Louisiana Teal Limit Going to 6....

[Bluechip]

http://www.nola.com/outdoors/index.s...a_hunters.html

[Bluechip]

By Todd Masson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
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on June 20, 2013 at 4:31 PM, updated June 20, 2013 at 4:38 PM



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Louisiana teal hunters will see their daily bag limits increase 50 percent during this year's special September teal season, according to Larry Reynolds, waterfowl study leader for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

Louisiana was one of the states that petitioned for the change, and the loosening of restrictions was granted this week by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Reynolds said.

"All three flyways -- Central, Mississippi and Atlantic -- sent recommendations to the (USWFS) requesting a bag limit increase from four to six this year," Reynolds said. "They approved our recommendation. Everyone that has a teal season will be offered the opportunity to increase the bag limit from four to six."

Louisiana is in the Mississippi Flyway.

The change won't be official until it's approved by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, but Reynolds said that's a slam-dunk.

"I've got a feeling we won't have any trouble getting them to approve that," he said.

The September teal season is open only during years when bluewing teal numbers are decent or better, and that's been the case for nearly two decades. Most years during that stretch, the season has been open for 16 days in September. There have been a few years, however, that USFWS opened it for only nine days.

Whether there is a season and how long it lasts all depends on the breeding count. The minimum required for a 16-day season is 4.7 million birds. Reynolds hasn't gotten official word on this year's count, but he's confident it'll come in strong.

"I can't tell you for sure it's going to be 16 days, but I'm 95 percent sure," he said. "Last year, the number of bluewing teal was over 9 million. I don't see a 50 percent decline in bluewings in one year, especially with all the water in Canada, and now we've got a lot of water in the United States prairies."

Reynolds said the USFWS had appointed a committee to complete a teal assessment that took several years. Reynolds represented the Mississippi Flyway on the committee.

"We presented our final report in the end of February, which showed there is far more harvest potential for bluewing teal than we're currently taking with the current September season," Reynolds said.

The increased bag limit is the big alteration for this season, but other changes may be in the works for next season. For instance, Kentucky and Tennessee currently have five-day September seasons that allow harvest of bluewing teal and wood ducks. They'd like to gain additional days for teal only, Reynolds said.

Here in Louisiana, Reynolds would like to see black-bellied whistling ducks added to the daily bag limits.

"(The flyways) agreed that it would take us another year or so to develop a cohesive proposal to possibly allow additional expansion," Reynolds said.

The limit on teal has been four birds ever since the special September season began in 1965, Reynolds said.

[BloodKnot]

I am pumped they are increasing the limit to 6! Going to make slapping mosquitoes worth the sweat now!

[Bdub]

Been keeping a close eye on this, looking forward to them 2 extra birds...might add 15mins to my morning hunts lol

[Smalls]

Hmmm, might actually do some september duck whacking now. Funny, I was just thinking on the drive home yesterday, "you know, I would probably hunt teal season if they bumped it to 6 birds."

[rbertrand]

wooo-hoooo!!!! Our LDWF actually stepped up for us! Can't wait for that first cool front in September. Love chasing those little missles! Love eating them even more

[Smalls]

Originally Posted by rbertrand

wooo-hoooo!!!! Our LDWF actually stepped up for us! Can't wait for that first cool front in September. Love chasing those little missles! Love eating them even more

I'ma have to pull a signate and post up my recipe for ducks the next time I cook some. In fact, I've got a few teal in the freezer that could use a good cookin. Just need to get my favorite "liquid" to go along with them.....lmao...

[rbertrand]

You sound like a man with a plan Smalls! We got some specklebelly out, all deboned, ready to put in the oven tonite with potatoes, carrots, all the fixins! Also have 2 speck gizzards sliced super thin into medallions, gonna deep fry those bad boys! I may have to take off tomorrow

[Smalls]

lmao, that sounds pretty good. I found a recipe for roast duck in an old tony chasseries cook book mom gave me, but I tweaked it to my liking. Not really a wine kinda guy, last time I cooked a duck with wine, stunk the whole place up. So I switched it up to Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey. Talk about good!!!

That was my ticket to getting my fiancee, well wife now, to be on board with the duck hunting. She flat out told me that I needed to go kill some more ducks.

[cajunforeman]

Post that recipe up

[Smalls]

Originally Posted by cajunforeman

Post that recipe up

lmao, think I may cook those teal up this week sometime. I will post it up and some pictures when I do. I have a knack for only remembering how it is done when I cook it.

[rbertrand]

hang onto her brother!! My wife ok with me duck huntin too, me, my brother and my son, the 3 amigos Get out there every chance we get!

[Super Spook]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1372194168.872170.jpg

All this teal talk made me bust some out the freezer!