Where are the ducks?

[KAhunter]

Did this storm and the last storm blow a bunch of birds out of NC/VA? I went teal hunting this morning and while we managed 5 we did not see much at all. I was honestly surprised at how little we saw with the weather. Checked another spot after the morning hunt and saw 0 ducks and no sign. Reports from currituck and back bay seem to be similar with most birds gone. Anyone seeing many ducks?? Not looking great for october season. I usually love a hard NW with a good front but one from a hurricane may be bad for business.

[spots_2016]

The only thing I've seen are geese I've seen no teal or anything else I'm feeling its gonna be harder to get on them this year

[Galactic Ricky]

I never have high hopes for October where I normally hunt. There are usually some residents around no matter what but IDK I haven't gone looking yet. The best I ever did in October was double a pair of mallards. May not even try it now based on this report. It's a lot of work for maybe a shot or two, at least at my normal stomping grounds. It does serve as a good trial run to knock the rust off though, before November.

[Shurshot]

Na, doesn't mean much this early considering we've had two major storms/ low pressure systems on us the last few weeks. Birds react to falling/low barometric pressures and get displaced. Storms this time of year almost always seeem to disrupt normal fall patterns. They show up next week after this strong front moves through next few days.

[KAhunter]

Na, doesn't mean much this early considering we've had two major storms/ low pressure systems on us the last few weeks. Birds react to falling/low barometric pressures and get displaced. Storms this time of year almost always seeem to disrupt normal fall patterns. They show up next week after this strong front moves through next few days.

Thats my hope. Gonna be in 50s at night on the coast this weekend and a north wind. Hope to see some more sunday when we go scouting/ blind work

[Paul26]

The Oct season...............ugh! I hate it.

Man, I sure wish we had 4 Sunday's in Jan or a 4-day reduction of the Dec split, instead of duck hunting in 60+ degrees (that's the forecast low in my area)!!!

But I whine each year and nothing changes.....so good luck if you are going

[spots_2016]

Its been so hot I might just have to fill my waders up with ice

[HydeMarsh]

De ducks be on de plains and in Canada, once a north wind blows after the full moon of October they will start coming here. lots food for them and lots of places to hide.

Forecast - Around Thanksgiving the refuges will have their highest duck counts. if it is cold in late January the impoundments will have their best hunts. Hunting public water will suck all season.

[creekcaptain]

Had a good opener and hadn't fire the gun since. We hadn't really scouted, just hunted the hole a few days each week on average days that sounded like they may have potenial. We just never got a natural cold front push during the split. Never really saw much after the opener. Tomorrow should be a good one and it works out perfect to be the day AFTER the season closes. Typical. I think everything went south after this hurricane and a lot of ducks went south in August. Maybe something shows up early this week for this little October split after this cold front. We'll find out.

[HydeMarsh]

Had a good opener and hadn't fire the gun since. We hadn't really scouted, just hunted the hole a few days each week on average days that sounded like they may have potenial. We just never got a natural cold front push during the split. Never really saw much after the opener. Tomorrow should be a good one and it works out perfect to be the day AFTER the season closes. Typical. I think everything went south after this hurricane and a lot of ducks went south in August. Maybe something shows up early this week for this little October split after this cold front. We'll find out.

Hi, help me understand NC ducks. What kind of ducks went south in August? what kind of ducks were pushed south by the hurricane? These are migration patterns that I am not familiar with.

[KAhunter]

Early migrants such as wood ducks or teal or even pintail can be pushed south by a strong northerly wind, much like what we had for both hurricanes. It doesnt take much for them to pick up and leave this time of year, even if they are using a prime food source.

We scouted hard yesterday and didnt see much. Went to futch in the morning and only saw a few woodies. Was really dissapointed with that. Saw a few woodies in another spot in the afternoon. Not many other ducks. Hope something changes but its not looking great.

[creekcaptain]

Had a good opener and hadn't fire the gun since. We hadn't really scouted, just hunted the hole a few days each week on average days that sounded like they may have potenial. We just never got a natural cold front push during the split. Never really saw much after the opener. Tomorrow should be a good one and it works out perfect to be the day AFTER the season closes. Typical. I think everything went south after this hurricane and a lot of ducks went south in August. Maybe something shows up early this week for this little October split after this cold front. We'll find out.

Hi, help me understand NC ducks. What kind of ducks went south in August? what kind of ducks were pushed south by the hurricane? These are migration patterns that I am not familiar with.

