Duck Hunters

I have never been duck hunting (someone please take me) and I cant recognize many ducks. This morning I was heading east on I20 just east of Monroe about day break this morning and they must have had 1,000 ducks at least flying approx 150-200 feet off the ground. They appeared to be all black they looked to have a large wingspan. Any idea what they might be. Just curious.


Thanks

Very tiny black helicopters .

American Coot aka Poule D'eau

Tim, do you have a kayak or pirogue? I sold my flat boat when I bought my bay boat, but there is a place I was thinking about just kayaking in to that is public land. We might be able to pick up a few ducks.

Sound said:

Tim, do you have a kayak or pirogue? I sold my flat boat when I bought my bay boat, but there is a place I was thinking about just kayaking in to that is public land. We might be able to pick up a few ducks.

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Guess what I got for christmas

Sound said:

Tim, do you have a kayak or pirogue? I sold my flat boat when I bought my bay boat, but there is a place I was thinking about just kayaking in to that is public land. We might be able to pick up a few ducks.

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Not at this time

Commorants probably??

Hmmm I-20 near Funroe????? I may be up there in a couple of weeks

Maybe woodies?

That's a fairly high count, but fly-bys that low sounds like woodies leaving a big roost and heading for their feeding areas. All ducks can tend to look somewhat black at daybreak/after sunset. Did it look like they were kinda bobbing their heads up and down a bit with flight that could be described as a bit "weaving"?

I've jump shot woodies on ponds, gravel pits, creeks, sloughs and the Tickfaw River near the Mississippi line, and, I'm a bit ashamed to say now, I have shot wood duck roosts at woodcock:thirty, which is well after shooting hours, a very many years ago when I was a kid, living near Houma. I can fairly easily ID most ducks in flight, woodies being among the easiest to discern even in and amongst other ducks by the slightly peculiar way they fly. You can get a clearer indication by taking into account the time and place you see 'em, too.

It's unbelievable what shooting a roost can be like with them suddenly piling in all around you almost like little waterfowl ordnance with a deadset address, all right at dark...like someone is shooting little feathered sidewinder missiles into the water all around you, especially in big sloughs that are fairly heavily wooded. Unlike what you'd think, they'll often come crashing down into a heavily wooded slough beating hell outta branches and the foliage thereon, and you can easily see and hear it. I've had them hit the water within a mere couple/few feet of me, squealing their asses off, close enough that you can see their bulging, acorn filled craws, and this is essentially in the dark. I suspect that they do likewise, but in reverse order and process, when they leave their roosts, and that's my guess as to why they can tend to look like one big, if somewhat disorganized, flock . . . and also why I tend to think that's likely what you saw.

I've also done considerable pass shooting, morning and evening, and I've also watched them pass on many instances, most times well after legal sunset and well before legal sunrise, and they look almost as black as coal. They bob and weave their heads up and down, sort of twisting and turning in flight just above, and even through, treetops, and I notice that they tend to follow bayous when they can.

If you get far off from where woodies are pass shot with any frequency at all, far enough to have some perspective, you'll see them at pre-sunrise/post-sunset, passing low, weaving through treetops, and then when they near where shooters set up, you'll clearly see them turning up and gaining considerable height, crossing the danger zone, then dropping right back down into the trees. The more pressure that is put in them with pass shooters, the farther away they'll start gaining elevation when they are heading toward the shooters, and the farther away from them they will start diving and loosing elevation - and, therefore, the higher they will be when they are passing over the shooters.

Admittedly, numbers in the thousands simultaneously passing together "as a flock" is a bit unusual as somewhat high count, but far from impossible. I've simultaneously seen many birds "together" quite a few times, but my observations verify, to me, anyway, that it's essentially a bunch of "little flocks" that generally number from two to a half dozen or so, and up to maybe a dozen or more, and bunches those sizes that can be viewed at once can look like a large flock that tends to appear to be more in disorder than truly en masse. And, I am not at all trying to discredit what you say in any way, shape or form, but I, and many others I know, tend to over estimate relatively large numbers of ducks, maybe making 150 into 500, etc.

So, short of the ever dependable ground check, factors for IDing them are their somewhat idiosyncratic flight (head bobbing up and down, hauling ass while twisting and weaving through the treetops or a bit above); the time and place they are passing; the day-to-day repetition of flight time and path such that you could just about set your watch by it; their oft’ times association with flooded timber (but, keep in mind that’s along with mallards and even a few pintail, teal, and grey ducks (gadwall)), and, more definitively than any other way, you can hear them squealing in flight.

If you work such that you pass that spot essentially every day at the same time, or if you happen to pass there at that same time over the next few weeks, and you can safely pull over, kill your engine, and roll your window down, you can surely ID them by that long, shrill, drawn out squealing that they do. And, if that same scenario is totally void of that squealing, I would bet a paycheck that they are NOT wood ducks.

