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Our season was just as good as the past as far as numbers killed. We had to give a few more days rest before going back on some holes. We are fortunate enough to be able to bump around and not keep hunting the same places all the time. To Hammer: you talk about hunting the santuary at Mahanna three times a week? If you hunt any hole three times a week that why you arn't killing ducks. There isn't a place on this earth that can stand that kind of pressure. You have got to let some numbers build before you can have a decent hunt. If that takes three days or four or 10 days it doesn't matter. The bottom line is if you hunt it to often you can have all the feed in the world and not kill ducks!!!!!
If everytime you went out to get something to eat at your favorite resturant someone shot at you you would quit going too!!!

Regarding BR549:

During the good old days of 30/3 in 1992-93, I hunted the same duck hole 26 out of 30 days and limited 24 of those 26 days...

During the phenomenal 1998-99 season, we hunted the same duck hole 28 days out of the 60 day season... Everybody that hunted that hole limited on 26 of the 28 days...

When there are ducks, a good hole can be hunted morning after morning, provided you get in, take your birds and get out...Your statement is accurate only when there arent really many ducks around...

Judging from your statement, I would guess that you are 30 or younger, have hunted ducks seriously for less than 10 years, have a "DUCKS" decal on your vehicle and have a closet full of Avery and McAlister gear...Please confirm or deny my hunch.

HAMMER

If you hunt any hole three times a week that why you arn't killing ducks. There isn't a place on this earth that can stand that kind of pressure. You have got to let some numbers build before you can have a decent hunt. If that takes three days or four or 10 days it doesn't matter. The bottom line is if you hunt it to often you can have all the feed in the world and not kill ducks!!!!!

BR549 you are dead wrong about that. Just as Hammer has said we killed day in and day out all season long in the 1:30 hole year after year in the 1970's, 80's and early 90's. Haven't seen that in about 8 years.
Food is not and never will be the only driving force for ducks to use a place. many things draw birds to an area. When you have birds.

If your stickly hunting food locations your logic may stand a better chance.

Better tomorrow

I agree with you on this one, Hammer. The key words are GOOD HOLE and PLENTY OF DUCKS.

By the way, I am under 30, been duck hunting close to 10 years, but don't have the Avery/McCallister gear and no "DUCK" decals on my truck.

Well I'm pushing 50, have hunted ducks since the early 70's and I Wear mossy Oak camo, bushbuster waders, and I HAVE DUCK DECALS ON MY TOYOTA. Your point is!?

And an action figure

HAMMER, I started hunting ducks in 1961 thank you and good lord willing will hunt many more. I have probably killed more ducks than you have ever seen. No I don't have a closet full of Avery gear and never even heard of Mcalister's. What I do have is some quality duck hunting and it is not because of location as much as it is management. In the '70's of thirty and three you hunted 28 times with limits thats less than 90 ducks total. Today you kill limits on 28 trips that number just doubled. Stop and think about it. Hunting pressure is 10 time what it was in the seventies. I went on thirtyfour trips this year with a minimum of four hunters some a high as eight. killed limits all but twice and they were good hunts 43 & 46. I do know what I am talking about. All of our places are good not so much because of location but moreso because of management. I'm already working on next year's season trying to get everything drained so it can be prepared and planted.

Hey BR: The Avery/MacAlister/Decal take was a little poke at the johnny come latelys...

No you have not killed more ducks than I have seen...In fact, I once had 5000+ ducks IN MY DECOYS at a hole near Itta Bena back in 1982...I know there were over 5000 ducks because I counted them for over an hour....That is the most ducks I have ever had in the decoys but I have been under tornados of ducks that lasted for over 30 minutes numerous times in my duck career...There is just nothing else like it...That is what keeps my going back....Incidentally, when this happens I never shoot because there is no better long term help for a duck hole than a tornado...

I began keeping records at the age of 20 which was about the time I learned to count ducks...Since then I've logged over 1600 birds myself including some years I did not hunt ducks at all (out West playing cowboy, skiing, etc) and others I hunted only a few times (school, chasing girls when I was single, or lately, deer hunting)...If you shoot at the same duck I shoot at, I dont count it in my logbook...I also dont count the ducks taken on hunts that I guide since that is your hunt, not mine....so I've killed more than I've logged but either way, it is way better than I deserve so I am not complaining other than about the lies/propaganda of DU & FWS....

Bottomline: You might know what you are talking about but this time you misspoke...You obviously have never hunted the kind of hole I am talking about but others (see Duckmen above) have...Day in, day out, all season long...It takes a great hole and lots of birds but I have seen it more than once- BACK WHEN WE HAD DUCKS.

HAMMER

I know of one hole,and Hammer knows the one I'm talkin about,that got hunted virtually every day of the season.It produced limits (6) of ducks for 4-6 hunters roughly 90% of the time for years (at least 1995-2000)!

Three days a week kills a hole.HOOEY!!!!!

Just my 2 cents on this hunting a hole everday business. When you don't have access to anything but public land....What are you to do? I know people are hunting where I hunt when I am not hunting. I am just one of those people that has to really hunt hard when they get a chance. But...I do have lots to learn. I have only been hunting ducks for about 6 years. This is the first year I have really been hunting where there were mallards. I used to hunt down on the coast for wood ducks. I do know that for wood ducks, it didn't matter how hard they were hunted. We killed em everyday(when we found their spot)! But anyway, hopefully I will learn more as I hunt and hopefully I will kill mallards soon!!

I would like to add this one statement though.

We hunted the same hole day in and day out but never past noon. Never, Not once.
You shoot morning and afternoon and I'm convinced you can destroy a hole. (for a while anyway)

Better tomorrow

i would have to say we had a relatively good season compared to what i have read on here. it seems lately that the larger numbers of ducks don't show up until late in the season. was fortunate enough to limit out by 7:15am one morn while my father was down for the holidays. he did not hunt but went with my brother and i. hunted all year with my brother and had some good times. worst things that happened to us: lost one decoy bag, went one day and never raised our guns, tripped over some cypress stumps chasin' a cripple. best things that happened: my brother shot a triple the last day we hunted, i shot a drake pintail on the same day. thankful to the good Lord no tragic accidents and for the number of ducks we killed. i'll rate the season a 7.5.

Season started and ended great. It got a little dry in the middle. Time to start working on next year.

I killed over 40 ducks on public land this year in addition to those killed on leases. You can be very successful on public land, but you cannot expect to pick a random spot, sit still and have the ducks come to you every day. Mobility is the key to hunting public land. Mobility, ruthless scouting and hunting during the week if at all possible. And leave the twirlie duck at home.

I agree gulf 98% of my duck hunting is on public land. There is alot of scouting done to prepare for the upcoming hunts. We get out and build blinds set out dekes (on the river)the day before or a couple days before we hunt. you have to go get em don't expect them to come to you.

It was a good season. Killed over 250 ducks shot almost 3 cases of shells. Alot of shots to get ducks up of of br's land. Just kidding. I don't believe anyone can out hunt,out shoot, out call, out bs BR> He has left the blind if you know what I mean. There has not been a topic he does not know something about. I'm just sad I didn't get a band but now know why. He and my buddy must have killed em all. Gettum next year.