[OGblackcloud]

2 weeks ago the refuge I hunt was loaded with ducks and geese!We havent had any weather and poof the birds are gone !I dont no if they have moved back north or down south !Anyone got any idea?

 

[fowledup]

First weekend of Dec. my brother in Oregon said we should start to get some good shooting down here as their birds were all but gone. Talked to him this weekend and he tells me they've got birds and are shooting again. Go figure, I definetly feel you're pain!

 

[X_WATERFOWLER_X]

my partner last week was up in marysville and saw a bunch of geese Way High up
going North... lots of flocks of them... its not uncommon for them to migrate back in forth
from here back to the Klamath Basin...

.

 

[fowledup]

Another reason to dump October and add Febuary.

 

[snipe a duck]

all i know is if things don't turn around quick i'll have plenty of shells left for next year. you know it's bad when your beating yourself up for poor shooting but you only wiffed on one group of birds that day.

 

[JIMBO89]

Another reason to dump October and add Febuary.

I second that!!! But itll never happen!

 

[tule]

Another reason to dump October and add Febuary.

That would be great as far as birds go, but say good bye to local mallards if this ever happens, heck its bad enough now. Ive already seen mallards starting to mate and to hunt them clear through February would be detramental to the nesting population.

 

[JIMBO89]

Another reason to dump October and add Febuary.

That would be great as far as birds go, but say good bye to local mallards if this ever happens, heck its bad enough now. Ive already seen mallards starting to mate and to hunt them clear through February would be detramental to the nesting population.

didn't think of it like that!!! I'd rather see more ducks then kill more!!

 

[BrokenWing]

On a short note , I think the closed zones on the refuges are getting to big and planting food for the birds to eat while they are there is wrong, I have been by the refuges alot this year and to see them loaded up in the closed zones and not moving gets under my skin a little, and now the refuge has purchased more rice ground on Able Rd. so they can make more natural habitat, " non hunting ground" And they wonder why there is a decline in the purchase of hunting license. I don't get it, isn't this a flyway? :huh:

 

[GGC]

The flyway and the refuges are about ducks, not hunters. The refuge managers are trying to create habitat to not only increase the size of the population, but as a by product increase your opportunity to shoot a duck. Those ducks on the closed zones provide opportunities for shooters when they are coming and going or when the weather whips them up. If the closed zone wasn't there, or didn't have enough feed to hold ducks they would just be gone... they would continue moving and you would miss even the rare opportunity at them.

 

[X_WATERFOWLER_X]

you have never flow over the sac valley north... or even the grasslands for matter.
with Rot Farming now days and using water to decompose a crop. the ducks have
more than enough area to rest, feed, hide from us...
if you ever get the chance to fly a small Cessna with someone, do it and it will
open up your eyes to all the places the ducks use other than the refuges and clubs.
you will be amazed...

refuges are only for poor soles to use from the state and are not the golden egg
for duck/goose hunting. while they do have huge closed zones and attract birds
they are but a small areas in the whole central valley.

another thing that refuges are going to have to start doing is allowing the killing
of coyotes on them, salt slough I saw a pack of more than 12 dogs the other day.
every time you see feathers on the roads or near tules... coyotes...
that problem is going to have to be rectified for sure...

.

 

[fowledup]

tule- I totally agree with your comment. But if the migration patterns are shifting later, as many like to theorize wouldn't it stand to reason that the mating and nesting habits would be shifting proportionately as well? I don't know not a biologist -just food for thought

 

[OGblackcloud]

The ducks are back but no geese.I talked with the warden and he says that the geese have moved south to the delta it seems they get more feeding in the corn than the harvested rice.He said the harvesters for rice do such a good job nowadays there isnt much left.They pull about 98% of the rice.

 

[JIMBO89]

The ducks are back but no geese.I talked with the warden and he says that the geese have moved south to the delta it seems they get more feeding in the corn than the harvested rice.He said the harvesters for rice do such a good job nowadays there isnt much left.They pull about 98% of the rice.

I see it the other way around! There's about 40000 geese in my area, and a terribly low number of ducks!

 

[RiceAuger]

I flew the north valley rice yesterday afternoon. Theres plenty of ducks and geese, there are less grinds now but the present grinds have doubled in size over the 10-15 days or so. Solid mats of ducks in most of the usual haunts. The geese are out there as well. Flew from colusa(scattered) to williams(less here) to Butte City-richvale (more) down to D10 over to Montnas (alot) south to PG/Natomas (some)on to south of 80 (alot) up thru the Conaway (more)up to the sutter basin (a few)over to D108 (fair amount) and back to Colusa. I will say that It seems the ducks are here there just really concentrated--mostly rice. More importantly--if your not shooting 2 things might help--COVER YOUR BLINDS and get rid of the BS BUTTERFLY AND X DECOY PATTERNS that can be spotted from 5 miles off. A real southwind storm with wind is what we need to stir things up a bit. Good luck and have a safe new year!

 

[Loop Theory]

I flew the north valley rice yesterday afternoon. Theres plenty of ducks and geese, there are less grinds now but the present grinds have doubled in size over the 10-15 days or so. Solid mats of ducks in most of the usual haunts. The geese are out there as well. Flew from colusa(scattered) to williams(less here) to Butte City-richvale (more) down to D10 over to Montnas (alot) south to PG/Natomas (some)on to south of 80 (alot) up thru the Conaway (more)up to the sutter basin (a few)over to D108 (fair amount) and back to Colusa. I will say that It seems the ducks are here there just really concentrated--mostly rice. More importantly--if your not shooting 2 things might help--COVER YOUR BLINDS and get rid of the BS BUTTERFLY AND X DECOY PATTERNS that can be spotted from 5 miles off. A real southwind storm with wind is what we need to stir things up a bit. Good luck and have a safe new year!

Thanks for the aerial scouting. Montnas has no birds as of yesterday (except for the north end behind the liquor store). We do need storms :yes:

 

[K.A]

Something weird is going on this season. I talk to a couple of fish and game buddys of mine and they said the numbers are most certainly down this season. Grey lodge alone has 14,0000 less ducks then it had at this time last year. I hunted my rice blind yesterday morning. Witch is in ear shot of sutter refuge's hunting area. I only heard three shots all morning. "Thats just wrong :fingerhead: " Besides opening week this is the best time to hunt that Refuge.It should sound like world war Three come shoot time.

And another thing the rice blind im in kills 400+ birds on an average season. We'll be lucky to hit the 200 mark by the end of January. Public land Has been tuff as well. Dont get me wrong ive had some good shoots on the north valley refuges this year but the "HOLY CRAP! That a Sh** Load of birds!" scenario hasnt really played out at all this season . By this time of the year I should be seeing monster flights of bird coming in and out of the sutter area witch I have not. Really what im trying to say in so many words is I have yet to see anything that blows my skirt up.

P.S Im hoping it finally comes together in January.

So far in the 09 10 season
Total Duck:117 ducks
Total Geese:13 geese

 

[chevy_dog]

Here is the most recent waterfowl survey at the Sacramento NWR Complex compared to the same time in years past.

Mid December 2009
Total Geese: 203877
Total Ducks: 955626

Mid December 2008
Total Geese: 210436
Total Ducks: 1068087

Early December 2007
Total Geese: 76310
Total Ducks: 1333671

Mid December 2006
Total Geese: 343644
Total Ducks: 1428287