Any of yall that have been in the game since pre-2000 have known the numbers are bogus. Talk to people up and down the flyways and the ducks dont exist. No doubt money is at the root of it all and we know we can't trust those in our government to do the right thing.

Pretty good podcast.

The Standard Sportsman: Where are the Ducks? Featuring Dave Rave. on Apple Podcasts

I have my theories about this but in my heart if feel it's a combination of things lack of food sources in Texas, urbanization of native wetlands and just more food through middle America. Spoke with a Canadian wildlife official when I was up there in October and this was something we asked about birds numbers. He thinks migration pattern has shifted more to
Mississippi flyway and the Central Will continue to see sharp drop in birds traveling further to Texas.
Been bad year for me and my groups. Struggling to put decent straps together. Birds are here one day and gone the next no consistency.

Drought year = feast or famine. I've had 12 or 13 hunts and all but one hunt, 4 man (24 bird) limits.

Numbers are absolutely down but they're still hitting the coastal areas, for now…

How expensive are those shotgun shells, as compared to say, 2020?

Significantly more. Coming from
Someone that just picked up a case of Black Cloud for about $30 more than I did in 2020

DUman08 said:

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I have my theories about this but in my heart if feel it's a combination of things lack of food sources in Texas, urbanization of native wetlands and just more food through middle America. Spoke with a Canadian wildlife official when I was up there in October and this was something we asked about birds numbers. He thinks migration pattern has shifted more to
Mississippi flyway and the Central Will continue to see sharp drop in birds traveling further to Texas.
Been bad year for me and my groups. Struggling to put decent straps together. Birds are here one day and gone the next no consistency.

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I would completely agree with your reasons. Today's combines are so efficient and lose very very little grain out the back. Combines built pre 2000ish would have significant grain loss out the back due to the ways the thrashers were built at that time. No rice in the fields for the ducks and geese to feed on they will start looking for other places to migrate to. I also think the weather pattern has changed and we just don't get those strong cold fronts one after the other anymore that kept the birds moving south. Also the amount of money DU has put into wetland projects all over the north that now provides habitat where there once were none and would just continue flying.

No rice + no water= no ducks.

And keep this **** off this thread…

I think I winters come later and we should adjust our season to the changes Mother Nature has been providing. Start duck season around Thanksgiving and end couple weeks into February.

Couldn't agree more! It would also help as things freeze in Arkansas and push birds down our way

We are covered in ducks in East Tx. Most ive ever seen. Dropped 2 off at taxidermist today and he was saying this is his slowest year ever with ducks. Then asked if he could come hunt our place..ha. Taking more to him tomorrow and try to work a deal. Our main lakes arent holding the ducks, its the shallow flooded and heavily wooded areas. Also, most mallards ive seen in 20 years.

Glad you're killing some Mallards!

I agree with a lot that has been said on here. But I will add a couple of things. The first is the guy who taught me how to duck hunt is on a lease near Greenville, Mississippi. They're swamp is completely dry! So they are being impacted by the drought as well. This year. Used to be a place covered with green heads but they don't seem to get down as much because it doesn't seem to get as cold he said.
Which takes me to my second point. The birds have plenty of food in the Midwest and not as much down here. The only reason for them to come this far is when you get significant and sustained freezes in the Midwest that push them further. South. When's the last time we had that happen?

I used to duck hunt a whole lot years ago. Just don't do it anymore as I'd rather fish. I see tons of ducks on the lakes around Austin while fishing. Of course you can't hunt on most of them. Also every water retention pond near my house is loaded with widgeon, pintail, gadwalls, redheads, ringnecks, and some teal. Heck there are even ducks that bail in the retention pond in the middle of the Target parking lot. They have no reason to go further south.

Not saying you're wrong but I also suspect that once you're not hunting ducks, the more often you see them?

ttha_aggie_09 said:

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Not saying you're wrong but I also suspect that once you're not hunting ducks, the more often you see them?

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I think the main reason that they are not nearly as prevalent on the coast is a change in farming practices. There is very little rice grown in SE Texas anymore. Heck as a kid in Baytown there would literally be nights where wave after wave of snow geese would fly over the house. I would think I'd see less while fishing since I'm more focused on the water than the sky.

You're not wrong at all

docb said:

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ttha_aggie_09 said:

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Not saying you're wrong but I also suspect that once you're not hunting ducks, the more often you see them?

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I think the main reason that they are not nearly as prevalent on the coast is a change in farming practices. There is very little rice grown in SE Texas anymore. Heck as a kid in Baytown there would literally be nights where wave after wave of snow geese would fly over the house. I would think I'd see less while fishing since I'm more focused on the water than the sky.