One last thing…many, if not most, woodies are resident birds, the population of these resident birds being directly proportional to the number of suitable nesting sights available (which is why nest boxes are such a valuable tool for conservation of our resident birds, and my anecdotal evidence shows more woodies this year than in other recent ones). That notwithstanding, many migrate, so if you see these ducks in the summer, they are probably woodies, because for all intents and purposes, that’s all we really have here at that time aside from “Summer French” (mottled ducks, also known as black ducks, Florida ducks, Texas duck, which resemble female mallards very closely, down in true numbers now due to cross breeding), and even some fulvous tree ducks and a few others, but none of those even near the woody population.

Next time I'll give you the long and detailed version!

CajunTim said:

I have never been duck hunting (someone please take me) and I cant recognize many ducks. This morning I was heading east on I20 just east of Monroe about day break this morning and they must have had 1,000 ducks at least flying approx 150-200 feet off the ground. They appeared to be all black they looked to have a large wingspan. Any idea what they might be. Just curious.


Thanks

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East of Monroe, open fields, 1,000+ birds, flying low to the ground, large wingspan; geese

glimmerman said:

East of Monroe, open fields, 1,000+ birds, flying low to the ground, large wingspan; geese

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I was stationed in the northwest for 4 years and can recognize geese and these werent geese.

Big bodied ducks are probably Mallards. They migrate in large flocks. I love to duck hunt it can be a lot of fun. I would recommend flooded timber for a first time hunter. It is easier to hunt. There are several public spots up around of Monroe. I have been hunting up there for a couple of years now. It is a challenge to get there you have to wake up at 2 am to get a good spot. Plenty of ducks though. See if you can find a farmer in that area that has a good field that you may can lease for a couple of hundred dollars. It would be a good investment. Decoys are a couple of hundred dollars for a couple of dozen. Waders are 150 to 200 dollars and insulated with thinsulate is worth every penny. A good set of calls is essential Buck gardner super mag calls are awesome calls user friendly and easy to blow. Primos sweet talker is a good caller as well. Both set of calls are raspy and loud. If I get to go this year I would gladly take you with me. Let me know if you are interested. Get your calls and start practicing.

I would love to go thanks, I have been working on my turkey calls and I think it sounds like a predator call as it appears that somethiing it dying

I got several blinds I can bring you hunting in next season. But I gotta warn you, its addicting and costly, and by February, my wife doesn't even recognize me. Before you spend a bunch of money, give it a try first to make sure you like it. I'll bring you hunting all you want, I got enough equipment for several people I've collected over the years.

Awesome, so if someone can me together a basic needs list it would be appreciated. Meaning what will I need to stay dry and warm and which steel shot I need and choke thanks.

I need to go shoot some clays to get ready.

CajunTim said:

Awesome, so if someone can me together a basic needs list it would be appreciated. Meaning what will I need to stay dry and warm and which steel shot I need and choke thanks.

I need to go shoot some clays to get ready.

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Wal Mart in hammond has Remington Nitro Steel on sale for 8.00 a box.....


IOW get your ass driving...

It took me several years to at least get good with my calls. I constantly practice. The Buck Gardner series has a instructional cd that comes with the tall timber call. It is one of the best that I have ever used.

twistedridge said:

It took me several years to at least get good with my calls. I constantly practice. The Buck Gardner series has a instructional cd that comes with the tall timber call. It is one of the best that I have ever used.

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The art of duck commanding FTW

CajunTim said:

Awesome, so if someone can me together a basic needs list it would be appreciated. Meaning what will I need to stay dry and warm and which steel shot I need and choke thanks.

I need to go shoot some clays to get ready.

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I would start off small. I like Mossy Oak Break-Up camouflage. There camo works best in flooded timber. It is about 75 to 150 dollars for a good jacket. I have cabelas 5mm neostretch waders they are insulated and are great. They are about 110 to 130 dollars. Very tough, rugged, good and insulated. A good set of wool socks and long johns are agood investment as well. This next part is dependant of what type of gun you have. I use a Benelli 12ga with a 3.5in chamber. I like Kent fast steel precesion shells they are fairly cheap and do well for me. They are around 15 to 17 dollars a box. Also Winchester Expert Hivelocity steel. They are around the same price maybe a little cheaper. I have shot bunches of different shells and it does not matter what shells you shoot everybody has to point and pull the trigger. Choke tubes I would go with a modified. These are just some ideas. A good cheap sweater to help insulate you as well works good.

neo wadders are good but in flooded timber they can get ripped check out tp outdoors on 165 they can help as far as some where to go start looking now if your thinking of public land the beof river isnt bad i just moved from there...id scout a place around the hatch bridge good luck but becarful ducks can consume your life!