Full Transcript for Jacob Hebert

I'm gonna try to make it out. 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:42.159 I'm definitely gonna yeah, man. 00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:44.000 I like those calling contests. 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:45.680 I go there to donate money to people. 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:48.319 I usually I usually get whooped up pretty good. 00:02:48.479 --> 00:03:00.560 Uh but it keeps me sharp with my calling, keeps me um you know practicing, and it it's a good time to see everybody that you only see a few times through that throughout the season. 00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:04.879 Okay, kind of it's almost like my I call it my duck hunting reunion, yearly reunions. 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:06.000 That's what I was gonna say. 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:07.680 Yeah, it's a little reunion. 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:08.719 Yeah, it is. 00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:18.879 But um, man, so before we get into all the the um the business part of this, man, how was your duck season last you know, last season? 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:23.759 And um, you know, kind of talk about your little your your waterfowl hunting background. 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:29.919 So last season was that's last season I hunted by myself more than normal. 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:41.919 You know, I didn't uh I recently had some health issues in my lower back, give me a lot of problems, so I can't really traverse the public land like I used to or as much as I want. 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:46.800 So I kind of stayed around my place, my place off the mermitho. 00:03:47.280 --> 00:03:50.000 And I hunted my blind a lot during the week. 00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:56.960 I worked uh at the time I was working in Pennsylvania, so I uh it was on my days all very limited. 00:03:57.680 --> 00:03:59.120 It was it was hit or miss. 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:07.280 You know, there was there weren't there weren't as many ducks kind of like there that I've seen in the past. 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:09.919 You know, I think we all experienced that. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:16.800 So it was it's it's duck season, you know, it's better than any other time of year. 00:04:16.879 --> 00:04:17.680 It's the best time. 00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:23.360 So I still call it a good season, no matter what. 00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:28.480 Yeah, this season, I w man, I've lived in Louisiana for 10 years now. 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:36.800 Um, I tell everyone this season wasn't my worst season, wasn't my best season. 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:45.360 Uh kind of a little below average on the duck harvest, but my speckle belly and snow geese was uh above average this year. 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:46.879 So, you know. 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:52.480 Um, but I I targeted speckle belly and uh geese more than I did ducks this season. 00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:53.360 Yeah. 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:55.600 Me not so much. 00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:59.759 Uh I'm not as good on like all I'm not as consistent, but I'm working on that. 00:04:59.839 --> 00:05:01.120 I'm gonna make it a lot better. 00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:02.000

Yeah. 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:06.480 Um yeah, you just something about speckle belly that I really I really enjoy. 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:12.319 They um uh I call them the mallards of the geese world, the way they work and all that. 00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:13.519 They're smart. 00:05:13.759 --> 00:05:15.199 Yeah, they are smart. 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:32.399 They're smart and I mean there's something, but when you when you get when you get even like a three or four pack of specs to do it right, it man, to me, it there's that is a favorite my favorite bird to watch finish, is a is a speckle belly. 00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:36.000 I have mixed emotions being a terrible caller. 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:39.680 Uh I I get them close, but I can't finish them. 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:40.240 Yeah. 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:42.160 We'll see what happens this year though. 00:05:42.399 --> 00:05:42.879 Oh yeah. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:45.759 So I mean, did you grow up hunting here in Louisiana? 00:05:45.839 --> 00:05:48.000 Uh, how did you get into the waterfowl? 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:52.639 Man, I I grew up in uh a small small rural area, what do you call it? 00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:56.560 A town, like Goto, Louisiana, which is just outside of New Iberi. 00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:03.279 I grew up in the area of Vermillion Parish, Iberia Parish, kind of laughing at Parish meat. 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:04.639 Yeah. 00:06:05.199 --> 00:06:07.120 And uh I grew up wood duck. 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:15.120 I grew up in the back of the woods, just you know, I wouldn't say shooting roosts, but you know, I was uh a flyby shooter. 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:15.839 Yeah. 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:17.199 I hadn't be cool. 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:21.120 I didn't eat cool with my first ducks, I'd say, till man. 00:06:22.879 --> 00:06:24.639 I might have been 22. 00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:25.680 Yeah. 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:29.360 You know, it was long after I installed it and shot my first bird. 00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:30.000 Yeah. 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:38.639 It seems like a lot of guys, especially here in the south, you know, me living in North Carolina, Georgia, and then down here in Louisiana. 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:44.399 It seems like a lot of guys start cutting their teeth on is the wood ducks. 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:46.160 Yeah, that was. 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:52.720 Back when I was growing up, that was the most abundant duck of the of the summertime, you know? 00:06:52.959 --> 00:06:53.519 Yeah. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:54.000 Yeah. 00:06:56.240 --> 00:06:59.040 That was just the most abundant duck, period. 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:04.560 Yeah, I tell everyone, I I enjoy shooting the wood ducks. 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:07.680 I still actually target wood ducks a lot. 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:15.839 Um, during, you know, if I don't have time, I you know, I'm fortunate I have some lakes over here in Louisiana, Louisiana that I live in. 00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:19.439 That allows me, you know, that

we have the wood duck is pretty abundant. 00:07:19.839 --> 00:07:22.079 And I think they're one of the best table fares. 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:31.040 I mean, I tell everyone, if I can only shoot two birds, uh, it would be a speckle belly and a wood duck, just for for table fair purposes. 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:32.800 They're both great. 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:33.439 Yeah. 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:34.480 Both great. 00:07:34.959 --> 00:07:35.839 Let me rephrase that. 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:40.480 They were more abundant in my area of the of the parish, you know, county. 00:07:40.720 --> 00:07:41.120 Yeah. 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:47.759 So where you grew up, would is it all that Cypress backwater slugs, or or do you guys have big open marshes? 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:48.800 Or did you grow up? 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:54.720 Yeah, there's a famous lake be here. 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:59.519 I think it was 86, or maybe later, 96, I don't remember when. 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:04.480 I believe it was 86 whenever they drilled into that salt dome and that ridge went in. 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:10.639 But I grew up about two and a half miles west, west of it. 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:11.199 Yeah. 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:21.199 And uh like here in here in uh the southwest, uh, do you guys have a lot of rice agriculture like like we do down here? 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:23.839 Yeah, growing up, yes. 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:30.800 I you know, I can remember rice fields all the way almost to New Iberia, all 14, both sides. 00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:32.159 Now it's all cane. 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:32.639 Yeah. 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:35.200 The sugar industry's really taking over. 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:39.919 Like and it's pushing all the way to right now. 00:08:40.799 --> 00:08:41.279 Yeah. 00:08:41.600 --> 00:08:42.399 That's what I've heard. 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:44.799 I've heard a lot, you know, a lot of guys talk about that. 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:58.159 I've had, you know, Damon Abair, I've had um uh I've had uh Ron Cortez on a few, you know, a bunch of times, and you know, and we've talked about um the rice industry down here. 00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:05.519 I gotta tell you guys, it's still, I mean, Louisiana's still top three for rice, you know, production here, you know, within the US. 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:06.960 Yeah, no doubt. 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:10.000 I mean, I think that has a lot to do with technology. 00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:10.960 Yeah. 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:22.320 But when it comes to all that, so you know, you got in the honey, what made you get into the um the actual conservation side of everything? 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:28.320 And and and how did you link up, you know, doing the banding and uh GPS tracking? 00:09:29.919 --> 00:09:34.639 Man, uh I ended up killing a few bands over the years for all length. 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:39.919 And I I guess I bands were so common all and I said, Man, I want to know who this guy is. 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:45.919 What really did it for me was um it was the last band I shot, it was a mallard. 00:09:46.879 --> 00:09:52.720 It was at least eight years old, and it was banded about a mile north of where I shot it. 00:09:54.879 --> 00:10:03.600 You know, back in 2000 and lending like 2016, 1515. 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:05.919 I have to look at the certificate. 00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:06.720 Yeah. 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:12.000 But it was uh that that's what did it for me, honestly. 00:10:12.080 --> 00:10:24.399 I had been hunting in the particular area for about 17 years, and I guess I could say that most people know by now it's pretty public publicized and I hunt like I mean, I've hunted it in the past 15 years. 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:27.360 There's no secret about it. 00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:38.559 And once I did that, I I kept poking, I said, I want to know who all again is, so I emailed him talking to him and uh picked his brain. 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:45.679 You know, he's a I had heard all sorts of things about him, and I didn't I had never uh never met him before. 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:49.919 And uh you know, one thing led to another. 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:54.559 I I kept picking out his brain and I said, Well, he goes, Hey man, you need some volunteers, I'll come help you. 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:57.440 You know, just let me know when you go band it. 00:10:58.000 --> 00:10:59.200 And it's all linked. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:05.360 I mean, he probably if I had to guess he bans more drugs than anybody in the world, yeah, or close to it. 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:08.639 He's in the top three, I know that. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:12.399 Well, you know, we have to hear that all over the place. 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:13.840 Yeah. 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:14.879 Oh yeah. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:16.159 He don't stop. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:29.519 Well, I ended up meeting up with him at Rockefeller one day, it was before he had his technicians that helped him out, you know, help him sit next bait and do all the groundwork that he can't do, you know. 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:31.919 Yeah. 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:37.039 Well, so I drove to Rockefeller one morning, we helped him set a bait side. 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:42.000 It was a Friday morning, and we had to shoot the next the next morning. 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:46.240 It was Friday yeah, it was Friday around noon, I went beating, and then we had to shoot the next morning. 00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:56.000 Well, so I helped him bait the rice, set the net, and everything and uh went shot a net the next day, and that's how it started. 00:11:57.600 --> 00:11:58.240 Yeah. 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:03.440 And you you said that was around what 2016-17 when you uh you started, you linked up with him. 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:04.879 Oh no, no, no. 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:07.679 Um that's how old that mallard was. 00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:09.600 Oh, it was banned. 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:15.200 Um this was I've been working with

