I lost my aluminum pontoon deck barge with dark grey colored storage shed (full of my duck hunting gear) from Storm Barry. It was on Point au Fer island. I have looked for it but no luck so far. If anyone finds it afloat or on land somewhere, please try to secure it and call Larry @ 985-790-3490 for a cash reward if it's recovered. Much thanks, Larry
Fishing in Lake Theriot with a friend ALL DAY yesterday...not a single duck in sight wither in the lake or the trip out or back to the marina... Others possting on the site that the latest 'cool front' has brought down many blue wing teal to the Houma/Chauvin area..... not so sure fellas....
Hitman
Almost everyone uses Mallard style duck calls in the field, although our predominant duck is the Gadwall.
I have hunted with many different duck hunters and I've observed many calling styles from each I've person I've hunted with.
Some hunters believe in high-balling the Gadwalls into the decoys, while other hunters use low-end work on mallard-style calls as well as Gadwall style calls (quacks) try to finesse the birds into the decoys...
With gadwall being our bread and butter duck, I'd like to hear from you hunters out there concerning what calling techniques you have found to be most effective on calling Gadwalls into your spread (e.g aggressive calling, softer low-end calling, type of calls used, etc)... I'd like to hear what the successful guides are doing to call in groups, pairs, singles of Gadwalls consistently.
Do you change your calling techniques from First split to Second Slpit?
Good hunting to all,
HM
I recently discovered my SD cards were stolen from my deer cams' they left the cameras but stole the SD cards. They had to go through a lot of troublebecause you can only get to this place by boat.
I am so angry.... Nothing much that a filthy thief.
I couldn't wait to get out there to see what i had pics of on my cameras, after 5 weeks of waiting to get back out there and saw good tracks all around the cameras.... UUGGHHH!!
Has anyone come up with a way to catch these thieving pieces of sh!t???? God forgive me, but I want to hurt them soooo badly!
SEMPER FI !!!
What can someone tell me about the Honey island Swamp area? Fishing, hunting...
Is there good deer hunting there?
I'm hunting on a very small area, along a high and dry 'spoil Bank' alonside Houma Nav Canal, surrounded by marsh/swamp. There are some deer travelling thorugh, but all 100% NOCTURNAL.
I tried ried rice bran, corn & molossas last year, all eaten, but tons of trail cam pics of RACOONS, a few deer but all the deer were NOCTURNAL (Midnight - 5 AM)
What can I do to get deer to come in to feed after daylight?
This is a small/narrow spoil bank that they only seem to travel through the marsh on at night...very frustrating!!!
I am new to deer hunting and I have a very small tract of marsh to hunt on near Houma. I do not expect many deer in the aera, so I am tying to use different types food attractants to get them to come near my ladder stand. I am having major coon problems with the corn I have put out.
1. Does pure molasses work well as an attractant?
2. Is it legal to use?
3. What is the best way to use it in the woods to attract marsh deer?
4. Best molasses feeder designs?
5. Does molasses attract many other animals also (coons,possum...) like corn does?
'Thank you' to anyone who replies with sincere advise.
God bless all you hunters out there--be safe.
LH
I am looking for a Slug Barrel for a 12 Ga. Benelli M1 Super-90 Shotgun.
If anyone has one they are willing to sell, PLEASE let me know.
larry_boy68@yahoo.com
Looking for pics & ideas for cypress brake / swamp duck blinds, making blinds that look like cypress stumps, etc...
Please send any pics you may have of your or other persons cypress swamp blinds.
I am considering using large plastic drainage culverts ~5-ft high & covering them with cypress drift wood, small cypress logs, etc...
Any ideas or pics welcomed.
I heard about folks using square hay bales in the marsh to create new marsh areas (small islands).
Does anyone out there have any experience with this? If so, how did you pin down the bales to prevent them from floating away? How did you get the marsh grass, rozo cane or other vegetation to successfully 'grow' onto the hay bales?
Thanks,
HM
How is the duck hunting South of Dulac this year? Anyone willing to provide a report?
