Just wondering, whats everyones thoughts on the season so far. In my opinion, we haven't had any weather since the early spell, which was the most cold we've had this fall. Seems we've been stuck in this zonal flow, west to east all season, plus had high water several times, Mississippi coming out. We've done somewhat better than last season, but seems hit or miss. A field near us, which has about 100 acres of standing corn, usually like a refuge, doesn't get much pressure, hasn't held any to speak of this season. Kinda disappointing, almost two thirds of way over. Maybe we might get a little weather. Good luck to all.
Season thoughts
- Thread starter tickweed
- Start date
Worst season I can remember around the South Forked Deer Lake Lauderdale area. The season when the limit was one was better than the current season.
Hawk":2cgxlub7 said:
Hawk, you and I are probably the only ones to remember a limit of "1"
Dodge Man
Well-Known Member
But really, Over all I probably should not complain. The first 2 weeks we had some really good days. Then the week of Christmas the weather got warm and from then on it has been slow. We have been killing 8-10 a day most days. But most of those before 9am and then the ducks stop moving all together. I have definitely had worst season but I cannot remember this few ducks in the area in January.
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It has sucked, period!
Do most of you guys hunt the same hole every single day?
If so, what have you done year over year to make that particular hole attractive for ducks?
Or are you just sitting looking at the same sky and being mad that the ducks aren't landing 30-40 yards from you day in and day out?
This season has absolutely been tough, we haven't had a ton of cold weather, and a lot of ducks have hung up north of us. But make no mistake, ducks have been in West TN and in East AR. You may have to travel and chase them to kill them, but it 100% can be done.
I hunt 100% public land, and have only hunted the same hole on back to back days once this year. (Hunted it 3 days in a row actually)
Ducks migrate, they move from river bottom to river bottom.
So when you say here today gone tomorrow, that needs to be your thought process too. If they left, figure out where they went and follow them.
If not, go out there, enjoy your coffee and your 1-2 duck days.
If so, what have you done year over year to make that particular hole attractive for ducks?
Or are you just sitting looking at the same sky and being mad that the ducks aren't landing 30-40 yards from you day in and day out?
This season has absolutely been tough, we haven't had a ton of cold weather, and a lot of ducks have hung up north of us. But make no mistake, ducks have been in West TN and in East AR. You may have to travel and chase them to kill them, but it 100% can be done.
I hunt 100% public land, and have only hunted the same hole on back to back days once this year. (Hunted it 3 days in a row actually)
Ducks migrate, they move from river bottom to river bottom.
So when you say here today gone tomorrow, that needs to be your thought process too. If they left, figure out where they went and follow them.
If not, go out there, enjoy your coffee and your 1-2 duck days.
Our main spot in Hatchie Bottom has had a blind at its current location since before 1920.
Dodge Man
Well-Known Member
Kevin":1v0q02qx said:
I have spent 500+ hours cutting brush in our hole, moving and burning brush. Opened up shooting lanes, built a new blind this year.
5+ years ago you didn't have to chase the ducks all over. From 2015 back to when I started duck hunting you would always see ducks flying the bottoms. Things have changed a lot the past 3 years. I use to hunt a lot of public ground and still do occasionally. But now that we have a nice blind in a decent place I prefer to hunt there. I would rather go to the same place and kill 7-10 a day with some good days mixed in. Then to get up at 2am to race to a public spot and then compete with 3-4 people trying to crowd you every day.
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Levee Jumper
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Kevin":1a1iojcg said:
That is an awesome way to stay in the ducks Kevin. You mind sharing how many ducks you have killed so far this year?
Dodge Man":rtjlz5kf said:
I obviously know nothing about where you hunt, but the only thing you mentioned is making the hunting more comfortable for yourself and other hunters. If your hole/farm doesn't have multiple food sources and a variety of food, you are going to have a hard time holding ducks daily. They are gonna go to the woods sometimes, they are gonna go to fields, they are gonna go to WRP, etc.
If you don't have options on things to eat for them, then they will literally be here today gone tomorrow.
One thing I always remember my grandfather talking about, even in the good old days in the 80's and 90's, was that they would be here today and they'd kill a bunch, and then the next day they wouldn't pick up their guns. And that was hunting rice fields due north of Stuttgart.
Unless you are willing to be mobile, you aren't going to kill them day in and day out like you see big time farms doing it. And don't be fooled, even the high dollar farms are not killing every single day.
Chaneylake":393ysst4 said:
That is awesome. I love old spots like that that regularly kill. Just because a blind is there and there are some decoys out doesn't mean the ducks are going to use it though.
We have multiple locations that we KNOW a particular hole is going to kill ducks, even if there are other hunters set up around us.
