teal hunting

[gator]

alright i got a teal hunting question for you fellows to chew on...before i ask, let me tell ya that i HAVE hunted DNF alot in the last few years and am familiar w/ alot of places to hunt during the regular duck season...also, i am NOT in any way asking for "YOUR" hole...my question/thought i would like some feedback from ya'll on is, "do ya'll think it is possible to hunt/kill teal on DNF or is it more or less gonna be a waste of time?" i'm asking b/c i don't have a boat to hunt chotard, eagle, or the rez, and i don't feel like dogding gators like Steve Irwin all day...i am gonna go regardless (i just got an itch i gotta scratch) but what do ya'll think...also, i am asking b/c i have never killed a teal on DNF which leads me to think that it may be fruitless if you count the number of kills...i am asking your thoughts, opinions on the matter not holes or specifics...heck, if you'd rather, pm w/ your thoughts...thanks! oh yeah, hotty toddy

[Wildfowler]

I don't know much about DNF, but I think the best habitat to look for in the early BW Teal season is shallow, mud flat type terrain. Like old catfish ponds, or possibly sheet water conditions in harvested grain fields. I wouldn't expect to see them in drop into a some secret hole in DNF. On the other hand, if you know of a large, open, shallow, swampy area in DNF. Maybe an area that's got a lot of aquatic vegetation. That sounds like a good place to look for them.

At least this is what has worked for me in the past. I certainly don't claim to be the expert, I just do what works for me. And now, looking back over the past couple of seasons. It hasn't been working out too well for me. Now I'm beginning to doubt myself.

Oh well.

[SB]

I would have to say Wildfowler is correct. DNF, in general, offers the wrong type of habitat for Blue-winged teal. Not to say though, you will not ever find one there, but I would concentrate my efforts else where.

[gator]

thanks guys, scott, i was just fixing to call ya to see if a road on DNF is open or not...a mutual friend of ours told me you'd be the one to ask...and i didn't mean to imply i new secret holes, i just wanted to make sure that folks knew i had some idea of what i was talking about and not just asking some question like "were do i hunt on DNF"...i do appreciate the thoughts...i'm just stumped on what to do and i'm bound to do something this weekend...walked up on an ole gator at the rez a few weeks back and after crapping down both legs, i decided that walking around in the heat, through cattails that won't allow vision past your nose, is just not the smartest thing to do...i'm short enough, i can't take any more inches coming off...like two feet getting clipped by some hungry gator

[Wildfowler]

I wouldn't worry about the alligators if you are looking for something to do this weekend. You'll have your shotgun in your hand won't you???

[gator]

yeah the ole gun will definitely be in hand whatever i do...got another funny alligator story for ya...a few years ago while hunting malmaison during the first week of season, i had about a 8 footer come right in our spread and sit...well, my ole buddy was up on the bank releaving himself when i first notice something swimming my way...at first i though it was a log, but as it got close, i saw what it really was and splashed water at it...well, it went right in our spread as mentioned before...well, my bud flat refused to get the dekes cause he had a leak in his waders, and was already out of the water...i really believe he would have left em right there...well, not to be out-done by a gator, i precede to go out and get the dekes, instructing said friend to be ready to shoot...well, i'm kinda backpeddling through the dekes keeping one eye on the dekes i was grapping and one on the last place the gator was seen...anyway, i step on one of the decoy strings and the deke was right next to me and went underwater...i comminced to yelling shoot shoot shoot and fell in...my ole buddy was laughing sooo hard he couldn't do anything and i realized that i had caused the deke to submerge...well, this is in 45 degree weather...on the way out, we had an old gamewarden stop and we were talking...i informed him of my gator "attack" and he said and i quote, "shoot son, that was the small one that we got in there" and also said if i did shoot one i was looking at some jail-time...boy, let me tell ya, i am always a little jumpy when in malmaison...true story...

[peewee]

Gator that was hilarious. Oh about the CO comment, common sense has to come in place somewhere. My leg vs. jail time. I'll take my day in court.

[duckhuntalot]

Gator,
I can fix you up with a boat. Twelve foot jon boat, avery blind, fifteen horse johnson, minnkota 43fp thrust, camoed, camoed seats, batteries, even throw in a charger $1500 or best offer.

[gator]

peewee, that's just about what i told him too...was kinda ticked that he acted that way but i guess he was just trying to say he didn't want his gators swatted w/ steel shot...heck, it might have made em mad...dhl, man, i preciate the offer and i've been looking but all i can scratch together is about 1000...i ain't selling you a load either, school is kicking my tail w/ loans and bills...wish the parents would kick in but, heck, they got me this far and i love em for it, it's my time now...thanks for the offer cause i sho need one and preciate you wanting to help a brotha out

[TheDuckSlayer@AU]

45 degree weather? gators? i didnt fail biology... i thought they hibernated in winter

[peewee]

D. Slayer I have seen gators before in Eagle Lake during duck season. Had a biologist I knew tell me about a beaver trapper loosing traps in Goose Lake in the winter and couldn't find out what was doing it. Turned out to be gators.

[gator]

hey duckslayer, i've got a degree in biology and as i'm sitting here i tell ya it shocked me too...he did act a little lethargic but he was swimming none the less...

[Deadeye]

I waded upon about a 6 foot gator on the rez 2 winters ago in mid January. It was cold, low 30's and this gator would not move. I touched his nose with the end of my shotgun barrel and he went underwater a couple of inches and came back to the top. He was very lethargic but I respected his space and eased back away from him. I was always told to let sleeping dogs lay....

[duckhuntalot]

Gator

1 grand may just get you the boat pm me!

[hotty toddy]

Gator you keep popping up everywhere. I didnt really know your name on here until that story.

I know what you mean about school and the old cash flow.

How is that old buddy who made you chase the dekes and how is school going for his wife?

I've never seen a gator during duck season. Although I have to say it is very possible. My hunting buddie killed a cottonmouth looking for a deer in a swamp a few years back in the middle of January while there was a thin sheet of ice on the water.

Stranger things have happened I just hope not to me.