will this b the big migration this weekend

[turnemloose]

Or did I miss it? Have not killed many since the the big freeze . Hope it ends well. Good luck to all.

[BLM]

Wouldn't think you'd see too much of a push...nothing drastically better than what you've already got. If you got em, you got em and if you don't, its too late.

Good luck to all. My personal goal is 4 grnheads, 1 bull sprig, and 1 old mature baldplate.

[crow]

Lots of snow and ice in NE Ark and West TN late this week. Lots of snow in the mid-west. If they aren't here by Sat., Well.....it won't matter anyway!

crow

[mudweiser92887]

i wouldnt put all my eggs in that basket...im already thinking about going and freezin my booty off on the side of tree with my old stick and string this weekend...

[GrizwalD]

im already ready for turkey season

[Greenhead329]

Goal is for 3 woodies, 1 Black and 2 greenheads

[Trip]

there aint any ducks in MS but I ga ron tee some whiskey gonna get drunk.

[mudweiser92887]

please dont start talkin about turkey season....ive already broke out the turkey dvds and the mouth calls....

[blgros1]

Fa sho it dis poo poo. Nelson on his way as we be talk'en and i'm coming up tom afta noon. see ya then pee shaa

there aint any ducks in MS but I ga ron tee some whiskey gonna get drunk.

[randywallace]

please dont start talkin about turkey season....ive already broke out the turkey dvds and the mouth calls....

why would anyone ever put them up?

[quackstackmrm]

please dont start talkin about turkey season....ive already broke out the turkey dvds and the mouth calls....

why would anyone ever put them up?

have no clue, i call ducks in with mine

[mudweiser92887]

please dont start talkin about turkey season....ive already broke out the turkey dvds and the mouth calls....

why would anyone ever put them up?

because some people dont need to practice year round....and 2 because it just makes me miss it that much more when its not spring time

[Jeff]

It's been my experience if they aren't here by now they aren't coming.

[Anatidae]

It's been my experience if they aren't here by now they aren't coming.

True Dat........at least not during the regular season, anyway.

My thoughts are (for whatever they're worth):

The the week on both sides of the freeze-up was our best chance at any concentration. The word concentration has a dual meaning........1) the birds that remained in specific areas during freeze-up became concentrated on available open water in those areas......2) birds that are more tolerant of icy conditions showed-up to take the place of those that moved-on because they are less tolerant of icy conditions - hard to say if there was a net increase in the overall number of birds in a given area, other than areas that didn't have birds to begin with.

During thaw, I suspect there was a heavy fuel-replenishing period, then a return to isolated sections of surface water (that also increased dramatically prior to and after freeze-up). Some birds may have gone back North to familiar ground that they weren't pressured on - some may have remained (if they found areas that weren't heavily pressured. The fact that many folks saw fewer birds after the thaw just indicates that they aren't seeing any. Visual counts (fly-overs) on traditional holding areas confirms the decrease in bird numbers throughout the state, suggesting that there WAS , in fact, a net increase in the numbers during freeze-up.......or at least a significant decrease, afterwards.

Now......why did they leave? I suspect they didn't find a food source before they either became victim of pressure or endured pressure long enough to find security.......or there were concentrations of birds (on holding areas) that moved around as a mass.....to other holding areas that provided food and security.

So, what's the biggest problem......hype created on the internet......that leasds to increased density of folks with high expectation levels that just wanna shoot at something.....i.e......PRESSURE! The really informed 'hunters' would've known where they had to go to be successful under certain conditions......the inexperienced or those married to one location (a hole in the ground or trees) indicated they didn't really understand why ducks wouldn't look at their spot (under the premise that..."if I put decoys out, they will come"). You sit in one sopt long enough, patience wears thin....you're gonna shoot at anything you see. I digress.

So, in response to the original question......"will there be a big migration.....?.......not likely. It takes a series of significant weather events conducive to bird 'displacement' from secure areas, to move birds in significant numbers.

Ducks (over the last 15-40 years) have learned a few things from snow geese, apparently.. We (i.e. the hunting community as a whole), haven't.

.........apparently.

All this to coroborate what Jeff said (in fewer words - and greater effect) that birds don't leave food, security, and open water just cause the weather gets nasty one night. They will sit on ice for a week before they move completely out of an area. They may get hungry during that period, but they know it's worth waiting for thaw as opposed to getting pressured in unfamiliar territory.

IMHO

[Birdroost]

there are less and less ducks every year. There are none left to come down.