still no birds...and still no ducks dec 15/12

Hello Guys,

This is to confirm what Canvasback stated on November 08.

I heard the Tundra Swans in the southern part of the Big Creek marsh complex on Thursday night (Nov. 08) and again last night (Nov. 10).

This morning at about 0850 hours I saw a large flock of ducks flying south between Bait Island and Long Point. There were thousands of them stretching from Long Point back to Bait Island and after that flock there was another flock nearly as large.

I hope that they were just flying over to the lake to rest for the day.

Jerome
 
This has been the worst year that we have ever had a long point in 15 years so bad that almost ready to throw in the towel on season. We have not shot any ducks for two weeks and normally this time of year we would be getting limits. We are running out of time and our passiants is running thin lets hope something happens soon.
 
I think today is the first good South or SW wind we've had in a long time. The open lake has been pretty darn calm and a heck of a lot of ducks have been sitting out there. Itll be interesting to see the unit numbers after today.
 
Hey boys,

Sat morn I hunted the bay in front of Port Rowan. There was literally thousands of Widgeons and mallards just sitting in the middle of the bay between Lp and Rowan.

They're not coots as someone suggested but the reason the unit is slow is there just hasn't been the weather. There was maybe a 5-10km wind with thick fog cover on sat morn giving them no reason to fly.

Shot half a limit with Reds and Blues. Lots of divers and Mallards. All morning all we could hear were Pintails and Widgeons whistling, was awesome. Near dark on the way into the park and at my trailer me and my buddies watched flight after flight of Mallies fly over. Nice to see with a beer in hand.

Thers's lots of birds down, big creek looked packed but didn't check any numbers. Sounds like the Donalds struck again in B6 last week.

Smash'em all Lads

Pintail
 
Well we shot a limit and was back to the truck by 11:30 am. While packing up decoys birds were still trying to land in the spread. Right place at the right time I guess. Everyone we seen was surprised.

Delhi, Ontario
 
You did this in the unit?

Personally, yesterday was the slowest day I have ever experienced in the unit. They're does seem to be a lot of birds around, just not in the marsh. As I was told, they are not holding in the feeders. And yes the weather has added to the problem as of late. Hard goin this boys.
 
Hello Guys,

Has anybody ever tried hunting the Lake Erie side of Long Point along Hastings Drive eastward towards the park?

I have heard that there have been large rafts of ducks out there at times.

Jerome
 
Jerome

I have been looking for voluteers to go out there and set up...or just run a boat around next Saturday morning. Probably 50000 Reds and Bills out there right now waiting for the right party to go and get them!!! Maybe you could be a leader and head out to try it. Let Us know how it works out for Ya.
 
I hope you have long lines on your decoys.Also you need a good place to launch from -- It's a long way around the Point !
I did hunt the lake 20 years or so ago and managed a pile of redheads -catching them as they were heading back to the Bay in the late afternoon
coming low off the water . I was using a Zodiac with a 15 hp with my brother and we laid down in it and used it like a layout boat with it covered up with burlap.Long trip back if you have motor trouble .
 
There is no launch on the lake side of Long Point. There are a few hardy souls who launch off the beach on Hastings for perch in the summer. However, you need permission from the landowner. It is one thing to do this on a nice warm summer day and quite another in November with cold water and potential quick weather changes which can rapidly have big waves pounding the beach and your launch site.

I did it once in the fall years ago, the numbers of birds flying was spectacular, the harvest small, they would not cooperate, and the loading of the boat back on the trailer scary. On top of it all the wheel bearings burned out in the trailer on the way home from the sand in them.

Not something I am likely to ever do again.
 
Cam..Sonny....

Quit discouraging the brave soles. North wind...No motor...Erie ain't that far to drift.
 
You're right Gar,you should make Erie by the next afternoon!
I don't think too many freighters are on the water but right now you could get run over by a submarine !!
There is more to the story of my hunt but since this is a public forum I will pass that on personally sometime .It was interesting though and we never even took any decoys with us .
I was talking with Emile on Saturday at the trailers and told him in the "OLD" days - the 1960's my Dad and others would sit roughly where the hunting trailers are now and have a picnic table set up with "refreshments " and take the divers as they cleared the dunes coming off the lake 30-40 yard shots.
Some say there is nothing like the "good old days "!! It sure beats picking up a 100 decoys or so with cold ,wet hands .
 
Hello Guys,

A few comments:

Duckman ... I was not kidding ... I got the idea last spring from Ted Barney at Long Point Waterfowl when I was donating some old decoys to them for their kid's program.

Garth ... I thought that your layout boat positioned off shore should work on one of the many "calm" days that we are experiencing this year.

Sonny ... I thank you for your account ... it is possible then as suggested to me.

Pintail ... I know that there is no launch at this time but read my comments below.

Singlemalt ... I thank you for your account and warning.

The reason that I asked about the Lake Side is because I am now attempting to purchase some property for use as a private beach in the summer and as a launching site for duck hunting in the fall.

I may or may not build a concrete launch ramp depending upon the location and I will permit my fellow waterfowl hunters (well at least those who support my Tundra Swan proposal) complimentary use of it.

The funds have already been set aside for this project.

Thanks again for your comments and support.

Jerome
 
Buddy,

Before you lay down any money, you should probably check with your local regulatory agencies about their willingness to issue permission for such a boat ramp in the area that you're thinking about...
 
Hello Gryphon Hunter,

I will do that (perhaps as a condition of sale) prior to submitting an offer to purchase. However I will probably buy a property even if there are rstrictions regarding a baot launch as I could always launch from the sandy shoreline or perhaps just build a seasonal wooden "boardwalk" type of launch ramp.

Jerome
 
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