34 replies to this topic

[Hipshot Percussion]

Was out pheasant hunting this morning and saw wave after wave of ducks and geese in the Northern Sac Valley. All around the Sac Refuge, Gridley, Biggs and Lano Seco tons of birds for you guys headed north. I saw mostly snow geese with a few honkers but big numbers of snows. Lots of mallards and pintails. There was a north wind this am and kept the ducks flying , as soon as it stops will have fog in the mornings. Hunting is going to be good the next storm that comes in.

[Jeff]

Yesssssss.

[airman]

That's funny I shot Sac refuge today, and hardly any birds flying at all. There was some shooting in the am, but it turned into a very quiet refuge by 7:30. We saw no mallards, lots of sprig, widgon, and spoonies. Tons of snows flying high, and in the closed zone. We scraped out a few birds with no ups after 8:00am.

[lvr]

Ive been out the last three days in different spots around the sutter basin. All I have to show for it is a lone drake mallard. I have seen a couple teal before shooting time but then it falls off pretty quick. I shot a limit of pheasants yesterday so that kinda makes up for it.

[tinhunter]

My partner and I shot Sutter last Saturday and we left with 13 birds. It was as mixed a bag as you can get, but there were a lot of birds flying.

[lvr]

I got a single drake woody today that decoyed like a champ. That was it except for a hen that flew over as I was picking up the dekes. 20 mph north wind expected tomorrow. should be a good day.

[Rogue]

The waterfowl hunting way up north (Burney, Fall River, Redding) is a complete joke! There is absolutely nothing here! I've called in one Speck in the last 3 trips out and seen 3 Honkers and one Mallard drake. We need the water, all of our secret ponds have been drying up over the last 3 years and now there's nothing. Weather is nice though. We hunted Shasta Valley on opener and limited out in 20 min, mostly Teal and the Shasta Valley manager is saying that if they don't get some rain this year to fill the lake that the refuge will be closed next year.Pretty grim.

[mean]

I have had a steady run of divers down here in the bay. Only a couple of mallards and one pintail.

[Jeff]

I refused to go out duck hunting for the last two weeks. I drew a low number for Yolo again for the 5th, so I'm really hoping it isn't as bad as the last time I was out there. I'm Ok with Spoonies and Ringers, the duck gods just need to bring the ducks to the dekes and I'll be happy.

[Rogue]

Ive got a lot of money tied up this year, even works the dogs tail off to get in shape and now nothing. Just the way it goes I guess. Another one of my favorite spots is closed for another few weeks while they conduct work but it really doesn't matter if there's nothing flying. It will probably rain gallons a minute after Jan 31st. At least it's great quail and yote weather!

[Hipshot Percussion]

Yesterday I drove off the hill here towards Chico and can see why there is a huge problem finding ducks. It looks like the Valley is one big lake--all the rice fields are flooded. You see this is the kind of stuff your politicians bring you when you can't burn the rice because of the "global warming problems" and the whiney people who move up here from the cities and complain about the smoke. Before all the rules the rice was burned and there was a couple of weeks of smoke in the valley but the hunting was good, now with all the rice flooded ducks and geese take off at the first shot and head for safer places and stay in the middle until dark and feed at night.There's tons of birds just too much water around and nothing that can be done. Pray for bad weather and hope for the best!

[MadHatter86]

Lots of ducks and snows migrating from pyramid lake through 138, running towards lone pine. Just thought I'd let ya guys know

[MadHatter86]

I thought we couldnt shoot woodys at all this year??

[Jeff]

I thought we couldnt shoot woodys at all this year??

Where did you hear that???????????????

