Why the ducks didn't reach Louisiana.

[bgizzle]

Originally Posted by MarshRat89

Point blank DU does more for ducks DOWN HERE then people ever will notice. And not just ducks... How many of you like to catch shrimp and crabs at rollover? Who you think footed the bill to rebuild the LSU weir? How bout the new weir at rollover? Y'all talk about coastal conservation... well that's it. Just this project restores 16,568 acres in pecan island. We only raised 3 million as a state last year here in Louisiana. Yet since 1985 DU has spent $71 million. In the past 10 years they have spent 4 MILLION in Vermillion parish alone. There's a brand new one about to kick up to restore 8,600 acres near intracoastal city. And many more being planned. To say DU sends all your money up north is just plain stupid. These are just the numbers I have on vermillion parish. Maybe Latt will chime in with the Cameron parish numbers.


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So your saying that they spend more money here than up north? Just asking. No scarcasm intended. Nor blasting intended


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

[noodle creek]

"Natural migration" what is that? Is there a such thing. If biologists are right and we are having record hatches every year what is there to worry about? Animals are good at adapting for the most part, and it seems that waterfowl are doing just fine. The country has changed a lot in the last 30 years as far as farming technology is concerned, and it will continue to change drastically. No matter how hard anyone tries, the ducks are never going to go back to their "natural migration." We hear every year about record hatches, so there are plenty of ducks.

As far as them reaching louisiana, plenty of ducks still winter here. The problem is, 70% of duck hunters couldn't kill them these days even if you stuck them in one of the best blinds around. I killed 1061 ducks out of my blind this year and hunted everyday. I have a pretty good feel on how weather plays into our particular marsh. When the hard cold fronts hit, the mallards would show up for 2 days and leave as soon as it warmed up. Yes the ducks stop up north probably now more than ever, but there are still PLENTY of birds down here. To even talk about 30 and 3 right now is absolutely ridiculous.

Aerial surveys in my opinion are a joke. I fly pretty often in small planes, and it is hard as hell to see ducks from the air. Also, how are you going to see birds in the timber? Surveyors could easily miss one pond or one field that could be holding tens of thousands of birds, therefore making surveys look disappointing.

[MarshRat89]

Originally Posted by bgizzle

So your saying that they spend more money here than up north? Just asking. No scarcasm intended. Nor blasting intended


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

No don't take what I said out of context. I said to say that DU sends all the money up north is is stupid. I also said earlier it's no secret DU's main focus is and will always be the breeding grounds. My point is they just spend a few dollars here. We're talking millions. Just the project at white lake last year went 2 million. The new project near intracoastal will cost $2.6 million this year. I'm not saying you but a lot of other people who have bad opinion about DU are based on rumors not facts.


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[grizzon30s]

Originally Posted by noodle creek

"Natural migration" what is that? Is there a such thing. If biologists are right and we are having record hatches every year what is there to worry about? Animals are good at adapting for the most part, and it seems that waterfowl are doing just fine. The country has changed a lot in the last 30 years as far as farming technology is concerned, and it will continue to change drastically. No matter how hard anyone tries, the ducks are never going to go back to their "natural migration." We hear every year about record hatches, so there are plenty of ducks.

As far as them reaching louisiana, plenty of ducks still winter here. The problem is, 70% of duck hunters couldn't kill them these days even if you stuck them in one of the best blinds around. I killed 1061 ducks out of my blind this year and hunted everyday. I have a pretty good feel on how weather plays into our particular marsh. When the hard cold fronts hit, the mallards would show up for 2 days and leave as soon as it warmed up. Yes the ducks stop up north probably now more than ever, but there are still PLENTY of birds down here. To even talk about 30 and 3 right now is absolutely ridiculous.

Aerial surveys in my opinion are a joke. I fly pretty often in small planes, and it is hard as hell to see ducks from the air. Also, how are you going to see birds in the timber? Surveyors could easily miss one pond or one field that could be holding tens of thousands of birds, therefore making surveys look disappointing.

I agree with your point about the "natural migration."

Sounds like you have a good place. I have several friends that places like that; they kill limits day in and day out every single year. But, you've got to remember most people hunt in places that tend to be up and down. What everyone saw this year was more down than up. Heck, my lease is usually pretty friggin awesome yet we struggled this year. Another couple friends I know have bang up spots and they struggled too. Overall this was definitely a down year!

Aerial surveys are not an exact science. I look at them only as stick to measure by. Of course they can't count exact numbers. I look instead at the relative change in numbers. And yes, they can't fly over every area but that doesn't mean those counts don't hold some merit. Seems to me this year the counts were spot on. The low numbers were proven to me on the ground.

[noodle creek]

It seemed that this year the areas that have been bad the last 3-4 yrs were awesome and vise versa.

[Dogface]

Originally Posted by 1234567

Yall could all argue about habitat changes, ect up north until you run out of breath. Large concentrations of migrating mallards(in the hundreds of thousands) do not come to Louisiana for a number of reasons, most are stated in this thread. Might as well argue about religion. The biggest change to duck hunting since 2000 is the flapper, mojo, robo, spinner,ect. Yes they work, and I use them too.

Outlaw mojos and see how many barrel sticker hunters can call a duck into their decoys or actually know how to put out a spread of decoys to kill ducks.

I am all for outlawing any type of spinner. I think they help somewhat, mostly on young birds and most of the young birds probably get killed on their way south from their nesting ground. The spinners would have to be outlawed in the entire flyway to do us any good as far as getting more birds down to La.

