# Year End Review



## SnowJunkie (Oct 31, 2013)

lefty421 said:


> Huh? The bay didn't lose a week this year due to ice?!? Maybe a couple isolated launches or marshes were iced for a day or two, but the bay as a whole was completely huntable every day and accessible all season..... We hunted the bay all year, even when everything inland was iced up, and we never had to break ice once this year. We launched from ice free launches all season long. When the guys at Shi were crying that all their fields were iced and their birds were all gone, we kept shooting birds out on the bay, right up until the last day of the season yesterday. Both last season, and again this season, the hunting got better as the season went on and we had some of our best hunts right at the end.
> 
> Yesterday out on the bay, on the last day of the season and we were still shooting piles of ducks... These late season hunts won't be possible if the bay gets moved up to zone 2.
> 
> ...


I agree that the season dates are fine. Many good hunts to be had the last week of season on most years, just not many people willing to put in the extra effort it takes to experience those hunts. Boo hoo, less hunter trips that week, who cares?! I think if the draw guys want to increase hunter trips we should increase the number of hunters per zone from 4 to 8 and do away with parties. The first 8 guys that choose a given zone can hunt it no matter if they're in the same party or not. So what if the quality of the hunt diminishes, at least we get more hunter trips!!


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## LumberJ (Mar 9, 2009)

Semi-recap:
My only two skunks of the season came on the first day of Early Teal @ FP and the last day of the season @ HI (plus one in the middle of Oct at a SGA, but that was really just an armed scouting mission). Thankfully everything in the middle was a lot of fun. I got my 3yo daughter out for a few of the hunts and managed to even get a few birds in the process. Finally met and made some new friends with a few of the forum regulars. I hunted 25% less this season (wife made it clear that after a week in Alaska I couldn't do another 30 day duck season), but we still managed to shoot 50% more birds vs this same point last year. Much of the increased production was due to taking a lot of skunks last year in the process of scouting new areas. This year I reaped the rewards of that.

..That being said, I can't really call this a year end review since my season doesn't end until I've written a tale of belly crawling through snow drifts on the split. I'm curious to see what we can do for our numbers after one more grand adventure this weekend.


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

lefty421 said:


> Huh? The bay didn't lose a week this year due to ice?!? Maybe a couple isolated launches or marshes were iced for a day or two, but the bay as a whole was completely huntable every day and accessible all season..... We hunted the bay all year, even when everything inland was iced up, and we never had to break ice once this year. We launched from ice free launches all season long. When the guys at Shi were crying that all their fields were iced and their birds were all gone, we kept shooting birds out on the bay, right up until the last day of the season yesterday. Both last season, and again this season, the hunting got better as the season went on and we had some of our best hunts right at the end.
> 
> Yesterday out on the bay, on the last day of the season and we were still shooting piles of ducks... These late season hunts won't be possible if the bay gets moved up to zone 2.
> 
> ...


I am glad you got into some great hunts! 
As far as the ice I was referncing, it was mud creek (Wildfowl Bay), Geiger road, Sebewaing, Quanicassee and Finn road.
Maybe things were different on the west side, I don't know.
My report reflects my experience for where I hunt, which I shared in my post opening.


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## T1basser (Oct 11, 2004)

It was an interesting year for me. We welcomed a new addition to the family on opening morning (I could have planned that better). Season preparation was lacking as was hunting time in October because of that. Had some really good hunts and some bad ones. But the bad ones were really bad this year! However some of the failures this year will pay off next season. 

Had a close call during that cold snap in November with a man down with a hurt leg/falling in the water. Luckily he is a tough old man and we were able to get back to the truck quickly and without help. It would have been a bad situation had he been solo and was a good reminder of what can happen out there. 

I only made it up to zone 2 once and that resulted in a lost blind bag/shells/calls/remotes. I think an overly excited dog sent it over the side of the 9 foot boat. It was windy and raining so I may have kicked it over somehow myself. Another hunter gave me some shells so I could hunt for a little while and that was much appreciated. 

It seemed like mallard numbers were up in my area while a majority of the divers seemed to pass us right on by. I watched them pile in at dark off the big lake several times only to be sky high heading south at first light the next morning. 

