Attachment 73002

Yea it sure was


"Go ahead, share your opinion! I won't cry"

That was when it fell on the second weekend in November. Now it's the third weekend in November.

Yep

Next year it might open on the 14th but 2016 is a leap year and it won't open till the 19th of November

They got tired of hearing everybody complain.


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Everybody? 200+ complaints doesn't seem like that many. But regardless, I think they should base it on the data that Mr Reynolds has collected. He said his data showed more ducks were killed early than late in the year so I think they should base it on fact and let them complain.

This year it is a calendar problem. Next year the dates can go back to a traditional format and everyone will be happy...

I would have liked for our specklebellies to get a little rest and allow for the late migrating birds get here and settle before the shooting started back.

Here's the real issue. There's no logical reason that my blind in Grand Chenier should be in the same zone as a blind in Mamou. Fix the zones and fix the problem. Until that happens we will always be working against each other rather than working together. Let's face it. Hunters in the rice belt have different priorities than hunters in the marsh as far as desired season dates. Although my brackish water marsh actually gets better as the season progresses I realize that that isn't the case for most hunters that hunt the marsh. For most earlier is better. At the same time in many rice fields the amount or quality of ducks gets better toward the end of the season.

Finally, how many of you actually hunted the last weekend of speck season last year? It was February 1 and 2. I saw the biggest push of ducks headed south that I had seen all season long. Granted since all the migrations were late last year this may only be a one time thing. However, in my 32 years of hunting in Louisiana and keeping some pretty detailed logs I can tell you that ducks showing up in mass the last week of the season happens about 1 out of every 5 or 6 years. Maybe the folks commenting to LDWF saw the same thing I saw and didn't understand the cyclic nature of the event???

Thanks
Robbie aka Big Hutch

People are going to kill more birds the first week or two of the season regardless of when it starts.

Everybody as in everybody that was for the change. Mr. Larry had to listen to more than 213 complaints there's no doubt. You are a strong believer that the birds are here and just stack up away from the pressure. You made that point in the past.

My feelings about it have gone back and forth. I am in favor of the change, but not for the same reasons as most people. "Most" guys who are upset about the change are from the west side of the state.

My numbers here in the central show better harvest rates in the second split. I agree the majority of birds do find a way to survive and raft up on the bay along with the refuges just to the west of us. However when we have strong fronts pushing fresh birds we get good shoots in before they do that.

I spend more days out on the marsh and fields than then the average hunter. We find ways to kill birds just like they find ways to survive. The average hunter can't adapt to late season tactics. They hunt the sane old decoys half sunk and the same old half brushed blinds.

If people knew how to adapt to late season birds I "think" Mr. Reynolds data would reflect better harvest rates later on. The west always had more birds than us early. I've heard both sides of the argument over and over. Most guys who wanted change are dumbarses and wanted it for the wrong reasons.

There's nothing we can do about it now. Let's see how it goes and take it from there.


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Great point MarshRat! Get out of that same ol blind and hunt where the birds are going. Takes a little work but well worth it. My partner and I always limit the last weekend of the season but we scout them along with using a handful of dekes. Give them something different or start pulling dekes after every hunt the second split. Give blinds plenty of rest between hunts.
I always liked the early opening just because of the milder weather and abundant teal. However, I don't get to hunt much the first season because of the business I'm in. The later dates in Jan. will give me more hunting days so it just might be a good thing.

Exactly. But with the appointment of the new commission member there may be a push for more science as far as waterfowl goes.

Agreed, nothing we can do now and I'm sure we will have good days and bad days like we always do. Like you, I hunt a lot (almost every day) and we move around a good bit. My gripe isn't with the dates it's with not using data just like the trout limits and snapper season.

Coastal zone opening day..
 

I simply don't trust the data. I think there are multiple factors that show higher harvest rates early. Uneducated birds and fresh brush on blinds just to name a couple. More people are eager to get out and hunt early. If I'm not mistaken the data you mention is taking from surveys on public land only.

I've sat in on a presentation by Mr. Reynolds last year where he explained his data and reasoning for setting the seasons early. No disrespect to him or the department but I don't think the harvest data is sound. I think there is more work to be done.

Also I don't think all 213 people who sent complaints are face painters. I've heard some valid arguments from guys that know what they are doing and have been doing it a long time. The more I think about it I really don't think 7 days will be that much of a difference.




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Not true. The harvest data I have presented is from all over the state. HUNTERS are randomly selected to participate, not areas, so those data account for all kill on public and private land. It doesn't matter how birds are killed or whether people would kill more or less birds early or later if they did something different ..... it is simply a record of how many birds were killed when and where by selected hunters.

Please explain how they are un-sound? More importantly, tell us where there is more, better, more representative data from which decisions on season dates can be made at the zone scale.

I agree on both points. I read and responded to every single e-mail and phone call. Most of the respondents were experienced duck hunters, many of them reported decades of hunting this club or that, and some of them provided their own harvest records from the last few years as justification for their season-date choice.

I expected to see clear separation of rice-field vs marsh hunters in SW LA, but it wasn't clear at all. I expected to see clear separation between SE vs SW marsh hunters, but that wasn't clear either. I was surprised to see the number of respondents from Hackberry, Grand Chenier, Holly Beach, Sabine NWR, and Creole wanting a later season in the Coastal Zone. From those favoring the proposed dates, as many came from SE LA as SW LA.

now that they announced opening dates, time to take vaca for opener!!

What is everyone's thoughts on having the dates moved back a week now that the end of the season is just a few days away.

With the type of season we had, I'm glad to know I have an extra week to bang them out just wondering what other hunters were thinking and if anyone has changed their minds on the decision since the beginning of the season.

Has the season opened yet ?

Judging by the amount of ducks at my lease, i'd say no

My worst season on record personally. Can't blame the season change for it though.


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I vote we push the season back to march and April.


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