Paul for about two, two and a half years now. 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:15.759 Okay. 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:19.360 Yeah. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:21.759 April of 24 or something like that. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:22.799 Oh, nice. 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:25.840 So yeah, you you know, you have a couple years, you know, hanging out with Paul. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:27.919 Now I've heard nothing but good things about Paul. 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:40.320 Uh, everyone I talked to is always said just how knowledgeable he is and just you know, just how thorough he is on his his just his banding projects and his research. 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:42.000 Oh, he's a wizard. 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:43.600 Yeah. 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:46.799 I tell him all the time, I said, You're doing the Lord's work. 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:48.639 Yeah. 00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:51.360 Man, I I yeah. 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:56.080 What really sucks is is our I'm you know, we have a mutual friend, uh Damon. 00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:57.440 He's been on the show a couple times. 00:12:57.600 --> 00:13:01.120 I always want to go link down with you guys to go help out and kind of just hang out. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:06.799 But it seems like always during like the banding time of the year, it's always like my busiest time at work. 00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:08.080 Yeah. 00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:10.799 Well, he'll band all throughout the season. 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:11.519 Yeah. 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:14.480 Pretty much, other than you know, this time of year. 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:14.799 Yeah. 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:17.600 And then he's probably still, I'm sure, he's a festival tough. 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:18.720 Yeah. 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:27.120 When it comes, you know, when you start banding, um, and yeah, I know you're setting the nets up and all that. 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:36.399 What what typically are the um the major species that you you guys are seeing in um getting in those traps and uh that you guys are actually banding? 00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:41.440 Well, that depends on where we're at, but you know, he mainly bans out of Rockefeller. 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:47.200 That's where most of the volunteers, you know, turn up and give him give him a hand. 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:55.919 Not necessarily setting nets and all that, but they come and they help catch the ducks, get the nets, get the ducks out of the net while they're overwater because otherwise they'll ground. 00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:56.720 Yeah. 00:13:57.440 --> 00:14:21.600 Well, it'll be probably teal, you know, mostly teal, ponies, cattle, uh lots of bent ale, occasional mild bugs, a common species around, you know, what's that marsh around Rockefeller, north around Brazil, you know, north Miami. 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:25.279 So not very many mallards? 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:26.879 Not in that area. 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:33.039 No, I don't think we maybe I think we caught maybe one catch a cinnamon this past season. 00:14:33.279

--> 00:14:33.759 Really? 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:34.480 Yeah. 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:43.679 And the first year that I worked with him, uh uh we caught a well, we didn't catch it, it was in he showed me pictures of it. 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:46.399 I thought I was in the truck, made it back to helping man. 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:51.759 And he showed me pictures of this lucastic field that he had on the big side. 00:14:52.000 --> 00:15:04.559 But as soon as he pushed the button, a lot of you know, I guess 60, and he could tell you better, 60-70% of them birds that get out of that, you know, that that perimeter where the net can catch them, so it got out. 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:05.200 Yeah. 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:10.320 So those nets are are the are they using like pressurized air, like CO2 to to push out? 00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:13.279 No, that's it's all uh gunpowder. 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:17.919 Oh yeah, gotta have your explosive license to work with it. 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:18.399 Yeah. 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:20.559 Oh, and I I I did not know that. 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:25.360 I thought they were all uh I thought it was like a CO2 or protein cartridge that pushed them out. 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:29.360 No, no, maybe in some areas, no, he doesn't that. 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:31.840 Oh, you know when he shoots that thing. 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:33.679 Yeah, is it is it pretty loud? 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:35.919 It's pretty loud, it's exhilarating too. 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:36.799 Nice. 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:39.279 Yeah, I mean you know what you're about to get into. 00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:47.679 I bet it's a pretty pretty cool sight just to see all those birds dissolidated just on that bait pile before you shoot it. 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:49.919 It's it's definitely a sight to see. 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:57.440 I think everybody should do it, and I think that's what you know it takes people getting out there shooting bands in order for them to really want to get into it. 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:00.480 And you know, for some they don't get into it right away, they'll shoot. 00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:05.519 Like I know people that uh shot 10 bands and never actually went. 00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:09.840 So I can't really say that, I guess, but it's I guess a situation, yeah. 00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:18.399 Yeah, I I see some people get the band bug, and I'm not super like I only have three bands, and they're all geese. 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:23.120 I have uh two snow geese and um a honker I shot up in in Nebraska. 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:25.600 I've never shot a banded duck. 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:30.720 Um but I think it's more location, yeah. 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:33.759 It's more location, but obviously, but it's location. 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:40.000 Yeah, the bands I've got the bands as a trophy don't really get me going. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:56.240 I mean they're cool, they're you know, they're good hunts to remember, but I I think it's super just super cool and super unique when you watch where these bands, you know, when you call up or you you put on the email and you go online and and they email you all everything and you get that certificate. 00:16:56.320 --> 00:17:07.119 It's I think it's so neat to where you've seen these birds go, uh and where they're banded, how many times they've done the you know, they've done the gauntlet from the north to south. 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:15.200 Yeah, I I think that to me, that part of the banding, just the data part, really gets me um kind of nerding out on that quite a bit. 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:20.319 Dang, that's just how how does this creature with the peace size brain operate like it does? 00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:21.200 Oh, yeah. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:40.480 This I mean, I tell everyone, we need map quests or we need our our our phones to get us, you know, from one part of the state to the other, or sometimes you can navigate in the the town you live in, and these birds, the peace size brain, can go from the boreal forest all the way down here to the Shaeneers, right? 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:43.759 Yeah, sometimes they'll skip a year and come back. 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:46.640 Yeah, yeah, they'll they'll end up going somewhere else. 00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:50.000 I that's why I think it like the GPS part is so cool. 00:17:50.319 --> 00:18:04.000 Because you know, you see, um when you guys are doing these banning operations, how usually what's the ratio of just birds that get banned or the or what birds get GPS's, or what's the criterion for that? 00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:10.000 So uh it's whatever uh I guess Paul calls for. 00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:20.400 He you know, he we only put transmitters on or collars on yeast, mallards, so far for me at least. 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:20.960 Yeah. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:25.839 You know, the critical species that are in trouble for Louisiana. 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:29.759 Not saying in trouble with the species that they don't know much about, like Mallard. 00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:30.559 Yeah. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:37.920 And not to say that they don't know much about that they don't know exactly what's going on with that species at the time, like right now. 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:38.720 Yeah. 00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:53.039 And and the the ratio, like I said, we banded 75 mallards on one shoot this past season, and put out like five transmitters, 15 total. 00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:55.519 Yeah, but we were only putting them on hand. 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:00.960 Yeah, we're only putting transmitters on him. 00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:04.079 Well, because the the sex ratios are so skewed. 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:06.160 It could be one in 15, you know? 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:07.920 Yeah. 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:10.880 Man, it yeah, yeah. 00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:14.319 And you see uh you bring up the mallard, yeah. 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:19.839 Like I said, I wasn't born or raised here, like I said, I've only lived