[bzzrd feedr]

Yesterday I drove off the hill here towards Chico and can see why there is a huge problem finding ducks. It looks like the Valley is one big lake--all the rice fields are flooded. You see this is the kind of stuff your politicians bring you when you can't burn the rice because of the "global warming problems" and the whiney people who move up here from the cities and complain about the smoke. Before all the rules the rice was burned and there was a couple of weeks of smoke in the valley but the hunting was good, now with all the rice flooded ducks and geese take off at the first shot and head for safer places and stay in the middle until dark and feed at night.There's tons of birds just too much water around and nothing that can be done. Pray for bad weather and hope for the best!

I've got some good friends and inlaws that are rice farmers. They had a bumper crop this year and those two early heavy wind and rain storms caused the rice to lay down. When it's down the harvest is tough and they leave a lot of grain on the ground that when flooded makes for a duck soup line. They won't leave all that feed when they are not being hassled. I doubt that our season is going to be very good because of this unless we get some real cold weather in the Sac Valley. They say there are 800,000 Specs in the Valley. They love Rice too. We did good in the Grasslands last Saturday because of the wind but it's been tough.

[bzzrd feedr]

Our Hunting dramatically improved last Wed. and again on Sat. with limits around. It appears that we have a huge influx of Teal that have moved into the Grasslands and with this big arctic blast moving in it is going to get even better very shortly for puddle ducks. Finally the November doldrums are behind us.

[Jeff]

Glad you had a good shoot. I was out at Yolo again on Saturday, and there are still no birds. I stuck it out until 12:00 with only two shots for the whole day (and two misses). I'd say I didn't hear more than 50 shots all morning. This weather should definitely change some things.

[tinhunter]

I was at Yolo on Saturday as well and didn't even draw my gun on anything.

[Jeff]

I've drawn a #7 and a #9 for Yolo already, with no ducks to bring home on the strap for either day. I've never drawn that well for Yolo since I've been duck hunting, and of course I get them in the early season when there are no birds.

[lvr]

Went out today in an oxbow on the sac, 2 gadwall, a goldeneye and a wood duck. The wood duck was banded so that was nice.

[Rogue]

Their just now starting the migration here. 3-4 duck averages today. Headed your way!

[Jeff]

Hit Gray Lodge this weekend. Slaughtered 'em. 4 limits, and 25 retrieved. Not bad. We were out by 10:15, but should have been out earlier...we weren't shooting very well that day.Bag was very mixed with Gaddy's, Widgeon, lots of Ringers, one Pinner, one Mallard, one Green Wing, one beautiful drake Bufflehead, a Spoonie or two. It was a good day...finally.Now, I'm counting down to my Washington duck hunting trip.

[Rogue]

Great weather up here today but the hunting was bad. All high, call shy fliers, some would come down to about 90 yards, look, then take off and that was for everyone today, not just us.

[lvr]

We killed 7 wigeon and one mallard on sun. Sprig were pretty wary but the wigeon were new to the area so we did pretty well.

[Jeff]

Went out again this morning...Only killed 8 between three of us. All Ringers and a Gaddy. Not a great day, and then I had to go to work. Still here.

[lvr]

we killed four mallards and a wigeon yesterday. I could only hunt a half hour today but still got a mallard. I forgot my boots so I got a haircut in chest waders today. It was a personal high

[Dutchman]

Went near Colusa last weekend. It was slow. 2 of us, 5 buffleheads and 3 ringers. My buddy got board and started shooting coot on the last day...lol he eats thost da#n things too.

[lvr]

We have been killing a good mix of puddle ducks and taking a trash duck if it gets real slow. I got a banded mallard jumpshooting yesterday.

[bzzrd feedr]

Our Club in the N grasslands shot well Sat. 10 shooters with 65 ducks. Mostly GWT's. I shot Sunday for a few hours and managed two Bull Sprig but missed a couple of layups on Widgeon.

[Jeff]

Went for the lottery at Yolo on Friday night, managed to pull a #2. Took my wife out as a nonshooter on Saturday morning. I pulled a limit by 830. 3 Bluebills and 4 Ruddy's. There were Ruddy's a plenty and I didn't want her to start having a bad time, so I took them and got out of there. Haha.