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There's certainly some truth in that and that's what people are talking about the drop and rice production along the coast. I can also tell you that I have been hunting for decades out inear Abilene.
The change in the volume of ducks out there is noticeable as are the species. Used to be many more mallards but they don't seem to come down unless it freezes up north of us. Now it's lots of gadwall and widgeon

Lack of rice in SE Texas is a big factor, drought across much of central and east Texas, good rain year in the panhandle and relatively mild winter so far. What do the ducks have to come south for?

I can tell you that since 2013, I have seen about 2 mallards in total ever since. Most of the green heads we see are in the first week or so of the season. Everything else harvested is Gadwalls, Teal, Spoonie, pintail, and else. Of like 8k ducks harvested, only like 4 are Mallards. I really wish it was more….

I also wonder how much suburban storm water retention basins that have been turned into ponds have taken the attention of ducks away from larger water bodies. What used to be dry pits filled with tall grass are now ponds and lakes in the suburban development landscape.

Come up to Steamboat Springs where I am right now. The Yampa river is full of greenheads.

txags92 said:

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I also wonder how much suburban storm water retention basins that have been turned into ponds have taken the attention of ducks away from larger water bodies. What used to be dry pits filled with tall grass are now ponds and lakes in the suburban development landscape.

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It's impressive by my house. This is in Round Rock.

I would happily join you up there in exchange for a costal
Smack down!

ttha_aggie_09 said:

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I would happily join you up there in exchange for a costal
Smack down!

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Lol. I'm fly fishing. I hunt fish these days!

Normally doesn't do much for truly wild birds. Gotta have food and lots of ducks take a long time to get used to the development aspect of places

DUman08 said:

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I think I winters come later and we should adjust our season to the changes Mother Nature has been providing. Start duck season around Thanksgiving and end couple weeks into February.

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Yes seasons need to change with the climate. Not many doves in September anymore due to the heat. They should move that back too.

Used to be we would get fronts pushing through in early September now late October. The north isn't freezing as early either. Plus population boom and the birds are moving more east and west. I've seen more outside stockdale than years past.

I have about a billion ducks in the small lake behind my house this year. I'm really hoping that we'll get a hard cold front and push them out soon because they're noisy and messy

Awesome podcast I've seen recommended before, and glad I finally caught.

Interesting to hear the rationale on when to end hunting season (to reduce impact on breeding pairs in the latter part of January), and the overall process of population estimates. Sure less acreage of water this winter, but when we continually see population estimates growing people are inclined to assume we should do something else to have more chance at them (ie extend the season); instead of considering there could actually be less birds (not just taking anecdotes of oh its been a banger season with more than ever vs oh there's no ducks this year)

Research "Hot Cropping".

Basically they grow crops to two different heights. Flood the field to first level....when the ducks eat all that down they flood the field to the second level. So the ducks never leave.

The landowners doing this are raking in the money for hunts. They also can pursue Govt subsidies to NOT harvest.....and/or turn in a claim for "flood loss" to their crop insurance..... etc.

You can see the money train. But basically the big effect is that the ducks don't leave. It has changed entire flyways.

docb said:

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ttha_aggie_09 said:

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I would happily join you up there in exchange for a costal
Smack down!

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Lol. I'm fly fishing. I hunt fish these days!

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Sorry to derail, but docb can you email me about flyfishing in steamboat on the yampa this june.

dahale2517 at sbcglobal.net

I have guided the Texas coast and Katy area prairies for the last 20 years or so. We are noticing significant changes in the sheer number of birds. Geese numbers have plummeted do to lack of rice which is due to a lack of water provided! Urban sprawl has taken massive amounts of acreage out of the flyway. DUMAN08 (friend of mine!) nailed it. Habitat, food, and water supply.

All being said, we are still killing ducks on private managed marshes, but having to work a bit harder to get em!

chocolatelabs said:

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docb said:

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ttha_aggie_09 said:

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I would happily join you up there in exchange for a costal
Smack down!

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Lol. I'm fly fishing. I hunt fish these days!

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Sorry to derail, but docb can you email me about flyfishing in steamboat on the yampa this june.

dahale2517 at sbcglobal.net

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I will. Give me a few days. Going to hit the river in a couple of hours.

Preacher 98 said:

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I have guided the Texas coast and Katy area prairies for the last 20 years or so. We are noticing significant changes in the sheer number of birds. Geese numbers have plummeted do to lack of rice which is due to a lack of water provided! Urban sprawl has taken massive amounts of acreage out of the flyway. DUMAN08 (friend of mine!) nailed it. Habitat, food, and water supply.

All being said, we are still killing ducks on private managed marshes, but having to work a bit harder to get em!

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Pretty much nailed it, look at how little rice is grown compared to 20 years ago esp west of Houston