2001-02 Season

[Hammer]

After a few weeks getting over it, I can now talk about it- The Worst Duck Season of My 30+ Year Career...

The statistics are terrible and more importantly I never got the "Tornando of Ducks" that keeps me going until next year...In fact, I never had more than 20 or 30 ducks over the decoys at one time all year...Guess I know what the Atlantic Flyway boys go through now...

It was so bad that I did not hunt ducks from December 2 to January 4...Most years I would hunt ducks 15-20 times during that time period...This year I hunted deer instead...

In limit only hunting, we bagged 375 ducks at our 4 man club near Tallulah, LA last year and 450 the year before...This year we bagged 107 ducks (and no geese) and most of those were teal, spoonies and woodies...We bagged 150 ducks (mostly mallards) at a 4 man club near Satartia, MS last year in 3 weeks of hunting (the ice ended our season in early January)and we took 275 the year before... This year we bagged 6 woodies and 1 teal all season...

Need I say more? It was absolutely the worst duck season for us ever...Nobody I know had a decent season, much less a good one...I talked to one guy (a deer hunter) who says he had a good season north of Mahannah and heard that a friend of a friend had a good season near Phillip but I am not sure I believe those stories given that my buddies from Illinois to South Louisiana had sob stories like mine...

I'd like to know if ANYBODY, ANYWHERE had a good season...Also if anybody killed a banded duck...Seems like I use to get a bander every 100 ducks or so...but its been over 600 ducks since my last bander in December, 1996...Any thoughts?

HAMMER

HAMMER

[peewee]

Hammer if someone had a good season North of Mahanna I would be surprised. My club nor the one next to us did squat. If he hunted with (Jarvis) he could have done some good but I believe that just about it.

[Duck Nawteek]

If anybody said they had a good season, they are full of you know what. I think that we had one of the best years last year and the worst this year. Talk about going from one extreme to another. [img]images/smiles/icon_mad.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_mad.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_mad.gif[/img]

[WNE Driver]

Here is some info on this last season that explains where the ducks were, why they were there and who was hammerin' 'em.
http://www.ducks.org/news/fall_migration_roundup.asp

While it says Illinois was up on it's harvest in State areas, it must have been Southern Zone. Here in the Central Zone most state areas were down.

[judge jb]

Let it go Hammer..... before you need treatment.....haha..... i have already had my sessions.....

judge jb

[Anatidae]

Kinda makes you appreciate the 'good years', doesn't it? [img]images/smiles/icon_sad.gif[/img]

I dwelled on the 'negative' aspects of this past season for a while, too.....but all that did was make me look forward to next year, all the more. I've been at it for around 35 years now and nobody was more disappointed than I, this year. But you take the bad with the good (difficult as that might be), and hope for better days, ahead. [img]images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

I'd suggest making a gratitude journal and list all the 'positive' things that happened, this season. Personally, I learned a lot, this year......and hopefully, that knowledge applied, will ultimately help me become a better duck hunter. Good Luck in your struggle!.....'been there myself.

[Po Monkey Lounger]

Depends on how you define "good". If you mean total number bagged, then my season was not as good as it has been the last few years, but not as bad as it has ever been or could have been. If you mean enjoyment of the season, then I had a "great" season. High water forced me to try new tactics and hunt new areas and holes. These interesting challenges, and the great company I have on my hunts, led to a very enjoyable season. Since I am not a deer hunter, I focused just on the ducks and hunted every chance I could--- probably over 30 hunts during the season in three different states. The days I did very good (with respect to numbers) arrived like a thief in the night, with no warning or ability to really predict --just in the right place at the right time when the ducks were moving through. Had I stayed at home, or went to a deer stand instead, out of frustration, I would have missed those great days. Its just a matter of perspective. I would much rather be in a duck blind on any day, than in the office working.

