Lack of Ducks on the Salty Water

Carl

Carl

Well-known member
Staff member
Hunted way down south on the salty water of Mississippi Sound yesterday. Dropped the boy off at school and the brown dog and I headed south.
We hit the water and ran all over our normal hunting spots plus checked out some areas that we hadn't hunted before. An hour later and couple of gallons of gas expended I came to the conclusion that we just don't have any ducks. Covering close to 9 miles of grassbeds, marshy islands and shoals, other than scattered groups of buffleheads here and there, I saw about 6 scaup and 1 small flock of redheads. Normally in this area, every shoal and grassy flat holds anywhere from 50 to a couple hundred scaup and redheads. Not this year apparently. Not sure where the divers are, but they aren't down here.
I had already made the trip, so I set up close to where I had seen a few buffies and the one lone group of scaup. 3 hours later, I picked up having never fired a shot at a duck.
I did kill two mergies, making quite a shot on an overheard passing bird doing about 300 mph.
Lawn Dart on its way to being jerky:
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Boat in the blind & decoys.
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The coot decoy that Chuck and I made a trade on. "Good trade" See Chuck, I told you I would get it into the spread!
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Did some windshield scouting along Mobile Bay this morning, the lack of ducks extends to up here too. Just doesn't make sense that it is so cold up north and we have so few ducks. Even the outdoors writer for the local paper's main article this last weekend was about the lack of birds. Well, we still have 6 weeks to go, hopefully we will get a big push before the end.
 
We have bin dealing with the same thing here in the western side of Long Island since Thanksgiving....a black duck here and there...but yesterday I saw large flocks of Broadbills and Buffles in the bay...Things are starting to look good with this cold cold air we have bin getting......
 
Darn, Carl, I am thinking that you had a great day for shooting a mergie going 300 mph. If it was flying any faster, you might have to start wearing ear protectors for sonic booms.

I like that spread of yours. Too bad the ducks weren't in the area.
Al
 
Worst part is that today at lunch I checked out my opening day spot via a windshield scouting trip: Ducks all around my blind!!!
Coulda, shoulda, woulda........
 
Carl, plenty of buffies and whistlers up here on the salt. Black ducks have been kind of scarce for me, but it looks like the Jersey and LI guys are getting their chances at them now.

You just need to buy a lot of warm clothes and head north. A couple of mornings breaking ice would be good for your soul!
 
Hey, Carl,
At least it looks like you have plenty of OPEN water. With six weeks left, I'm betting you have some fun days ahead.
Had to break ice from the ramp to the spot I hunted this a.m., plus clear ice out of the area I set up in, then break my way back to the ramp at noon. I don't think the temperatures ever got anywhere near what they said mid-day was going to be like. Mallard x Blackduck rig I had out looked good, but nary a duck flew today. Still better than the best day at work used to be!! ;-)
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I did get a great show from a huge flock of Sandhills. They always give plenty of notice when you hear that "trilling" from miles away. Plent of time to get the camera ready for sure.
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Hey, Carl,
At least it looks like you have plenty of OPEN water. With six weeks left, I'm betting you have some fun days ahead.
Had to break ice from the ramp to the spot I hunted this a.m., plus clear ice out of the area I set up in, then break my way back to the ramp at noon. I don't think the temperatures ever got anywhere near what they said mid-day was going to be like. Mallard x Blackduck rig I had out looked good, but nary a duck flew today. Still better than the best day at work used to be!! ;-)



I did get a great show from a huge flock of Sandhills. They always give plenty of notice when you hear that "trilling" from miles away. Plent of time to get the camera ready for sure.
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Warm up on the way, Bob. Stick with it!
 
Been getting lots of comments and questions about migration. Varies by flyway but fall was warm and delayed in many areas and then winter weather started quickly but lots of variation. Birds in Pacific Flyway were very delayed from Alaska but prairie birds were on time. Central and Mississippi Flyway birds are kegged up in the mid-latitude states and the Atlantic Flyway has been kind of mild so birds aren't concentrated.
 
Hey Carl you ever run up into that area inside of Pascagoula? I have folks who don't hunt ducks (they go down there to catch catfish) tell me there's ducks up in there. Have never checked it out. Thinking of getting my Peregrine out of mothballs and running up that way instead of going to Arkansas one weekend.

Ed.
 
We struck out on Guntersville this morning, Carl. Shot my gun four times today. We have not had good seasons in the last few. We had a trip planned to hunt Bayou LeBatre in January, but may not come if the numbers are not good on the redheads. My cousin came down last year and limited on beautiful drakes. I'm still looking to kill my first. Looks like you are able to get on the water more this year than last. That's got to be considered a moral victory any way. Merry Christmas and happy hunting.
 
Overall the Texas coastal hunting has been slow except for an abundance of Redheads. The normal amounts of Sprigs, Widgeon, teal and other puddle ducks are not here. Reports from the coastal prairie have been mixed, some have been covered up with puddlers and others are duck less. We have been in a drought statewide for 3+ yrs and it finally broke for the central, eastern and coastal areas. All that newly flooded habitat has the birds scattered all over creation. This year hunting managing hunting pressure on private areas is more important due to the abundance of choices the birds have.
 
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Todd,
Yep, getting out more this year for sure, so that is a good thing. Bad day in the blind is still better than being at work or raking leaves!


From talking to a guy who hunts down there, they had lots of redheads the first two weeks, but the numbers have dropped off recently. Also, the greater scaup just aren't there, similar to last year.
Email me later in the year if you are still thinking about heading this way.
 
Ed,
I have never hunted the MS Side, but I do know that they do get some redheads, scaup and buffies on their side of Grand Bay and MS Sound. I also hear that the Pascagoula River Delta is good as well, just have never hunted it.
Shoot me an email and I can send you a map of areas in the MS side of MS Sound that might be good.
 
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