Duck Numbers

[HDC]

Is someone lieing to us about the duck numbers? They told us that we had numbers not quite as good as last year, but good. However, nobody has seen any of those ducks.

From Missouri to Arkansas to Tenn. to Ms. to La. all you hear are reports of spotty or no ducks! I doubt they decided to just stay up north this winter.

Our club has killed 2.5% of the ducks that it killed as of this time last year. It can't get any worse.

Has anyone heard any news about large concentrations of ducks anywhere in the Ms. flyway?

[mallardchaser]

I THINK IT'S ABOUT 1%, THEY WAXED 'EM LAST YEAR...HAVE YOU HEARD FROM THEM THIS AM?

[HDC]

Haven't heard. Have you?

[GulfCoast]

HDC: Check your e-mail at work.

[mallardchaser]

I JUST TRIED BOTH OF THEM, NO ANSWER, I'M SURE STILL IN THE FIELD OR THE BED..
WE DON'T HAVE MUCH IN LA EITHER..SEEN LESS IN THE LAST 2 WEEKS THAN ALL SEASON..WEATHER REPORT LOOKS GOOD FINALLY, MAYBE THAT'LL HELP..

[BAuchly]

I think the are still in Mo. I hunted Sat and Sun. in south Mo. Saturday 4 of us shot 5 mallards and 4 shovelers (only because they continued to aggravate us to the point that they just HAD to be shot). On Sunday, 4 of us shot 15 mallards and one woodduck. We had to break about 1/4 inch of ice to make a hole. The ducks worked in very close and responded very well to the call. And we seen a lot of ducks. The area I hunted claims to have 40,000 ducks, mostly mallards and I believe the estimate. Further north in the middle of the state they are reporting 130,000 ducks on one area. This weather will freeze the fields and may push them down this week. From what I have seen the duck estimates look accurate, they're just not yet migrated south.

My son hunts frequently in Mo as he did last year and he has shot more ducks this year than last and last year was his best year ever. He travels a good bit to have good hunting but he reports good concentrations of ducks in select areas.

[CaptnT]

Tsk, tsk boys, don't you remember this time last year we had ice and snow on the ground, and then a hard freeze for two weeks? Those birds are still north of us, they haven't had an excuse to move yet. Practice your calling and grease up your guns, they are comin', be patient.

[SoftCall]

Got a report from a friend of a friend that says the ducks are standing on the damn ice in Southern Ill. They are moving out though. I think the numbers are probably wrong to begin with but the important thing is that the logic behind the population stats remain the same year to year so that trends can be established. I think that the kill numbers from state to state are horse sheeeiiit though....

[HARLEY]

A good friend of mine is a fireman(never has to work), he has been going to oklahoma for the last three weeks killing limits everytime they go out on public land. I did not believe him the first time so he brought back pictures from the last hunt (less than a week ago)4 guys killed limits 3 days in a row!!! Makes you wonder about the rumor of ducks shifting to the central flyway this year!!! They are leaving end of this week to go back! [img]images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]

[SoftCall]

Harley - the duck trends from OK are relatively new. The ducks and geese have been wintering there for about the last 7 years or so. These birds used to hit the pan handle region of TX. Why Oklahoma? They grow peanuts and mallards/geese love them. They will plant wheat as a cover crop and the birds will eat the seed as well as the young sprouts. I have hunted there the last three years and it's hit or miss just like anywhere else. OK has had better weather conditions this year than we have. It icy up there now. I don't think that the birds have shifted flyways. Ours are still in the midwest and heading this way.