I would like to encourage everyone to STOP WATCHING Duck Dynasty due to the A&E Network's preposterous attack against & suspension of Phil Robertson from the show for speaking what he and many other believe to be the indisputable Word of God pertaining to homosexuality. Even if you are pro-gay, you should be offended by the violation of Phil's FREEDOM of SPEECH. In today's perverted world, you are only attacked if you disagree with the homosexual agenda in America. Phil would have been given an honor from the network if he had made pro-gay comments instead. It's a saaaaad day in America. Praise God Almighty.
We lost a Louisiana Duck Hunting/Calling Legend, a major contributor to our sport and an icon to hunters across the USA and abroad. He will surely be missed by all who share the passion for our beloved sport of duck hunting/calling.
God Bless Eli Haydel, and confort his family in their time of loss.
I am interested in the advise of experienced airboat owners/operators.
I am in the market for an airboat, but I am struggling to make a decision between a large/powerful version or a smaller mini-airboat. I like to compact and fuel-efficient mini's, but I am concerned that I will regret not having the power later on.
What is the best size-power airboat for the South Louisiana brackish marsh?
Any comments/suggestions is appreciated.
Thanks,
Larry
I would like to hear from some experienced hunters out there:
Do you separate the different species in your decoy spreads, or do you mix them all together? I typiclly have a high degree of separation between the species in my spread, but I have done well with mixed/blended spreads before also.
What has your experience proven to be most effective? Thanks for responding!
Cut'em,
Hit_Man
Has anyone been out to the Atchafalaya Bay, 4-League Bay, Lost Lake, Point au Fer Island areas to survey the damage to the marsh from the Tropcial Storm a few weeks back?
I'm wondering how much the saltwater affected the marsh for the upcoming duck season... The storm seemed to pass right over the area over a 2+ day period...
Thanks,
Hitman
Has anyone out there used a 'cell phone booster,' at a remote camp location, for instance? There isn't cell phone service where my camp is located. I was told that a 'cell phone booster system' would work well... ANY POINTERS???
Thanks,
HitMan
Marine Sanitation Unit
I am looking for a USCG & LA State approved Marine Sanitation Unit for a small barge camp. A limited use system is fine, as long as it is USCG approved too. I have been through the ringer trying to find something reasonably priced that will meet both state & USCG regs.
What are the chances of me being inspected by the USCG on a small barge/camp anyway???
Has anyone used the 'Lectra Scan' Type I unit?
How well does it work? Any issues?
I was told that LA State does not recognize the Type I systems... Is this true???
Is a type II the only type system that the STATE recognizes (other than a holding tank)???
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I am looking for a USCG & LA State approved Marine Sanitation Unit for a small barge camp. A limited use system is fine, as long as it is USCG approved too. I have been through the ringer trying to find something reasonably priced that will meet both state & USCG regs.
What are the chances of me being inspected by the USCG on a small barge/camp anyway???
Has anyone used the 'Lectra Scan' Type I unit?
How well does it work? Any issues?
I was told that LA State does not recognize the Type I systems... Is this true???
Is a type II the only type system that the STATE recognizes (other than a holding tank)???
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Has anyone out there ever used a 4-wheel 'Terra-jet' ATV in the marsh??? How does it perform???
Has anyone used a 6-wheel 'ARGO' ATV in the marsh??? How does it perform???
I am looking for a dependable ATV (with wheels--not tracks)that is good in the marshes of South LA.
ANY RECOMMENDATIONS???
Thanks,
Hitman
How WIDE is the camp (need to know what size trailer I would need to go get it, and if its a WIDE LOAD on highway...
What CASH price would you be willing to accept, If I have to go get it from Houma?
Larry
How WIDE is the camp (need to know what size trailer I would need to go get it, and if its a WIDE LOAD on highway...
What CASH price would you be willing to accept, If I have to go get it from Houma?
Larry
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.).
Hmmmmmm, If you're fishing in an area that USUALLY is a GREAT fishing hole, but the fish are just not as plentiful there as usual or as you would prefer, there's less fish and they're harder to find/catch, would you start up your boat and run up, down and all around that little fishing hole 'scouting' for fish and expect the fish to stay there and keep biting? Of course not,,,that's similar to what we are doing to these already scarce and stressed waterfowl by running these SD's and other motorized boats all over the wetlands that these few ducks call home--for a short while.