here for the last past decade. 00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:37.279 Um, you know, I grew up in California, joined the military, moved all over the US, got to hunt all the flyaways, hunt a bunch of different states, you know, and I got to cut my teeth in the Sack Valley where uh pintail, widge and mallard are all pretty, you know, pretty prevalent birds. 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:50.640 I didn't realize until I got, you know, living in Kansas for a while, living in you know, North Carolina and Georgia, that you know, when I tell people, you know, my first duck at a I killed when I was 12 was a bull pintail. 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:57.759 And I thought, you know, for us that was back in the Sack Valley, that was just kind of that wasn't like a huge ordeal. 00:19:57.839 --> 00:20:12.480 Like, you know, it's a pintail for feeding for table fair as a bird that we held um high high up there on rank, but you know, I thought everyone shot pintails, you know, as a dumb, dumb teenager moving out of California. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:19.359 So it wasn't until I realized that, oh, the pintail, you know, we kind of had something special there when it came to the pintails. 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:32.480 But you know, you growing up here and everything, you know, and I hear everyone, you see it online all the time, of people talk about the mallards, you know. 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:38.240 We're you know, I know you say, you know, you gotta try to kind of figure out what's going on with the mallards. 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:48.079 Were back when you first started hunting as a as a young man, or when your dad and grandpa started hunting, were the mallards so prevalent back down here in Louisiana, like like some people say? 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:49.440 Yeah. 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:56.480 They always have been it's less and less, you know, as song goes on. 00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:57.920 It's really bad now. 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:00.000 Yeah. 00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:13.039 I think 2016, 17, and then I guess around 18 was where the trends started going downhill for for me and in the area that I hunt. 00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:27.440 Yeah, and I know, and then this is you know, kind of what I want to reach out to because I have some buddies or real good buddies that say, you know, this last past season, I have a buddy that you know, our my buddy Roland, Art Road, guy that we know, he hunts up in the north north. 00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:32.799 He said this was his best season in the last 10 years for Mallards, where he hunts at. 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:37.920 And I have some guys that say, you know, this was the worst season they've ever had this past season. 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:49.039 For me, um the season that 2024, 25 season was one of the better years I had here in Louisiana for Mallards. 00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:59.759 And it almost seems like the mallard, from what I see on here, some spots are real scarce, and then I hunt other spots, other areas, and it's not like I'm not killing. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:12.240 You know, limits of mallards like you do I do in Arkansas or in Nebraska, but you know, we'll go, we'll kill four or five, you know, for the blind a day during some huts. 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:14.880 But yet have that's a good hunt. 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:15.519 Yeah. 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:32.319 Have you guys noticed um is there a dis you know from the banding and being a Rockefeller and and you know being a lacassine, is there a distribution difference down here with the mallows, or do you think they just you know just stop coming? 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:35.759 Oh, they they stopped coming. 00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:51.839 It's either that or they're you know, they're not recruiting, they're killing the the young the the juveniles, they're killing probably killing the juveniles or some of them you know before they get here. 00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:54.400 I think it's numerous things. 00:22:55.039 --> 00:22:55.599 Yeah. 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:01.359 Um just from what she's seen. 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:07.519 You know, the the abundance of s of knowledge in South Louisiana is southwest Louisiana. 00:23:07.839 --> 00:23:08.480 Really? 00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:14.640 Yeah, but you're not gonna you're not gonna shoot many east of Marsh Island. 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:19.599 You'll shoot a few, but not like you will in Southwest Louisiana. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:21.200 Why is that, you think? 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:23.359 Uh just the marsh. 00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:23.920 The marsh. 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:25.279 The marsh and the rice. 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:27.440 Yeah, plenty of abundance of food. 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:28.480 Yeah. 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:46.240 Which is weird because like you know, I kill a few in in the rice to eat, but where I've noticed where I've killed the majority of my mallards here in Louisiana, has been either on on like on lakes, like you know, a couple times you have some buddies that have leases on Miller Lake or the part of the Middle Lake Club. 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:48.000 I'll kill a few there. 00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:53.279 Usually almost every hunt will kill, you know, two, three mallards per line. 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:56.480 Uh, I've killed a few out here at the lake by my house. 00:23:56.799 --> 00:23:59.839 Um I've killed some of Catahula. 00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:05.920 And then like I said, we I've killed some, you know, some in the um in the rice. 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:08.079 I've never killed them in the marsh out here. 00:24:08.160 --> 00:24:11.599 I've seen them, but you know, I've never had the opportunity to kill them in the marsh. 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:14.160 But um, yeah. 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:23.279 They like to hang around that that the Southwest Complex refuge system, and I think mainly lacosene because of the invertebrates. 00:24:23.839 --> 00:24:24.480 Really? 00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:25.680 Yeah. 00:24:25.920 --> 00:24:33.279 And then it's so close to the rice

belt, you know, you're all you gotta do is lie at that marsh and you there's a buffet way. 00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:35.839 But then you know that's not so much anymore. 00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:37.119 Yeah, yeah. 00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:46.720 I'd say I had a I had a I had a lease in by but in between Elton and Kinder, north of 10, uh two years ago. 00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:52.240 Um and yeah, you know, I killed some mallards there that year. 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:57.359 Uh, I actually didn't print decent that that season on the mallards up in the north of 10. 00:24:57.759 --> 00:25:02.720 But I would notice that, you know, people talking about them going nocturnal all the time. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:04.880 I would get to my blonde in the morning and sit down. 00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:19.519 You'd hear them in the middle of the field, you know, you know, just go they're you know, just content, feeding a little bit, you know, 30, 45 minutes before shoot light. 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:28.720 And then about 20, 15 minutes before shoot light, I'd watch them get up, get high, and just head straight south for me. 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:32.240 Yeah, I can about imagine where they were going. 00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:33.359 Yeah. 00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:40.240 Um, I'm sure you kill everybody if you kill you. 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:45.759 But there's definitely not the population that we had at one time. 00:25:45.839 --> 00:25:49.200 I mean, like, I think it's so close to 50,000 back in the 87. 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:50.799 Yeah. 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:59.039 So when you see 2,000 miles on the on the count, that's probably where they're gonna be. 00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:05.599 Probably shouldn't have said that. 00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:07.759 Yeah, but everybody knows now. 00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:08.960 It ain't no secret. 00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:11.920 It used to be South Louisiana's best kept secret. 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:14.559 Yeah, it's just a handful of us that would say more. 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:21.519 Man, I told everyone when I first moved down here, I didn't have a lease until 2022 is the first lease I got. 00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:27.680 I spent my almost my first you know, six, six, seven years hunting, hunting lacassine. 00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:38.960 Um, you know, we like I said, we killed, you know, diver ducks, we kill uh killed a lot of ringnecks, some bluebills, teal, godwall, spoonies, some pintails. 00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:48.640 Um and it, you know, for uh for public, you know, you you k you'd kill a few um never killed snows, but we we killed some specs out there as well. 00:26:48.880 --> 00:27:02.799 And um, yeah, it you know, uh I think it was about 20, it was right after COVID and everything where I ended up, you know, the Marsh complex had some issues, and I ended up getting the lease just you know out of necessity. 00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:07.119 Yeah, yeah. 00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:09.839 And it was uh definitely not what it used to be. 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:13.039 Just two years ago. 00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:21.759 You know, you could go out three years ago and find you a half decent whole hunk of wind and and and kill a limit of ducks, not last year. 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:22.799 Yeah. 00:27:22.960 --> 00:27:25.839 So that's again my next question. 00:27:26.160 --> 00:27:29.119 So you see all these debates on the internet and you see that. 00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:35.039 Um, and man, I I I I've seen it, heard it all, I've got roped into some of them. 00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:40.480 Uh, but what do you think it is from your standpoint of seeing the banning? 00:27:40.720 --> 00:27:42.960 Is it the loss of habitat? 00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:46.079 Is it better habitat outside the state? 00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:51.279 Or you know, or you know, could it be, you know, is it the shortstopping that people are talking about? 00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:55.119 Or is it is it uh you know, death by a thousand cuts? 00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:57.359 The above. 00:27:57.839 --> 00:27:58.640 The above. 00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:01.119 Yeah, all of the above. 00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:11.599 I think it uh I think it mainly has to do with habitat just throughout the flyaways, period, mainly in the prairie pothole region. 00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:15.440 The more that you do, if people would do more research, they would see that. 00:28:16.720 --> 00:28:19.680 And and that's just what it's gonna take. 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:23.920 You can't you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it a drink, you know. 00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:25.440 People don't want to listen. 00:28:25.519 --> 00:28:27.839 So they all want to blame one thing. 00:28:28.160 --> 00:28:37.519 And while that may be part of the problem, it's not the main reason, it's not something we should be focused on. 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:50.720 And like Paul said, you know, in his in that coastal coalition uh seminar, whatever, you know, we don't we don't need to take any more habitat off the landscape, even if it's flooding cool. 00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:55.759 It doesn't matter what it is, it's it helps those those products. 00:28:56.960 --> 00:29:01.119 Now, I say that I do want to see a study done on it. 00:29:01.440 --> 00:29:03.200 Yeah, I think we all want to see a study done on it. 00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:08.720 I want to know exactly, you know, what are they getting the nutrients that they're supposed to have from it? 00:29:08.880 --> 00:29:11.599 Are they is it really making them nocturnal? 00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:12.720 Clearly it is. 00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:17.359 All those questions that everyone had, you know, the ones that we've heard a thousand times. 00:29:17.680 --> 00:29:18.319 Yeah. 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:19.279 Yeah. 00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:23.200 When it comes to nocturnal stuff, from what I've noticed, I think. 00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:25.119 Yeah, that's how many. 00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:32.880 I think the rice will make them turn nocturnal just

