Worst season I've had in the last 20 years. It was bad enough that I got to the point I was turning folks down to go hunting. We scratched out some birds and did have some bright spots with a couple really good hunts and I got to finally kill my first sprig. Somehow in all my years of hunting I couldn't ever close the deal on a pintail drake for whatever reason. I finally got him yesterday morning in Ark. For the first time that I can remember I didn't even hit 100 birds for the season. A lot of that was due to lack of birds and some of it due to I just basically quit going. I'm afraid my little boy will never get to see what duck hunting should be like.

Not good though the few hunts were fun. I’m really back into duck hunting and enjoy hunts with my friend in his little duck pond more than deer hunting. We only killed 9 wood ducks the whole season between the two of us. Next season we’ll plant some Biologic for the ducks and work on permanent blinds. Plus scout the rest of his property for additional holes and creeks where they may be hanging out. Hopefully get more migration and see some teal or other species.

I recorded a zero. I don't usually kill anything but a few woodies, but I didn't even see one this year.

Turned out to be a pretty good year where I hunt. I didn't go that many times but my friend ended up 20ish birds shy of 500 on his farm. That is just family and friends, no leasing.

The cold finally pushed them far enough south. And keeping open water made the difference.

That’s in Missouri is that correct?

We had some warm winters in the 90s
Mallards were here in the openers too, and all during the season.
In the afternoons you could flush the ducks, sit down and sit and they’d be back 15-30 minutes in small groups and was easy to get a limit
These days you flush them, they gone bye bye

The differences were

30 day season
3 duck limits and only 2 mallards
Nowhere near as many duck hunters here. The river was pretty wide open and could hunt numerous places.

Most flooded field didn’t have blinds on them due to lack of hunters


The adjoining landowner to the north of the farm, his duck hole has been there since the late 50s and can watch birds form his house so no disturbances
Worst season yet.
I’ve had 20 years of hunting at the farm. Really good hunts for the first 12-15 and slowed down until 3-4 year ago it got terrible and worse.

It used to be rare to kill only one duck a hunt. That al I killed this year and it was a woodie. Used to have 200-300 woodies in the hole and rarely shot them. I or we would shoot green heads and or other big duck and call it good no later than 8, usually by 7:15 or earlier.
One buddy has hung it up completely and the rest are contemplating it. Golfing looks more rewarding at this point lol
If I don’t have a dog it’d be easier to give up

Illinois. But I can see Missouri from his place. Guys I talked to that hunt on the west side of the river also had pretty good seasons. But after tha last 5 years this was nice. That late big cold front is really all it was. The birds flew south until they could feed. Then the weather held and stayed cold. Those numbers used to be around in November and early December.. Now it seems like January is the only time for consistent hunting if it can get cold.

Yup. They used to come down. Now it’s takes a serious cold to force them down. Here in NW Al we’d see big numbers when North Easters would hit. We’d see it all the way down here. Now nothing.
One other factor that has changed, the big waters don’t seem to lock up until after dick season

Nowadays a good season is measured by how many days we ran an ice eater. This year it ran a LOT. Still not a stellar year.

worst thing for duck hunting was DU and Duck Dynasty
One made it so they didn't have to migrate as far south for food and the other put every Tom , Dick and Harry with money for a boat on the water.

I remember in the early 90s the folks in Arkansas hating DU and switching support to Delta

Zero but didn’t hunt but 2 times family and a big deer had me tied up. I never saw the deer in my scope. Water was a problem for us the pumping guys and natural water must of had birds. I heard a few good early morning duck shoots from the deer stand. I’ve had great years in the 90’s. 4-5 years ago plenty of wood ducks. We hunt the holes for mallards killing a wood duck is fun but not really worth the getting up for 20-30 minutes of shooting.
I think the numbers people record had and has a lot to do with it. I’ve got friends that go to Missouri and Arkansas I’ve never been.. For years it’s all about the man limit. It’s not a good season if the group doesn’t kill 200+ birds or more.
“We limited out “. Would have been just as fun to kill 3 each and go eat breakfast. Relax. I personally think we have hurt our selves not leaving till we limit.
Food is key baiting happens. The birds need to be comfortable and have food. Food and habitat……….

Well, I think I am DONE with waterfowl hunting in AL and considering selling all my decoys and boat-blind. I'll make a trip to Canada in the fall to hunt with my friend up there and that will be "it" for waterfowl hunting for the year. Juice is not worth the squeeze anywhere around these parts any more in my opinion. Friend of mine has a 5000 acre lease in Arkansas that they have had for 25 years and they have seen the duck hunting decline steadily for the past 5 years to just about nothing this season... I was at least blessed to have seen the "good old days" back in the late 60's thru mid 90's. Lot's of factors have contributed to the sharp decline to what we are seeing today. I don't anticipate ever seeing waterfowl hunting in N. ALA ever being close what it used to be...

Let me know if you get ready to sell

I have a private hole here in AL and up until maybe 5 years ago we'd get 2-3 hunts out of it per season and shoot some mallards. Last 3 years haven't seen a big duck at all. Not one.

It isn't weather related. It's not an "ice" issue.

We've known since the early 1900's that ducks "winter" and imprint on an area. It took all these biologists you all trust like your mother that long to figure that part out. Well.... If you shoot them to pieces there are going to be fewer and fewer return each season. We've know this for near 100 years.

At some point there is a real impact from continuous non-management and just throwing a 60/6 season out there for what is now seemingly forever...... and that was around 5 years ago.

I remember clearly in the late 80's shooting in front of Swan Creek on the river in a T-shirt because our old rubber waders were so hot I was sweating to death I had them pulled down around my waist. I could walk you out the West Dike gate to the spot we hunted that morning right now and put you on the same stump row.

There's no birds in the air Today. That's the difference. You can't kill what isn't there. Nothing in that area has otherwise significantly changed. What changed?

Yup like you I recall the days where the rivers were full of birds late season at dusk and dawn. I guess it’s been since the 90s since I’ve seen those number of birds.

All you have to do is look at the gps data birds. They’re returning to the same areas they were banded in and bouncing around close by.