re: The golden years for ducks are gone....

I agree that no one sprays their rice stubble. But most farmers do spray a residual herbicide in the fields that are next years rice crop that they were able to get the ground ready for no tilling. That kills the small winter grasses that usually grow in the plowed fields which normally would hold geese later in the season once the stubble fields are fed out. As for crawfish, most of the big farmers 20 years ago had 100-200 acres of crawfish each and would do it for a little extra cash. Now I’d be willing bet that almost half of the rice crop in the area im from is followed by crawfish. Some farmers also fertilize the stubble after harvest so that the plant lives longer during crawfishing. Not ideal for ducks with thicker stubble, deeper water and less open water showing. Also farmers use to build levees and hold water all winter to save money on pumping to be able to water level before flying in seed. Now most farmers dry plant, equals less areas of open water for ducks to rest and the few areas that are flooded are being hunted.