because they know that they could feed there, it's guaranteed food. 00:29:33.119 --> 00:29:46.079 And on a, you know, I talk about on a full moon, but my hunting in the rice field sucks because in the morning they've they're already fed all night and they're getting up sky high and they're heading straight south. 00:29:46.400 --> 00:29:46.720 Right. 00:29:46.880 --> 00:30:03.920 So you can't say I hear that a lot of these big timers from Missouri, guys, or they all say things like, they go nocturnal because of the corn, but it's not because of the corn, it's the it's fun because they do that up and down the fly, whether they eat rice or not, it's where they're getting shot at. 00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:04.960 Yeah. 00:30:07.599 --> 00:30:11.039 I mean they just happen to get shot a lot more down here. 00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:12.160 Yeah. 00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:16.960 That is the you know, that is definitely the truth. 00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:30.160 And so I like the fact that you you said um you don't want to take stuff off, you know, we shouldn't take more habitat off of the off of the birds. 00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:33.359 And like I got, you know, for the viewers, I've never hunted flooded corn. 00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:34.319 Never have. 00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:37.279 Um, I'm not saying I would, I just haven't had the opportunity to. 00:30:37.359 --> 00:30:48.799 I've hunted cut corn in Nebraska and have had some really good, uh, really good hunts with cut cornfields up against uh the river and up against some um some farm ponds. 00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:52.960 But I've never cut cornfield is one of the best hunts you'll ever go on. 00:30:53.119 --> 00:30:54.640 Yes, yes. 00:30:54.799 --> 00:31:01.119 Um man, I'll show you a picture later of me and the boys uh 2022. 00:31:01.279 --> 00:31:08.000 We we shot ourselves our our limit of mallards and a limit of uh hawkers, and we shot uh I think that hunt or six of us. 00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:12.960 We shot three bands, two banded mallards, and I shot up as I shot my banded hawker. 00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:17.039 Um just just a phenomenal hunt in the uh cupcorn. 00:31:17.759 --> 00:31:19.839 But what part of Nebraska? 00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:22.960 It was um man, I can't pronounce the name. 00:31:23.119 --> 00:31:24.400 It's called Southeast? 00:31:24.559 --> 00:31:25.920 No, it was uh Northeast. 00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:28.640 It was about 45 minutes north of Omaha. 00:31:29.119 --> 00:31:36.079 Okay, called uh it's some Native American name called Topeka, no, not Topeka, Titanka or Tatinka. 00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:38.480 Don't ask me, yeah. 00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:58.400 Um but I I I want to find it interesting because you kind of have the same idea as me on on this, is I don't know, like I said, um, I don't know if the what do you call it, if footer corn is the best habitat or not, or if it's hurting. 00:31:58.720 --> 00:32:04.319 But I you know I've seen birds use it, and we always everyone sees the birds use it.

00:32:04.799 --> 00:32:14.720 Um, but I would like to see that study done because before we start taking away habitat, or you know, I I don't want to take away from the birds before we add on to the birds. 00:32:14.880 --> 00:32:18.319 What's your thought, or you know, I know you hang around with more professionals than I do. 00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:23.920 What's their thought about flooded corn being considered habitat for birds? 00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:27.920 I know that's a huge argument saying that it's a it's not good habitat. 00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:37.440 Well, what is I who's well, I guess I can't ask that question, but we don't know that. 00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:39.920 Yeah, we really just don't know that. 00:32:40.319 --> 00:32:43.759 I think who's saying that it's not good habitat, but they don't know either. 00:32:43.839 --> 00:32:46.480 Half of these guys haven't hunted any blooded corn. 00:32:48.319 --> 00:33:01.279 Yeah, I mean, you see it on the internet, and uh you know on the on the on the on these uh uh these forums and stuff where you know you'll see guys back and they like bent banter back and forth, and some of these guys have tried to get on the podcast and just timing issues. 00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:03.440 But like I said, for me, I don't know. 00:33:03.599 --> 00:33:15.359 I I think you know, when the way I look at corn in my mind is um it does add food, it adds geothermal cover. 00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:19.359 Yeah, uh their vertebrates do you know do get into it. 00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:22.319 Yeah, but I wouldn't say that they're there for that. 00:33:22.640 --> 00:33:24.079 You say they're there for what? 00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:26.400 I wouldn't say that they're in there for that reason. 00:33:26.640 --> 00:33:33.759 For the the uh so what do you think what what attracts those birds to the corn so much? 00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:35.039 The flood of corn. 00:33:35.440 --> 00:33:40.160 The corn, and then if it freezes, they can they can still get access to it. 00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:45.599 Probably a little bit easier because they they can kick themselves up, they can trample on top of each other. 00:33:45.759 --> 00:33:51.200 Yeah, you know, that ice provides a uh basically a floor for them. 00:33:51.519 --> 00:34:04.400 Yeah, where do you think and then they can still feed to a point to a certain point, you know, it's frozen when that when that dry cut cornfield is frozen and iced over, they can get in that flooded corn and still eat. 00:34:04.559 --> 00:34:05.359 Still eat. 00:34:05.680 --> 00:34:10.239 So it gives them they don't have to leave as long as that river's open, they don't have to leave. 00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:11.519 I've seen it for myself. 00:34:11.760 --> 00:34:20.159 Yeah, so do you think it's more of just the the the flooded corn for the water aspect of it, or is it the open water river? 00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:24.639 Like I mean, it for me I'm just trying to wrap my mind around it. 00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:27.039