I was using "ducks" loosely in describing ducks that have potential to be around in August. i.e BWT. There were several days where we saw ducks (BWT) moving through in August after several cold fronts. Here today, gone south tomorrow. The day before the hurricane there were several hundred around on Monday. Friday, they were gone. Don't think they headed North into a head wind, but I could be wrong. Local mallards, BWT, shovelers, and even the woodies that I normally see were scarce in one location by Friday. These are my observations from hunting and locations that I normally see "ducks". Hope that helps you understand. I'm no biologist nor expert. If I'm completely wrong in my assumptions, my full apologies.

[HydeMarsh]

Had a good opener and hadn't fire the gun since. We hadn't really scouted, just hunted the hole a few days each week on average days that sounded like they may have potenial. We just never got a natural cold front push during the split. Never really saw much after the opener. Tomorrow should be a good one and it works out perfect to be the day AFTER the season closes. Typical. I think everything went south after this hurricane and a lot of ducks went south in August. Maybe something shows up early this week for this little October split after this cold front. We'll find out.

Hi, help me understand NC ducks. What kind of ducks went south in August? what kind of ducks were pushed south by the hurricane? These are migration patterns that I am not familiar with.

I was using "ducks" loosely in describing ducks that have potential to be around in August. i.e BWT. There were several days where we saw ducks (BWT) moving through in August after several cold fronts. Here today, gone south tomorrow. The day before the hurricane there were several hundred around on Monday. Friday, they were gone. Don't think they headed North into a head wind, but I could be wrong. Local mallards, BWT, shovelers, and even the woodies that I normally see were scarce in one location by Friday. These are my observations from hunting and locations that I normally see "ducks". Hope that helps you understand. I'm no biologist nor expert. If I'm completely wrong in my assumptions, my full apologies.

Please forgive me if I came across as critical. I was asking in earnest. I do not know much about Bluewing Teal's habits. I do not hunt the early season but I am on the sound a lot fishing. I saw no teal in august and very few in early September I fish every where from Englehard to Swan Quarter. In mid Sept I bow hunt until the Nov Season. therefore the early migrators are a mystery to me.

Shovlers show up in my area in great number if it gets really cold in Dec.;

I was in Hyde yesterday, saw young calendar migrators but not large numbers of them. Back on Mattamuskeet Farms I saw gadwall, pintails and teal. not much on the sound or on the lake. that will start changing soon. Hope we get a polar vortex like we did three years ago.

[creekcaptain]

Had a good opener and hadn't fire the gun since. We hadn't really scouted, just hunted the hole a few days each week on average days that sounded like they may have potenial. We just never got a natural cold front push during the split. Never really saw much after the opener. Tomorrow should be a good one and it works out perfect to be the day AFTER the season closes. Typical. I think everything went south after this hurricane and a lot of ducks went south in August. Maybe something shows up early this week for this little October split after this cold front. We'll find out.

Hi, help me understand NC ducks. What kind of ducks went south in August? what kind of ducks were pushed south by the hurricane? These are migration patterns that I am not familiar with.

I was using "ducks" loosely in describing ducks that have potential to be around in August. i.e BWT. There were several days where we saw ducks (BWT) moving through in August after several cold fronts. Here today, gone south tomorrow. The day before the hurricane there were several hundred around on Monday. Friday, they were gone. Don't think they headed North into a head wind, but I could be wrong. Local mallards, BWT, shovelers, and even the woodies that I normally see were scarce in one location by Friday. These are my observations from hunting and locations that I normally see "ducks". Hope that helps you understand. I'm no biologist nor expert. If I'm completely wrong in my assumptions, my full apologies.

Please forgive me if I came across as critical. I was asking in earnest. I do not know much about Bluewing Teal's habits. I do not hunt the early season but I am on the sound a lot fishing. I saw no teal in august and very few in early September I fish every where from Englehard to Swan Quarter. In mid Sept I bow hunt until the Nov Season. therefore the early migrators are a mystery to me.

Shovlers show up in my area in great number if it gets really cold in Dec.;

I was in Hyde yesterday, saw young calendar migrators but not large numbers of them. Back on Mattamuskeet Farms I saw gadwall, pintails and teal. not much on the sound or on the lake. that will start changing soon. Hope we get a polar vortex like we did three years ago.

HM,
Sorry for the sarcasm. Blue wings show up and blow through the state quickly most of the time heading south to Florida all the way to the Caribbean. They are the last to arrive up north in the spring. I see them when they are on the way north in April here in NC and already heading back south in August. Shovelers are mixed in with them sometimes. Seems like I see them early every year as well. Load that freezer with Venison! Hope we get some weather this fall as well. Cheers!

