worst season in 33+years

Barq's · Postby **Barq's** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 4:18 pm

I'm about over it....between medical operations and active duty obligations I have yet to kill a single duck this year..from drought to a monsoon...here to there, I'm just over it.
Barq's

cupnglide · Postby **cupnglide** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 9:24 pm

Honestly, I'm with ya. Between work being way too chaotic for hunting season, December temps in the 70s, El Niño effects, and water everywhere, this season so far is one to be forgotten. I'm going to hit it hard these last couple weeks and see if I can make something of it.

Postby **teul2** » Wed Jan 13, 2016 8:18 am

2 or 3 more of these seasons and we might, just might cull some of the wana-be hunters. I like it personally. Makes you appreciate those good runs.

mfalkner · Postby **mfalkner** » Wed Jan 13, 2016 10:46 am

cupnglide wrote:Honestly, I'm with ya. Between work being way too chaotic for hunting season, December temps in the 70s, El Niño effects, and water everywhere, this season so far is one to be forgotten. I'm going to hit it hard these last couple weeks and see if I can make something of it.

^^ This X fitty-leven.

Barq's · Postby **Barq's** » Wed Jan 13, 2016 1:24 pm

I understand the "culling" part but when you've been doing this 75% of your life and your health is jacked up, I would like to have at least 1 good hunt before the year is over....I haven't killed the first duck this year. I've got a jacked up left shoulder....jacked up right hand and a couple of stents in my heart in the last 12 months...I just like to finish the year w a good one and I don't think that's too much to ask.
Barq's

duckduckgoose · Postby **duckduckgoose** » Wed Jan 13, 2016 2:37 pm

We have had a terrible year also. Our small club killed around 300 ducks last year out of our hole. This year so far. 30

Barq's · Postby **Barq's** » Wed Jan 13, 2016 3:50 pm

Divide that # by more than 2...

donia · Postby **donia** » Wed Jan 13, 2016 6:00 pm

teul2 wrote:2 or 3 more of these seasons and we might, just might cull some of the wana-be hunters. I like it personally. Makes you appreciate those good runs.

this year was a bad year for new memberships for a lot of camps...lotta one and dones where the places may actually pan out well in a marginal year, not to mention a good year.
....but, that's why it's called huntin'.

i hope your season gives you those hunts in the most elegant fashion, barq's! sounds like you could use the relief those provide!!

Agua · Postby **Agua** » Wed Jan 13, 2016 6:32 pm

Yeah, I hope you get a good hunt too man. Things have been slow at our place too, but even if a pile of em don't show up, you should get some new birds in that will be more willing to work than the overeducated ones that were around through December.

Barq's · Postby **Barq's** » Wed Jan 13, 2016 6:57 pm

I appreciate it guys....but when I say BAD, I mean back during thanksgiving opener we didn't see maybe a couple of hundred ducks over the course of 3 days.
The next trip up...we saw about 50 ducks one morning and about 25 the next in the delta. The ones we saw, one time you have to stay on the call and the next bunch may flare at you even reaching for it.

I've just never, ever seen it this bad in my 30plus years anywhere I have ever been. If things don't change in the next couple of days I'm hitching the boat up and headed wherever I need to go.
I know that they will probably show up in February and I would love to take my Son that weekend but I have other military obligations and can't do the youth "day" which sucks for him.

Anyway...don't let me see any greenheads on the side of the road because I'm about ready to do a driveby.

Ya'll have a good evening...
Barq's

sondance · Postby **sondance** » Fri Jan 15, 2016 5:49 pm

It's bad everywhere. I decided the hell with it and not going this weekend. I can't believe I am saying this but I'll be glad when it's over. You get so much money tied up in it you feel like you have to go, then to shoot 2-3 ducks blows

novacaine · Postby **novacaine** » Fri Jan 15, 2016 6:46 pm

The weather is about to get Right for Martin Luther.....................dont pack up you guns just yet!!!!!

Long Cut · Postby **Long Cut** » Fri Jan 15, 2016 9:44 pm

sondance wrote:It's bad everywhere. I decided the hell with it and not going this weekend. I can't believe I am saying this but I'll be glad when it's over. You get so much money tied up in it you feel like you have to go, then to shoot 2-3 ducks blows

Shooting 2-3 ducks per hunt would be like winning the powerball for me at this point. 27 years of hunting them and never anything like this. Here's my situation. I started the opening day with optimism...3 full boxes of shells in my bling bag. The same full 3 boxes still sit in my blind bag. We have 2 leases in Crenshaw and I have yet to fire at a duck this year over about 10 hunts. Duck hunting is a fickle mistress.

crow · Postby **crow** » Sat Jan 16, 2016 9:13 am

Well, I've had worse years when my health was bad and I couldn't even go. I've had better years where I couldn't step in a hole of water and not limit out. One thing is certain for the future of the sport, I'm afraid. It won't ever be as consistent, for most of us, as has been in the past. Unless you have "that" spot wrapped up, duck hunting will be more unpredictable and thus, more frustrating. I don't see myself giving it up after 50 years of hunting. But I may never "give as much of myself" to the sport. Hate to say it, but most of us old heads have seen the best. The newer hunters will still have the satisfaction of learning and building knowledge in the sport. Reminds me of the curse, "may you live in interesting times!" I will always have my memories, though!

crow

Barq's · Postby **Barq's** » Sun Jan 17, 2016 7:34 pm

well....hunted Saturday am and this am.....I didn't kill a duck....3 greys came in and one guy kills 2 in 1 shot then the 3rd peels to the left and my buddy knocks him dead. 3 more greys come in and swing left again....i'm on the right they kill 2 of the 3 and the hunts over. I went swimming while putting out decoys and took it down the back and both legs and stayed through the hunt.

This morning we set up in layouts out in the beans...perfect spread with nothing over the tops of the beans. Had a couple separate mallards work and the guys next to us would shoot and flare em....had 4 pintails getting ready to put their feet down, shots fired again.

We jumped up and went to the shed...came back an 1.5 later to pick all our gear up and had bout 20 mallards in our deeks. Went to the hotel and packed up and headed home.

I was supposed to stay till Tuesday but after not seeing 200 ducks in 2 days, I couldn't see staying another day to look at barren skies.

I slap don't think that they are going to do it this year. I'm sure the severe flooding during the season all but screwed everyone from St. Louis south....not to mention no snow to speak of and no continuous freezing....

I made a comment today that really hit home....I said that I need to find a deer lease because then I wouldn't have to pray for hell to freeze over to make them run down from Canada.....

Smartest thing I've said in awhile....

Anyone know of any openings?
Barq's