So just woundering how well or NOT so well did everyones season go? Better then last year or worse? Our year was really good at the start. A lot of first this year. However by the end of the first split it started to fall apart. When second split opened it was horrible. I am looking forward to next season. I have a few things to work out when it comes to the pup but other then that we ar fired up. We are hoping to go to Arkansas next year for a hunt. Let me hear how your season went.

Terrible. Least amount of birds I have seen in several years. It was a success in that my dog retrieved for the first time. Other than that, bring on next season.

that sums it up for us, its off season work now, gotta get the girls tuned up

Started really slow, but had one of the best weeks of my duck hunting life which made up for it! Still can't wait for next year, and to see what the pup has got

Well I had 2 private leases this season, did 2 hunts on each, private hunting was not very good. Hunted nearly all public this season, and that was actually very good. I guess the duck gods wanted me to hunt public this season, and I must say, it was a great adventure I would never get with private.

I said at the beginning of the season this season was for the dog. I accomplished that goal and she learned a lot this season (me too actually). I got to reminiscing a little this morning during the hunt and realized there was only one hunt all season that we were skunked. I can't complain about how our first season went.

I need to get some stuff done around the house I have been putting off, get ready to start shooting some clays and start the dog training back in full force again.

Since a week ago Friday I missed 3 days (dog injury was 2 and domestic duties the other)...I'm tired and a good way to end the season and get back to work so I can rest

Texas is a big place and the quality of the hunt is dependent on location.

I hunt my own ranch in South Texex close to the Rio Grande, between Eagle Pass and Laredo. Our season, especially the second half, was good. Stick it out and you would usually get your limit. I went out alone and got my limit the last day of the season and I didn't go out until 11:00 AM.

I'm of the opinion that the presence of milfoil in small farm ponds or lare ponds/small lakes makes ALL the difference. No milfoil, no birds. Carp in a pond will eat all the milfoil and ruin the hunting so carp must be periodically killed out by drying out the pond or rotenone.

Gadwall were by far the most numerous ducks this season with ringbills second. We got a surprising number of Mexican mallards with a smattering of teal, wigeon and even one greenhead mallard and one mottled cuck [I'm 200 miles from the coast].

Usually common ducks that were scarce this years were sprigs and spoonies. Bluebills [scaup] seemed to be entirely absent.

There were a few unusual ducks for here--3 woodies and 2 hooded mergansers.

I have a gentle proposal for F and W. Why not add a couple of black bellied tree ducks to the early teal limit? We have a lot of black bellies that breed here and they seem to be increasing, but they have all migrated South before the season. At one time in the early fall I had 200 of them on one large pond.

I had one of the best seasons I ever have.

Only killed one Drake Mallard late in the season, but took plenty Gadwalls and Widgeon and a couple of really nice Pintails.

This was my first season at it and I think did okay. Never got a limit but only got skunked 1 time out of the 5 I went. Ended up with 4 gaddies, a widgeon, and a GWT. Very low numbers I know but I was hunting puddles, not even ponds. Oh I even got the GF on a ringer as her first duck. Next season I'll have better places to hunt, more dekes, and warmer clothes! I also want to get the lil bro on some of his first ducks. And best for last I'll be getting a pup late April:)!

This one started off well with great successful Teal hunts on 4 different DFW public lakes. Got lots of scouting in and I had plans to hit the local waterfowl hard this year in the regular season and maybe a longer drive hunting several days going as far west as it might have took me.

But before I could even get started, my wife had complications from a surgery, then my dog came down sick from a poisoning which for the weeks following sucked up most of my free time, my vacation time, all my hunting budget and part of my home equity. Then my Father in Law came down sick and is still borderline critical in ICU at this moment.

Despite dropping my local duck hunting, dropping lease duck hunting, and not doing my annual extended hunting road trip for obvious reasons. I did stay with previously planned hunts either because I felt committed to others on the hunt or because my wife insisted I still go. It involved burning the candle at both ends at times, but I still managed to get in 6 or 7 waterfowl hunt trips. Three of which out of State. Two of those for Geese. What was lacking in quantity this year was replaced with quality. It's been a stressful season, but I can't complain about the hunting I did get to do. The hunting at least was great for me.

Sniper John it sounds like you had a rough season. Glad your dog is doing well. My prayers go out for your Father in law and the rest of the family. Like you the numbers weren't there but the quality made up for it.

Best season for me, went 10 times and limited out 9 times; did not hunt in january though

A good season of hunts despite never limiting in a morning.

Met some new people, learned more about the ducks, little girl had her first hunt and found THF.

All in all, had a great time and, as always, wished I could of gone a few more times!

Well it was the least I've gotten out to hunt in many years....only went out 12 times and it was only that many because I did 5 hunts the last 10 days of the season. But with work and two little kids 12 hunts over 3 months is good enough.

Overall I probably had my lowest average birds per hunt ever for a season. Two skunks and a lot of 2 and 3 bird hunts. But the measure of how a season went for me isnt really measured by birds. I had a great time....went to some totally new places and got to hunt with lots of old friends.

Good times and lots of birds. Started out a bit on the slow side but we made it happen anyway.

My duck seasons have been getting worse every year for the past 3 years. This one was by far the worst. We only shot 2 ducks before the last weekend. The last weekend was great and will have me coming back for more next year. I got two limits in two days this past weekend.

Stinkbelly...did you track the number of birds all three seasons or is it more of a feeling it was worse? Was it all because of lack of birds?

For me my bird count was down this year but some of the blame is mine because I had very little time to invest in scouting and had a cut some hunts short.

Didn't get to go as often as usual, but I picked my spots well.

I went 8 times and hammered 'em on 5 occaisions.

No solo hunts this year.

Dang the SPLIT!! 1st half was ok after that just went to the septic tank!! not one of the best years Ive had!

mine was outstanding. saw tons of birds and shot quite a few limits with myself and a buddy.

a few "laws" of duck hunting became concrete in my mind. i learned to follow wind direction at all times. i hunted with a couple buddies who don't pay attention to it, and the difference is night and day.

i learned that my gun set up is most productive with an improved choke and #2's or #3's.

a jerkstring is a must for me on every hunt.

mine was outstanding. saw tons of birds and shot limits numerous times with a buddy in the blind.

a few "laws" of duck hunting became concrete in mind. wind direction is one. i learned to keep the wind at my back at all times. hunted with some buddies who don't pay attention to the wind, and the difference is night and day.

i learned that my optimum gun set up is an improved choke with #2's or #3's.

i learned that a jerkstring is a must for me on every hunt.

Shane, the season has been good. It was fun getting to hunt with you, your bro and pops. We should hooked up next season too. Check out my pics for the season.

http://www.texashuntingforum.com/forum/u...ame#Post2053175

pretty good saw and shot more pintails than any season, geese were in good numbers, but mostly teal and gadwalls

Don, it was great getting to hunt with you and your cousin. Just wish it would have gone better. Yea we need to hook up next season for sure. Y'all had a good season and I know y'all worked hard at it. Beat us out there all the time. LOL

i had a pretty good season. was fortunate enough to hunt more this season than last two combined. shot some wallhangers. witnessed my sons first duck. went on a guided hunt. made some new friends/hunting buddies. looking forward to the off season to add to my arsenal and get my boat ready for early teal!