What do you what do you mean by that? 00:34:27.280 --> 00:34:28.960 Like why they're there? 00:34:29.199 --> 00:34:32.960 No, I know why they're using the you know, they're using the corn. 00:34:33.440 --> 00:34:41.280 But that does that corn, when it when it gets when everything else is freezing, do those corn do the corn, does the corn freeze? 00:34:42.320 --> 00:34:43.760 Yeah, but they can still eat it. 00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:44.880 They still eat it? 00:34:45.119 --> 00:34:46.559 Yeah, they still eat it. 00:34:48.639 --> 00:34:49.599 Definitely. 00:34:49.920 --> 00:34:50.239 Yeah. 00:34:50.719 --> 00:34:53.679 I know you you do yourself hunt in Missouri quite a bit, right? 00:34:54.239 --> 00:34:56.480 Yeah, next year I'll make like a decade. 00:34:56.960 --> 00:34:57.679 A decade. 00:34:58.079 --> 00:35:11.119 Have you noticed seeing that you're you've hunted both and all that, do you see the short stopping that some people say I'm I've seen this, I'll say this. 00:35:11.199 --> 00:35:13.760 I've seen the numbers increase up there. 00:35:15.280 --> 00:35:18.239 But the numbers on the paper don't show that. 00:35:19.760 --> 00:35:23.760 You know, the numbers that they're recording don't show that, but I've seen the numbers increase up there. 00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:24.320 Yeah. 00:35:24.480 --> 00:35:25.840 And I have noticed that. 00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:31.119 Uh, me and like you know, like rolling, we we talk almost every day and we talk numbers, right? 00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:41.519 And I look at the migratory, um the migratory bird harvest activity um reports, and on on the Missouri side of it, uh, you know, it just stays steady. 00:35:41.599 --> 00:35:47.440 You know, it might fluctuate by a couple thousand every year, you know, some more, some less. 00:35:47.760 --> 00:35:50.719 Supposedly it was down this year, but I don't know how true that is. 00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:56.000 Yeah, you know, you know, it could be due to less hunters or more hunters or or whatnot. 00:35:56.320 --> 00:35:58.239 None of that harvest, that is accurate anyway. 00:35:58.320 --> 00:36:00.800 And a lot of people, even biologists will tell you that. 00:36:01.360 --> 00:36:03.119 That is not accurate, yeah. 00:36:03.599 --> 00:36:06.400 That is not accurate when it comes to harvest, there's no way. 00:36:07.519 --> 00:36:09.199 How many can we record? 00:36:11.199 --> 00:36:24.480 Yeah, uh, I mean, the only way that I've had a biologist, one of the biologists on the wing bee come on, and he kind of told me how that how that worked with, you know, and for me, I I could understand the wing bee when they add that. 00:36:24.800 --> 00:36:29.599 That's a uh a bird's wing, one mallard wing is one duck, right? 00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:48.159 Um, and I know some of the other ones are done with the surveys, and you know, I've done my survey in Louisiana, you know, when I when I'm come out the marsh or the refuge, but I mean sometimes you go open up those um open up the the little lockers are in, and you know, there's no pamphlets. 00:36:48.320 --> 00:36:51.199 I mean, I I've had yeah, more times than not. 00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:56.559 Yeah, so I've had I've had three biologists on. 00:36:56.880 --> 00:37:00.239 I've had two that said that you know that they're pretty accurate. 00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:07.599 I've had one that said, uh, and I'm not gonna, you know, for the viewers when not every duck hunter participates in it. 00:37:07.760 --> 00:37:16.480 Yes, yeah, but you know, you don't you don't see so do you think there's been more killed on on these reports or or less or is that more? 00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:19.679 I think we're we're harvesting more than they think. 00:37:19.920 --> 00:37:20.320 Really? 00:37:20.559 --> 00:37:23.599 And then you think that's all throughout the flow here in Louisiana? 00:37:24.079 --> 00:37:34.559 I would have yes, I would have to, but then again, I'm not a biologist, I'm not a scientist, I'm just yeah, common sense old boy, you know. 00:37:34.719 --> 00:37:35.519 Yeah, yeah. 00:37:36.079 --> 00:37:39.679 And I'm asking you picking your brain just because you know you're around those guys, you know. 00:37:39.840 --> 00:37:42.320 I'm a I'm not a big dumped drop by my training. 00:37:42.400 --> 00:37:48.559 I'm not gonna quote anybody or any biologist, you know, because they wouldn't want me to, but you know, they would agree. 00:37:48.880 --> 00:37:49.519 Yeah. 00:37:51.039 --> 00:37:51.679 Yeah. 00:37:53.599 --> 00:38:14.800 Um now, do you uh and you know, people are talking about about wanting to do you think in your mind, seeing what you see in Missouri and seeing what you see down here in the banning, let's say tomorrow, if flooded corn just got banned, outlawed, you couldn't do it, no one did it, everyone went to to moist soil. 00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:17.679 Do you think that would change the ducks from staying up there? 00:38:17.840 --> 00:38:23.519 Or do you or do you think it would it would push them down, or or would it spread them out to the any of the other flowways? 00:38:23.920 --> 00:38:25.920 You know, just you know your thought. 00:38:26.239 --> 00:38:27.440 Well, it would definitely change. 00:38:27.519 --> 00:38:30.400 You know, you're taking water and food off the landscape. 00:38:30.559 --> 00:38:34.320 So it would change their behavior and wherever they wouldn't stay there. 00:38:34.480 --> 00:38:35.119 Yeah. 00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:36.800 Would they come here? 00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:38.000 I don't know. 00:38:39.039 --> 00:38:39.519 Yeah. 00:38:40.000 --> 00:38:41.119 Hard to say. 00:38:41.440 --> 00:38:41.760 Yeah. 00:38:42.079 --> 00:38:43.760 There's only to find that out. 00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:46.320 I do think that they probably would in harsh conditions. 00:38:46.559 --> 00:38:48.000 In harsh conditions. 00:38:48.400 --> 00:38:50.000 What do you see on the GPS? 00:38:50.400 --> 00:38:50.719 I don't know. 00:38:51.360 --> 00:38:58.320 If you look at our

previous winters that we've had in more recent years, you'll have you'll be snow-locked in Kansas and Missouri's wide open. 00:38:58.639 --> 00:39:07.280 Or you go 50 miles west or 50 miles east, and there's the temperature difference is maybe sometimes 20 degrees. 00:39:07.519 --> 00:39:08.079 Yeah. 00:39:08.400 --> 00:39:10.639 So you gotta take those things into account, too. 00:39:10.719 --> 00:39:12.480 Them birds aren't gonna go further than they have to. 00:39:13.119 --> 00:39:13.760 Yeah. 00:39:14.480 --> 00:39:19.679 If they they they don't just know one or two directions, north and south, you know. 00:39:19.920 --> 00:39:24.800 Yeah, and I think a lot of us as hunters and I'll stereotype. 00:39:25.119 --> 00:39:25.679 Stereotype. 00:39:25.840 --> 00:39:42.320 And you know, I was definitely um, man, I was guilty of that because you know, I learned honey, you know, I learned waterfowl from my great-grandfather and my grandfather, my dad, and you know, and that's the way they were taught is birds, you know, birds migrate north-south, they don't deviate. 00:39:42.480 --> 00:39:52.480 The birds that come, you know, that birds that are coming from Alaska go down to Mexico, you know, they go down to the do the Klamath, the sack valley, and they're not gonna end up in Louisiana. 00:39:52.719 --> 00:39:58.079 When the birds, you know, and now you know with the GPS tracking, we we we proved that wrong, right? 00:39:58.320 --> 00:39:58.639 Right. 00:39:59.119 --> 00:40:05.119 But what if you notice with, I mean, I don't know, do you get to see some of the data from Paul with these do the GPS tracking? 00:40:05.360 --> 00:40:06.400 Yeah, I do. 00:40:06.559 --> 00:40:11.360 Uh, but I don't publicize it like there's reasons the for publishing. 00:40:11.679 --> 00:40:22.480 Yeah, because people, you know, these guys that are all about prestige and bragging and they're not in it for the right reason, they'll change out, they'll do anything. 00:40:22.639 --> 00:40:28.639 Yeah, so you can't put that stuff out to the public for people because people like that ruin a good thing. 00:40:28.880 --> 00:40:29.920 Yeah, yeah. 00:40:30.079 --> 00:40:38.559 I I I mean without telling me too much, can't were you shocked when you seen the way the birds travel? 00:40:39.679 --> 00:40:40.960 Yeah, I was surprised. 00:40:41.119 --> 00:40:42.320 I I was pretty surprised. 00:40:42.719 --> 00:40:45.199 Pretty surprised, you know, like those specks. 00:40:45.360 --> 00:40:49.039 Those specks will come, they'll leave up there, come all the way down here. 00:40:49.119 --> 00:40:53.039 One of them ended up in a I think a rock or somewhere around Biloxi. 00:40:54.320 --> 00:41:02.880 At night, and then waited until daylight came out and she came on over where she, I think in the same field she had come to the previous year. 00:41:04.480 --> 00:41:06.719 You know, our mallards, it's hard for them. 00:41:06.880 --> 00:41:13.280 The mallards have such a high, you know, predation

