds, only to have a surface drive buzzing around at 7am and completely ruin a hunt. I believe correcting this would drastically reduce the pressure on the birds we do get.
in pointe a la hache It sounds like an indy race all morning..
Posted on 1/3/18 at 10:59 am to choupiquesushi
When I drive down the Atchafalaya it looks like some weird ritual mating dance of lost surface drives. It’s honestly quite the spectical!
Posted on 1/3/18 at 11:06 am to choupiquesushi
quote:
somewhat but.... for puddle ducks is it as beneficial as what rain flooded stubble is... I don't think so... maybe as a resting spot but not as a feeding spot.
and how much rest do they get with crawfish boats rolling through...
True. But as the old saying goes, beggers can't be choosers.
The old ways aren't coming back as far as farming is concerned. Land leveling saves farmers too much money in pumping costs by reducing the amount of water needed to flood the fields, and many of them have realized the money they can make on crawfish.
If a field is idle after the rice is harvested, chances are, it isn't going to hold much water anyway. Structures are left open, and with the majority of fields (especially in Evangeline Parish) previously land leveled, those fields cannot hold enough water to hold ducks.
Either way, I don't think that plays near the role some may believe. The ducks have to get down here for that to make a difference, and when they have the food and the water up north, those birds couldn't care less about crawfish ponds down here.
Posted on 1/3/18 at 11:06 am to Jonrubberman
I still kill a couple limits a week around lacassine.
Posted on 1/3/18 at 11:11 am to NCrouch0515
"The surface drives voyage down river to their spawning grounds, gawwwwjouss."
Finding the "X" is a difficult task. You have to be sharp, driven, and adaptive to find kill those flying bacon wrapped jalepeno poppers.
Finding the "X" is a difficult task. You have to be sharp, driven, and adaptive to find kill those flying bacon wrapped jalepeno poppers.
Posted on 1/3/18 at 11:14 am to Jonrubberman
The 90's were so awesome for duck hunting in LA. We used to hammer mallards in the holes that we now shoot nothing but ringnecks and greys.
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