You can't change the flyway migration patterns, BUT you can change the way you manage your marsh, by taking the extra effort to drastically reduce motorized boat access, not using them for 'scouting' all day / week, only paddling in and out of you hunting areas, etc... I challenge you to try it yourself. Go back to Old School tactics for lease travel. Maybe one small quiet put-put mud boat to tow the pirogues with hunter behind it and drop off hunters at their respective blinds, OR maybe everyone paddle in on their own totheir blinds.
I am confident you will see some sort of positive impact on your hunting results, with more birds on the water feeling safe and secure from boat traffic. That is, IF you can stand to stay out of that high-dollar SD, aIrboat ro other contraption long enough....
Hitman
Hey PushPaddle...
Yeah, I get some humor out of some of these 'rediculuos deductive reasonings' I'm reading in some of these posts as well... I tell you man, I can't help but get some humor (along with some sadness and frustration) out of the things many people throw out there in these rediculous posts... Where is the logic and common sense. I honestly believe many know it to be true, but sense they are sooooo happy with their new toy (SD) that many of them save money for a long time to buy, they could NEVER admit to their contribution to an ongoing problem. I know one thing, since SD's hit just about every other driveway/garage in town, not to mention every canal, trenasse & pond in the marsh, the tresspassing & 'scouting' has gone THROUGH THE ROOF!!!!
Yes, there were always trespassers, as someone else has pointed out, but there is a HUGE difference between tresspassers making a quiet stealth hunt by priogue and guys running SD's all over leases when your'e not around (which is when your lease should be getting the 'rest' it needs to hold birds). The joy riding idiots (during duck season) have skyrocketed as well, and they are DEFINITELY affecting the ability of areas to keep numbers of birds on the water. It is UNMISTAKEBLE if you've spend the time looking and analyzing whats happening.
I see it happening on the lease sections adjacent to mine!!!! They run the damn SD's all day long!!! No hunters all weekdays, have birds when you get there Friday afternoon, get to the camp, set out dekes with SDs and start the SD 'scouting' parade all afternoon and the birds move out !!!!! Hunt next day and all those birds are GONE!!!
If we all agree (and we all do) that there are much less birds holding in many areas that USED TO BE well-nknown as GREAT DUCK AREAS for many reasons other than SD's, regardless of the reasons that they stopped stacking up in these areas... It is COMMON SENSE for us die-hards who have far too much time in the marsh to be refuted, that to much running of surface drives, mud boats, airboats, WHATEVER, ANY mechanical DISTURBANCE to these now-scarce birds is detrimental to whether or not they STAY content in these areas or not. Everyone LOVES the fact that they can reach the farthest corners of the marsh just by spending their hard-earned money on a SD, BUT.......
True example, I can have my camp generator (loud) with screaming exhaust all day long and I'll have grey ducks stacking up pothles right next to my camp (extrememly close); HOWEVER, the SECOND that a mud boat (SD, or other) is started up or passes in the canal in the distance, these ducks are GONE!!! These ducks are not stupid...they know the difference and they know when a mud boat is approaching..... Same ducks in same potholes stay put and I can kill them easilu if I leave the mudboat off & simply get in my priogue and paddle in undetected.... Go figure. Not rocket science... SD's are not the only problem, but the explosion in popularity, and the trmendous use & misuse of them is CERTANLY a significant contributing factor to birds not staying put. There are some areas still holding birds, BUT SD;s and other mud boats definitely run the birds out.....NO DOUBT!
Peace out.....
Hitman
BTW--I own mud boats and an airboat... BUT I do always stick to my personal hunting area (not scouting around off of my lease) and I do what I can to MINIMZE my time 'scouting' on my own lease to give the birds time to settle in and hopefully stay a little longer...I have seen signs of this helping keep more birds on the lease.... Just saying.
Ever hear of this, 'Guns don't kill people..people kill people'...
