Coastal zone opening day..

[Dogface]

Originally Posted by cmac23

The traditional season dates were changed due to public comment of 200 or so people that basically don't know much about duck hunting in the Coastal Zone!! Keeping the season open later into January accomplishes nothing!! All the ducks that are here that time of year are all WELL educated to blinds, & decoys!!!
If you want to kill any of those late January ducks, you are going to have to work extremely hard just to bag a few!!
Good luck to the 200 or so people that have ruined the tradition for the rest of us!!!

Yea, I can't believe they changed dates based on 200+ comments when Mr Reynolds has data to support the fact that more ducks are killed early than late in the year. Come on LDWF, you guys know better than that. Set the dates based on fact and not the comments people that don't know what they don't know!!

[bgizzle]

Originally Posted by Dogface

Yea, I can't believe they changed dates based on 200+ comments when Mr Reynolds has data to support the fact that more ducks are killed early than late in the year. Come on LDWF, you guys know better than that. Set the dates based on fact and not the comments people that don't know what they don't know!!

They did it for specks in BL and triple tail.. Why not ducks too right? It's a week. I think we will be fine. Wasn't it like this when it was just east/west zone?


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

[Top Dawg]

Originally Posted by bgizzle

They did it for specks in BL and triple tail.. Why not ducks too right? It's a week. I think we will be fine. Wasn't it like this when it was just east/west zone?


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

No

[meaux fishing]

Originally Posted by bgizzle

They did it for specks in BL and triple tail.. Why not ducks too right? It's a week. I think we will be fine. Wasn't it like this when it was just east/west zone?


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

no coastal and west used to be the same

[MarshRat89]

Originally Posted by Dogface

Yea, I can't believe they changed dates based on 200+ comments when Mr Reynolds has data to support the fact that more ducks are killed early than late in the year. Come on LDWF, you guys know better than that. Set the dates based on fact and not the comments people that don't know what they don't know!!

They got tired of hearing everybody complain.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk mmm

[Dogface]

Originally Posted by MarshRat89

They got tired of hearing everybody complain.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk mmm

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.

[MarshRat89]

Originally Posted by Dogface

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.

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.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk mmm

[Reefman]

Originally Posted by MarshRat89

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.

.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk mmm

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.

[Dogface]

Originally Posted by MarshRat89

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.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk mmm

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.

[MarshRat89]

Originally Posted by Dogface

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.

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.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk mmm

[Lreynolds]

Originally Posted by MarshRat89

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.

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.

Originally Posted by MarshRat89

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.

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.

Originally Posted by MarshRat89

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.

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.