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Thread: Recent Mediocrity and Observations

  1. #41
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    As of right now, no one around here is loaded.

    A select few have a few hundred ringnecks and scattered teal.

    SNWR isn’t holding what it was at this time last year.
    There’s roughly 40k on the complex, and it’s 90% puddle ducks.

    I whole-heartedly believe we have cut our own throats with corn ponds up and down the flyways.

    It was a great thing when it was a southern practice, but now that our northern and western brothers have caught on, it has changed the natural cycle of migration indefinitely.

    We certainly aren’t gonna undo it, so what are our options?
    Be proactive about improving public waterfowl habitat in South Carolina. It's not going to happen by itself, and our help is needed. We have the potential to winter thousands of waterfowl on public grounds if we fight for it.

  2. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by buckpro View Post
    It kind of like the lake for instance, everyone says the numbers are nothing near where they used to be, habitat is gone, etc. While the mallards might not be there like they were, they are still imprinted to the area, they are just on the 4700 impoundments that surround the lake.
    Even with all the impoundments around Santee, it's hard to hide 80,000-125,000 wild mallards.
    Last edited by Catdaddy; 01-09-2020 at 10:23 AM.

  3. #43
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    The large swaths of ringnecks and scaup are not present this season.

    We have a pile of gadwall and widgeon loafing in Cantey Bay, and they are nocturnal and unhuntable to the public and private.
    Be proactive about improving public waterfowl habitat in South Carolina. It's not going to happen by itself, and our help is needed. We have the potential to winter thousands of waterfowl on public grounds if we fight for it.

  4. #44
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    I only know of 3 impoundments in Clarendon county that kill wild mallards with any consistency.

    And to be truthful, 2 kill a few, the other is the only one shooting them every hunt.

    And he doesn’t hunt that often.
    Be proactive about improving public waterfowl habitat in South Carolina. It's not going to happen by itself, and our help is needed. We have the potential to winter thousands of waterfowl on public grounds if we fight for it.

  5. #45
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    Seems we have a lot of theories and a lot of opinions but little to no solutions....
    “Duck hunting gives a man a chance to see the loneliest places …blinds washed by a rolling surf, blue and gold autumn marshes, …a rice field in the rain, flooded pin-oak forests or any remote river delta. In duck hunting the scene is as important as the shooting.” ~ Erwin Bauer, The Duck Hunter’s Bible, 1965

  6. #46
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    If this trend continues, the Feds might need to change the laws on artificially flooding crops fields. The ducks are a national resource. If human manipulation has altered their migratory patterns and artificially flooded crop fields are concentrating birds, the practice needs to stop.

    Building a dike and pumping well water into a crop field that was never intended for harvest is baiting plain and simple. Like many on here have said. "People with money put water on their corn. Why can't people with limited resources put corn in their water?" Both concentrate ducks...both alter other hunters hunts. Both alter the movement of waterfowl.
    Last edited by Rabbitman09; 01-09-2020 at 10:40 AM.

  7. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rabbitman09 View Post
    If this trend continues, the Feds might need to change the laws on artificially flooding crops fields. The ducks are a national resource. If human manipulation has altered their migratory patterns and artificially flooded crop fields are concentrating birds, the practice needs to stop.

    Building a dike and pumping well water into a crop field that was never intended for harvest is baiting plain and simple. Like many on here have said. "People with money put water on their corn. Why can't people with limited resources put corn in their water?" Both concentrate ducks...both alter other hunters hunts. Both alter the movement of waterfowl.
    Big issue with making it illegal to put water to a crop now is that in places such as California flooded crop land such as rice is really the only reason they even have ducks. Upwards of 90% of the habitat has been lost in places like that and they have moved to agriculture and depend on that resource. Would love to see large tracts of rice in South Carolina again. Could make a motion to make it illegal to flood corn and maybe that would make people practice moist soil management again....... IDK I find it hard to tell someone what they can and can not do on his or her own land sooooooo hard to want to restrict what others want to do with what they own... A lot of different arguments go into restricting what a person can do with his or her own property and flooding things such as rice is completely different than flooding of corn. I don't know of an extension that labels flooding of corn as a normal practice........
    In my mind no difference than putting water to corn than corn to water.....
    “Duck hunting gives a man a chance to see the loneliest places …blinds washed by a rolling surf, blue and gold autumn marshes, …a rice field in the rain, flooded pin-oak forests or any remote river delta. In duck hunting the scene is as important as the shooting.” ~ Erwin Bauer, The Duck Hunter’s Bible, 1965

  8. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rabbitman09 View Post
    Why can't people with limited resources put corn in their water?" Both concentrate ducks...both alter other hunters hunts. Both alter the movement of waterfowl.

    Probably because the average hunter kills 2 ducks or less per hunt even though the limit is 6. Acceptable harvest numbers are based on this average and used to allow a 60 day season. If baiting was allowed where the average harvest went to 5 or 6 per hunt, the season wouldn't be but 5-10 days long.

