Coastal zone opening day..

[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.