Originally Posted by Goatkiller
We have a blind on reelfoot lake we have had since the 1950's and here is what I can tell you with absolute certainty. We keep records on birds killed and conditions. The blind has not moved and nether has a single blind around it since 1995.

Hunting Pressure has been a 10/10 since 1950 the blind and every blind around it is hunted every day of Waterfowl season. Numbers have steadily declined. Same blind, same guide running it, no other changes.

I'm not talking about a woody hole 'm talking about a blind a couple miles off the MS river that use to consistently put well over 2,000 dead ducks on the books it shoots 12. 50/day x 60 days = 3k for perspective. We use to average around 30 with 50+ days not being uncommon. Average less than 15 today.

6/60 is either a supportable season/bag limit or it isn't. If the overall duck count remains the same that is irrelevant we can't continue down the current path it is ruining our hunting on our end of the flyway IMO.


Now this is a case where over-hunting having an affect on bird movement certainly seems to have an argument. If you (and man others) consistently hunt the same spot every day of the season for 50+ years then you should certainly expect to see a decline in the numbers of ducks using that spot. These historic hunting grounds in places like Arkansas may hunt most days of the season, but they're limiting the pressure they're putting on the birds by having resting areas that are not hunted, hunting multiple holes instead of the same spot every day, and not shooting into large groups of birds(or at least they should be IMO).

Again, I would lean towards loss of brood habitat playing the biggest role, not hunting. Every year there is a drought up north farmers are burning cattails and drying out potholes to be planted the following season. I'm not faulting farmers for this, but it certainly plays a role when ducks are running out of suitable habitat to lay nests.

Last edited by chevydude2015; 12/08/23 03:45 PM.