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Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Bluesea112] #7415517 01/26/19 01:18 PM
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Worst season for me. I still loved getting out and being at peace on the water, but 9 trips yielded 4 birds on public lands. We never limited in the past, but we averaged a couple every trip. This year we just didn't see anywhere near the number of birds we've seen in the past. It's not that they didn't come to our spot, there was just no birds at all where in the past even if they didn't come in, we'd see birds consistently until we picked up. Oh well, guys I hunt with are awesome so it's always a good time, even without the birds. We'll go get them next year! Time to find me some new waders in the offseason.

Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: thomas_z71] #7415737 01/26/19 07:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Chuckw
Originally Posted by Hopedale
I got an extended license and plan on hunting them in February after the leave the flooded corn fields up north. nuts


I'm VERY new to waterfowling. Are you referring to the light goose conservation season?



No, after tomorrow you can't hunt ducks until next season. It has been a frustrating season for me, and I was being stupid.

We never got a real good push of birds, and the birds we did get were just scattered.

But speaking of the conservation season, just FYI for you. AR lets non-resident hunters go after their snows with the hunting license you have from your state. You do need to get their conservation permit, but its FREE.

https://www.agfc.com/en/hunting/migratory-birds/light-goose-conservation-order/

Conservation Order Regulations

Oct. 6-26, 2018
Oct. 30-Nov. 16, 2018
Jan. 28-Feb. 1, 2019
Feb. 3-April 25, 2019

The conservation order is designed so hunters can reduce Snow, Blue and Ross's goose numbers through increased harvest. Because of the extreme need for more harvest, many waterfowl hunting regulations are relaxed during the order:

Shooting hours are from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset.
There is no daily bag limit or possession limit.
Hunters may use unplugged shotguns.
Hunters may use electronic calls.
Hunters do not need a Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, Arkansas Waterfowl Stamp, or HIP registration but must have a valid hunting license from any state (excludes youths 15 and younger).
All hunters participating in the conservation order must get a free registration permit number by calling 800-364-4263 (GAME) Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., or clicking on the permit link on this page.


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Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Bluesea112] #7415757 01/26/19 08:15 PM
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I had no idea Duck hunting was as bad as quail hunting this year. What is the reason. Since I do not duck hunt or follow the sport most of what you tell me will most likely go over my head.


Tigger
If it isn't white it is not a birddog.

KC
Lying is lying. Don't bitch about one doing it and condone another. That's called hypocrisy.
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Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: tigger] #7416050 01/27/19 04:29 AM
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Originally Posted by tigger
I had no idea Duck hunting was as bad as quail hunting this year. What is the reason. Since I do not duck hunt or follow the sport most of what you tell me will most likely go over my head.


My take -
Two reasons:
#1 - Too much water in Texas = birds could land anywhere.
#2 - No big cold weather events north of us pushed birds down our way - example - if you could have the best meal you ever had in your own home, would you ever leave? Ducks, like everything else will only work hard enough to get what they need. No need to travel south.

Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: js4242] #7416538 01/28/19 12:50 AM
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Originally Posted by js4242
Originally Posted by tigger
I had no idea Duck hunting was as bad as quail hunting this year. What is the reason. Since I do not duck hunt or follow the sport most of what you tell me will most likely go over my head.


My take -
Two reasons:
#1 - Too much water in Texas = birds could land anywhere.
#2 - No big cold weather events north of us pushed birds down our way - example - if you could have the best meal you ever had in your own home, would you ever leave? Ducks, like everything else will only work hard enough to get what they need. No need to travel south.


I think #2 had the biggest effect on us. With so much flooded corn and refuges that get ZERO pressure above us, there was just nothing to push the birds down.

I'm glad its over, so I can stop debating do I go or do I go do something else. One thing is for sure. I like duck hunting over deer hunting.

Drew a bow hunting permit on Lake Georgetown and after I got a doe (on private land) I couldn't stop thinking about duck hunting. Too bad because I probably, for this season, should have just stayed in the deer blind.

As someone said in another thread, glad this one is in the books and we don't get another one like it. In fact, let's burn this closed book.


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Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Gulfgoose] #7416840 01/28/19 02:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Gulfgoose
Originally Posted by SnakeWrangler
I don’t know y’all are complaining about.....we went on a goose hunt and killed 14 ducks and one goose....

We were covered in ducks


Did this hunt happen to be in Garwood off 1693 and mostly spoonies?


Between Eagle Lake and Wharton....mostly pintail


Originally Posted by Sneaky
I believe in science and I’m an insufferable [censored]
Originally Posted by beaversnipe
Actually, BBC is pretty damn good

"You Cannot Simultaneously Be Politically Correct And Intellectually Honest!"
Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Bluesea112] #7416940 01/28/19 04:03 PM
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My little group had probably a top 5 season this year. Last year was probably our worst right after Harvey.

Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: SnakeWrangler] #7416942 01/28/19 04:03 PM
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If it wasn't for the blue wings never leaving SETX then this season would have been the worst of my life by far. We had tens of thousands of blue wings stick around that saved us.


Originally Posted by garrett
I'm with GK because I like salty old dudes.
Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Bluesea112] #7416948 01/28/19 04:09 PM
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I went on eight hunts and killed 1 coot and eight ducks combined. Yes, this was the worst season I have ever had. 5 of the eight hunts were total busts.


Rob Valle
www.hillcotaxidermy.com
Originally Posted by Texsun
The three things you need in life are a good doctor, lawyer and taxidermist.

Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Bluesea112] #7417010 01/28/19 05:09 PM
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This year I spent most of my hunting time on 4 legged critters. Reading all y'alls reports it looks like I made the right call this season.

Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Bluesea112] #7417044 01/28/19 05:38 PM
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Keep in mind Texas is a very big state and not the whole state had a down year. In fact some area's had a banner year. All I can say is we were blessed with a great season. The extra water helped our region.

Hate to be that guy but I bet some others are setting back saying the same thing.

Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Bluesea112] #7417087 01/28/19 06:04 PM
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My thoughts on a year like this is that it's as much about water as anything else. I know Geese migration is big on following the "freeze line", but I don't believe that is as much a factor with ducks. I have hunted north texas public water for a lot of years. Every season where there is a lot of rain, flooding, lakes high, etc. The hunting gets tougher for us urban public hunters. Most of the lakes we hunt are not managed for wildlife and are just stopover areas for migrating ducks. Those years there is better water in the same areas, the birds don't hit the lakes as much when they move through. Those with true wetlands and flooded agriculture to hunt should still have had a decent season. Do things like flooded corn fields up north short stop ducks. Sure it does regionally, but it does not stop the migration as a whole anymore than places that have been around for years short stopping ducks such as Cheyenne Bottoms in Kansas for example. My best north texas public reservoir duck hunting years have always been drought years. My worst, flood years. All IMHO of course.

Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Bluesea112] #7417099 01/28/19 06:11 PM
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Perhaps global warming causing floods and milder temperatures over the years resulting in ducks remaining north has something to do with it after all? confused2
I believe it.
Yeah, its very cold now in Fargo, but thats just for a couple days.
As a kid, i remember, we had guaranteed ice skating days and 1 ft of snow for a whole month.
That pretty much stopped after 1985 or so.
For you old geezers out here, did u witness the same thing in N Texas?
Im hearing from farmers in Oklahoma and the panhandle, that the winters were much colder back in the days, year after year.


www.TexasPondPoppers.com
Originally Posted by bill oxner
Loved my 4 inches. Well needed.

Originally Posted by bill oxner
Hate Russians. Love happy endings. I saw snot fly. cheers


Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Bluesea112] #7417128 01/28/19 06:37 PM
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The extra water that I'm referring to is sheet water in hay fields, wheat fields, flooded bean fields, flooded timber and a whole lot more small wetlands that Sniper John is referring to. All of course were on private property.

Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Sniper John] #7417168 01/28/19 07:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Sniper John
My thoughts on a year like this is that it's as much about water as anything else. I know Geese migration is big on following the "freeze line", but I don't believe that is as much a factor with ducks. I have hunted north texas public water for a lot of years. Every season where there is a lot of rain, flooding, lakes high, etc. The hunting gets tougher for us urban public hunters. Most of the lakes we hunt are not managed for wildlife and are just stopover areas for migrating ducks. Those years there is better water in the same areas, the birds don't hit the lakes as much when they move through. Those with true wetlands and flooded agriculture to hunt should still have had a decent season. Do things like flooded corn fields up north short stop ducks. Sure it does regionally, but it does not stop the migration as a whole anymore than places that have been around for years short stopping ducks such as Cheyenne Bottoms in Kansas for example. My best north texas public reservoir duck hunting years have always been drought years. My worst, flood years. All IMHO of course.



This is what I think as well for the most part. I still think there were less birds in TX, but maybe they were here but just really spread out. Would be interesting to hear from the folks that had good seasons what kind of land they were hunting - if public - coast or inland and what type of inland water (reservoir, river or smaller public potholes). If private - managed wetlands or just private water with no food or just some natural forage. For instance - the private I do hunt has no real food to speak of but in dry years I always have good birds on it because it doesn't go dry. This year was really tough all over, but even my little private spot produced better than the coast and the lake I started hunting this year.

Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Bluesea112] #7417174 01/28/19 07:37 PM
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Traditionally with the duck hunters out of the way, I hunt several days during the last two weeks of Snipe Season. I hunt one or more of three very different areas North, East, or South of DFW. Just depends on where scouting finds the birds. After calling my ombudsmen today, it looks like this is going to be a tough year or at the very least I am going to have to work a little harder this week initially to find the pockets holding birds. The private sheet water and muddy areas has probably dispersed those birds as well. Early season while quail hunting I was encountering Snipe in wet cattle pastures far from traditional snipe habitat.

Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Bluesea112] #7417358 01/28/19 10:55 PM
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Happy to hear some of y'all had a great season. I will say, I don't believe there was widespread success throughout the southern half of the US. Some folks had 'banner' years, while the majority had mediocre seasons at best.

When I talk about a good year, I am only talking in respect to harvest total. For us, 4 birds per man average over the course of the season tells me we had a good year. Anything more than that is a great year, anything less equals mediocre. This year we almost fell below 3 birds per man and our birds per hunt average dropped over 4 birds per hunt. For the last 20yrs we have average right around 15 birds per hunt and 4 birds per man. Over that 20yrs we have had dry years, wet years, cold years, warm years, etc...been hunting mostly the same area. Our average has held true for 20yrs, nop matter the weather pattern...I typically love El Nino years as it brings lots of teal for us and, with it, generally a cinnamon teal or two. Not this year. Our number 1 bird was Mallards. We never killed a lot on a hunt, but always killed a few. We shot very few teal this year and never really saw any good numbers of them. 2015-2016 season we killed more green wing teal than total number of birds killed this season...this year was just off.

We hunted a lot less this year and completely missed the first split due to deer hunting. I know our overall total would've been better as we were seeing a lot of ducks the first couple weeks of season, but our averages tell the story for us.

Also, we were hunting smaller pockets of birds than normal. Never found a good concentration. Scouted more and hunted less. Saving grace for us this year was hunting a tank at our deer lease. Hunted it 3 times, giving it a week of rest between each hunt the last 3 weeks. Shot the same Wigeon and ringers that have been there all season. Only had about 50-60 birds on it this year. With light pressure and good shooting we were able to average 10 birds per hunt off of this tank the last 3 weeks.

All the rest of our hunts were on public ground. Was still a fun season and look forward to next year, but this was the worst season, harvest wise/birds seen, in my memory going back to the 80's.

Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Hopedale] #7417470 01/29/19 12:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Hopedale
Originally Posted by js4242
Originally Posted by tigger
I had no idea Duck hunting was as bad as quail hunting this year. What is the reason. Since I do not duck hunt or follow the sport most of what you tell me will most likely go over my head.


My take -
Two reasons:
#1 - Too much water in Texas = birds could land anywhere.
#2 - No big cold weather events north of us pushed birds down our way - example - if you could have the best meal you ever had in your own home, would you ever leave? Ducks, like everything else will only work hard enough to get what they need. No need to travel south.


I think #2 had the biggest effect on us. With so much flooded corn and refuges that get ZERO pressure above us, there was just nothing to push the birds down.

I'm glad its over, so I can stop debating do I go or do I go do something else. One thing is for sure. I like duck hunting over deer hunting.

Drew a bow hunting permit on Lake Georgetown and after I got a doe (on private land) I couldn't stop thinking about duck hunting. Too bad because I probably, for this season, should have just stayed in the deer blind.

As someone said in another thread, glad this one is in the books and we don't get another one like it. In fact, let's burn this closed book.



Deer hunting has sucked too statewide as a whole, so not missing anything there.


Amat Victoria Curam - Victory Loves Preparation
Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: Bluesea112] #7417506 01/29/19 01:22 AM
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I consider this to be my worst year even though I killed more birds than a few years ago...I hunted a lot more this year. The way the season started...we smashed them on teal opener...then I had a good first split. I was up to almost 70 birds before the "real season" started. Then I took 2 solo limits to start the 2nd split and me and a buddy took 7 on the 3rd hunt............Then it all went to $hit . I got a couple solo limits between Dec 9th and the seasons end but most were low harvest and skunks.

I rate this year as a long, tough but still a good season.

Re: Does anybody remember a season this bad? [Re: texasdude28] #7420863 01/31/19 11:11 PM
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Originally Posted by texasdude28
Still on my second box of shells. Have to agree this is the worst season in over 20 years.

I never finished my first box!


Originally Posted by ImTheReasonDovesMourn
I'd ask him if he's pregnant. He missed a s__tload of periods.

Originally Posted by Hancock
I'll take "things that look like a uterus" for $200 Alex.
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