WLF commission meeting

[redchaserron]

Originally Posted by B-Stealth

Doing great, had some WC's show up on my buddies lease in Sweetlake. LDWF found out they arrived, then banned my buddy from hunting his lease until the WC's left the area.

It's a shame they won't let him hunt his lease. I bet WC's taste just like chicken.

[Lreynolds]

Originally Posted by B-Stealth

Doing great, had some WC's show up on my buddies lease in Sweetlake. LDWF found out they arrived, then banned my buddy from hunting his lease until the WC's left the area.

This is absolutely not correct. LDWF does not restrict access to any land due to presence of whooping cranes. This reintroduced population is legally classified as "experimental and non-essential", and a lot of effort was expended to assure landowners that use of their property would NOT be restricted by the presence of cranes.

I've confirmed this with both the head of the whooping crane program and the Coastal and a Non-Gam Division Chief. All whooping cranes are fitted with transmitters, so LDWF knows where they are at all times. The pair currently using habitat on Gray Estate property are seen by hunters nearly every morning. This is the only pair near Sweetlake.

[B-Stealth]

Originally Posted by Lreynolds

This is absolutely not correct. LDWF does not restrict access to any land due to presence of whooping cranes. This reintroduced population is legally classified as "experimental and non-essential", and a lot of effort was expended to assure landowners that use of their property would NOT be restricted by the presence of cranes.

I've confirmed this with both the head of the whooping crane program and the Coastal and a Non-Gam Division Chief. All whooping cranes are fitted with transmitters, so LDWF knows where they are at all times. The pair currently using habitat on Gray Estate property are seen by hunters nearly every morning. This is the only pair near Sweetlake.

Mr. Reynolds, I apologize for any confusion from my post regarding the Whooping Cranes I was joking.

But on another note the Sandhill Crane herd in Sweetlake is growing nicely.

[Lreynolds]

Originally Posted by B-Stealth

Mr. Reynolds, I apologize for any confusion from my post regarding the Whooping Cranes I was joking.

OK. I'm sorry if I misinterpretted.

One of the REALLY big concerns prior to initiating the whooping crane reintroduction was the effect on private landowners when cranes showed up on their property. So LDWF is pretty sensitive to any implications of limited private-property rights.

Interestingly, when one of our birds crossed the Sabine River into Texas, it loses its "experimental/non-essential" status and becomes a full-blow endangered species with all associated rights and responsibilities. At least that was the case a few years back when I was more intimately involved. Texas wants us to keep our whooping cranes to ourselves.

[cgoods17]

anybody have any update on the meeting? i was stuck under a building all day and was not able to make it.

[capt coonassty]

I tried listening but it kept cutting out and the audio was bad. I'll just wait for the minutes. They did have some discussion about changing rules to some state refuges but tabled the vote.

[cgoods17]

no update?

[cgoods17]

^^Thank you for cleaning up the mess Mr. Larry

[hunterr77]

Wow, this thread went from meeting dates, to season dates, to salinity levels, to weirs open and closed, fin fish, thin fish, to how many ducks have you killed, to whooping cranes, you guys sure make work go by on Fridays

[Smalls]

Originally Posted by hunterr77

Wow, this thread went from meeting dates, to season dates, to salinity levels, to weirs open and closed, fin fish, thin fish, to how many ducks have you killed, to whooping cranes, you guys sure make work go by on Fridays

Got a preference on where it goes next? lol!

[seachaser250]

Originally Posted by Smalls

Got a preference on where it goes next? lol!

whats the deal with Delta Waterfowl and Ducks Unlimited? Just doing some research trying to figure out which organization is better.

[Smalls]

Originally Posted by seachaser250

whats the deal with Delta Waterfowl and Ducks Unlimited? Just doing some research trying to figure out which organization is better.

Oh no, why would you go and ask a thing like that?!?! This was somewhat civil before.

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[cgoods17]

im just waiting on an update......

[meat killer 86]

Since some people talked about duck numbers I will say this. Usually I'm between 200-300 birds for the first split. This yr I am 20 birds. So where are my ducks???


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[Lreynolds]

Originally Posted by meat killer 86

Usually I'm between 200-300 birds for the first split. This yr I am 20 birds. So where are my ducks???

Heheheheh!!

They aren't YOUR ducks until you "reduce them to possession" through legal hunting means. So YOUR ducks could be anywhere.

I just returned from the Harvest Management Working Group meeting, and the Canadians and folks from the northern states are taking good care of them for us. Canada is just now starting to get some meaningful snow. Minnesota's season closed without any significant ice. My colleagues from Missouri said they got their first big movement of mallards a little over a week ago, and with all the water and warmer than average temperatures, they aren't anticipating pushing them south anytime soon.

What a difference a year makes, eh?

[Baychamp1]

Originally Posted by Lreynolds

Heheheheh!!

They aren't YOUR ducks until you "reduce them to possession" through legal hunting means. So YOUR ducks could be anywhere.

I just returned from the Harvest Management Working Group meeting, and the Canadians and folks from the northern states are taking good care of them for us. Canada is just now starting to get some meaningful snow. Minnesota's season closed without any significant ice. My colleagues from Missouri said they got their first big movement of mallards a little over a week ago, and with all the water and warmer than average temperatures, they aren't anticipating pushing them south anytime soon.

What a difference a year makes, eh?

Normally doing freeze protection on camp at Toledo Bend starting in late Oct.- draining water & wrapping faucets, still hadn't had to do that yet, your right just that simple no cold weather yet, maybe second split?

[B-Stealth]

I hunted last 2 days south of Orange, they have some birds; but man are they skittish. Gotta be exactly where they wanna go.

[meat killer 86]

Well I was in Missouri deer hunting when their duck season opened. Hunted a reserve where they said the normal amount of birds on the refuge on opening day is normally 15-20 thousand. They said there may have been 1500 birds. Their worst opener ever there said.


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[cgoods17]

i think it has just been a warm winter all around for everybody.. i was in kansas early november and locals were saying it was very warm/hot for that time of year.


like larry said, until we get some snow to cover up the food and some ice to freeze up the water, we wont be seeing a push of new birds for a while.

heck arkansas is just seeing a large push of specks over last few days..


but... at least we opened the season a week early!

[AubreyLaHaye458]

I was in Kansas thanksgiving week and that was the first time it froze up there this year. It was obvious at that time that the ducks hadn't really showed up like normal yet.


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