It is depressing !!!!!

M

mo elgammal

Member
Hi guys, the weather has been very nice here in Long Island .. Went hunting for two weeks and I haven't seen or shoot at duck . The weather has been warm and It is depressing to see all the ducks sitting out on the small ponds and don't come back to the marsh.. I have heard some other duck hunters on the island have the same problem .we need to pray for some weather .
 
I'm in N. IL, yesterday I kayaked 14 miles of river without gloves and was disappointed I didn't take a fishing pole. Geese aren't flocked up and hitting the corn fields like they were when it was cold in November.
 
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Empty-handed again..
Today was 'my' closing day... Took one shot at a 25-yard crossing mallard and missed behind him (probably by 2+ feet)... A fitting end to my season.
So little shooting these 2 months has caused my shooting to become R.u.S.t.Y...

-But a beautiful day, it was, and I was glad to spend it on the marsh.

Good luck with the rest of your seasons!
 
Our season started on the 27th of November .. I have hunted the opening day and claim 2 mallard and 1 black duck since then I haven't fire my gun on any duck . I couldn't be a good match for sky busting . I am not sure is it because of the weather is nice or the hunters who sky bust and educat the birds early in the season ???
 
Mo Yeah the same here. One black duck and one hoodie. Very quiet. My nephew did great on the youth weekend because it was cold. It hasn't been cold since.
 
I have not hunted much this year in Southern NJ, but there don't seem to be a lot of ducks on the upper Eastern Seaboard in general.
 
our season on the st.lawrence ended on the 14th, as usual the birds show up after the season closes no matter how cold it is. At Cape Vincent you can see more gadwalls and mallards than I have ever seen and the geese are just not migrating . open water no snow, they arent going anyplace for a while. I saw one flock of gadwalls that had over a thousand birds, pretty impressive, you can drive right up to them. I did see a lost speckle belly.
 
We are " in the same boat" on this side of the Sound. Ponds and streams in the residential areas are loaded. I went by a golf course the other day, its pond was loaded and no one playing golf to kick them out.
 
Same here to the East. Sorry but glad to know I am not alone in my misery. After being skunked twice I was thinking it was me. My sure fire black duck spots have been a bust. To make matters worst we have had so little wind on days when pressure may move birds the head out to sea and ride out the Saturday on the ocean. Only good thing to come of this slow down is my serious thoughts of begining to carve in anticipation of having a small rig for black ducks next season.

At least we are not paying an arm and a leg for plowing snow and heating oil.
 
ok so here goes.. I only hunt/shoot puddle ducks, opening day (nov. 27) till dec 10 was great for me.. Shot Mallards, Blacks, green wing teal and have seen lots of pintail. Since then its been very slow. I have hunted december 12,14,19,21,23,26,and 27th without having a bird decoy in within range. Yesterdays hunt was interesting, after setting up some people behind me started shooting clays off the marsh so that ended things before it even started. I thought that was very inconsiderate for anyone to do that during hunting season. I have witnessed hunters sky busting like crazy around where I hunt (amityville to merrick) I have seen them shooting at brant after the 4 day opening season. I know some hunter was ticketed by DEC at wantagh boat ramp for possessing brant after the season was closed 2 weeks ago. a few days ago hunters were shooting at 5:10pm around the block from me way after legal shooting time. Yes the weather has not helped but this out of control shooting at divers and brant OUT OF RANGE is not helping things either. Lets hope this weeks predicted cold weather freezes up the local ponds and keeps the sky busters at home.
 
This seems to be the trend for at least the last 3-4 years, migration is at least 2-3 weeks behind historical dates. And we haven't had consistent cold weather in November and December in years. Birds simply wont migrate farther than they have too when the weather stays warm and there is open water & food to be found. Good for ducks, bad for duck hunters.
Is is climate change? Short term shift in weather patterns? Both? Hard to say, but the trend is certainly towards the warmer side.
 
I guess I'll chime in too. As a 95% puddle duck hunter this weather post Thanksgiving hasn't been fun. Lately if I shoot one bird on a hunt that's a win, if I shoot two that's a banner shoot. Haven't pulled the broadbill rig out yet but have been tempted.
 
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