PAPER DUCKS | HUNTING INDIANA

featherduster
Major Contributor

Posts: 10,284

PAPER DUCKS Jan 31, 2012 7:05:11 GMT -5

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Post by featherduster on Jan 31, 2012 7:05:11 GMT -5

About 15 years ago the Federal government along with organizations such as Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl and others said that the fall migration was going to be one of the best on record.

Well that year the duck season was one of the worst on record and those organizations said they would never make such a bold statement again.

Fast forward to this past waterfowl season and once again these organizations predicted another "RECORD SEASON" one to tell our grand children about and guess what, it appears for the most part depending on where you hunt, THEY WERE WRONG.......AGAIN.

Success is based on numbers and if these organizations that rely on our donations don't show us good numbers then people will not support them,, soooooooooooo what do you tell your supporters....... that because of their dollar donations and the hard work done you will have a great waterfowl season.

Now don't get me wrong I am not saying these organizations are not important because they do a great job and they can do what the government can't do because of dollar restraints.

These organizations need our support and will continue to get mine, I just wish they would stick to reporting facts and not reading tea leaves and gazing into crystal balls.

Last Edit: Jan 31, 2012 7:08:51 GMT -5 by featherduster

joeyb
Major Contributor

Posts: 660

PAPER DUCKS Jan 31, 2012 9:14:21 GMT -5

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Post by joeyb on Jan 31, 2012 9:14:21 GMT -5

I agree that it was a bold statement, and one of the worst season on record for me too. However they still had a record hatch, and I know other people had great seasons. My uncle lives in Missouri, and he had one of the best seasons in 30 years of chasing ducks. I think our biggest problem was weather. Maybe we'll see it next year.

esshup
Major Contributor

Cal and Dottie (R.I.P.)

Posts: 13,282

PAPER DUCKS Jan 31, 2012 12:45:49 GMT -5

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Post by esshup on Jan 31, 2012 12:45:49 GMT -5

I think that the timing of the seasons has a huge amount of bearing on the success of the hunting season. If you think back 30 years ago, the winters WERE a bit cooler, and the cold weather came earlier. So, the earlier duck seasons coincided with the migration. Now, the migration seems to come thru after season closes, which results in less #'s of ducks killed. (at least up here)

I'd like to see DU start putting pressure on the Feds and States to change the season dates, something like the pressure that NRA puts on.

We were seeing hundreds of ducks in our hunting ground after the season closed, where there were no ducks after the first weekend. You could tell that the late ducks were migrators - different species than what were here at the beginning of season.

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joeyb
Major Contributor

Posts: 660

PAPER DUCKS Feb 1, 2012 12:11:34 GMT -5

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Post by joeyb on Feb 1, 2012 12:11:34 GMT -5

I agree that this year specifically was exactly like you said. Hell there are ducks on my main waterhole right now. Bout 80 to be exact. Not to mention I didn't wear a coat to work today, and it's Feb 1. However is it just this year, or is this a trend for the last few years?

In 2009 we had a TON of migrators that we shot during Thanksgiving weekend. We broke ice to do it. How do I know they migrators? Canada bands on 2 that we shot that weekend. So, is it just this year that the season dates didn't coincide with the migration, or is it going to stay warmer longer into the winter from now on? We'll have to wait and see.

My opinion is that whether you do or don't believe in Global Warming, I'd say that we do have some Climate Change. That's just Mother Nature. Is it human caused? Probably some of it. Have we caused enough to change the climate, and will it destroy the Earth? NO, Earth is MUCH bigger than us, and it will shake us off if we even start to mess it up. Nature is much more powerful than us, and it wont let us destroy it. I do however believe that we're going to see warmer weather through the early fall, and cold weather through the Spring from now on. I don't know what the entire reason for climate change is, but I'm sure Nature has its reason. Whether we see those reason now or not, we're seeing the changes. Just my thoughts on it all.