re: Duck reports, feet hanging, we banging

Yup, if it keeps progressing like it's been there wont be any huntable marsh left on the northshore in 2 yrs.

All the hidey holes that are closer in from the lake are completely covered and have been for a couple yrs now.

Even the ponds close to the lake are filling in now.

Another 2 man this afternoon in Venice all Grey's and 1 mottled

I dont know when, but it will be as inaccurate as always.

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Survey released last week. Lowest on record

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Depending on what the weather has been like in Canada there's a good chance a migration much further south than the upper plains does not happen this year with fewer American hunters going north of the border and pressuring birds south. Next years breeding season could be one for the record books. I would bet that if a trip north of the border is a bucket list trip next year may be one that will be fondly recalled for many years to come...

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Survey released last week. Lowest on record

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Read that earlier in thread, just can't find the report online.

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Hunted Chauvin

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You in the bush canal impoundment between chauvin and montegut?

Avoyelles is dead with the exception of rice fields holding a few teal

Some Grays, some Teal, Some Dogs and some Coots

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Avoyelles is dead with the exception of rice fields holding a few teal

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Reported by: L. Reynolds, J. Olszak, C. Dailey, and J. Grant.

COMMENTS:

The 855,000 ducks estimated on this survey is the lowest November estimate since this survey began in 1969. Previous lows were in 2008 (958,000), 2013 (1,02 million), and 2019 (1.04 million). It is less than half the most recent 5-year and long-term averages of 2.0 million. The long-term trend in November estimates is depicted in Figure 1, and locations of the 27 transects flown since 1969, 17 in SW LA and 10 in SE LA survey areas, are shown in Figure 2.

Estimates from all 3 surveyed regions are among the lowest on record. The 527,000 total ducks in SW LA is the second lowest estimate on record and is 42% below the most recent 10-year average of 893,000. The 316,000 total ducks in SE LA and 12,000 at Catahoula Lake are the lowest since 2009, when 170,000 and 7,000 respectively were estimated in those regions largely due to record rainfall in October of that year resulting in very high water levels. The SE LA estimate is less than half the most recent 10-year average of 635,000 and the count at Catahoula Lake is barely 10% of the most recent 10-year average of 117,000.

Estimates for scaup and ring-necks were higher than last November, and above their long-term averages, but all other species were far below long term average for November. Green-winged teal (49,000 vs 254,000), pintails (41,000 vs 236,000), gadwall (288,000 vs 782,000), and shovelers (31,000 vs 97,000) showed the biggest differences between November 2020 estimates and long-term November averages. Similar to the September survey, mottled duck estimates are higher than last year (27,000 vs 19,000) but still well below the long-term November average of nearly 70,000. The estimate for coots was 40% below the most recent 10-year average of 864,000 as well.

In SW LA, the only notable concentrations of ducks on the transects were a group of mostly scaup seen in flooded fields north of Intracoastal City and a flock of mostly gadwalls in the marsh of Paul J. Rainey/State Wildlife Refuge. Another concentration of ducks was noted near Black Lake west of Hackberry but was off-line and not included in the estimate. In SE LA, the only notable concentrations of ducks were ring-necked ducks east of the transect in Upper Terrebonne southeast of Amelia and scaup in Lake Borgne between lines 25 and 26.

Habitat conditions in all 3 surveyed regions have been negatively impacted by multiple hurricanes and other storms. Water levels are still high in most of the coastal marsh, there is virtually no seed-producing annual vegetation, and submerged aquatic vegetation is sparse across much of the surveyed area. Only spotty submerged aquatic vegetation was evident in SW LA. Good submerged aquatics were seen in the Upper Terrebonne marshes and south of Delacroix, but it was greatly decreased from the September survey in most other SE LA marshes. Water levels at Catahoula Lake have recently declined to target levels, but the abundant moist-soil vegetation and excellent habitat conditions noted in September were compromised. In contrast, there was noticeably less shallow flooding in the agricultural area of SW LA than seen in September. Most available habitat was managed water for rice and crawfish.