|
Drought affects duck season
Published January 18, 2009
Exactly one week from today, the 2008-09 duck season will come to a close. It has been another dry year, maybe the driest of the decade.
It seems the region has been encapsulated by bubble-bouncing cumulonimbus clouds in the opposite direction. Duck hunting has suffered because of it.
“We need some help,” said Mike Grigar, owner of Johnny’s Sport Shop in Eagle Lake, an established waterfowling hub. “It is not about affording the water to pump when it is dry; it is about getting the water. The canal system shuts off Oct. 15, and for the rest of the season we are at the mercy of rain, and it hasn’t rained.”
Grigar said many prairie hunters have stared at blank skies due to the dry conditions, and the local economy has suffered, too.
“Duck and goose season is big in Eagle Lake, for everyone — outfitters, restaurants, convenience stores and gas stations,” he said. “This season has been slow for everyone.”
The bright spot recently has been in influx of green-winged teal that rode the heels of the stiff north winds that have been present the past week.
“We had full limits for 15 hunters over the weekend,” said Mike “Duck” Fisher, owner of Tailfeathers Guide Service in Eagle Lake. “It has been a tough year, but hopefully the hunting will remain steady and we will finish on a positive note.”
Outfitters who use well-water to pump ponds have been able to keep flats full this season. The downside has been digging deep into pocketbooks to pay for the diesel to run the pumps.
“I turned on the water again last week,” said Bill Sherrill of WS Sherrill Waterfowl in Wharton. “I hated to do it because of the cost, but I owe it to the birds and my customers to give them the best opportunity for a good hunt.”
Sherrill said hunting has been steady for the entire season with teal, gadwalls and pintails making up the brunt of the bag. Goose hunting has been good as well.
“We have had some really good goose hunts,” he said. “Lots of young birds have helped with decoying action. If I had to estimate, I would say we have averaged over 20 birds per hunt from start to finish, and that is pretty strong.”
Hunters in the North Zone have experienced fair hunting. Again, lack of rain has played a major role.
“The rains from Hurricane Ike helped, but we haven’t had any new water since,” said veteran waterfowler Mac Abney. “We have been in a drought for the past five years, but there are a few sloughs and bayous with water, and most of them are holding mallards.”
Abney said there were lots of wood ducks early in the season, but the timber duck has disappeared in January.
“The woodies are gone, probably because of the water issue,” he said. “If you want to shoot divers, there are plenty of ringed-necks, bluebills and canvasbacks on the lakes up here.”
Along the bayfront, guide Chris Martin of Bay Flats Lodge said limits of redheads and pintails have been the norm near Port O’Connor and Seadrift.
“Freshwater ponds have held teal, gadwalls and wigeons,” he said. “Hunters able to find the flight path have taken their redheads.”
Guide Jake Huddleston said goose hunting in Calhoun, Jackson and Matagorda counties has been as steady as he has ever seen.
“It has been a great year to decoy snows,” he said. “Many of the geese are on rye grass or wheat now, and they have become easier to hunt. We ought to see steady hunting through the e-caller season.”
Duck and goose season ends at sunset Jan. 25. The Light Goose Conservation Order runs Jan. 26 to March 29.
Bink Grimes is a freelance writer, photographer, author and licensed captain. Contact him at binkgrimes(at)sbcglobal.net.
Share |
Save |
Mail |
Print
|
|
|
 |
|
FREE BAY BOAT WITH WATERFRONT PURCHASE Get
...
Click for all
Top Ads listing
|
