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18/19 season
#7416375
01/27/19 08:00 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,649
Ridn9high
OP
Pro Tracker
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OP
Pro Tracker
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,649 |
This season was definitely one for the books. I just hope that book never shows itself again. With a new baby and lack of birds, I never got out much. Did plenty of scouting, just never found enough birds to want and wake up early for. Sleep right now has been slim, so any extra minute of sleep is nice. I did find a lot of birds the week before Christmas. Was planning a hunt Christmas Eve morning, but we got enough rain to float the Ark a few days before. All those birds vanished, and never found anything until about 10 days ago. Here is a little recap of my whole 3 hunts this season. So Friday the Jan 18th, I set up on an area holding mallards and ringers. Held out for a mallard limit, but time wasn’t on my side as I had to get to work. Just before I picked up the decoys, I filled out the limit with 3 ringers. The mallards didn’t really show up. Had a lone goose get lost and come by a little too low. This past Thursday, I hunted a hole that I had seen some birds in. The birds worked the decoys great, and did as they are supposed to. Everything was feet down and in the decoys. The morning was over fairly quick. Yesterday was my closure for the year. Hunted a spot I had seen about 20 birds the day before. These birds would not commit during the morning. Had 3 on the strap at 8am. I decided to pick up all but 2 decoys. I left one floater and the pulsator out. The next pair of birds dropped right in. Then finally at 9am, the last greenhead completed my season. Very weird year as I never saw a gadwall, teal, or pintail while scouting or hunting.
Last edited by Ridn9high; 01/27/19 08:14 PM.
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Re: 18/19 season
[Re: Ridn9high]
#7416393
01/27/19 08:36 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,483
Guy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,483 |
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Re: 18/19 season
[Re: Ridn9high]
#7416438
01/27/19 10:01 PM
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 23,830
beaversnipe
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 23,830 |
Ducks: 125 Geese: 16 Cranes: 15 All solo except for 7 hunts. Total hunts: 41 days Better than last year.
Last edited by beaversnipe; 01/27/19 10:54 PM.
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Re: 18/19 season
[Re: Ridn9high]
#7416535
01/28/19 12:45 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,804
mohunter
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,804 |
Worst season ever. 41 hunts.
Killed: 11 shovelers 9 ringnecks 3 hooded mergansers 1 wood duck 4 teal
I averaged .68 ducks per hunt!
Think I'm going to stop duck hunting.
My gear will be in the classifieds in a couple of weeks, jut not worth it anymore!
Last edited by mohunter; 01/28/19 12:46 AM.
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Re: 18/19 season
[Re: mohunter]
#7416550
01/28/19 01:12 AM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,483
Guy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,483 |
Worst season ever. 41 hunts.
Killed: 11 shovelers 9 ringnecks 3 hooded mergansers 1 wood duck 4 teal
I averaged .68 ducks per hunt!
Think I'm going to stop duck hunting.
My gear will be in the classifieds in a couple of weeks, jut not worth it anymore!
41 hunts probably only accurate statement there..
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Re: 18/19 season
[Re: Ridn9high]
#7416582
01/28/19 01:52 AM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,425
RayB
red bone Bob
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red bone Bob
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,425 |
I'm selling a shotgun but that's to buy a canoe, give up hunting, only when they stick my FB in the incinerator. No ducks and no quail, but I'll be trying again next year. Only 8 months and 5 days till dove season.
There is time, and you must take it, to lay your hand on your dog's head as you walk past him lying on the floor or on his settle, time to talk with him, to remember with him, time to please him, time you can't buy back once he's gone" GBE
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Re: 18/19 season
[Re: Ridn9high]
#7416747
01/28/19 01:01 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,648
thomas_z71
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,648 |
Went 9 times, usually with at least one other person, 4 birds downed total, never a day with more than one bird . It didn't bother me that we didn't shoot much, it's the fact that we would see about 5 birds just before or at legal, and then not a dam thing the rest of the morning! Usually we would at least see traffic in and out of the lake...just nothing.
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Re: 18/19 season
[Re: Ridn9high]
#7416833
01/28/19 02:25 PM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,429
BDB
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,429 |
I do consider this season my worst in the 5 full years I've been at it.
Mallards. 36 Gadwall. 25 Pintail. 2 Wigeon. 8 Woodrows 10 GW Teal 18 BW Teal. 28 Ringer. 1 Bufflehead. Is that a duck? 2
130 total and I shot 90 of them. I think 40 hunts total, maybe 39 all public. I had a record 12 skunks...a few of those in early teal. I hunted 4 new lakes and ventured up into Oklahoma for the first time. On a bright side I love my new boat. It took me thru water I would never got in before. learned a lot about the new areas I hunted.
All in all a long , tough but good season. Dove is 7 months away!
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Re: 18/19 season
[Re: Ridn9high]
#7417012
01/28/19 05:11 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,859
LarryCopper
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,859 |
Every season is different. The biggest things for me: 1. The pup had a great first year, which was not a given since she started off a bit gunshy. She had over 200 retrieves and was by far my biggest focus this year. 2. Very few large groups of ducks. Ended up with small groups and singles to scratch out. Numbers over all way down until the GWT showed up in the last couple weeks. Combine that fact with the new dog led to me going on more solo hunts than ever. 3. Ponds out at our everything lease did not hold any ducks other than the front on opening weekend. Last year was given limits of mostly gaddies and wigeon for 3-4 guns twice every weekend. 4. The lack of lease ducks did get me out in the boat a lot more this year scouting and hunting. Scouting was even more critical this year with water levels all over the place. Felt like old school days.
Numbers wise it ended up being an average year. 120 with an average just over 4.5 per hunt, which is down from over 5 the previous year. Mostly GWT and mallard. First time in a long time I did not take any Cans, although I did shoot a random Barrow's Goldeneye.
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