Ice!

[DOT3]

I've never seen ice like I have seen it today. Left sometime before daylight to get the 10 or so miles up river to a place that holds birds when it freezes. But as soon as I got away from the landing I got a surprise...the whole river was frozen solid. We took about an hour and a half to go about 6 miles looking for open water and couldn't find any. With this bright moon and the hard water, I wonder if there's anything left to hunt. Provided you can find them.

[Paul26]

I am totally on board with your "if there's anything left to hunt" comment.

My experience has been that we get a freeze this deep and this long, they fly right past us and keep heading south. These birds are hardy animals, but they wont sit around in 18 degrees and a north wind if they don't have to.

I think we had this in 2010 or so. it was the coldest Dec in decades, and they just kept migrating. We never really had anything for the remainder of the season.

Man, am I a pessimist!

[EastBound&Down]

At the moment I'm hoping for a warm up and a reverse migration.
I think Paul26 hit it dead on with the migration pattern

[DOT3]

I've always seen good numbers in certain places during a freeze. The difference this time is the water is low and getting lower. Which slows the flow and now it's frozen. We found huntable numbers this morning but when we'd set up, theyd never come back. My guess they'd go to some farther pocket of open water. I wonder where they'll feed...I've never seen a duck in a ry field around here but I think I might try to run a little traffic Wednesday and Thursday

[CatFan]

I've been hunting the impoundments and beaver ponds around here but I suspect I could walk across all of them at some point. My boat is out of commission but even if it was available, not sure it would help. Falls and Jordan are about 5 feet low and something, or someone, killed all the grass in Harris that drew the birds in. So, I'm not so sure that there is anything in the triangle to keep birds around. I'm going to check out a few things but I suspect my season is over.

[DOT3]

At about 330 this afternoon I watched about 1500 ducks fly from north to south and dump into a sandpit that still has open water. I was a sight...but the river is still frozen so I don't know how long they'll stick around. On top of that is this snow...depending on how much we get that could really close the coffin.

[Jeffreysm21]

What’s the ice looking like on the currituck sound? Carolina side near whalehead/duck/Corolla—thanks fella, be safe out there

[cbrtrvr]

Currituck sound is a sheet of ice. Hopefully when it thaws it won't tear down everything.

[Jeffreysm21]

Damn. Supposed to hunt there Wednesday. Cant imagine much good can come out of that so soon after it likely thaws mon/tues. thanks for confirming.

[HydeMarsh]

Eastbound, I hunted "you know where" for the past three days.3 man limits each day. we killed a load of re heads, teal, pintail, widgeon and gadwall. I also got a canvasback drake. Very vey hard to get out through the ice, gouged the fiberglass. almost nobody hunting, numbers are awesome.

[EastBound&Down]

Eastbound, I hunted "you know where" for the past three days.3 man limits each day. we killed a load of re heads, teal, pintail, widgeon and gadwall. I also got a canvasback drake. Very vey hard to get out through the ice, gouged the fiberglass. almost nobody hunting, numbers are awesome.

Good deal
Looks like the Rock finally turned on

[DuckMauler]

Eastbound, I hunted "you know where" for the past three days.3 man limits each day. we killed a load of re heads, teal, pintail, widgeon and gadwall. I also got a canvasback drake. Very vey hard to get out through the ice, gouged the fiberglass. almost nobody hunting, numbers are awesome.

Pictures or it didn't happen!

[valeflyfish47]

Eastbound, I hunted "you know where" for the past three days.3 man limits each day. we killed a load of re heads, teal, pintail, widgeon and gadwall. I also got a canvasback drake. Very vey hard to get out through the ice, gouged the fiberglass. almost nobody hunting, numbers are awesome.

Must be nice, Foothills have been horrible, saw 4 birds on on 12/16, and 2 of them were woodies--cruised by the boat ramp after we loaded up boat on a slick n dangerous boat ramp. We were in Austin Tx, for Christmas. Last weekend was also a bust. Didn't see a single bird. We heard a couple shots up river then the Crickets started. Even cruising the river and coves after a bad spot no birds in the air or spooked.
Heck last year, some days sounded like 4th of July and got the birds moving.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[HydeMarsh]

Eastbound, I hunted "you know where" for the past three days.3 man limits each day. we killed a load of re heads, teal, pintail, widgeon and gadwall. I also got a canvasback drake. Very vey hard to get out through the ice, gouged the fiberglass. almost nobody hunting, numbers are awesome.

Pictures or it didn't happen!

tell me how to post pictures and I will. I get a "file is too big"

[valeflyfish47]

You have to edit your pics and crop them down to the acceptable size. Ive had to do it multiple times.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[cbrtrvr]

Damn. Supposed to hunt there Wednesday. Cant imagine much good can come out of that so soon after it likely thaws mon/tues. thanks for confirming.

Dad said it is froze solid and from Southend of KI to swan island the duck blinds are scarce.

[DOT3]

I've been off since Friday of last week and I've killed 3 wood ducks (one banded) and a black duck. There has been no shortage of birds, but I've been one or two steps behind all week.

[HydeMarsh]

Not a good picture but the best I could do with windows 10

[HydeMarsh]

A little more proof

[Paul26]

Great job! A drake Can. I am envious beyond description.

Very, very well done.

[HydeMarsh]

Mauler, I had to put me, the old man in one. man was it cold. hope the first picture did not give away location.

[spots_2016]

Was hunting in an inch of ice and about 45 min after I cleared it it froze right back up

[DOT3]

Was hunting in an inch of ice and about 45 min after I cleared it it froze right back up

You got 45 minutes out of it? Impressive