[Anatidae]

Comparitively speaking, we had a good season (compared with other hunter's reports, that is), but as Duck Nawteek pointed-out, when you follow what many would call their 'BEST' season ever, this year surely seemed like the 'WORST'.......and nobody has to look at 'statistics', to reach that conclusion! [img]images/smiles/icon_sad.gif[/img]

About the bands.....I ended-up with a banded 'Woodie' out of 51 birds, this year (and very grateful for BOTH, the band AND 51 birds). The ratio of banded birds to the number killed is influenced by SO MANY factors (as you probably already know), that it would be silly to contemplate an explanation. But, for my thoughts on the subject link to:

deltaduckhunter.com/Articles/WhatLuck.htm

Anne (the protagonist in the above story) didn't get a band this year, either [img]images/smiles/icon_sad.gif[/img]......but that didn't discourage her from hunting 68 days! [img]images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img](You GO, girl!) It's just in her blood, I guess.

Uh, 'Hammer'.....did you say you gave-up and went deer huntin' for 32 days during duck season? Just think, you mighta killed a banded duck during that period of time.
[img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] BWAAAAHHHAHAHAhahaha! [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[ February 17, 2002: Message edited by: Anatidae ]

[MALLARDBUSTER]

hammer, hate to hurt your feelings but we killed 5 bands out of one hole and only killed about 50 birds there. guess it was just our lucky year on bands. we usually don't kill, but maybe 1 or 2 a year. as for the duck season, ditto just like everyone else , it sucked. can't wait till next season though, this is only gonna fire me up more, because it's like we didn't even have a season this past year

[CaptnT]

Overall, I would give my personal sucess an 8 out of 10. After having to add over 1000+ feet of line to my decoys, and after trying to figure out where the ducks wanted to be, I ended up busting them in my tried and true duck hole (on public land). There was DEFINITELY less ducks flying this year, but more hunters because of the high water. I only got to hunt weekends this year, the first time I have done that in the past 6, but my overall sucess was good. I finished the season with my first pintail. I saw more flocks of them than I have ever seen.

Part of my sucess would have to be given to the fella that shared the hole with me. We never hunted together, but most times within site of eachother. He let the birds work, called pretty good, and always brought his robo. When they got close enough to see he was using a twirly, I would give a few grunts on the drake call and steal them almost everytime.
Another factor had to be that I switched hunting partners, taking my brother for the first time this year. HE didn't try to call and most times just listened and went along with whatever I said. Hopefully this next season he won't become an "expert". [img]images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

[hawkeye]

Not to brag or anything, but my partner and I had a pretty decent season. We killed about 175 between the two of us. Comparing numbers to last year, not a good year this year, but the quality of our hunts this year was phenominal. 5 days in a row we killed our limits out of the same hole. We don't normally shoot a hole like that, but we figured we better get while the gettin was good. And I killed a hybrid duck this year to top things off, so I'm really happy with this past year. Hey, you can't win em all though.

[Model12]

Well, it was a tuff year compared to last year. BUT we did have a very good time and killed some ducks. We killed about 420 ducks compared to just over a thousand last year, for 8 guys, (plus guests). We killed 5 banded mallards, one banded woodduck and one banded blue-bill! Compared to 6 banded mallards last year. We don't deer hunt, just ducks. Three of the guys hunted over 50 days, most around 25. The water messed it up for us like everyone else. Oh well, I'm getting for next year...

[Meeka]

Hammer,
Yes, the duck numbers were way down this year in the Ms. Delta. Those cajuns in duck heaven say so as well. I harvested about 50, like Anatadae did. I did not get a band. I STILL HAD A "GOOD" SEASON.

I learned at least a handful of new holes. I also learned that if you are using long decoy strings in your normal area and there aren't many ducks around, you should go to where you can hunt with 2' long strings, if it is mallards you want.

I don't think a duck hunter that gives up in favor of deer is gonna do well with the ducks, though sometimes you can find ducks while deer hunting. You probably don't want to know what else I REALLY think. But if you do, go to the 1/10/02 topic about "Feeding Ducks in Yankee Land". I didn't copy it here cause some think it is a little harsh, and it is.
http://www.ducksouth.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgiubb=get_topic&f=1&t=001642

No - I'm not calling anyone names. The message is when times are hard, you have to make do. And times were hard, but you could still have good hunts, just not consistently.