    Also, private flooded fields provide food and sanctuaries/rest areas long after the season goes out. You need to find a new battle cry,...…..that one has been worn out for years.

  9. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by Catdaddy View Post
    Probably because the average hunter kills 2 ducks or less per hunt even though the limit is 6. Acceptable harvest numbers are based on this average and used to allow a 60 day season. If baiting was allowed where the average harvest went to 5 or 6 per hunt, the season wouldn't be but 5-10 days long.

    Also, private flooded fields provide food and sanctuaries/rest areas long after the season goes out. You need to find a new battle cry,...…..that one has been worn out for years.
    No they don't, the water is drained immediately after the season ends in order to dry out for spring planting. If you are talking about moist soil impoundments, yes, but that's not what I'm referring to. The problem is flooded crop fields.

  10. #50
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    The above statement is not true at all.
    Be proactive about improving public waterfowl habitat in South Carolina. It's not going to happen by itself, and our help is needed. We have the potential to winter thousands of waterfowl on public grounds if we fight for it.

  11. #51
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    We held water til Almost April last year.
    Be proactive about improving public waterfowl habitat in South Carolina. It's not going to happen by itself, and our help is needed. We have the potential to winter thousands of waterfowl on public grounds if we fight for it.

  12. #52
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    What is the flooded corn field doing that is hurting our waterfowl populations? Is there a theory that the artificial manipulation of crops expanding through the north is hurting population numbers?

    Just a question...let's say Feds decided to ban flooding of corn. We know that we have an increased number of hunters buying licenses and stamps. We all have acknowledged an increased amount of duck hunters on public lands (objective but safe to say it's true). So if we assume for a moment that we know for a fact there are more guns in the field on public waters. Then if we remove the practice of flooded corn and say 50% of those private land owners don't go back to the efforts of moist soil management, etc. Where do those birds go? If we assume (humor me here) that they begin using public land again, do we help or hurt our long term waterfowl populations given the know fact of increased hunters on public property? Would harvest numbers increase ultimately resulting in decreased populations and then bag limits? Is that good or bad? A lot of assumptions in my random thoughts so humor me.
    Last edited by Elcid_Fowler; 01-09-2020 at 11:14 AM.

  13. #53
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    Let’s return to a 30 day season, 3 ducks and 2 wood ducks, what would that do to the commercial and corn pond operators

  14. #54
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    I would rather have decreased bag limits and actually see ducks to shoot at than see no ducks at all like the current situation.
    Last edited by Rabbitman09; 01-09-2020 at 11:16 AM.

  15. #55
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rabbitman09 View Post
    No they don't, the water is drained immediately after the season ends in order to dry out for spring planting. If you are talking about moist soil impoundments, yes, but that's not what I'm referring to. The problem is flooded crop fields.
    You don't know what you are talking about. I have one and haven't shot it this year. It will not be drained until March 15th or later..
    Last edited by Catdaddy; 01-09-2020 at 11:19 AM.

  16. #56
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    just so we bring some level of fact to this discussion. Let's keep it going though...good thoughts (most of them).

    https://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/p...usReport19.pdf

  17. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by Catdaddy View Post
    You don't know what you are talking about. I have one and haven't shot it this year. It will not be drained until March 1st.
    So you have artificially created habitat that is affecting other hunters in your area by concentrating birds. Good job. The ducks that would normally be your neighbors creeks, swamps, and beaver ponds are now concentrated on your artificial habitat and your neighbors have been screwed.
    Last edited by Rabbitman09; 01-09-2020 at 11:21 AM.

  18. #58
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    Rabbit - are you trying to discuss something is not fair or are you trying to discuss the general feeling birds are not coming to SC any longer?

  19. #59
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    Quote Originally Posted by Elcid_Fowler View Post
    Rabbit - are you trying to discuss something is not fair or are you trying to discuss the general feeling birds are not coming to SC any longer?
    Both really. Nobody has great numbers of ducks and what few ducks are coming to sc are being unnaturally stopped at corn ponds. Hell in my neck of the woods ducks don't even eat acorns anymore! I've got spots (private land) that used to hold tons of wood ducks and a few mallards. I'm luck if I even hear a wood duck squeal off in the distance anymore!
    Last edited by Rabbitman09; 01-09-2020 at 11:37 AM.

  20. #60
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    Quote Originally Posted by Catdaddy View Post
    You don't know what you are talking about. I have one and haven't shot it this year. It will not be drained until March 15th or later..
    Do you feel like you are part of the status quo of practice, or an outlier? Because I don't feel like it would fair to judge how the vast majority of impoundments operate based on your own personal choices.

    Please note, I am not defending Rabbit's stance or where his argument is headed. But I also feel like it is unfair to say that MOST corn ponds provide any real benefit other than a place to fatten up before hitting the dinner table, a feed lot if you will.
    "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12

    "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14

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