The dog had a productive and fun 4th season and we are looking forward to the late split.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

lefty421 said:


> Huh? The bay didn't lose a week this year due to ice?!? Maybe a couple isolated launches or marshes were iced for a day or two, but the bay as a whole was completely huntable every day and accessible all season..... We hunted the bay all year, even when everything inland was iced up, and we never had to break ice once this year. We launched from ice free launches all season long. When the guys at Shi were crying that all their fields were iced and their birds were all gone, we kept shooting birds out on the bay, right up until the last day of the season yesterday. Both last season, and again this season, the hunting got better as the season went on and we had some of our best hunts right at the end.
> 
> Yesterday out on the bay, on the last day of the season and we were still shooting piles of ducks... These late season hunts won't be possible if the bay gets moved up to zone 2.
> 
> ...


Again, you are the minority. They don’t set seasons based on the minority. The set it for the majority. I’m not sure why this is so hard to comprehend.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

The Doob said:


> I am glad you got into some great hunts!
> As far as the ice I was referncing, it was mud creek (Wildfowl Bay), Geiger road, Sebewaing, Quanicassee and Finn road.
> Maybe things were different on the west side, I don't know.
> My report reflects my experience for where I hunt, which I shared in my post opening.


Lots of lost days on the west side as well due to ice.


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

goosehunter31 said:


> Early season got out on a couple good goose shoots, watching a few flocks of geese dip feet down at 10 yards will get anyone excited.
> Regular season thought mallard numbers were up this year which was good see had another above year for us. Just under 200 ducks for the year, had many blue skies and sun at the back mallard shoots, which is hard to beat. great year to say the least. Got to watch two mounter pins shot this year in the group with nice sprigs which is always a bonus. Give a shout out to the honest duck hunters in the world. Lost decoys and a vest this year both returned by very generous guys.
> View attachment 466573
> View attachment 466575
> ...


Glad you were able to put the I-75 decoys in play this year.....


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## goosehunter31 (Sep 22, 2009)

waxico said:


> Glad you were able to put the I-75 decoys in play this year.....


That one dozen bag of mallards comes into play when you need to put out a set of 50 haha


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## population control (Apr 18, 2009)

This year was better than last. 
My question is..

We have 15 days for teal and a 30 day goose hunt on the bay early. Yet hardly anyone hunts much. I put in 15 days in September. Once in awhile some else was hunting after opener around me. Not much. 

Why aren’t fish point and the other management areas flooded for hunting opportunities during that time for the guys that want to hunt earlier or don’t have the equipment for the bay. 

If participation is down. Flood the easiest hunting areas earlier. There will be teal and geese in them zones if there flooded. I guarantee it. 

Theres 30 days right there and those areas are under utilized. A rough number of about 600 people could hunt fish point, nayanquing, and the Flats each day of September. Flood those areas Sept 1. Draw those parties and participants, record the hunter numbers/ birds killed. 
Use the resources we pay for to draw those numbers. 

Is starting a week earlier on the bay going to add that much participation? How many people honestly will 7 days add to participation numbers. 5 being week days? Will there be 500 people out hunting each weekday on the bay? 
Doubtful. Weekends for sure. 

I bet if the managed areas were flooded in September, they would draw more people than the bay will in 7 days with an earlier start. 

See you all a week earlier on the bay next year.


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

population control said:


> This year was better than last.
> My question is..
> 
> We have 15 days for teal and a 30 day goose hunt on the bay early. Yet hardly anyone hunts much. I put in 15 days in September. Once in awhile some else was hunting after opener around me. Not much.
> ...


Its a good concept in theory. But the corn isn't ripe at that time of year.
And the corn that is ripe will be eaten by Mallards, which can reach the ears versus the little Teal. Those zones would be stripped by season.
Those areas have marsh zones, no? Harsens marsh is accessible, they don't do draws in September, except for Youth Hunt.


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## ajkulish (Nov 16, 2013)

waxico said:


> Its a good concept in theory. But the corn isn't ripe at that time of year.
> And the corn that is ripe will be eaten by Mallards, which can reach the ears versus the little Teal. Those zones would be stripped by season.
> Those areas have marsh zones, no? Harsens marsh is accessible, they don't do draws in September, except for Youth Hunt.


