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

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.

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.

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?

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.