Worst Waterfowl Season in Years?

[Gunny1]

They are coming back now, but late.

http://www.ducks.org/hunting/migrat...ard-the-chesapeake-bay-and-midatlantic-states

 

[5amhunt]

Wow that article just go me super pumped for this weekend, now i cant concentrate at work thanks!

 

[BenL]

They are coming back now, but late.

http://www.ducks.org/hunting/migrat...ard-the-chesapeake-bay-and-midatlantic-states

I saw that. I'm hoping the cold is pushing down birds from the north.

 

[mark71211]

Going out again on Saturday morning.

 

[fabsroman]

Virginia already lifted the Cormorant ban, so maybe that will happen.

I'd also be willing to give up the earlier season(s) to have a chance to hunt when there are actually birds around. Hell, I'd be willing to give up an entire year or two if it would mean better numbers for many years after that. But I'm probably in the minority on that second part.

lol- there used to be a moratorium on migratory geese in the Atlantic flyway. So, everybody gave up goose hunting for a while to save the Atlantic population. That was back in the 90's. There was a moratorium on Rockfish too back in the 90's.

 

[mark71211]

Sitting in the pit now and there ain't much flying at all today

 

[PJDiesel]

This is my second consecutive Saturday NOT hunting (working all weekend). I was assuming the low ceiling and drizzle would help with movement. Again though, no pressure with food, not much freezing of ponds......

 

[mark71211]

Well I screwed up today. Around 11:30 we were calling it a day so we stood up from our hay bale blind and started to BS a little. At that point out of the corner of my eye I caught a group of 5 geese 80 yards out and 40 yards high dropping fast into our spread. So we do the dumb thing of ducking back into the blind really fast and got busted.

But I must say that today the geese did not start to fly till about 10 today. Each week it keeps getting better and better. I'm going to go back out on MLK day and hope another week it gets even better.

 

[fabsroman]

Well I screwed up today. Around 11:30 we were calling it a day so we stood up from our hay bale blind and started to BS a little. At that point out of the corner of my eye I caught a group of 5 geese 80 yards out and 40 yards high dropping fast into our spread. So we do the dumb thing of ducking back into the blind really fast and got busted.

But I must say that today the geese did not start to fly till about 10 today. Each week it keeps getting better and better. I'm going to go back out on MLK day and hope another week it gets even better.

Yep, quick movement will get you busted all the time. Movement is really the killer.

I have been in the middle of the decoys with birds coming in, crouched down, on several occasions and it really has not been a problem unless I am on top of snow and the only brown spot in the field.

Glad to hear you guys at least saw something today.

When I can let the dog out at 9:00 am wearing just jeans, socks and a sweatshirt, and stay out there for 5 minutes comfortably, while outside on the front porch, it just isn't waterfowling weather for the big birds (e.g., geese, mallards).

 

[fabsroman]

This is my second consecutive Saturday NOT hunting (working all weekend). I was assuming the low ceiling and drizzle would help with movement. Again though, no pressure with food, not much freezing of ponds......

This is about my 15th consecutive weekend NOT hunting. You are a lucky man. Then again, it might make more sense to work right now instead of pursuing geese. Unless you really believe a bad day of hunting is better than a good day of work.

 

[mark71211]

Yep, quick movement will get you busted all the time. Movement is really the killer.

I have been in the middle of the decoys with birds coming in, crouched down, on several occasions and it really has not been a problem unless I am on top of snow and the only brown spot in the field.

We did a rookie mistake there and as soon as we ducked back into the blind we knew we screwed up. Now if this was later in the year and not the first geese to come into us we would have just frozen in place. We were standing behind some hay round bales at the time and our guns were still within arms length.

On a side note: while hunting today I did watch 2 A-10 go buzzing by us. Always loved watching those planes. So I must say it was not a total loss of a day

 

[fabsroman]

We did a rookie mistake there and as soon as we ducked back into the blind we knew we screwed up. Now if this was later in the year and not the first geese to come into us we would have just frozen in place. We were standing behind some hay round bales at the time and our guns were still within arms length.

On a side note: while hunting today I did watch 2 A-10 go buzzing by us. Always loved watching those planes. So I must say it was not a total loss of a day

Never a lost day. I cannot remember how my 3 year old and I got talking about it yesterday in the car, but life is really what you make of it in terms of happiness. You can decide to be happy or miserable. There are always things you can find to make you miserable or happy. It just depends how you want to look at things.

You were probably hunting with family and/or friends. Regardless, you were out hunting. You got to have a somewhat relaxing day. You got to see geese and might have even been able to kill some. Pretty sure I could find more positives. You learned from the experience, albeit for a second time, if not more. lol Not a wasted day whatsoever.

 

[PJDiesel]

This is about my 15th consecutive weekend NOT hunting. You are a lucky man. Then again, it might make more sense to work right now instead of pursuing geese. Unless you really believe a bad day of hunting is better than a good day of work.

It's just too much time for me to dedicate right now. For instance, I left at 5:50 this morning, just got home and ate dinner at 8:20pm. Laying in bed now so I can be up and out by 6 tomorrow.

So,.... no time to hunt, not even close.

 

[signature]

Hunted the shore this evening. Nothing but a few birds that knew exactly where they were going. Heard lots of slug guns going off. Kind of told us the locals knew to spend their time deer hunting.

 

[Derwood]

I wasn't able to go out with my buddies yesterday in Southern Maryland. They killed four mallards, a bufflehead, a bluebill and a goose. A landmark day for that spot. I really wish I could have been there! I'd never even seen mallards there. Wow.

I think it goes to show that some cold weather followed by foggy/gross weather can't be beat for waterfowling.

Good luck to everyone else. I won't be able to hunt again until January 30.

 

[Sticky]

Couple guys I hunt with did a hunt up in the Church Hill area on Friday, they limited out on geese (14) by 11am. Wish I could have made that hunt! Will make the next one... lol

 

[mark71211]

Couple guys I hunt with did a hunt up in the Church Hill area on Friday, they limited out on geese (14) by 11am. Wish I could have made that hunt! Will make the next one... lol

That's not a bad day then. Is it in a farm they lease or on a guided hunt? How many decoys did they have in their spread, did they call a lot or very little? Details man, details! Let the rest of us know what's working right now.

 

[Sticky]

That's not a bad day then. Is it in a farm they lease or on a guided hunt? How many decoys did they have in their spread, did they call a lot or very little? Details man, details! Let the rest of us know what's working right now.

Haahaa... well, I wasn't there, so I don't know squat, other than the pic they teased me with yesterday.. lol

It was a guided hunt, pretty sure it was a field shoot from the pic, but I'll have to find out more for ya.

 

[Jerry M]

I went to the shore for a long weekend, thousands of new birds in the area between Easton and St Michael's.

Good luck

Jerry

 

[lazarus]

I heard and saw a ridiculous number this weekend in the eastern shore. Diriving by Easton High School there must have been 800-1,000 sitting on the football field and grounds in general. Going MLK day fingers crossed. I hope to get two days in if I can.