re: Flyway Federation of Louisiana?

Do the folks trying to make these changes hunt up north? Have they spent time there duck hunting? I can tell you my place in southern Illinois is almost totally dependent on two things. Weather and water. This season has been warm and coupled with flooding of the Little Wabash and Skillet Fork, what ducks we've had have been scattered badly.

Point is, regardless of where you hunt ducks, you're going to see changes in numbers. And BTW, there are few clubs/leases that are killing the number of birds they did 20 or 30 years ago.

The operations that I know of that are killing consistent daily limits now are located in areas that weren't normally believed to be very good duck habitat.

I can tell you, as most in this thread can, that it's more about habitat and less about what is going on up north. There are way too many things that can be done in Louisiana than to start pointing fingers at other hunters/areas.

Also, DU and their lobbyist will do everything to protect Illinois. Membership numbers/money is too lucrative to do anything to hurt those folks.

Over the last few years I have also noticed the decline in ducks in LA. I also here there are low numbers everywhere. I’m haven’t done the research that several of you have on this thread. Can anyone tell me via bird count/ fly over/kill numbers etc where the birds went or stayed?

They talk about southern pride but the way they treat Larry doesn’t represent that. Larry is a great guy that is definitely a positive for Louisiana duck hunting and has more and will do more for it than anyone in that group especially the leaders. Bunch of uneducated truck nut baws

. Whenever something bad happens “it’s a God Damn Conspiracy!” these days and it’s getting really old.

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the way they treat Larry

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I’m not defending their actions or the way they have treated Larry. I will say that I see where they are coming from. They treated Larry the way they did because they felt like they were being lied to(and they are) by LDWF, DU and Delta.

It wouldn't surprise me if duck numbers get fudged bu DU, a lot of $ on the line.

Lying about what? The amount of ducks in Louisiana???? It’s s god damn conspiracy I tell ya!!!!

Also a few things-
This years weather has been unseasonably warm

Every single state in our flyaway has optimal water conditions, the last time this happened was mid 1990’s.

Birds go rest in the gulf now due to all the baws and their mud motors riding every single piece of marsh looking for ducks.

Ag practices have expanded out west

Ag practices north of us have changed

All of these are some of the reasons why this year has been really tough

it is a very wet and warm year just as predicted
there is water in every pothole in louisiana and way up the flyway as well

check the weather this last week north of us all the way to Canada

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I DO NOT agree that flooded corn north of us, or anywhere has much to do with that situation

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the economics of it simply do not match up for flooding enough standing crops to "hold" a migration. That's like everyone in a major city surviving on fast food alone... no grocery stores, no real restaurants.... simply not enough...

now the leftover grain from today's farm practices... and RESERVOIRS that don't freeze.. different story.

bottom line since 1985 our habitat has regressed by 60% in my opine... and the habitat north of us has improved by 60%.... that duck has finally come home to roost...


add to that the dramatically increased human traffic in dang near every square inch of suitable habitat save for refuges... and our habitat continues to degrade....



ban hunting in flooded standing crops... then when ducks still don't come what.. or when they do they gang up on flooded crop areas that can't be hunted...

Glad to see some realize it in this thread....the impact of every baw with his mud motor is the real deal. I can't tell you how many times I hear of references of "lets just go take a ride" which includes crossing everyone else's leases to get (roundabout) to their own. And not quiet, as you all know, it's loud AF (gotta have them kits, baw!). And then wonder why no ducks on their marsh?

You look at the difference in the hunting on public land in Venice where surface drives are allowed vs where they are not, and it is undeniable. Un-f***ing-deniable.

You look at the degradation of the pas a loutre wma hunting ever since the explosion of surface drives and you just shake your head.

Now, its totally possible to put an effort together to get them banned completely on wma's, but you will never see the FFL talking about this, because lots of them use SD's (I believe that includes their leader), and that would mean pointing the finger inward.

What they want is to keep hunting their one pond on their lease in the wood frame blind that faces into the wind half the time, with the decoys that stay out all season, and kill limits every time, and that's just never going to happen, no matter what people do up north.

Try to explain El Nino to these guys and they start twitching like a fiend. Its a bad look.

PS I know I don't post a lot. I am aware. I am more of a reader. Not sure what I can do about that at the moment.