Observations 2008-2009 Hunting Season

[SWAG]

Post up some things you learned/observed over this past season. For me, 3 things sort of stood out:

1. On weekends, lots of ducks show up at your hunting spot before legal shooting time. I noticed that ducks tend to show up at or after shooting light during the week. My theory is every Tom, Dick, and Harry is hunting on the weekends and they are blowing them out of holes before daylight, thus they show up somewhere else before normal. Just a theory, but I saw the difference in weekend mornings and weekday mornings all season. Everyone else may have already noticed this 10 years ago, but in 25+ years of hunting it only dawned on me this year.

2. My affection for gadwalls grew as the season trudged on. In past seasons, I even ridiculed the grey ducks for taking up space where mallards could be. After not showing up in good numbers until about a week ago, I had not noticed just how fondly I missed them. Glad they are back as well as a good many of their bigger cousins.

3. The hassle of fooling with a spinning wing decoy is not worth it. Did not take a spinner all year and enjoyed every minute it was not there. On the other hand, the squirter duck butts are great addition to a spread in the woods.

[Blackduck]

Most of the ducks seemed to get here a few weeks earlier than usual. Not any late birds. Didn't matter because there were plenty of birds here.

Grey ducks really like duckweed. If you don't have any the birds may not show up.

Pintail limit needs to be atleast 3

Ice can either make a hunt or break a hunt.

[RockBottom]

I learned that.......
1.Wood ducks are like cats and mallards are like dogs.
2.Ducks dont like cold weather they bed down and wont move, the warmer it gets the more the ducks move.
3.Ice sucks.
4.Benelli or Beretta.......both suck!
5.OLT is black death
6.Rice breast could or could not hurt you.
7.Dont rub dead ducks on your head, you mite get duck lice.
8.I should buy an 870 pump.
9.I should stay home.
10......where your favorite public duck hole is
11. The ECC are bad mo fo's.
12.I should stay home.
13.Not to post pics of my duck hunt, because then you will know where my favorite public duck hole is.
14.Some newbie is going to ask about public hunting on here and get a tongue lashing for it.
15. You guys hate spinners
16. And D.U. puts corn out to stop the birds from coming this far south.
17.Chuck Norris doesn't step on toes. Chuck Norris steps on necks.
18. Equipment sleds are the bees knees!

[weimhunter]

Use the drake whistle more at the end of year. Gadwall call is the bomb.

[mudsucker]

1. Never trust whitey.

2. If you catch it, go see a Dr.

[mmkenty]

1. Never trust whitey.

2. If you catch it, go see a Dr.

what is whitey

[DucksBeUs]

When I take vacations to hunt...It will rain non freakin' stop

[novacaine]

1. I agree that the gadwall call seals the deal on them
2 I don't care that your high dollar automatic is jambed/frozen or broke! My pump still works and I'm shooting ducks.Fix your p.o.s. yourself!! Until you get it fixed, I'm shooting your limit also!
3. Never,never,never put the new guy on the point while hunting with a group.Screws up everything for everybody.
4 I can only go hunting 4 mornings straight without a nap.
5.I'm not a strong as I used to be,I can't see as well as I used to.
6. Spec hunting is cool
7 35 hunts in a 60 day season doesn't sound like a lot but my body tells me it is
8. Some people should have to get a learners permit and go through at least 3 days training to even own a duck call!
9 After 36 yr of duck hunting-I can't wait till next year

[feedcall]

1. A shower before a hunt will improve your shooting, make you more alert, and keep you warm.
2. Taking coffe to the blind is good.
3. I am impatient
4. Hunting an hour later always means more ducks
5. Take the extra time to do what it takes to get hidden
6. Sleep in on the full moon. Ducks, Deer, and Fish
7. Be sure to remind people that don't hunt much not to shoot across you.
8. A 20 ga will kill ducks stone dead at 40 yards (will shoot a 20 more next year)
9. Everything on the menu at the Crystal Club is good, 30 years never had a bad meal
10. 7 months until dove season

[GulfCoast]

The number of ducks decreases in direct proportion to the number of guests invited.

A 4-wheeler will always break down at the point farthest from your truck.

[JMCMILLIN]

1. Always hunt weather fronts
2. Never "wait" till they make one more pass....if you have a good shot
3. Get up 30 minutes earlier than you plan

That is all

[torch]

I wish I had a dollar every time some one said.

1) Torch can I bring my dog its a great duck dog.

2) Hail call ducks when they are coming at you locked up.


3) White hats with lights on the bill ( still lit up at 6:45)


4) after a 20 minute wade into a hydrilla infested brake....... I got to $#!+.

5) Torch i got a problem...... I left my gun in the truck at your store.

6) my favorite............ is the robo flaring ducks? No it would be all of ya'll impersonating "Stevie Wonder" when the ducks fly over.

[GET-N-RITE]

I still hate Federal GW for rolling down corn on the refuge so they can hold 60,000 birds and nobody kill a dam thing.

I still hate the people that ride through the refuge beside my pit and get out and watch birds, etc. etc.

I learned that 8 dollars worth of silicone won't stop some leaking ace waders.

I learned that no matter what, duck hunting will never be what it used to be.

[cwink]

#10. Jack's Country Kitchen in Hollendale MS (right next to Dollar General) makes a mean hamburger.

#9. There aint nothing on Highway 61 between Vicksburg and Hollendale.

#8. Two boys sure get fired up about jump shooting coots.

#7. The cabins at Leroy Percy State park are pretty nice.

#6. The draw procedure at Mahannah is back (you know) wards.

#5. You should really study ALL of the map icons before you select a hunting spot a Mahannah. A unit that is marked as "Uncontrolled water level" on the map. Might be a little deep for a short 12 year old to wade thru.

#4. Scouting works. Missing the first shot at the duck hovering over your decoys, while trying to find a place to land amoungst all the other ducks does not.

#3. Learn to speak Teenageise. Apparently, "Wait", "Too Far", "Let them get closer", "They are gonna land", and "Don't Shoot yet" are all words anxious teenagers don't understand.

#2. If by chance you get some decent shot at ducks that the teenager didn't see, Don't blow the shot ..

#1. If you tell the teenager that a duck is too high and he shoots anyway, and the duck falls dead from a golden BB straight to the heart.. You loose all crediability.

[SWAG]

Would have to throw Cwink's #1 in there with mine as well, the luck shot always happens right after you give sound advice.