Our seasons suck

Can anyone explain why I'll be sitting in my house while hunters are allowed to kill ducks in: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska? Their seasons close on Jan 28. Our west and coastal zones are closed!!

That was one of my topics of discussion today with Mr Reynolds. It will be one of the issues we look very closely at with the new organization too. I promise I am going to do everything I can to make our duck hunting and Louisiana habitats. Are you going to join up with us as soon as everything is put into place.

I'm in. I'll be proud to represent south-central LA.

I know that part of the reason the season is a week earlier in the coastal zone is to take advantage of the early migration of the teal, greys and other species that make up the majority of what we kill in the coastal zone. There were at least as many greys in the marsh during the first week of November, youth weekend, as there were all season. Another hunter posted that he had 14 days that his Marsh was not accessible due to low tides. It the coastal season continued for another week it could easily be another week of no water for hunters. Just think that these are some factors that are considered when setting coastal dates. Good luck to those who can hunt this weekend!

I know for an absolute FACT that my lease on the gulf coast in the far lower-western Terrebonne parish was COVERED with Gadwall on Thanksgiving Day, leading up to Christmans. HOWEVER, after Christmas, not at all the same... much fewer gadwalls (slight increase in GW teal).

Much of the decrease in ducks had to do with EXTREMELY low tides and very little water, BUT prior to the tides dropping out and not returning for the rest of the season, many of the birds were gone already by Christmas week and they didn't return.

First split, I heard bad reports from everywhenre EXCEPT where am in Terrebonne parish, then during the second split the birds in were GONE from my area.

I am confident that an earlier start for first split, COMBINED WITH a latter second split (second split starting after the Northern states season closes) would be the bees knees down here for us. When the ice eaters and aeration systems shut down up north, everything freezing up over there, the birds will start to flock here & pile up in our matshes becasue the migration will finally go back to what it did for generations (come donw to the TRUE wintering grounds of South East La. marshes.).

Stop thinking about yourselves. I think about these poor farmers that have to pay for heaters to keep their ponds from freezing in order to kill these Nuisance Birds. These freeloading birds eat the hell out of their crops and then crap on everything. :) These poor farmers have to book thousands of hunters everyday and still these Damn Birds won't leave.
This season was one of my worst. Had water, plenty of feed ( not store bought) and very little pressure. The area i'm in ( Coastal Zone )was one of the best for 45 years. Most hunters around me didn't show up due to the lack of birds. I did still enjoy the time out there though but with the money I pay I don't see how.I do not wish for an earlier season for teal but having a 3 week closure in the middle would be nice. I need to Stop Thinking About Myself though.

Biggest issue for folks hunting East Zone typically is super-low water pretty much every year and this year no exception-was seeing decent flocks of mallards but not sure where they went and got e-mail today from fella looking for fishing partner(salt and fresh)and pic he sent was at least 6 greenhead carcasses with probably 2 hen carcasses,most likely from Manchac area,maybe dats where me mallards disappeared to!!!

Mandevillian,my season definitely fits the 'sux' category,maybe averaging slightly better than one duck/hunt but fair amount of quality birds(mallards,mottled,redhead,widgeon,woodies,etc).Will do Season Re-Cap Monday and will include few decent hunt pics,hope to smack few more greenies!!

Hit man yall kill anything interesting down there this season? I know im just north of ya and we did just as you said, ton of greys early but the only nice ducks we shot were a few mallards, widgeon, etc and i shot a bufflehead opening weekend

I think im gonna start bringing dynamite when the tides real low and blow those holes open haha jk..we tried to build a weir for one of the ponds back in the day but it kept getting destroyed

I remember the days of people bitching about NO WATER along coast in late jan.. hence that zone opening earlier... of course this was before mud motors

Most people that hunt the coast like a earlier season than those in the northern part of the state strong cold fronts push the water out of the marsh 14 days where lost this season cause of low water conditions

No water is not an excuse for north states being open after louisiana. I had days before the season started with no water............The north wind blows at all times of the year

Mike

So when do you think Louisiana should close it’s season. The coastal zones or the old west used to close at the end of the month. But surveys say more ducks are killed on the half of the season so they change I for one like the earlier season for the Marsh Missouri is closed Arkansas close this weekend

I know it's not possible right now but I'd like to see it stay open until at least Feb 10 or so. I've pretty much given up on hunting the marsh in south Louisiana. If the north wind blow above 7mph I have NO water got hope for a south wind. I'm going to concentrate my hunting efforts in central Louisiana....................If you know anyone that has some land to lease up that way let me know

I for one would never want a season that late On ducks. To many things could happen to the population. And plus the migration is over in February most of the ducks are here by then

I'm no scientist so that was just my opinion...................Why does Louisiana open BEFORE some of the northern states? That make absolutely no sense but I'm sure there's a reason. I'm going to expand my hunting to quail and pheasants...................No Migration needed

Do like me headed north ever year. And you know what I Kill Every season I hunt the marsh early and then hit the road looking for ducks and geese up north in land of corn and honey Oklahoma goons be my place next year central flyway 5 mallards limit. Dry fields thousands of mallards reminds me the old days back In the swamp of the 80,90. Guys hunt hard and stay safe go where the ducks are don’t wait for them cause they ant coming no more

4 more seasons then I'll be able to hunt 60 days..............I do have a few areas targeted for next season.

I guess i'm lucky with water. I hunt around Lost Lake and although the water fell I just move to a deeper area of my lease. Paddle in and out. Not always easy but was able to hunt every weekend that I went. First or second split was no difference with the amount of birds for me. I am settled in my blind at least 45 minutes before and stay in the blind late most hunts this year. 20 of those minutes are peaceful looking into the dark with the glow on the horizon .Then after sipping my coffee in peace I switch channels to the NHRA and then watch these dragster sounding surface drives going to and from their blind. Just because they're so fast doesn't mean you have to start so late.

There would be nothing wrong with hunting into the first week of Feb.
Youth hunt in East zone : Feb 3 😱
The migration here does not end by early Feb. because as we've all said and know, the migration is later secondary to the short stopping of ducks. Every week I will have ducks building in my pond till March (Evangeline Parish-west zone). Like I have witnesses the last 7 or so years. If I keep my water, I can hold them till April. They migrate to eat (and breed). They do not migrate based on the calendar day. The ducks have just shown this week. Got over 1000 mallards sitting in my small pond right now. Three times that in my other. Every week more and more will show up.

Nebraska closes on 28th. Why?
All the states have the same teal season. Why?
Solution in west zone: early 1st season, longer split, later 2nd, ending Jan 31st or even Feb 10th. Yes Feb 10th! Would 2 weeks later really affect the population. Heck no. Why? Because we haven't killed any all season.

It seems we all have different opinion on migration and season dates.

I'm with you Roland and Scott. More birds are shot during the early season in the coastal zone.
We can go show these guys where all the gadwall are in January. They are rafting by the thousands on the outside bays getting away from the inland marsh hunting pressure. By early February these same birds move back inland because the pressure is gone not because they just arrived! I have videos that we took in mid January of clouds of gadwall on these outside bays and lakes that are covered with grass mats. We have a lease that is pretty far out and produced a lot of second split gadwall.
Our closer leases did good on gadwall during the first split but after that they moved further out because of the hunting pressure. And thank goodness for the green winged teal and scaup this season! With the exception of 3 real slow hunts we had a damn good season.

No grays on my place. Mallards, some pintail and teal.