Davy Crockett Guide Service
snapp
what you say is the best amount of time to flood up a rice field before season starts, generally speaking.
and how much rice has germinated versus just second growth shoots springing up in your neck of the woods. Daddy says my field is greener than a wheat field in April. I've been working to hard to go look.
what you say is the best amount of time to flood up a rice field before season starts, generally speaking.
and how much rice has germinated versus just second growth shoots springing up in your neck of the woods. Daddy says my field is greener than a wheat field in April. I've been working to hard to go look.
Heck, some of these young pups teach me a few things every year. That's the funny part about Migratory Waterfowl and Mother Nature ... just when you think you have them figured out ... they make you look like a fool. Always good to take in those young ideas and try to blend them with experience ... that's when you tend to get a more realistic picture.
Eastwoods, Not a real good answer on your question. That would depend on what size field you were flooding. If you're flooding a small field, there is a chance of early ducks eating you out before season or by mid season.
We flood large to huge fields. Our largest field is well over 300 acres with one pit in it and our smallest about 150 acres. I can flood fifty to a hundred acres in fields like that, catch the ducks and let them imprint to the field. Then I allow the same water to move on down to where the pit is and never hurt the last of the season ... as far as duck food.
It's important to allow ducks to imprint, even if for a day or two at a time. That's why ducks have learned to refuge hop from federal location to federal location
By flooding early and having ducks sit around for a week to three or four weeks, they get an impression that brings them back all through the season and year after year ... but what and when you flood will have to be a judgement call on the size of the area you have to flood.
Ducks do seem to be moving earlier this year. More than likely it is from the northern states low water conditions and hunting pressure already starting up there. That's even more reason to consider early flooding. I will have some water showing by the beginning of the last week of October and will have lots of water by the first week of November.
Eastwoods, Not a real good answer on your question. That would depend on what size field you were flooding. If you're flooding a small field, there is a chance of early ducks eating you out before season or by mid season.
We flood large to huge fields. Our largest field is well over 300 acres with one pit in it and our smallest about 150 acres. I can flood fifty to a hundred acres in fields like that, catch the ducks and let them imprint to the field. Then I allow the same water to move on down to where the pit is and never hurt the last of the season ... as far as duck food.
It's important to allow ducks to imprint, even if for a day or two at a time. That's why ducks have learned to refuge hop from federal location to federal location

By flooding early and having ducks sit around for a week to three or four weeks, they get an impression that brings them back all through the season and year after year ... but what and when you flood will have to be a judgement call on the size of the area you have to flood.
Ducks do seem to be moving earlier this year. More than likely it is from the northern states low water conditions and hunting pressure already starting up there. That's even more reason to consider early flooding. I will have some water showing by the beginning of the last week of October and will have lots of water by the first week of November.
When thier wings are cupped and their feet are down ... "It's HammerTime".
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Snapp wrote:If you're flooding a small field, there is a chance of early ducks eating you out before season or by mid season.
We flood large to huge fields. Our largest field is well over 300 acres with one pit in it and our smallest about 150 acres. I can flood fifty to a hundred acres in fields like that, catch the ducks and let them imprint to the field. Then I allow the same water to move on down to where the pit is and never hurt the last of the season ... as far as duck food.
It's important to allow ducks to imprint, even if for a day or two at a time. That's why ducks have learned to refuge hop from federal location to federal location
By flooding early and having ducks sit around for a week to three or four weeks, they get an impression that brings them back all through the season and year after year ... but what and when you flood will have to be a judgement call on the size of the area you have to flood.
Now thats some pretty darn good advice! Thanks for posting Snapp! Glad you accepted the invitation and joined up!
Glad to be here. Always glad to share my thoughts and always welcome hearing others. One thing about this business ... they ain't no schoolin fer it!!! Have to learn from the mistakes and like I've already stated ... I've made enough of the mistakes that I should have learned a lot of "What not to do"
Just for the record ... I'm a duck hunter and love it. Yes, I am in business end of the industry, but wouldn't be there if it hadn't been for my love of hunting! Overall the industry has been good to me and I don't mind sharing what I have learned from hard knocks or hunting with such a wide variety of folks. In the same sense, I still appreciate others thoughts and always looking to pick up that little bit of an advantage ... just like most of you!!!!

Just for the record ... I'm a duck hunter and love it. Yes, I am in business end of the industry, but wouldn't be there if it hadn't been for my love of hunting! Overall the industry has been good to me and I don't mind sharing what I have learned from hard knocks or hunting with such a wide variety of folks. In the same sense, I still appreciate others thoughts and always looking to pick up that little bit of an advantage ... just like most of you!!!!
When thier wings are cupped and their feet are down ... "It's HammerTime".
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- Greenhead22
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We pretty well quit using spinners two years ago in Arkansas, at least after the first few days. However, we will still use them up north if they remian effective and legal. Thing is, by the time the birds make it south ... they've seen spinners used from their nest site until they get here. Easy/dumb ones are usually dead or educated by the time they get this far south. Sure don't want to spook them more than they already are
During the past couple of seasons, we logged down more days without them than with them. In fact, of the days they were used, most of our guide reports show they actually flared birds more than you could noticed they helped.
Of course I'm still a big believer in motion, just different types.

During the past couple of seasons, we logged down more days without them than with them. In fact, of the days they were used, most of our guide reports show they actually flared birds more than you could noticed they helped.
Of course I'm still a big believer in motion, just different types.
When thier wings are cupped and their feet are down ... "It's HammerTime".
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