rate up there and death rate. 00:41:13.760 --> 00:41:19.199 So like the mallards that we put um trackers on, a lot of them die. 00:41:21.119 --> 00:41:25.760 They're down to what like um coyotes, uh raptors, and all that. 00:41:26.000 --> 00:41:28.800 Yeah, predation mostly are tractors, yeah. 00:41:29.119 --> 00:41:30.639 Yeah, yeah. 00:41:31.119 --> 00:41:34.719 I've always wondered how many bands never get recovered just because of that. 00:41:36.239 --> 00:41:36.960 Thousands. 00:41:37.199 --> 00:41:37.840 Yeah. 00:41:39.840 --> 00:41:47.519 That's always, you know, every time I see a dead bird in the field, you know, I I always go look and check for a band just you know, just in case. 00:41:47.760 --> 00:41:51.280 Um I've never I've never found one on a dead bird. 00:41:52.159 --> 00:41:56.000 Yeah, but last year up in Missouri they had a big flu kill. 00:41:56.079 --> 00:41:56.480 Uh huh. 00:41:56.960 --> 00:41:58.800 We're gonna go check them, but we never did. 00:41:58.880 --> 00:42:02.079 There was probably easily 500 dead geese. 00:42:02.400 --> 00:42:03.280 All snows. 00:42:03.760 --> 00:42:05.360 All snows, all juvies. 00:42:05.519 --> 00:42:06.400 All juvies, yeah. 00:42:06.480 --> 00:42:18.320 I I noticed that when I first noticed the the the the big outbreak was in Arkansas, I believe it was 2023 season when the big one hit. 00:42:18.960 --> 00:42:26.559 And um, yeah, I was, I mean, I I told everyone the birds, those those birds. 00:42:27.199 --> 00:42:35.360 I was in um Jonesboro area, hunting around the cash area with um uh great guy, um, Mr. 00:42:35.519 --> 00:42:36.400 Charles Petty. 00:42:36.639 --> 00:42:42.159 He has a guy that serves out there and uh he donates hunts to veterans and uh veteran organizations out down there. 00:42:42.320 --> 00:42:48.719 Um took some vets out there to go hunt, and they look like they're uh they're like zombie geese. 00:42:48.880 --> 00:42:54.159 You know, like those uh videos of uh the turkey that kind of walk in the circles, yeah. 00:42:54.320 --> 00:42:55.679 They're lethargic stuff. 00:42:55.840 --> 00:43:06.320 Yeah, that's the way the those geese were they're either flying in like a real tight circle about 30 feet off the ground, or they're in the decoys just kind of wobbling like they're drunk. 00:43:06.559 --> 00:43:07.199 Oh yeah. 00:43:07.440 --> 00:43:09.920 Oh, they were they were sipping on whiskey. 00:43:10.880 --> 00:43:11.440 Yeah. 00:43:14.000 --> 00:43:17.039 But it's yeah, yeah. 00:43:17.119 --> 00:43:21.760 I always, you know, like I said, I you know I've never hunted, I've never hunted Missouri. 00:43:21.920 --> 00:43:26.400 Kind of I I you know I would love to hunt Missouri and I love to hunt you know outside the state. 00:43:26.559 --> 00:43:35.360 I hunt a few times a year out of the state, maybe a handful of times, but you know, when for me, when I you know when you start putting money into leases down here, you kind of want to hunt your leases. 00:43:37.199 --> 00:43:37.760 Yeah. 00:43:38.000 --> 00:43:45.519 Um, but it it's always you know, like I said, you were kind of a unique guy because you you see both sides of the coin. 00:43:45.760 --> 00:43:59.840 Um with you know, down here in Louisiana and you know, in Missouri that you know, is it fair in your thought from being a guy that hunts both that Missouri gets a lot of the shade and a lot of the finger pointing that you know that they do get? 00:44:01.119 --> 00:44:04.000 It's not fair because it's they're not the only ones doing it. 00:44:05.280 --> 00:44:09.519 You know, that's a that's a mid lateral issue. 00:44:09.599 --> 00:44:14.480 That's that's that's Kansas, that's Illinois, that's Missouri. 00:44:14.639 --> 00:44:20.719 Now Missouri might be doing it on a faster and and bigger scale than others, or I don't even know that if that's a fact. 00:44:20.960 --> 00:44:22.480 No one really does. 00:44:22.960 --> 00:44:26.079 Well, I guarantee you there's somebody that does, and he ain't speaking. 00:44:26.239 --> 00:44:26.880 Yeah. 00:44:27.199 --> 00:44:29.199 They got some nerds out there like reading maps. 00:44:29.360 --> 00:44:32.079 I'll I'm one of those nerds, but I'm not I don't have that much time. 00:44:32.320 --> 00:44:48.559 Yeah, I would love to see because I've looked into the flood, and not the flood equipment of cupcorn, just because I've hunted it, and you know, me and my kids were hunting in and we were hunting in a pit and we looked up, and there you know, there's every bit of five, six hundred mallards circling us. 00:44:48.880 --> 00:44:51.920 And at one point, me and my two boys put our guns down. 00:44:52.000 --> 00:44:56.239 We're just like, this looks like a DU commercial of all these birds. 00:44:56.559 --> 00:45:02.000 And I was like, man, cut corn, you know, to me, I'm like, that cut corn is what you know is it. 00:45:02.239 --> 00:45:09.599 Um where it's at, and then so and then you over you're not gonna shoot into 500 mallows over a flooded cornfield. 00:45:10.400 --> 00:45:12.320 But everyone says it makes it seem like that. 00:45:12.480 --> 00:45:17.440 And you see the videos and stuff, you know, online, which I know doesn't help some of the guys. 00:45:17.599 --> 00:45:25.440 You see Daybreak, you see Tony, uh Vandomore, and all them that you know they you know, they show their videos of some of their sanctuaries. 00:45:25.599 --> 00:45:32.079 Um sure, they probably have those ducks on the water, but they're they're not all coming into there at one time like that. 00:45:32.239 --> 00:45:32.880 Yeah. 00:45:34.239 --> 00:45:40.239 Uh yeah, so uh like I've always looked at the cut corn. 00:45:40.320 --> 00:45:43.360 Like there's way, there has to be way more, especially with ethanol. 00:45:43.440 --> 00:45:58.719 And ethanol last month got voted where they're gonna make, you know, they wanted to add more the percentage of more ethanol in our gasoline, which is gonna make more farming going up for the field corn, and

you know, the um now they're they're the towel. 00:45:59.760 --> 00:46:00.719 What's going on? 00:46:00.960 --> 00:46:02.960 It's gonna make my gas mileage go down. 00:46:03.199 --> 00:46:03.760 Yeah. 00:46:04.000 --> 00:46:13.119 And they're there, but you know, now they're tacked, uh, they're doing the towel farming up in um up in the the the uh the the prairie prows. 00:46:13.679 --> 00:46:27.360 So for my I there I think that there just has to be more there's to be more hard, you know, cut corn, waste grain corn on the ground that there is flooded corn. 00:46:27.679 --> 00:46:32.000 Um or you know, what have you noticed when being in those areas? 00:46:32.559 --> 00:46:50.159 Uh yeah, that depends on the field, that depends on who harvested it, and it depends on the region and how bad the weather was that year, if it laid some of the corn over, you know, with the if it because that you know that picker can only pick up so far from the ground. 00:46:50.559 --> 00:46:54.639 Yeah, or that that harvester, whatever people want to call it. 00:46:56.239 --> 00:47:03.840 And uh you know, I I can't really say if there's more on the ground or if there's more on the stalks still over water. 00:47:04.159 --> 00:47:04.800 I don't know. 00:47:05.039 --> 00:47:06.639 Yeah, I don't really know. 00:47:06.800 --> 00:47:12.400 But I could say that it's probably neck and neck now because with technology, those things don't leave anything behind. 00:47:12.480 --> 00:47:18.079 And and I mean you go up north and uh right before harvest, you see these fields and they're pristine. 00:47:18.159 --> 00:47:19.920 You know, a lot of them don't get in October. 00:47:20.320 --> 00:47:26.239 So a lot of them just because they cut, you know, the majority of South Dakota and North Dakota now is corn. 00:47:26.960 --> 00:47:36.000 And I mean, I guarantee you, only probably less than 10% of what's harvested is filled on the ground, or less than maybe 2%. 00:47:36.639 --> 00:47:39.679 If that I don't, it's gotta be a very low percentage. 00:47:40.000 --> 00:47:40.960 Yeah, yeah. 00:47:41.039 --> 00:47:54.159 I've read some things on it that I've read some in the corn belt are like 500 or 500 million acres of corn, and then you know, it's usually it grab this. 00:47:54.239 --> 00:48:02.880 Is all stuff I found on the internet that there's you know, waste grain calculation is one one bushel per acre. 00:48:03.119 --> 00:48:06.639 And that's like, man, that seems like it's so much of that stuff. 00:48:06.719 --> 00:48:13.920 And um, uh yeah, even if it's eating in a fried field, you understand why it's not, yeah. 00:48:14.400 --> 00:48:17.280 Because they are on the feeding frenzy and they're eating fat. 00:48:18.079 --> 00:48:19.119 Yeah, yeah. 00:48:19.920 --> 00:48:22.800 That's one thing I didn't notice when I hunted the cut corn. 00:48:22.960 --> 00:48:29.599 We hunt it, there was sheet water on the cut corn, maybe about no more than four inches. 00:48:29.760 --> 00:48:32.079

It barely barely covered your ankle. 00:48:32.239 --> 00:48:46.639 And then we had the river, and then we had the river in front of us in Missouri, and um man, we just I mean, those birds just kept coming in, and we'd shoot into a volley, and you'd watch them circle out, and they would come right back. 00:48:46.719 --> 00:48:48.800 I mean, they'd come in at that corn. 00:48:51.599 --> 00:48:52.719 I'm sorry for that. 00:48:56.559 --> 00:48:56.960 Go ahead. 00:48:57.199 --> 00:48:58.719 Oh no, you cut out real quick. 00:48:59.119 --> 00:49:00.079 How cold was it? 00:49:00.639 --> 00:49:01.840 So it wasn't very cold. 00:49:02.000 --> 00:49:07.760 That was so we it snowed before. 00:49:08.079 --> 00:49:09.760 So I went up there, it was Christmas. 00:49:09.920 --> 00:49:17.199 On that hunt, I remember the last thing we hunted was the 22nd of December of 2022. 00:49:17.679 --> 00:49:20.159 Uh that was a cold winter. 00:49:20.559 --> 00:49:34.480 Yeah, but on Christmas Eve, when we got out of church on Christmas Eve, uh, me and the family, because my wife, my wife's originally from Nebraska, so that's why I traveled up to so much of my in-laws who are still up there. 00:49:34.719 --> 00:49:41.760 We went to the DeSoto um refuge in um Iowa, which is just right next door from Omaha. 00:49:42.159 --> 00:49:44.880 It was 55 degrees on Christmas Eve. 00:49:45.440 --> 00:49:45.760 Yeah. 00:49:46.000 --> 00:49:48.719 And I mean, you know, I mean, we we filmed and took pictures. 00:49:48.800 --> 00:49:53.840 There was a pretty cool video we have of a coyote chasing a goose, a snow goose. 00:49:54.000 --> 00:49:58.960 And there was just, I mean, it was 55 degrees, and there was tons of open water. 00:49:59.119 --> 00:50:05.599 You could see there was a little bit of melting snow on the ground, but there was just I mean, and it was pretty, you know. 00:50:06.159 --> 00:50:10.719 The the the DeSoto um refuge is a pretty cool refuge complex. 00:50:10.880 --> 00:50:13.920 Um, you can't hunt it, there's no hunting on there at all. 00:50:14.079 --> 00:50:19.039 I think the only thing you're allowed to do there is uh you can hike it and you go go bird watch. 00:50:19.440 --> 00:50:22.639 I think the only thing you're allowed to do is fish, you know, fish some of the lakes on there. 00:50:22.880 --> 00:50:26.000 Um so the bird the more on bird watch. 00:50:26.400 --> 00:50:26.880 Yeah. 00:50:27.119 --> 00:50:28.960 And you know, it was it was super neat. 00:50:29.039 --> 00:50:38.719 We got a lot of good videos of um of uh birds, you know, birds come in, ducks and geese and swans, and pretty well, pretty, pretty neat. 00:50:38.880 --> 00:50:44.079 Uh, definitely a great place if you wanna want to just listen to birds in the wild to help your calling out. 00:50:44.400 --> 00:50:45.039 Right, right. 00:50:45.199 --> 00:50:48.000 I think a lot of a lot of people probably should do that. 00:50:48.239 --> 00:50:48.559 Yeah. 00:50:48.719 --> 00:50:51.119 So you know, it was

