So what was everyone's totals for the year? I didn't get out as much as I'd like, but I had a heck of a season when I did get out. Kept my drake-hen ratio almost perfect up until the last hunt of the year, only shooting 1 hen red & a hen buff, then shot a hen & drake pin, 2 hen wigeon and a hen gad & hen [censored] Id say it wasn't a bad year, since there's only reds on the coast...Totals were:
15 reds-14 drakes
3 buffs-2 drakes
8 bills-8 drakes
7 pins-6 drakes
3 gads-2 drakes
2 wigeon-0 all hens
2 gwt-2 drakes
1 shoveler-hen

We had a great season until the last 3 weeks. It was looking like we would finish strong, but work/family commitments got in the way of scouting. Birds left the area where we had strong shoots New Year's week and with not much time to scout made our last several hunts difficult as we went in blind. My 10yo son was able to scratch Pintail off the list of ducks he had not shot yet which made his season. He also made 21 of the 24 hunts this year.

Also, ended a 10 year Band drought on Dec 30 with a banded Gadwall.

Looking at the species breakdown, it was a pretty typical El Nino year for us.

24 hunts - All public
326 ducks
1 goose
4.1 bird per man average for the season

Greenwing teal - 99
Gadwall - 96
Redheads - 36 (most of them killed on 2 hunts at the coast)
Woodies - 25
Mallard - 21
Wigeon - 21
Pintail - 17
Bluewings - 5
Spoonies - 4
Ringneck - 1
Mottled - 1

6- BWT
2- Pintail
15- Gadwall
5- Mallard
8- Widgeon
4- GWT
2- Cans
2- Ringnecks
3- Spoonbill
2- Hooded Merganser
1- Woody


Tons of Gaddys late and tons of Widgeon early.

Mine was terrible. Been hunting 24yrs worst ever! 7 ducks total including teal season. I did skip the first split but this was tough.

It was weak, but out of my 13 hunts i didnt get skuncked once
Boy i hate to get skuncked.
Only had 6 days with limits.

Seven more than I got....

You and I are in the same boat.

I know for a fact that I shot:

1 - Gadwall
1 - GWT
2 - Coots (targets of opportunity on a duckless day)

I possibly shot:

another Gadwall
2 or 3 GWTs
and possibly a coot (it dove and never saw it again)

Kansas tomorrow


We timed it right, like in mucho!

27 hunts 157 quackers, 1 greater, 31 cormorants - 4.36 ducks per Hunter- personally limited 80% time vs 34 hunts and 137 quackers- 50% more ducks per hunts vs last year. Mighty mallard was not present much this year which accounted for 30 out of last 35 ducks last year

Old lady- 1/2 blind, 13yrs old and deaf retrieved her last duck. Little one did most of work



Last hunt of year

Decent season. All public.

Mallards 32 (1 is at the taxidermist)
Gadwalls 18
Widgeon 2
Spoons 3
GWT 16
Woody's 7 (1 Banded drake at the taxidermist)
Ringnecks 5
Redheads 1
Hooded Merganser 2 (buddy is mounting the drake)

No sprigs or cans but maybe next year. Also plan to teal hunt this september if I'm not in the mountains chasing elk.

Below is my log for the season...



Hunted a lot less days this season. Normally I get in 35 to 40 days a season, this season 25 days. Took a 2 week vacation this summary, 20 year wedding anniversary, that ate into my first split hunting week days I could take off, then a hot project at work in December limited days I could take off in January, normally I take a lot of time off in January. Last week of season I was able to take off, but other than that, no other days I was able to take off in January, really pissed me off, I wanted to take time off for the unofficial THF coast hunt but could not get off.

Normally I pile up the gaddies, 100 or so was normal in years past, but that was with my private lease I had, but let that lease go, all public this season. I also used to hunt Saturday and Sundays on weekends, this season I normally skipped Saturday morning hunt, and scouted Saturday afternoon, camped and hunted Sunday morning, I love the scout hunt combo. All in all, I had a great time this season, as I do every season, never had what I would call a disappointing season. Every season is unique and special in its own way, no season is ever the same. I do not need to kill birds to have a good time, it's less about the killing, and more about the adventure for me. I will admit though the mallards got the best of me this year, when I thought I had them I didn't. And the one day I shot 5 greenheads, it was the day after my dog died, was not sure I even wanted to hunt, got to the ramp late, someone was in my plan A spot, plan B had too much water, plan C I took flyer on and best hunt of the season.

Can't wait for next season.

Days 22
Total 87
Avg 4.0

14 - BWT
4 - Pintail Drakes
6 - Gadwalls
5 - Mallard Drakes
1 - Widgeon Drake
4 - Specks
8 - Snows
1 - Ross

7 Hunts

4- Pintail- 3 drakes, 1 hen
1- BW Teal- Drake
7- GW Teal- 5 Drake, 2 Hen, (2 lost)
3- Mallards- 2 Drakes, 1 Hen (1 lost)
6- Gadwall- 1 Drake, 5 Hens
1- Wigeon- Hen
4- Redhead- 2 Drake, 2 Hens (1 lost)
4- Ringneck- 3 Drakes, 1 Hen
1- Wood Duck- Drake
5- Shoveler- 3 Drakes, 2 Hens (1 lost)

11 Coots

Total 36 Ducks and 11 coots in 15 hunts.

11 full hunts,
5 serving as unpaid guide for friends with a few shots by me on the coast.
2 limits
1 duck skunk, but got 7 coots that day as retribution and to help a friend with a "20 coot" gumbo he wants to make!

Lots of fun on the coast and in east Central TX. Also, my 5 yr old son went with me for the first time! He loved it for the 15 minutes of legal light he could stand the cold!