January 31st closure at risk!

[Wanderer]

You guys love your kids and vets though.

Last years's first hunt was 4 days before your Thanksgiving Opener!

I hope Frankfurt heard from some folks.

Good luck with them, they lost a lot of Common Sense when Vernon retired!

Will

 

[Small Bore Hunter]

This is why I go to AR.

 

[bill cooksey]

This is why I go to AR.

AR definitely tends to be more dependable the first half of the season.

 

[smashdn]

KY sucks for waterfowl. What management exists is simply watching productive areas go fallow.

Moist soil mismanagement on full display most places. Places in ky I hunt the water is not or incapable of being managed.

My preference is to hunt KY on a backwater and in late Jan on the reverse migration when those natural areas are finally filled. Most guys have given up by that point and I run into considerably fewer knuckleheads. Unless there is backwater but that at least thins them out to a great extent.

 

[15thTN]

I know of two real good places that they let go. Both with levies, and drain structures. One was setup by DU, and used to kill several ducks, especially when the creeks got out, but the last 20yrs willows have taken over. Currently, the only huntable water is on the OUTSIDE of the levy where it's farmed.

There's a tract on the same Wma the that used to hold thousands of ducks, but is over run with beavers. They would filter out to the surrounding areas, and the hunting was as good as I ever had in and around Reelfoot.

Up to 11yrs ago the water level was perfect, but it's went slowly downhill. What the beavers don't over flood is growing up with willows, and cattails. One part was seasonally flooded, and was 30 acres you could see across. Over time the beavers have flooded it, and you can't see for the cattails. Where we used to pound ducks in ankle deep water, is now waist deep, or more. KY duck hunting is forgotten, if it's not near the Ballard refuge. Sad state of affairs.

 

[Wanderer]

From what I can interpret from the audio it appears the commission has adopted the Agency's recommendation to keep the season the same as 2022-23 with only a shift in calendar dates.

Therefore, Sat and Sunday after Thanksgiving (Nov. 25 and 26, 2023) opening again 58 days prior to Jan. 31, 2024 (Tuesday Dec. 5, 2023).

Thanks for all those that shared their thoughts and preferences with their commissioners, they earn their pay.

Will

 

[charlie8584]

Love it when dates are stolen off weekends to apeeze a few young guns and a couple of know it alls

 

[bill cooksey]

Love it when dates are stolen off weekends to apeeze a few young guns and a couple of know it alls

I agree with the notion of maximizing weekends. It makes zero difference to me since I can generally hunt whenever I want, but the average guy, and especially the average kid, doesn't have that option. Interestingly enough, most hunters I meet want the latest day possible despite it not being in his best interest. Below is what I wrote.

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll be canceling out your vote. Because of the ice storm, January 31 was one of my better hunts of the season, and January is always the best month at my place. That said, I believe we are hunting too late into January, and I'm all for maximizing weekend days and rest time. Obviously, the potential for each changes based on the calendar each year.

 

[Wanderer]

Love it when dates are stolen off weekends to apeeze a few young guns and a couple of know it alls

"Sorry Charlie"

Since I know where that came from I'm too old for a "young gun", so I must be a "know it all".

Probably fits, so I'll wear it with the scars and miles I paid to get here.

I sincerley hope it does not reduce people's ability to have quality hunting, because everyone that I know that contacted their commissioners in support of the latest closure possible were trying to do exactly that, preserve as much quality hunting time as the Federal Framework allows.

I understand Bill's concerns and applaud him for standing up for his convictions, I also do not blame him for taking advantage of the additional opportunity when afforded.

As a pretty much "Self Taught" public lands hunter I realized a long time ago that everyone that got up and put their gear on and headed to the field/lake/swamp along with me wanted to kill ducks as much as I did.

In a lot of cases experience and know how meant the difference in success and a skunk, so hard work, time in the field, and determination were traits that were rewarded.

Somehow, because of a lot of factors, that is not always the case anymore.

But at times it still pays off and is one of the most rewarding aspects of duck and goose hunting.

I hope you're able to have some pleasant and contenting hunts this season, it's about the best we can hope for anymore.

Will

 

[bill cooksey]

"Sorry Charlie"

Since I know where that came from I'm too old for a "young gun", so I must be a "know it all".

Probably fits, so I'll wear it with the scars and miles I paid to get here.

I sincerley hope it does not reduce people's ability to have quality hunting, because everyone that I know that contacted their commissioners in support of the latest closure possible were trying to do exactly that, preserve as much quality hunting time as the Federal Framework allows.

I understand Bill's concerns and applaud him for standing up for his convictions, I also do not blame him for taking advantage of the additional opportunity when afforded.

As a pretty much "Self Taught" public lands hunter I realized a long time ago that everyone that got up and put their gear on and headed to the field/lake/swamp along with me wanted to kill ducks as much as I did.

In a lot of cases experience and know how meant the difference in success and a skunk, so hard work, time in the field, and determination were traits that were rewarded.

Somehow, because of a lot of factors, that is not always the case anymore.

But at times it still pays off and is one of the most rewarding aspects of duck and goose hunting.

I hope you're able to have some pleasant and contenting hunts this season, it's about the best we can hope for anymore.

Will

Just a different opinion/mindset on an issue. Some can have those without thinking everyone with a different opinion is an evil, selfish, conservative *******. Charlie is not one of the “some” I mentioned. Being a duck hunter and liberal who hates anyone with an opposing view would be a lonely existence in the great state of TN.