I think today is the closer? So of course my son has to get up and out at 0300hrs....in an ice storm...in west tenn...to try the ducks 1 more time.

Hope they get rewarded. We reluctantly left out yesterday afternoon but I think we made the right call. Back when we were younger we’d be in the mix no matter what.

He said "roads weren't 'that' bad"..."we'll prolly get out before dark". They must really hate ducks. And they're super picking their shots, so they'll be there all day for sure.

Got buddies hammering em here in west Tennessee this morning.

He said they're getting some shooting. I reckon they been in the woods pretty much every day since he went back to school and they've shot a bunch. Kinda makes me wonder if the numbers aren't better than they were back the last 20yrs or so?

We killed em in west Tennessee this am…

Awesome

Just got back from a Mississippi delta hunt. Our group killed 202 in 4 days including a black duck and 1 banded mallard.

Seem that way. Lots of people seem to have had a really good year

I haven’t heard of any hunters that rank this year as average much less better. Not much water early and crap weather in January. Numbers wise maybe, but the big ducks did not show up in numbers as they have historically. I’m sure it was weather related since most of January was unseasonably warm but nearly everyone I know that killed average numbers (compared to historical) were comprised heavily of teal and shovelers. Count me as disappointed. It’s just not the same without the mallards, I don’t care how many fillers are shot.

It all depends as usual. I killed more at the farm this year than last but compared to 20 years ago I can’t describe here just how bad it is

The pit I posted pics of the other day. Back in the 90’s used to kill 1200 a year in that one pit. Now it may be half that. The 3 other pits on that farm are within a half mile and none broke 100 this year. So those 3 didn’t touch that one pit.

Another spot has 4 blinds in it within 150 yards of each other. All 4 of those topped 3800 so it all depends.

I know guys that busted their butt and killed. I know other guys that worked as hard and have little to show.

I hope everyone had a great time. To me that’s the most important thing.

I did not hunt much which means we killed a bunch when we did shoot. But that's not really how that works when you are talking seasons of duck hunting and was it good/bad on the season.

Also... it depends as usual. Some are happy with Mr. Bootlips. If you are hunting catfish ponds in MS limits of bootlips and ringnecks might be all it takes to declare the best season ever.

My question:

When we had all that ice and temps down in the 0 digits..... did all those birds come from the North flooding the Southern States with Mallards?

I did not hunt. But I'm guessing No.

From what I gathered the big ducks blew by and came back thru on the thaw. Whether that happened or not I don’t know. It would make sense. Those cooling ponds stay open thruout the upper Midwest and a lot of the Great Lakes hasn’t froze solid yet.

I didnt hunt either. My sons went to arky/west tn tho and “had the best and ors hunts of the season”. So i wonder if what carter is saying dont make sense 🤷🏻‍♂️

I ended up dropping my phone with my credit card and ID in the water before 4 pintails came in. Lost all of those but killed a bull pintail right after which I’m mounting! 4 guys, 18 ducks and had some cripples get away. It was a blast. First mallards I’ve killed since middle school.Buddies place in west Tennessee last day

End of the season I think a lot of those birds came from the west. Monday we were covered up in teal but still smacked a few big birds the same pit the next day not a single teal was seen. All mallards and pintails.

When the temps hit 0 everything locked up in Arkie and you could walk on the ice. Buddy in greenbay said still had open water in few places and was loaded with ducks but season was closed. Guys in mobile were snaking big ducks but they lost them as they headed back north. Guys in mobile said best season in years, at least while it lasted.

Congrats on the Bull