Correct. I hunted Harsen's marsh sept 14 this year. Unfortunately it was to no avial, but we saw one good bunch of teal right before light, must have kicked them up when we were motoring in. The rest was just mallards and wood ducks. I will say, however, that someone was hunting the dry corn fields that day and had one good volley where it sounded like 4 guys unloaded their guns. Don't know if they were hunting geese in 28-30 or if they found a flooded spot in a field and got some teal


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

ajkulish said:


> Correct. I hunted Harsen's marsh sept 14 this year. Unfortunately it was to no avial, but we saw one good bunch of teal right before light, must have kicked them up when we were motoring in. The rest was just mallards and wood ducks. I will say, however, that someone was hunting the dry corn fields that day and had one good volley where it sounded like 4 guys unloaded their guns. Don't know if they were hunting geese in 28-30 or if they found a flooded spot in a field and got some teal


A four gun salute in a dry corn spot sounds like geese. Some of those zones hold sheet water, which the geese would like.


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## SnowJunkie (Oct 31, 2013)

population control said:


> This year was better than last.
> My question is..
> 
> We have 15 days for teal and a 30 day goose hunt on the bay early. Yet hardly anyone hunts much. I put in 15 days in September. Once in awhile some else was hunting after opener around me. Not much.
> ...


NONSENSE!!! :evilsmile

Like Waxico said, flooding those areas earlier would likely have a detrimental effect on the draws in normal duck season. We know the folks trying to push dates around to "increase participation" are draw lovers, so they certainly aren't going to want to give up their own cake when they can try to steal someone else's. :lol:


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## BumpRacerX (Dec 31, 2009)

Interesting. I've wondered what the managed areas would be like on youth hunt weekend. Now I know they aren't flooded...but I assume there could be pockets of sheet water depending on rain. Plus the marsh areas.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

SnowJunkie said:


> NONSENSE!!! :evilsmile
> 
> Like Waxico said, flooding those areas earlier would likely have a detrimental effect on the draws in normal duck season. We know the folks trying to push dates around to "increase participation" are draw lovers, so they certainly aren't going to want to give up their own cake when they can try to steal someone else's. :lol:


Statewide hunter participation is highest in the beginning and then trails off as the season goes on. Draws or not.


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## ajkulish (Nov 16, 2013)

BumpRacerX said:


> Interesting. I've wondered what the managed areas would be like on youth hunt weekend. Now I know they aren't flooded...but I assume there could be pockets of sheet water depending on rain. Plus the marsh areas.


What makes managed units special is that they are right next door to refuges. Refuges really only get utilized by waterfowl when there is water in them. So until a couple weeks before season, the number of birds actually residing in places like Harsen's is very slim.


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

ajkulish said:


> What makes managed units special is that they are right next door to refuges. Refuges really only get utilized by waterfowl when there is water in them. So until a couple weeks before season, the number of birds actually residing in places like Harsen's is very slim.


And that's why the Marsh zones are best until the flooding is finished.


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## population control (Apr 18, 2009)

If they flooded these areas and it drew and held fowl to hunt, there would need to be draws held. 

Put 4 inches of water in some zones before the teal migration gets going. There will be teal to hunt. They will stay put if there is ideal habitat. The bay with 3 foot of water up to standing phrag isn’t ideal teal habitat. 

Geese like a place to stand. Slightly flooded areas with dry mixed in will hold geese. Plant some sweet corn. Pick it, sell it for blind materials or things needed. The associations could do this along with the banquets to raise money for the areas. Then disk it. Geese like sweet corn. 

Open the teal season to kill woodies also. 

Plenty of things they could do to increase hunter numbers and the kill chart in September.


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

I didn't shoot a Bluewing at Harsens until October 12. I'd like to see those 2 Teal weeks used for a Diver/Sea Duck season. But that's just me. Proof!


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## chednhy (Feb 8, 2012)

I see Hollywood. Ole sneaky beak. 
Great idea waxico


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