It's happened many times where people go into the "good looking spot" of a particular area, and we know they are in it when we get there, and we go to the hole that we know sucks birds into it. Has been many mornings where people will sit and listen to us shoot.
**There has also been mornings where we have been COVERED UP with ducks, and people all around, and we won't shoot much because we don't want to show everyone how great a hole is.**
Burning the woods down in that situation would have resulted in everyone else trying to get there the next day or week or weekend.
It isn't always about going in and shooting a 4-5 man limit every day.
Dodge Man
Well-Known Member
Kevin":3v5i3895 said:
We are hunting natural flooded Cypress swamp that has the normal stuff for the ducks. There is hundreds of ac of flooded crops in every direction. I hunted this area since the late 80s.
We haven't gone a day this season and not killed some ducks. I went through the phase of chasing ducks all over West TN, MO and AR when I was younger. Now it is not important about the numbers we kill. But the past 2 seasons have been well below what it has always been.
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I've hunted since the early seventys, Bessie bend on the Mississippi, all the way down to Memphis, reelfoot, isom, all Tn. national, Camden, big sandy, gin creek, Hatchie, and all in between. Chased em for years. boat hunted every day. Followed the ducks with the water. If your talking mainly about numbers, I know some private blinds that day in and day out will beat boat hunting like a rented mule. Tally up your numbers from a boat, versus some of the better blinds. Aint gonna happen. Now, with that being said, yes, its fun some days to follow em, boat hunt. Have some friends who still chase em on Mississippi, and normally stomp em, but this year is not a year that has had a large migration into west Tn. I have three connections , Missouri, Tn., Mississippi who fly and do counts, most counts way down. At this stage in my life, Id much rather hunt in a nice warm, dry blind as dodgeman said to have to leave at 2am and fight the crowds. On a normal year we do well. the reality is, the last two years we just haven't had the migrations we usually have. blind, boat, wading, whatever. Im afraid this may be the beginning of a trend, and as Ive said before, Im not so sure numbers are as strong as stated. Perfect example, whites lake several yrs ago, one one of my friends counting said record numbers of 500,000 estimated in that area. this year, 50,000. kinda big difference im not so sure whites is holding this many.
Well of course. We haven't had any real weather in NEA and WesT TN all season.
More importantly, states north of us haven't been froze up solid in over a month.
With this system approaching, and the hard freeze that is to occur throughout the Midwest, i would imagine the next 3 weeks of season will be the best 3 we have had so far. New water (maybe too much) and cold weather will at least freshen them up a little bit.
More importantly, states north of us haven't been froze up solid in over a month.
With this system approaching, and the hard freeze that is to occur throughout the Midwest, i would imagine the next 3 weeks of season will be the best 3 we have had so far. New water (maybe too much) and cold weather will at least freshen them up a little bit.
we all have seen better and worse. The older I get I am not as mad at the ducks anymore. Many of us have been hunting ducks for 30+ years or more. I have really enjoyed being in a comfortable blind this year. I know quite a few spots and have an itch to check several out but on a year with conditions such as these....I choose to stay put. We have had many days of fine shooting and several days of mostly good food, fellowship and memories. Kevin you are hunting the way you enjoy. That is fantastic. I am hunting the way I enjoy. I know how to scout, change set ups, adjust to conditions...this year I have chosen not to. I have had a really fun year so far. I have guided hunters since 1984. I have learned with the overall weather conditions not being"normal" that I have had to adjust my "normal" Who knows maybe I will break out the boat blind and you and I might just be competing for the same hole sometime. Good luck boys! Gotta go down swinging...
Bgoodman30
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Kevin":2y9n1wr4 said:
You do you.. I get what your'e saying but most people don't have the ground or the means to have the diversity needed to kill ducks everyday. A lot of folks think water and corn is going to get it done every year but the last two years have proven that false. Natural is the way to go, our place looks pretty overgrown and unkept to most managers eyes but ducks disagree..
A lot of people get comfortable or vested in their duck holes and don't want to freelance but really most people simply don't have the time it takes to scout ducks and chase them all over creation. A man with a good boat and a whole lot of time certainly can be on ducks the last two seasons but then we get a cold dry year and they're sitting at home... To each his own.
This season has been above average so far. The past weekend was our best of the season but seems to always be every year regardless of conditions. Some of my group wanted to hang back due to the storms and lightning but it broke just in time. :lol:
Mike Belt
Well-Known Member
For the couple of years I tried to get into duck hunting I began to realize that duck hunting is unlike any other type of hunting... at least here in the south. Unlike anything else whatever game you hunt is already here. Not so with the ducks. You're almost totally dependent on weather, none of which you have any control. It's too hot here. It hasn't been cold enough up north. There's not enough water. There's too much water. It's fun when it's good. elsewise nadda.