Well... SD's don't drive away ducks, the people who ABUSE the use if them and do IRRESPONSIBLE things with them certainly adds to the problem, especially when they trespass all over hard working and PAYING people's private land and leases.... If you're not one of those people, then you definitely should agree.
Other than this simple point, the reason for the lack of birds in WELL DOCUMENTED in too many other posts on this site to possibly count....
My Complaint (trespassing).
I am to the point now, that absolutely NOTHING surprises me out in the marsh...epsecially when it comes to duck season... It's like everyone loses their mind as soon as the season starts, then after the season ends, things go back toward normal (whatever normal is).
Whether it Public land, Privately Owned (and clearly posted), PRIVATE LEASES (clearly posted) it don't matter. I have been blessed to have all three types of land at my disposal and it simply DON'T MATTER... Nowadays, for all too many hunters out there... if they have a surface drive that can get them there, they feel they have THE RIGHT to go wherever that damn thing can take them... It used to bad enough before everyone owned one, BUT SINCE THE SURFACE DRIVE CRAZE TOOK OVER hunters are 'scouting' all over private lands, scaring up birds that are resting, trespassing, joy riding, poaching, etc...
I have read soooo many posts on this site from hunters stating that they 'scouted for miles & miles' until they found ducks and set up on them the next day...Where can you scout for mile & miles and not be on other leases, private lands? Not many places. These people state where they hunt and its obviously trespassing.
I am new to the island, south of Lake Chapeau. I need to learn how to hunt the tides and learn what areas to hunt under different wind and tidal conditions. When the weather turned hot last week, most of the birds left the island.....the gnats & mosquitoes were horrible.
Don't know about birds on PaF, but that place is family-owned (POSTED PRIVATE).... and a looooong way out there..... needs ot have birds to make that trip.......
Can you post some pics so we can see what you've made? I might be interested in a few blinds... What are your prices?
Hitman
What side of the island are you on... Mosquito Bayou or Alligator Bayou?
Friends of mine on the island said it was great this past season... How was yours?
HM
Yep, I thought of that back up camera idea, but if they go at night to steal the cameras then I know they'll see the flash from the hidden camea it takes their pictureâ¦
A HD night vision camera that doesn't use a flash would be great as a hidden camera⦠I'll have to research it and see what's available.
Thanks for the reply, happy hunting
Mr. Landshark,
Sir, I enjoyed reading your post. I am very thankful that you've had your waders returned to you. I want to make special applause for your personal character and your dedication to teaching your son how not only to be a young man you helps others in need (even when it somewhat inconvenient & conflicts with your immediate plans), but also in showing him how live as a man that honors others, himself & honors God in his actions & integrity.
Great job being a great father. I am lifting up a special prayer that our awesome God who provides all things, showers blessings on you for all of your future outdoor endeavors with you son.
Well done sir.
Be Blessed!
'I'll make them an offer they can't refuse'...
bang bang bang
Great idea.
I tried to get in touch with the 'Wounded Warrior' program to bring some wounded veterans hunting, but I haven't had anyone return the emails. I need to try to contact them again.
Safe hunting,
HitMan
I hunted Harry Bourg Corp for years. Left it after Katrina, Rita & Gustav devastated the area--no feed, no birds.
I picked up a small piece of land just North of HB Corp property, but haven't hunted yet. Wanted to know how folks are doing in the area...
Best of luck. Keep posting...
I like to set off a 'bug bomb' in the camp and let it set overnight without ventilating it, prior to the cleaning the camp, in order to kill all the critters (wasps, hornets, spiders, etc...) that set up shop in the camp during the off season. Then, I use pine sol / water to mop the floors, then I wipe down everything with the bleach hand wipes. I wash all the sheets & pillow cases prior to season, but we sleep in sleeping bags, etc...
This has worked well for me in the houseboat.
Mostly West
Made a trip to duck lease in far SW Terrebone parish. Saw several nice flocks of greys moving round and what appeared to be a few mallards also. A lot of smaller groups of greys and pairs also, and a few gw teal to boot. Low tide revealed Tons of redfish in the marsh & canals.
Hitman