Duck Season 2024

[Linhardt]

Went to Eagle Bluffs on a reservation yesterday and hunted 12S pool.  Not much as far a birds.  In the morning meeting they stated that they had around 10,000+ birds but think they lost some the day before (Tuesday).  Gun was acting up and not cycling properly, plus my poor wing shooting skills ended me with 0 birds on 3 shots.  But on a positive note took a great nephew and he ended up with his first duck (Mallard drake).  Also reminded my that I am not as physically fit as I used to be. 😒  Dragging a poly jet sled loaded with all the gear for 1/2 mile down the levee had me huffing and puffing and I am feeling it today.  😬

[BilletHead]

3 hours ago, Linhardt said:

 Also reminded my that I am not as physically fit as I used to be. 😒  Dragging a poly jet sled loaded with all the gear for 1/2 mile down the levee had me huffing and puffing and I am feeling it today.  😬

               I hate to tell you this Anthony but it is not going to get any better as you age. 

    I might know where some of those birds that left where you hunted went near my area. That is all I can say about that. No not my personal report. 

[Linhardt]

18 hours ago, BilletHead said:

               I hate to tell you this Anthony but it is not going to get any better as you age. 

    I might know where some of those birds that left where you hunted went near my area. That is all I can say about that. No not my personal report. 

I think this front that went through brought down a few but not what people were thinking.  Even reports of up north around Nebraska were stating they go some new birds but still not a lot of the mallards they were expecting.  But there is still a lot of the season to go.  The peak numbers usually get here around Thanksgiving thru first week of December in the north part of the Middle Zone.  The counts at Eagle Bluffs came out yesterday and they only gained about 500 - 1000 birds there.  So they are at 11,000 total.  But it is still hard to comprehend how they get those counts based on aerial flights and ground checks.  Especially when they break it down by species.  Such as with Nodaway Valley CA  3561 Gadwalls.  Down to the single bird count.  😏

 

[BilletHead]

16 minutes ago, Linhardt said:

I think this front that went through brought down a few but not what people were thinking.  Even reports of up north around Nebraska were stating they go some new birds but still not a lot of the mallards they were expecting.  But there is still a lot of the season to go.  The peak numbers usually get here around Thanksgiving thru first week of December in the north part of the Middle Zone.  The counts at Eagle Bluffs came out yesterday and they only gained about 500 - 1000 birds there.  So they are at 11,000 total.  But it is still hard to comprehend how they get those counts based on aerial flights and ground checks.  Especially when they break it down by species.  Such as with Nodaway Valley CA  3561 Gadwalls.  Down to the single bird count.  😏

 

Our South zone has not even started yet. 

[Ryan Miloshewski]

Did my first Kansas hunt since teal yesterday. Did not shoot a duck. Saw a few, but nothing in range. However, it was eventful.

I deer hunted KS in the morning so I got to the public marsh around 9:30. Was prepared to wait if the lot was full. Not a vehicle, which is usually a bad sign. I hauled my Invisiman, Hank's Invisilab, decoys and gun to a good spot on the south end with the south wind. Jumped up 20 or so mallards walking in. 

About 2:30 these two younger cats come walking down the levee. Mind you, this is a very small marsh. It can hunt one party on a south wind, two on a north. They get to within 150 yds of me on the levee and finally see me (was happy with my hide). Well they decide to keep going and setup within 120-yds of me. Strike one.

Then they start talking loud. I mean I could hear every word loud. Then came to cacophony of their attempts at duck calling. I mean it might be the worst I've ever heard. Whatever, no ducks were flying over anyway.

Finally a group of gadwall and mallards circle and they just blow them out with their first note. I said calmly "guys, I can call and I'll let them pick where they go." No answer. So the entire rest of the day they blow their calls and essentially ruined my hunt. They were ignorant, loud, and horrible hunters.

So shooting light end comes near and I know I wasn't going to shoot anything so I pick up my decoys and gather all my things and haul them in two trips to the levee. They yell at me to quit moving. I ignore them. It's now 10 min after shooting light and I watch a drake mallard circling. I knew they were going to do it, and they did. Of course they shot at him at 70 yds and he flew away. I said "hey you know you're supposed to stop shooting at sunset, right?" Their reply was "f**k off, go away you p***k!"

Ok, now I'm going to get petty. You ruined my hunt for 4 hours, so I am going to ruin yours. I hustle back to the lot and get their plate info and call my buddy Tanner, who just so happens to be the game warden. "Shoot, I'm 5-min down the road, I'll head there now." 

He waited for them at the lot. Tickets for shooting after legal hours, tickets for no hunting licenses, and tickets for no federal duck stamp.

I am no narc, but these guys were the absolute worst and they deserved it. I was going to let everything go and just chalk it up to younger guys not knowing any better and maybe have a parking lot conversation, but nope, they had to mouth off after ruining my day. Petty? Yes. But hopefully they never set foot on that area again, because those types of people are the one's ruining public land duck hunting for everybody. Lesson: be careful who you mouth off to in the marsh when you've been an a-hole all day. 

Anyway, this front should make things fun!

[Gavin]

Last Weds-Friday was great, then no wind and 70 degrees all weekend. Things picked back up this afternoon. Still waiting on a push of Mallards. It was mostly gadwall & teal in the bag last week. We have a loaf of pintails in the area so we’ve laid off the triggers allot.

[Ryan Miloshewski]

31 minutes ago, Gavin said:

Last Weds-Friday was great, then no wind and 70 degrees all weekend. Things picked back up this afternoon. Still waiting on a push of Mallards. It was mostly gadwall & teal in the bag last week. We have a loaf of pintails in the area so we’ve laid off the triggers allot.

Ahh, danger ducks. About time to amend that one-bird limit I'd say. 

[DADAKOTA]

Hoping we don't get an early freeze up.

[BilletHead]

1 hour ago, DADAKOTA said:

Hoping we don't get an early freeze up.

    I concur, there has been two seasons on the Thanksgiving opener in South zone all small bodies of water were locked up. Northern parts of the South zone. 23 here this morning but got to 55 this afternoon. Looking at the seven day forecast. 18 Saturday night and 16 Sunday night. 

[Gavin]

We finally have some Mallards on the East Side! It should be good for a few days.