Things aren’t like they use to be

[darealdeal]

with all due respect, no matter how many people agree with that, it doesn’t mean I’m wrong.

Yeah we would be complete idiots to think that what we plant and flood for them do not impact them or how they migrate.

[Rubberhead*]

From the book Early History of the Santee Club by Henry H. Carter

In December, 1900...The nearest ducks arose with a great roar and the scare was communicated to all the ducks in the Black Point Marsh. It is no exaggeration to state that there was several hundred thousand. None of us, although we had shot in North Dakota, North Carolina, Texas, etc. had ever seen such a sight...Nevertheless, each blind produced about fifty and between 150 and 200 were killed - all mallards.

As far as I know there we no corn ponds back then and it seems from reading the same book that the property was neglected, un-managed. The only inhabitants of Murphy Island were cows that had gone wild. Somehow, those old mallards liked wild places.

[2thDoc]

with all due respect, no matter how many people agree with that, it doesn’t mean I’m wrong.

exactly my point.
the louder you get, the more you think you're right.

I aint saying you're wrong, but you're wrong.

[2thDoc]

ducks were here before agriculture.
and we've been planting corn for a while now.
some of it floods naturally.

and is my corn pond part of the problem if they never get to it? or are we just worried about any flooded corn north of us?

[BOGSTER]

Do I seem loud, or just opinionated?

The timeless argument that lack of migration revolves around weather doesn’t cut it anymore now that we have the internet and real time access between hunters across the nation.

[BOGSTER]

ducks were here before agriculture.
and we've been planting corn for a while now.
some of it floods naturally.

and is my corn pond part of the problem if they never get to it? or are we just worried about any flooded corn north of us?

When I said “we really screwed up when we started flooding crops for them”……..yes, that includes your flooded crops as well as the ones I stood in on youth day.

[banded_mallard]

Some folks don't like him, but there was an interesting debate between Steve Rinella and his brother on this exact issue recently. I think your view is shared by many.

On his podcast? I wouldn’t mind giving that a listen if you point me in the direction.

[Gregory]

A recent Podcast l was listening to interviewed an old waterman from Hyde County, NC. In the mid 80’s there were 4-5 impoundments around Mattamuskeet. Now there are estimated 2000-2500. I can’t tell me that hasn’t affected the population distribution.

[coot nasty]

Bottom line the duck hunter is getting more and more lazy. And they don't want yo have to work for them anymore.

[drwilly]

As far as I know there we no corn ponds back then .

1990? Really?

[Catdaddy]

Are we really saying that man made impoundments pulled all the ducks from a man made impoundment?

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[BOGSTER]

Are we really saying that man made impoundments pulled all the ducks from a man made impoundment?

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We are saying man made row crop impoundments royally screwed up duck hunting.

And you know it did.

[SCswampCAT]

Instead of 50k ducks going to 4-5 impoundments, now 50k ducks get spread out between 2.5k.

[swampknob]

This does not include ratoon crop rice.

I bet there wont be many famers flood irrigating rice in the future. Seems like row crop rice is gaining steam.

[BOGSTER]

I haven’t heard that, but don’t have much experience in rice fields.

We did 38 acres this year at a buddy’s place this year and flooded it at 6 inches.

I can’t imagine how much weed control would be required if dry grown.

[2thDoc]

We are saying man made row crop impoundments royally screwed up duck hunting.

And you know it did.

see? there you go again. you can keep saying it, but you cant prove it.

I guess being older helps me understand that there isnt ONE reason things change. its a lot of factors.

I am pretty sure every duck that stops north of here is NOT affected by my corn pond.

[swampknob]

I meant just out west for commercial purposes.

https://talkbusiness.net/2019/03/row...y-in-arkansas/

[BOGSTER]

see? there you go again. you can keep saying it, but you cant prove it.

I guess being older helps me understand that there isnt ONE reason things change. its a lot of factors.

I am pretty sure every duck that stops north of here is NOT affected by my corn pond.

See, there you go again.

Not grasping that corn ponds as a whole have negatively affected waterfowl as a whole.

[BOGSTER]

Kevin - for 200 years all duck hunting in the US had been relatively similar.

Men going out to natural waterways with a few decoys, duck calls, and maybe a dog.

For 170 years we really had enough ducks for folks to consistently have successful hunts.

Outboard motors aside. What changed?

[Elcid_Fowler]

The technology for more accurate waterfowl counts exists. Government just needs to use some money correctly to deploy it and really understand what NA waterfowl populations truly are.