pretty, but you know, that got me thinking. 00:50:51.280 --> 00:50:57.280 I was like, man, dude, 50 oh 55 degrees in December in Nebraska. 00:50:57.519 --> 00:51:03.599 I was like, and they can say that was that one, that was probably one of my worst years here in Louisiana was that season. 00:51:03.760 --> 00:51:05.440 Uh, and it really wasn't due. 00:51:05.679 --> 00:51:12.559 I don't I know guys that were two two, three fields over from me or a mile away from me. 00:51:12.719 --> 00:51:14.480 And um they were doing good. 00:51:14.639 --> 00:51:15.280 They were doing good. 00:51:15.360 --> 00:51:20.480 I mean, we have we both know a guy named Um the owner uh Glarden, owner of Spoonbills. 00:51:21.039 --> 00:51:28.239 Uh his his famous bus blind was literally straight mile or straight distance one mile to the west of me. 00:51:28.400 --> 00:51:40.559 And he well, I mean, anyone who goes on his website or his Facebook to see that he is he stacks Bird's note and and and that but I mean that bus is you know that bus line for him is a famous blind. 00:51:41.039 --> 00:51:45.199 And uh yeah, I mean it's this this it's the centerpiece of his his guide service. 00:51:45.920 --> 00:51:52.000 And I killed, you know, it was embarrassing the number I killed there that that season. 00:51:52.239 --> 00:51:56.880 Um, and it like I said, it wasn't for me, it was kind of hey, it is what it is. 00:51:57.119 --> 00:52:02.400 Um you know, I might have got to move somewhere else, and you know, that's what I did. 00:52:03.039 --> 00:52:06.159 But that line might have been okay the following year. 00:52:06.400 --> 00:52:11.440 Yeah, I I actually knew I know the guy that had it last year, and they killed a few. 00:52:11.599 --> 00:52:16.639 Uh the last two seasons, I know the same guy that had it, and uh, he's killed a few on it. 00:52:16.880 --> 00:52:21.840 Um, you know, decent amount, a lot better than what I did that season on it. 00:52:22.079 --> 00:52:31.519 And but you know, I'm definitely in in a better spot in Louisiana now, and uh pretty happy with the farmer and the guy that I lease from. 00:52:31.599 --> 00:52:37.519 So I'm sticking around there, you know, as as long as I can, yeah, as long as they allow me. 00:52:38.400 --> 00:52:56.320 Um but from when you've seen in Missouri and when you've seen down here in Louisiana, do you think, you know, we know bird numbers are down, and like I was talking to some guys the other day. 00:52:56.719 --> 00:52:59.599 We watch the bird numbers fluctuate all the time, right? 00:53:00.079 --> 00:53:03.760 And we're definitely not at our highest whatsoever, right? 00:53:04.079 --> 00:53:07.440 But we're definitely not at our lowest whatsoever. 00:53:07.760 --> 00:53:19.280 Um, do you think that it's it's the you know, is it, you know, do we do we chalk it up as this bird numbers and we wait to just kind of ride our roller coaster? 00:53:19.599 --> 00:53:27.519 Or do you think that there's stuff that we could be doing here

in Louisiana, seeing that you know you're in you're in the refugee systems, you're in the marsh a lot. 00:53:27.840 --> 00:53:42.639 Is habitat, um, you know, besides what we're seeing up north, is there anything what what's hurting us here in Louisiana that that could potentially make our hunting a lot better if just as uh for a fix that we have? 00:53:44.320 --> 00:53:52.719 Um I think stewardship is worn mainly on pri public land, not so much private. 00:53:54.400 --> 00:53:57.679 You know, uh people don't respect the the landscape. 00:53:58.159 --> 00:54:01.360 You know, it's that lack of habitat. 00:54:03.280 --> 00:54:09.519 Um you know really mainly the steward part of it. 00:54:09.840 --> 00:54:12.079 I I think we should manage pressure better. 00:54:12.559 --> 00:54:13.119 Yeah. 00:54:14.400 --> 00:54:28.639 Yeah, we maybe yeah, maybe have more private landowners, you know, maybe build more habitat just for ducks instead of focusing on crawfish in every you know, every inch of the landscape. 00:54:28.880 --> 00:54:36.719 Yeah, and that's such a weird I've heard people say that and crawfish seems like it's it's I guess that'd be I'm sorry, I'll cut you off. 00:54:37.119 --> 00:54:38.239 No, no, no, no, go, go, go. 00:54:38.719 --> 00:54:46.480 I guess that's a bit hypocritical of me being that I'm taking I'm transitioning my my piece of property into crawfish, but well no, you you gotta make a living. 00:54:46.639 --> 00:54:47.920 Crawfish is profitable, right? 00:54:48.079 --> 00:54:49.039 Yeah, I got kids and stuff. 00:54:49.440 --> 00:54:50.639 Yeah, we we all have families. 00:54:51.679 --> 00:54:56.719 And could afford to, you know, have a hundred times sometimes. 00:54:56.800 --> 00:55:04.159 I feel that both sides aren't completely honest about the crawfish. 00:55:04.559 --> 00:55:13.360 Uh some you know, I've heard people say hey, crawl fish fields are the best habitat for ducks, or they could potentially be what saves ducks down here in Louisiana. 00:55:13.519 --> 00:55:14.960 Then I've heard it. 00:55:15.039 --> 00:55:16.079 They definitely utilize it. 00:55:16.239 --> 00:55:16.559 Yeah. 00:55:16.719 --> 00:55:21.679 And then I've definitely heard people say that the crawfishing is what's hurting the honey in Louisiana. 00:55:22.159 --> 00:55:28.880 Yeah, it ain't helping, but I to say that it's I don't know. 00:55:29.199 --> 00:55:29.840 I really don't know. 00:55:30.000 --> 00:55:30.960 It is hurting it. 00:55:31.199 --> 00:55:35.360 Yeah, I mean there's habitat there. 00:55:35.679 --> 00:55:36.880 That's what I see. 00:55:37.199 --> 00:55:37.599 Yeah. 00:55:37.760 --> 00:55:41.519 I've noticed And I notice birds don't flush out of fields and everything. 00:55:41.679 --> 00:55:43.440 It depends on how much they're running it. 00:55:43.840 --> 00:55:44.400 Yeah. 00:55:44.639 --> 00:55:46.320 And it's so weird. 00:55:46.559 --> 00:55:49.599 You know, not to cut you up, but you're talking about running, it's so weird. 00:55:49.760 --> 00:55:55.840 Like last year, I drove down one one road uh just south of the of Welsh, right? 00:55:56.639 --> 00:55:57.760 Different farmers. 00:55:57.920 --> 00:56:01.920 I seen some guys running the traditional crawfish in their fields. 00:56:02.079 --> 00:56:06.960 I seen some guys still using the um the push boats. 00:56:07.119 --> 00:56:08.719 I feel bad for those guys. 00:56:08.960 --> 00:56:10.400 Yeah, they're probably foreigners. 00:56:10.559 --> 00:56:12.639 Yeah, yeah, they all they definitely were. 00:56:12.800 --> 00:56:15.440 And then I seen guys using airboats. 00:56:15.519 --> 00:56:19.920 And I'm like, oh, they those airboats have to be have to be pushing birds out. 00:56:20.239 --> 00:56:20.800 Yeah. 00:56:21.760 --> 00:56:22.960 Yeah, they don't like airboats. 00:56:23.039 --> 00:56:23.679 That's what you're doing. 00:56:23.840 --> 00:56:24.000 Yeah. 00:56:24.320 --> 00:56:24.719 Yeah. 00:56:24.960 --> 00:56:41.840 So um, but you know, what I have noticed the last couple of years being in the in a crawl in the in the crossfish fields is about mid-December, I started shooting a lot more ringnecks and bluebills and canvas backs and red. 00:56:42.159 --> 00:56:56.880 I mean, I've shot even a few redheads, and you know, there comes a time where the water starts rising, and I start noticing more diver ducts using you utilizing the um the crawfish more than the than the gadwall. 00:56:57.039 --> 00:57:02.800 I tell everyone about mid-December, I don't kill very many Gadwall in the in the in the rice. 00:57:04.320 --> 00:57:05.679 And they're back in the marsh. 00:57:05.840 --> 00:57:21.039 Yeah, I will kill a few in the marsh, but I tell everyone from my gadwall, that last week of November and that first week of December is where I'll kill majority of my, you know, it's probably my best hunting in the rice fields where I'm at down here. 00:57:21.199 --> 00:57:25.199 And I've noticed it that, you know, because I journal down my hunts every hunt. 00:57:25.360 --> 00:57:34.800 I've noticed that time of the year, consistently after the past, I've been journaling hunts down here for the last seven years. 00:57:35.039 --> 00:57:46.800 That's where I mainly kill most of my gadwalls, is in that last week of November, first week of December, something happens after the split for me in the rice where the the gadwalls start, you know, they they plummet. 00:57:46.960 --> 00:57:51.039 I might kill three more gadwall for the rest of the season in the rice. 00:57:51.440 --> 00:57:54.400 You say that the last week of November, first week of December, right? 00:57:54.639 --> 00:57:57.440 December, I killed the majority of my gadwalls in the rice. 00:57:57.840 --> 00:58:02.159 So that will correlate with the bigger push that we get in Missouri around that time. 00:58:02.320 --> 00:58:06.079 And that would probably, I assume, be some photo-period birds. 00:58:06.320 --> 00:58:10.639 So are you seeing more Gadwall in in during that time