[grizzon30s]

Originally Posted by noodle creek

"Natural migration" what is that? Is there a such thing. If biologists are right and we are having record hatches every year what is there to worry about? Animals are good at adapting for the most part, and it seems that waterfowl are doing just fine. The country has changed a lot in the last 30 years as far as farming technology is concerned, and it will continue to change drastically. No matter how hard anyone tries, the ducks are never going to go back to their "natural migration." We hear every year about record hatches, so there are plenty of ducks.

As far as them reaching louisiana, plenty of ducks still winter here. The problem is, 70% of duck hunters couldn't kill them these days even if you stuck them in one of the best blinds around. I killed 1061 ducks out of my blind this year and hunted everyday. I have a pretty good feel on how weather plays into our particular marsh. When the hard cold fronts hit, the mallards would show up for 2 days and leave as soon as it warmed up. Yes the ducks stop up north probably now more than ever, but there are still PLENTY of birds down here. To even talk about 30 and 3 right now is absolutely ridiculous.

Aerial surveys in my opinion are a joke. I fly pretty often in small planes, and it is hard as hell to see ducks from the air. Also, how are you going to see birds in the timber? Surveyors could easily miss one pond or one field that could be holding tens of thousands of birds, therefore making surveys look disappointing.

Originally Posted by Dogface

I am all for outlawing any type of spinner. I think they help somewhat, mostly on young birds and most of the young birds probably get killed on their way south from their nesting ground. The spinners would have to be outlawed in the entire flyway to do us any good as far as getting more birds down to La.

I don't see how outlawing mojo's would change much at all. I rarely use them and still kill plenty of ducks. Mojo's have nothing at all to do with migration patterns. Food, habitat, and reproduction! Those are what rule a duck's life...kinda like a man!

[Dogface]

Originally Posted by grizzon30s

I don't see how outlawing mojo's would change much at all. I rarely use them and still kill plenty of ducks. Mojo's have nothing at all to do with migration patterns. Food, habitat, and reproduction! Those are what rule a duck's life...kinda like a man!

I didn't say mojos would change migration patterns, I said the young birds go to them better than mature birds and the hunters in states north of us are killing a lot of the young birds before they get to us. By the time they get to us they are well educated. We kill plenty of ducks also and hunt 60 days per year. We use them during the first split and occasionally during the second split but I still wish they were outlawed and if they were I think our hunting would improve.

[bgizzle]

Originally Posted by 1234567

Yall could all argue about habitat changes, ect up north until you run out of breath. Large concentrations of migrating mallards(in the hundreds of thousands) do not come to Louisiana for a number of reasons, most are stated in this thread. Might as well argue about religion. The biggest change to duck hunting since 2000 is the flapper, mojo, robo, spinner,ect. Yes they work, and I use them too.

Outlaw mojos and see how many barrel sticker hunters can call a duck into their decoys or actually know how to put out a spread of decoys to kill ducks.

I wouldn't be mad at all if they outlaw mojos!!! You would definAtely kill more birds than the rest of the yahoos if you know what you doing


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

[grizzon30s]

Just think if we could figure out a way to get rid of skybusters! Public hunting enemy #1!

[C-Bass2mouth]

I will put out 2-6, or how ever many mojos I can get my hands on. Depending on how many the jag offs in the surrounding blinds put out from day to day. If I can see a blind that has 2 out. I'll put out 4. The next time they hunt, they'll have 4, and I'll put out 6, etc. I hunt a big open water (30 acre), salty, nasty, crab infested marsh with no food,over around 400-500 decoys/black jugs. We kill on average 500+ a year, probably 4 times as many as all the other blinds on our lease that we've been on for 7 seasons now. It's not that I'm a fan of them, or can't call like a boss (cuz I can lol), it's just proven if I want to kill a few ducks, I have to compete with the rest of the hunters. At my place, he who catches the most eyes, kills the most. I'd totally be down for them to be outlawed. Will it happen? Seriously doubt it. Don't think it would change the number of birds that winter down here though.

[Dogface]

Probably wouldn't change the number of wintering birds but they may be easier to decoy for the hunters that know what they are doing. Good calling, decoy set ups, well brushed blind, etc. etc.
and I agree about the sky busting. Maybe without a mojo the yahoos couldn't even get them close enough to sky bust

[simplepeddler]

Originally Posted by Dogface

Probably wouldn't change the number of wintering birds but they may be easier to decoy for the hunters that know what they are doing. Good calling, decoy set ups, well brushed blind, etc. etc.
and I agree about the sky busting. Maybe without a mojo the yahoos couldn't even get them close enough to sky bust

VERY good point.......too many birds take a peek and then after a while hunters get frustrated and sky blast

[bgizzle]

Originally Posted by simplepeddler

VERY good point.......too many birds take a peek and then after a while hunters get frustrated and sky blast

Yeasir


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

[MarshRat89]

Originally Posted by grizzon30s

Just think if we could figure out a way to get rid of skybusters! Public hunting enemy #1!

Outlaw pattern masters lol


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[AubreyLaHaye458]

Originally Posted by MarshRat89

Outlaw pattern masters lol


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Don't do that! I'm tired of chasing cripples all over the countryside


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[bgizzle]

Originally Posted by MarshRat89

Outlaw pattern masters lol


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Do that! Yes! I don't have a "pattern master"


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

[MarshRat89]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1391222642.697595.jpg


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[Dogface]

Originally Posted by MarshRat89

Attachment 63031


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That's about right. They aren't stupid and find ways to survive till things settle down. Now they start showing up on everyone's lease and they think the birds just came down. Same thing every year.

[MarshRat89]

Originally Posted by Dogface

That's about right. They aren't stupid and find ways to survive till things settle down. Now they start showing up on everyone's lease and they think the birds just came down. Same thing every year.

Damn I wonder where they were all hiding Hiding then?


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