Ducks......

[Destry L. Hoffard]

The reports are in, there are officially more ducks this year than have ever been recorded since they started doing the survey in 1955. Now all we need is some weather to move them and we'll be set for a dandy season......


Destry

[Craig Larter]

Oh yea!!! My new Parkers will be seeing action this fall, I loaded my bismuth today!!
Our season opener has been pushed back to October 27th so I have a bit of a wait. My 11 month old lab is in training----passed her first two HT's and ran her on live ducks today---gotta get everything ready.

[Brian Stucker]

Fingers crossed.

[Dave Fuller]

Last night I was explaining to Buster (my lab) that it won't be long till we are huddled in our favorite blind, knocking over coffee, fumbling for shells, and blowing that little wooden party horn that scares away ducks. Best of all he loves the fall.

[Rick Losey]

hmm - like I had mentioned before - have not hunted ducks in many years, not since my Golden got too old to go, it was back to grouse dogs after her. She came as a pup from a good friend and was such an excellent retriever, I had to give her the work she derserved, so water fowl it was for several years.

but - I bought the first 12 bore in years this year, now you tell me there are more ducks than ever. Just might have to drag the old decoys out once or twice this year. If only the setters would swim :rotf:

[Thomas L. Benson Sr.]

Destry: Is the duck count your talking about for all flyways or the one that you hunt. Thanks Thomas

[Eric Grims]

Kind Sir
Any furtHer info or links you could share on this?The east and Atlantic flyways here have been a little light last year and the DU info supports your report for 2012. They say the scaup are up which is real good news for us in Vermont.
I am seeing many ducks with young and conditions here for the local ducks have been very good. Seems they got started delicering early.
Thanks

[Eric Grims]

Oops
DELIVERING early .
iPads do that

[Rick Losey]

Oops
DELIVERING early .
iPads do that

ohh - so many smart remarks swirling

but I'll be good :bigbye:

[Brian Stucker]

Overall, Pacific Flyway bird #'s are slightly lower. Looks like mallard #'s are up 21%. Both cinnamon teal and gadwall down a bit.

[John Dallas]

Don't mean to speak for Destry, but the DU report says the same thing:

http://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-surveys/2012-duck-numbers?poe=2012SpringDuckNumbersRelease&hq_e=el&hq_m=2785532&hq_l=1&hq_v=c53cc74494

[Pete Lester]

Hope your report is right Destry. The late season brakish water waterfowling on the NH coast seems like it has been in a steady decline for that last 10 to 15 years. Good days are still to be found but the big flocks are not seen as they once were.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Duck shooting in the East has declined as much as the goose hunting has improved. We're lucky here in the northern reaches of the Mississippi Flyway in that we get good shooting on both when the weather is right.

Jim and I have lost our local shooting unfortunately, but our guide over in Canada is back in the game as of September. He had a little run in with the law and lost his license for the last couple seasons but is on track to have it returned.

I didn't hunt nearly as much last season as I usually do, this year maybe I'll have more drive.


Destry

[Steve Kleist]

It seems like the memories of "the Good Old Days" are better than they actually were, but the excitement of the hunt is still there.
Savor the anticipation.
Enjoy what you have.
Support the sport you love.
Shoot a Parker.
Be thankful we live in a country where we can do as we please.

Best Fishes,
Steve Kleist Ely, MN

[Pete Lester]

It seems like the memories of "the Good Old Days" are better than they actually were

Not in our case here in coastal NH, 10 years ago flocks of 100's left Great Bay at dawn to feed inland. It was always a grand sight. We have not seen that in many years. The decline has been drastic in this area but I agree with the rest of your post.

[Mark Ouellette]

My best hunts are those with my dog and good friends. The game brought home is a bonus!

Mark

[Eric Grims]

My best hunts are those with my dog and good friends. The game brought home is a bonus!

Mark

well said

HOME SWEET HOME:

[charlie cleveland]

really good pictures.. like the cover on the boat and the ducks in hand with a snow on the ground... charlie

[scott kittredge]

well said

HOME SWEET HOME:

Nice, where in VT are you? hows the snow goose hunting? :corn: scott

[Eric Grims]

I live about a mile and a half below the Canadian border in derby. Off the east shore of Lake Memphremagog.
Actually the snow goose hunting is not as you would expect. Most of the real hot action for snows is west of here the lake Champlain area. Some big flocks come through late buT don't stay long.

[Bill Zachow]

Last week I was mowing a field North of my house when I happened to see something brown moving North on the side of the road that parallels the field. I drove the tractor and mower closer to the road to see what it was. Turned out to be a hen mallard leading about 10 babies to an area where they could all walk into Chittenango creek. Very pretty sight.

[Grantham Forester]

My wife is from Cazenovia. Upstate New York is way different than from NYC and its boroughs- great lake country indeed, and a waterfowling mecca for the Atlantic flyway too!!

[Bill Zachow]

Caz. is 8 miles due South of our 2 farms on State Route 13.

[Jim Pasman]

Maybe while "JB" waits for the duck population in Great Bay to come back, he could build himself one of these....

The Ultimate " Man Cave ".
How many beers were consumed building this rascal?
In Louisiana (of course) 3 stories- Duck Blind (on Bayou Self)

1st level hides 4 boats underneath and has room for 2
hunters and has 2 dog doors.

2nd level has a full kitchen with fridge, 2 stoves, electricity for lights, living room with 2 couches and satellite TV, theater seats around the "porch of the blind" to sit 14 guys comfortably. A side porch has a running toilet, a stainless steel grill for cooking whole rib-eyes for lunch and a bar to make all the Mojos and margarita machine which are hard wired to car batteries.

3rd level is the "crows nest" with room for 3. It's about 25' up in the trees and most of the time you are shooting down on the ducks.

The food scraps we throw out draw a lot of ducks and make the fishing good too.

[charlie cleveland]

this gotta be the best duck blind ever built by man..i sure would hate to pay for all the beer that was drank while building this mansion....im sure you boys are the talk among the ducks...what do you think about this duck paradise destrey....just marvolous.... charlie would you mind me making a picture of your duck house sure would like to hang it on my wall.... charlie

[Jim Pasman]

Hi Charlie - The blind pictures and description came from my brother-in-law, Gary Jackson, a DU member from Arkadelphia, Arkansas. As far as I know, there is no copyright but a lot of pride in building the Taj Mahal of blinds....