[visco]

starting to see some good numbers and large flocks commuting the New River... with that, my luck has not been so good, as they're always on the opposite side of the river that I am on.

[Dingbatter]

How about leaving the name of specific locations out of your report, now everyone knows.

[CatFan]

How about leaving the name of specific locations out of your report, now everyone knows.

Are you referring to the New River post? I don't see a problem with that. Its an entire river.

[visco]

How about leaving the name of specific locations out of your report, now everyone knows.

Are you referring to the New River post? I don't see a problem with that. Its an entire river.

agreed... with that point, I try not be to specific as I have found out why everyone is so hesitant to give up their spots... Told a good friend about another spot that I have that holds good numbers of mallards, and what did he do... yeap... got his limit in about 5 minutes of being there. good thing I do not get worked up about things like that.

[Bluesky2012]

How about leaving the name of specific locations out of your report, now everyone knows. [emoji34]

Are you referring to the New River post? I don't see a problem with that. Its an entire river.

agreed... with that point, I try not be to specific as I have found out why everyone is so hesitant to give up their spots... Told a good friend about another spot that I have that holds good numbers of mallards, and what did he do... yeap... got his limit in about 5 minutes of being there. good thing I do not get worked up about things like that.

Wonder if you stumbled across my old honey hole down there. I had one place down by you that held mallards and I never saw anyone else hunt it over the 4 years I was there. Curious to see when the next one finds it.


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[CatFan]

How about leaving the name of specific locations out of your report, now everyone knows.

Are you referring to the New River post? I don't see a problem with that. Its an entire river.

agreed... with that point, I try not be to specific as I have found out why everyone is so hesitant to give up their spots... Told a good friend about another spot that I have that holds good numbers of mallards, and what did he do... yeap... got his limit in about 5 minutes of being there. good thing I do not get worked up about things like that.

If I tell a good friend about a spot it’s because I expect him to go and have a good time.

[visco]

How about leaving the name of specific locations out of your report, now everyone knows.

Are you referring to the New River post? I don't see a problem with that. Its an entire river.

agreed... with that point, I try not be to specific as I have found out why everyone is so hesitant to give up their spots... Told a good friend about another spot that I have that holds good numbers of mallards, and what did he do... yeap... got his limit in about 5 minutes of being there. good thing I do not get worked up about things like that.

If I tell a good friend about a spot it’s because I expect him to go and have a good time.

true

[visco]

How about leaving the name of specific locations out of your report, now everyone knows. [emoji34]

Are you referring to the New River post? I don't see a problem with that. Its an entire river.

agreed... with that point, I try not be to specific as I have found out why everyone is so hesitant to give up their spots... Told a good friend about another spot that I have that holds good numbers of mallards, and what did he do... yeap... got his limit in about 5 minutes of being there. good thing I do not get worked up about things like that.

Wonder if you stumbled across my old honey hole down there. I had one place down by you that held mallards and I never saw anyone else hunt it over the 4 years I was there. Curious to see when the next one finds it.


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if it was on base, then we may be talking about the same little pond. I found that spot deer hunting about 6 or 7 years back.

[Dingbatter]

It is an entire river but it can and has been totally screwed up in years past and stupid newspaper and articles in NC Sportsman magazine etc by none other than Mike Marsh and internet post like this. There is no reason to ruin a good area when you have birds by blabbing it all over the internet. Loose lips sink ships, keep your mouth shut!

Btw I was nice when suggesting not to give specific locations, in the old days somebody would have gotten their butts worn out quick.

[Jeffreysm21]

^get a grip dude

[Bluesky2012]

Oh yea you're right, like the thousands of people crossing new river bridge can't look out and see if rafts are on the river?

And like the thousands of Marines wandering the woods on lejeune don't already know if there are any puddle ducks in the small ponds on base property?

Someone asking if a group of birds is coots or buffleheads on an already known and talked about sub par piece of water is far from decimating your chances of success in the area. Heck if you're so worried about it, you better start tearing down blinds in the off season because it is incredibly easy to find numerous blinds on google maps and walk into nearly every single one of them without a boat. There are no secrets to hunting that river, and no single post on here referencing incredibly commonly known information will make any significant difference at all.

Better watch out too, the "first diver of the year" thread is probably going to kill any and all hunting on the white oak!


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