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mojorizn · #1 11-20-2013, 08:40 AM

Lived in LA for the last 3 years (my wife of 20 years said she been in Tennessee long enough, she is from BR). Fished PBF for years and had Duck Leases in Brinkley and McDougal Arkansas for 12 years. Hunted 55 days every year. Lost my dog and gave it up for the last 6 years. Ready to pull my trigger again. I totally understand the difference here versus farther North as it relates to the types of ducks I should expect to see and hunt. My questions: Typically when do you start seeing the big ducks (Mallards) in SE LA (Ramah area)? Also having hunted Hackberry in 2001, is that still an area that holds bigger ducks late in the year?
Thank you.

meaux fishing · #2 11-20-2013, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojorizn

Lived in LA for the last 3 years (my wife of 20 years said she been in Tennessee long enough, she is from BR). Fished PBF for years and had Duck Leases in Brinkley and McDougal Arkansas for 12 years. Hunted 55 days every year. Lost my dog and gave it up for the last 6 years. Ready to pull my trigger again. I totally understand the difference here versus farther North as it relates to the types of ducks I should expect to see and hunt. My questions: Typically when do you start seeing the big ducks (Mallards) in SE LA (Ramah area)? Also having hunted Hackberry in 2001, is that still an area that holds bigger ducks late in the year?
Thank you.

Dont know about the Ramah area but there are some mallards down already around Klondike. I would think where there is water and acorns in those trees, youre gonna find Mallards. Speck-Chaser hunts that general area he might chime in here, or you can send him a PM

mojorizn · #3 11-20-2013, 09:07 AM

Thanks for the feedback Meaux!

Josh C · #4 11-20-2013, 10:29 AM

I've killed many of mallards in the Ramah area over the years, especially when I was at LSU. You won't see a good bit of big ducks in that area till it get's really cold. The last really good year was when it froze over around 1998-99.

mojorizn · #5 11-20-2013, 10:35 AM

Awesome Josh, hope it gets cold sooner than later this year!

specktator · #6 11-20-2013, 11:51 AM

I know a few people that hunt in the vicinity and they really don't start shooting a lot of mallards until around Christmas.

MarshRat89 · #7 11-20-2013, 12:09 PM

We are seeing mallards in the central part of the state around the VB marsh already its typically second split before they start showing up. Lots of greys right now though.

specktator · #8 11-20-2013, 12:10 PM

We are killing 1-2 mallards/hunt in PI right now. Hopefully they start showing up in bigger numbers. Haven't killed one grey yet. Weird.

bgizzle · #9 11-20-2013, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh C

I've killed many of mallards in the Ramah area over the years, especially when I was at LSU. You won't see a good bit of big ducks in that area till it get's really cold. The last really good year was when it froze over around 1998-99.

99' was the best yr we will see in our lifetime. I hope it's not. But as far as big ducks it was the best big duck yr for sure...

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

Dogface · #10 11-20-2013, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgizzle

99' was the best yr we will see in our lifetime. I hope it's not. But as far as big ducks it was the best big duck yr for sure...

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

Agreed!! Mallards (in large numbers) don't come this far south like they once did. They stay just below the freeze line. I know some of you guys will disagree but that's because you aren't old enough to have seen the number of mallards that we once had every year in south louisiana.

specktator · #11 11-20-2013, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogface

Agreed!! Mallards (in large numbers) don't come this far south like they once did. They stay just below the freeze line. I know some of you guys will disagree but that's because you aren't old enough to have seen the number of mallards that we once had every year in south louisiana.

I definitely agree. My buddy has a place in Columbia, LA I went to a few times last year. I have never shot so many mallards. Then I have been on a few hunts in Arkansas where you have flocks of 40 mallards working at one time. I am convinced majority don't come past north LA anymore.

Duck Butter · #12 11-20-2013, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by specktator

I definitely agree. My buddy has a place in Columbia, LA I went to a few times last year. I have never shot so many mallards. Then I have been on a few hunts in Arkansas where you have flocks of 40 mallards working at one time. I am convinced majority don't come past north LA anymore.

About 99% of duck hunters in N La would say they don't come past Arkansas anymore, I wish they could take off the blinders of how good they/we have it still to this day. Can''t wait to get up there next week

mojorizn · #13 11-20-2013, 02:40 PM

Duck Butter, let me know how your trip goes. I will be honest, I hunted my farm in Brinkley Arkansas for 7 years starting 1995 and I was convinced by 2000 I had to go further north so I got a farm in McDougal Arkansas (when I walked across the road I was in Missouri) right on the state line just out of Corning and it was on. However I still believe they make it down here and now that I have the bug again, i'm committed to LA. If we have a so called winter this year, I think they will be here!

Duck Butter · #14 11-20-2013, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojorizn

Duck Butter, let me know how your trip goes. I will be honest, I hunted my farm in Brinkley Arkansas for 7 years starting 1995 and I was convinced by 2000 I had to go further north so I got a farm in McDougal Arkansas (when I walked across the road I was in Missouri) right on the state line just out of Corning and it was on. However I still believe they make it down here and now that I have the bug again, i'm committed to LA. If we have a so called winter this year, I think they will be here!

I miss North La real bad during hunting season - really bad

Even the 'bad' years were pretty good to me.

My trip will go like this - I will likely only get to hunt 3 or so mornings before the wife gives me 'the look' and then we will have to drive all over the country to go and visit her 5000 relatives instead of them coming to see us

meaux fishing · #15 11-20-2013, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duck Butter

About 99% of duck hunters in N La would say they don't come past Arkansas anymore, I wish they could take off the blinders of how good they/we have it still to this day. Can''t wait to get up there next week

Some of my best hunts have been in N La/S Ark. We can only go for 1 day next week, but that's just enough time to squeeze in a hunt Thursday morning in Jones.

Duck Butter · #16 11-20-2013, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meaux fishing

Some of my best hunts have been in N La/S Ark. We can only go for 1 day next week, but that's just enough time to squeeze in a hunt Thursday morning in Jones.

bass terd

Have fun up there