Forums46
Topics538,316
Posts9,735,752
Members87,082
|
Most Online25,604 Feb 12th, 2024
|
|
|
Re: ? For the Private guys
[Re: ducknbass]
#8748206
12/02/22 10:09 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,541
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
|
kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,541 |
Just stating facts sir. It ain’t happening. And it wouldn’t change anything anyways. Mallards don’t come to Texas in numbers like they did 20 years ago… not even in February. Because of flooded corn in Kansas…. And DU Valid point, the KS stuff sounds very familiar, We should probably just get in the ice eater business. Seems like everyone is flooding corn now.
|
|
|
Re: ? For the Private guys
[Re: Esh and Hattie]
#8748268
12/02/22 11:26 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 18,568
ducknbass
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 18,568 |
Joking aside it’s a ton of things. From agriculture practices like more Efficient harvesting, peanut subsidies (lack there of), corn prices so high cattle farmers don’t feed corn, to people having more money to build recreational property for ducks to lack of food. Throw in a mild winter or low water and watch out.
|
|
|
Re: ? For the Private guys
[Re: ducknbass]
#8748272
12/02/22 11:36 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,541
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
|
kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,541 |
Joking aside it’s a ton of things. From agriculture practices like more Efficient harvesting, peanut subsidies (lack there of), corn prices so high cattle farmers don’t feed corn, to people having more money to build recreational property for ducks to lack of food. Throw in a mild winter or low water and watch out. It doesn’t take much open water and feed to hold a lot of ducks. It’s like that Nebraska feedlot that had a bunch of soured grain in an aerated back water solids pit. Think it killed like 10k ducks in early Dec. If I was trying to build a duck property I wouldn’t do it south of Oklahoma.
|
|
|
Re: ? For the Private guys
[Re: Esh and Hattie]
#8748636
12/03/22 07:24 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 19,829
TurkeyHunter
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 19,829 |
I’ve had the opportunity to hunt a number of times with the the best duck hunter guide and dog in the the world. Makes it difficult to even raise the gumption to go again.
To be determined
|
|
|
Re: ? For the Private guys
[Re: BOBO the Clown]
#8748680
12/03/22 01:13 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,226
jnd59
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,226 |
The biggest problem, and biggest opportunity in NTX. We don't have a lot of food. Private land with food will hold ducks. Anybody got an extra 100 million laying around so we can lease up 50,000 acres and plant peanuts and such on it? Probably in 100 - 500 acre parcels. If you do I'll manage it and let you hunt it once in a while. You could even bring a friend sometimes. Biggest problem in TX is freeze line and season dates, I agree in Texas in general but what does come here doesn't stay in NTX. It keeps going down to the coast.
No matter how high a duck flies a hammer still breaks a window.
|
|
|
Re: ? For the Private guys
[Re: jnd59]
#8748832
12/03/22 04:45 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,541
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
|
kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,541 |
The biggest problem, and biggest opportunity in NTX. We don't have a lot of food. Private land with food will hold ducks. Anybody got an extra 100 million laying around so we can lease up 50,000 acres and plant peanuts and such on it? Probably in 100 - 500 acre parcels. If you do I'll manage it and let you hunt it once in a while. You could even bring a friend sometimes. Biggest problem in TX is freeze line and season dates, I agree in Texas in general but what does come here doesn't stay in NTX. It keeps going down to the coast. Even then it’s getting lighter and lighter. Atleast where I hunt from Aransas to the land cut
|
|
|
Re: ? For the Private guys
[Re: Esh and Hattie]
#8749808
12/04/22 11:04 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,038
Greekangler
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,038 |
I’ve been a public guy 90%+ my whole life. Have done hunts one off on private; just the last 3-4 years have had access to a 40 acre pond, great duck habitat on the north end, flooded smartweed and timber. Have looked into buying land in Oklahoma or N Texas the last couple of years and can’t get up for it, which leads to my question. I get the appeal of private, it’s great rolling out of bed an hour before LST and riding the Polaris down to the blind, but do you guys have to have multiple properties to hunt to keep it good all season? Have seen Greekangler allude to “don’t get ducks on this pond until December” this season. I guess I struggle with the ability to hold birds/get new birds if you hunt it a bunch. Seems like proximity to a big population of birds, and 100acres + of habitat would be about the only way to hold ducks all season? I guess it’s just a rambling question, but what size place does it take to do more than hunt every other Saturday morning and shoot at the resident woodies in the creek and the 8 new mallards that are using the pond since last time? Got 2 places, one a 7ac w water control (South of I20) and one property w large Soil Conservation that holds lots of ducks- north of 121. My December place has gone thru transformation- added water control, water well- when it’s good it’s real good. Year one with manipulation. I bought land with favorable water and investment characteristics. We have had our best year to date- 129 ducks harvested, including early teal, vs average year 2021-22 of 57. Soil conservation lake takes a little spraying of Lotus, etc and planting barnyard grass when the water level is low. The South property in moist soil and reaping benefits this year. If you can manage pressure, you can take quite a few ducks off a property if you rest it 7-10 days occasionally, don’t sky bust large groups, get in and out quickly. You can hunt multiple days during a week with good fronts.
Take a kid Huntin
|
|
|
Re: ? For the Private guys
[Re: Sinkey]
#8749820
12/04/22 11:19 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,038
Greekangler
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,038 |
I bought 40 acres about 4 years ago. Took a field in the middle and levyed it off which is about 5 acres total. (Still have 15 more acres to expand if I want with hardwoods) Put flood gates in an installed a well so I can flood and remove water when needed. Ive been planting it in millet each year. Some reseeds itself, but I plant several bags each year cause I want it thick. Each year Ive seen an increase in duck numbers on my place. Which this year is my 3rd hunting year on it and Im holding an unbelievable amount of birds. They stay around almost the whole season. To me there are some factors you really need to look at..... 1. Does the area have ducks moving thru, hanging around, etc. 2. Can my soil hold water 3. Is my soil farmable. Millet doesnt just grow like most people think. 4. What is my access to water. Another key factor for my place is we dont hunt during the week. We hunt almost every weekend. So if you do alot of shooting on the weekend, the week is quiet and they get back comfortable. Plus new birds will move in. ITs been a learning process. But I think I have the hang of it. And our duck kills each year have more than doubled. If you have food, youll have birds. That simple. Yes, well said Also weekends tend to get birds moving with hunters in area. I typically hunt 1-2 guns during week at most
Take a kid Huntin
|
|
|
Moderated by bigbob_ftw, CCBIRDDOGMAN, Chickenman, Derek, DeRico, Duck_Hunter, hetman, jeh7mmmag, JustWingem, kmon11, kry226, kwrhuntinglab, Payne, pertnear, rifleman, sig226fan (Rguns.com), Superduty, TreeBass, txcornhusker
|