Picking up?

[tophat]

Well today we seen a lot of high flyers on Ky. Lake. I hunt pretty much everyday. We knocked down 6 today on a short hunt. Be back tomorrow for some more action we see how it goes again.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

Hope you're right. Good luck in the morning

 

[RUGER]

Good luck dude.

 

[tickweed]

yea, right. only picking up Im bout to see is my decoys. A really slow season, just never many birds, very spotty

 

[Displaced_Vol]

what's the word tophat? Any action today?

 

[Bgoodman30]

Finally picked up slightly when the backwater reached us yesterday. Still pretty slow. Where are the teal?????

 

[spoonie]

Worst day of the season so far today for me, very very slow

 

[Levee Jumper]

I'm hearing tons of poor reports from West TN. Only people consistently killing ducks are resting places and shooting them once a week, or adjacent to a refuge.

I cant say I blame the ducks. The hunting pressure is greater now than in the history of duck hunting. If you're a duck that finds water and food without someone shooting at you, you might as well stay put.

 

[tickweed]

I'm hearing tons of poor reports from West TN. Only people consistently killing ducks are resting places and shooting them once a week, or adjacent to a refuge.

I cant say I blame the ducks. The hunting pressure is greater now than in the history of duck hunting. If you're a duck that finds water and food without someone shooting at you, you might as well stay put.

amen. just haven't had much of a push, and what few here are well educated. pressure is a hugh problem in west Tn, and if not addressed, its slowly going away.

 

[WilcoKen]

All the trends I am seeing in duck hunting are really disheartening. From pressure to weather and everything in between (proposed blind changes) it makes the future look bleak. But nevertheless I will still be in a blind or pit for years to come. Glutton for punishment I guess.

 

[Bgoodman30]

I'm hearing tons of poor reports from West TN. Only people consistently killing ducks are resting places and shooting them once a week, or adjacent to a refuge.

I cant say I blame the ducks. The hunting pressure is greater now than in the history of duck hunting. If you're a duck that finds water and food without someone shooting at you, you might as well stay put.

We are adjacent to a refuge and having by far our worst season on record.. Some of our neighbors are having success though.. Stale weather and stale birds..

 

[Bgoodman30]

amen. just haven't had much of a push, and what few here are well educated. pressure is a hugh problem in west Tn, and if not addressed, its slowly going away.

Pressure is the only thing you can control on years like this.. Unfortunately I think pressure is worse on slow years because folks ride it out longer trying to scratch a few.. You just cant hunt them daylight to dark every day.

 

[JDUB]

Pressure is the only thing you can control on years like this.. Unfortunately I think pressure is worse on slow years because folks ride it out longer trying to scratch a few.. You just cant hunt them daylight to dark every day.

Tell that to our neighbors 300 yds away lol!!!

 

[younggun308]

I'm thankful for woodies. They've been there for me this season.
Some high flyers in East TN but the wind was dead and didn't hear any shots. Lots of sandhills though.

 

[Levee Jumper]

I'm just about over it for the year. Killed 2 mallards and 2 grey ducks from daylight until 2. Did see a bunch of about 150-200 green wings this morning. Biggest bunch of the year. They're normally a day or two ahead of big ducks. Maybe this weekend will bring some fresh ones.

 

[Cabo_51]

We have been steady, 30s atleast 2 days a week. Yesterday killed in the 30s and never touch a duck call all day. That's a big factor that's over looked by some people imo ( if your hunting traffic that's different, we are hunting flooded corn ducks are coming to eat). New birds around you can call at them but with as many stale birds that are around, we never touch a call. Just a drake whistle every now and again works great.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

Hunted far west KY this morning on public. Slow hunting but we saw several high groups, pretty big groups, headed north. Into the wind.
I guess they're bouncing up ahead of this front coming out of Texas? I don't know I thought it was a little odd. I also expected to see more pairs and singles but it was pretty much big bunches after 7:30.

 

[Bgoodman30]

Quite possibly the worst January weekend I've ever seen...

 

[jag1]

We have been steady, 30s atleast 2 days a week. Yesterday killed in the 30s and never touch a duck call all day. That's a big factor that's over looked by some people imo ( if your hunting traffic that's different, we are hunting flooded corn ducks are coming to eat). New birds around you can call at them but with as many stale birds that are around, we never touch a call. Just a drake whistle every now and again works great.

Amen. Guy I hunt with CANNOT lay off the call. It has cost us time and time again. Sometimes not but more times it has.

 

[Bgoodman30]

Amen. Guy I hunt with CANNOT lay off the call. It has cost us time and time again. Sometimes not but more times it has.

Sorry to say but this is why I don't like hunting flooded corn in the afternoons.. Ducks work the field and not the call..

 

[Cabo_51]

Bgoodman30. We can only hunt til 3pm. Sorry I said all day but it's a 3pm cut off

 

[Bgoodman30]

Bgoodman30. We can only hunt til 3pm. Sorry I said all day but it's a 3pm cut off

Smart move.

 

[Levee Jumper]

We have been steady, 30s atleast 2 days a week. Yesterday killed in the 30s and never touch a duck call all day. That's a big factor that's over looked by some people imo ( if your hunting traffic that's different, we are hunting flooded corn ducks are coming to eat). New birds around you can call at them but with as many stale birds that are around, we never touch a call. Just a drake whistle every now and again works great.

No doubt about it, being on the X trumps all. If you are where they want to be you can use a kazoo and a milk jug.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

Hunting the few days I have this year on heavy pressure public it's been frustrating because you've had to get on the call to get a look, but they were impossible to finish. Tried every combination of heavy, light, whistles you name it and you had to pull them down and they would just work you to death and head out. Just stale, stale birds is all I can figure.

 

[Don'tDrinkTinks]

AR duck surveys were released today. It's bad.

 

[PJones]

Hunting is not bad if you can be mobile. But you have to find them and be where they want to be. It's not the best year but IMO it's not the worst.

 

[TAFKAP]

AR duck surveys were released today. It's bad.

I drove from Memphis to the MO Bootheel & back yesterday. Bluebird day, no clouds most of the way. Usually, I can count on seeing ducks in the flooded fields, clouds of geese everywhere, and high-flyers on the move.

Except for a small flock of snows outside West Memphis, there wasn't squat.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

I drove from Memphis to the MO Bootheel & back yesterday. Bluebird day, no clouds most of the way. Usually, I can count on seeing ducks in the flooded fields, clouds of geese everywhere, and high-flyers on the move.

Except for a small flock of snows outside West Memphis, there wasn't squat.

That's depressing.
One of the meteorologists is Lexington does a weather blog and he's been saying we're going to get into a very cold winter pattern starting this weekend and on into February. I don't know if it'll help or not.

 

[Don'tDrinkTinks]

There's talk but according to the surveys are very few mallards to even push down from the storm. MO and Illinois are both reporting very few numbers.

 

[younggun308]

Heard people say there's still a bunch in Canada and upstate New York. Too much open water. Hopefully this polar vortex pushes them out by the end of season.