in uh November? 00:58:10.880 --> 00:58:12.320 Not necessarily. 00:58:13.199 --> 00:58:18.159 What what I'm what I'm saying is that I see a big push of mallards at that point. 00:58:18.800 --> 00:58:22.239 That's the biggest push of mallards is around that time between those two weeks. 00:58:22.320 --> 00:58:24.320 You can almost take it to the bank. 00:58:24.480 --> 00:58:24.800 Yeah. 00:58:25.119 --> 00:58:28.639 You're seeing, you know, a push of them as well, right? 00:58:28.960 --> 00:58:29.360 Yeah. 00:58:29.599 --> 00:58:32.400 Um so to me that would make sense. 00:58:32.719 --> 00:58:33.199 Yeah. 00:58:34.880 --> 00:58:38.320 Normally around that time, you'll have a good good win, a good front, too. 00:58:38.480 --> 00:58:38.639 Yeah. 00:58:39.840 --> 00:58:42.000 It could be both, it could be a culmination. 00:58:42.559 --> 00:58:43.119 Yeah. 00:58:43.519 --> 00:58:46.400 And the rice, I've never had a consistent mallard shoot. 00:58:46.559 --> 00:58:48.960 I've had one year that are better than others. 00:58:49.199 --> 00:58:55.840 Um I kind of noticed the mallards and the rice. 00:58:56.079 --> 00:59:01.360 Like I said, I had one year where I killed, me personally, I killed 15. 00:59:02.000 --> 00:59:05.519 And that was the last half of the season. 00:59:05.679 --> 00:59:08.639 I didn't get any any of the first the first part. 00:59:09.039 --> 00:59:14.079 Um, it was second split when I started killing some of them in the rice. 00:59:14.320 --> 00:59:25.119 Um, and I, but I said, I but throughout the sea, if I am gonna kill them, it's gonna be in the I've noticed I have better hunts for the mallards. 00:59:25.760 --> 00:59:30.800 Um killing them in the in the cypress sloughs right off of big lakes. 00:59:30.960 --> 00:59:39.679 Any cypress slug or backwater that I that butts up with a major lake, maybe I'm gonna say Miller's Lake because it's a private club. 00:59:39.840 --> 00:59:42.159 Uh the lake around my house here in De Ritter. 00:59:42.800 --> 00:59:49.599 Uh, you know, late season, late January is where I killed them, where I started killing mallards out of there. 00:59:49.760 --> 00:59:50.880 And then Catahula. 00:59:51.039 --> 00:59:54.320 And I'm gonna say Catahula because everyone knows in Louisiana where Catahula's at. 00:59:54.480 --> 00:59:58.239 Um, that's where I've noticed some of the better mallard shoots at. 00:59:58.400 --> 00:59:59.920 It's always off of you know the big leg. 01:00:00.320 --> 01:00:02.320 I know some guys kill them real good in the marsh. 01:00:02.480 --> 01:00:05.280 I just haven't had a good marsh mallard hunt. 01:00:05.440 --> 01:00:09.840 Um maybe it'll get to one day, hopefully. 01:00:10.079 --> 01:00:12.079 One day, I I hope, uh hopefully. 01:00:12.400 --> 01:00:14.400 Um we have a good rebound. 01:00:14.559 --> 01:00:15.039 Yeah. 01:00:15.280 --> 01:00:18.000 Then you know, we talk about the habitat loss. 01:00:18.159 --> 01:00:19.840 Where do you see the habitat? 01:00:19.920 --> 01:00:23.039 Because I've heard people talk about we have plenty of habitat here. 01:00:23.199 --> 01:00:28.639 Uh I see that we have some habitat loss. 01:00:28.880 --> 01:00:34.400 Um just look at Lagosine pool, for example. 01:00:34.639 --> 01:00:41.440 And this is part of the reason, this is part of the management that is the reason why it it the overgrowth, you know. 01:00:41.599 --> 01:00:53.199 They don't do the drawdowns, therefore the vegetation grows to the surface, causes the overgrowth, it thickens, they don't have anywhere, you know, that they can, it's less surface area water for them. 01:00:54.639 --> 01:01:01.519 Um in the rice, you know, like I mean, I'll put it to you this way. 01:01:01.760 --> 01:01:05.280 I travel 14 a lot in between Gaydon, I mean Gaydon and Kaplan. 01:01:05.519 --> 01:01:11.280 And then that right area is where it's every year you can almost bet it's gonna push further west. 01:01:11.360 --> 01:01:13.440 In the past three years, it's done it. 01:01:13.679 --> 01:01:24.000 Now, that may not be, you know, all the way north and all the way south further west, but on 14 and adjacent to 14, you'll see another 300 acres next year. 01:01:24.239 --> 01:01:25.519 I can almost bet on them. 01:01:25.679 --> 01:01:29.840 Of rice missing or um rice being replaced by by sugarcane. 01:01:30.079 --> 01:01:31.119 By sugarcane. 01:01:31.599 --> 01:01:32.320 Yeah, yeah. 01:01:32.559 --> 01:01:36.079 I mean, we're starting to see here in certain parts of Lake Charles, we'll see sugar cane. 01:01:36.320 --> 01:01:38.800 Uh yeah, closest sugar mills where? 01:01:39.280 --> 01:01:41.360 Uh not sugar mills, but sugarcane. 01:01:41.440 --> 01:01:42.880 Right, but where's the closest mills? 01:01:43.039 --> 01:01:43.519 What I'm saying. 01:01:43.599 --> 01:01:52.079 Let's so if they're trying if they're driving it as far as I think they are, I mean, that stuff's only gonna take over because they're making money off of it. 01:01:52.239 --> 01:01:52.800 Yeah. 01:01:53.119 --> 01:01:53.679 You know? 01:01:54.000 --> 01:02:07.360 Now, like, you know, people talk about now for here, rice is number three crop in uh, you know, you know, Louisiana's number three in rice production in in the U.S., right? 01:02:07.599 --> 01:02:12.800 And sometimes they'll bounce between four between Texas and uh Louisiana. 01:02:13.039 --> 01:02:16.960 But what I've noticed is right now I could drive around and I'll see rice. 01:02:17.519 --> 01:02:27.440 Come September, October, it's harvested, and if it's not being crawled fish, it's dissed to dirt with no water. 01:02:27.679 --> 01:02:34.159 So and that's where you know I'll have like these discussions with guys like you're yeah, you're right. 01:02:34.239 --> 01:02:44.800 We we are still producing a large amount of rice, but the birds aren't here in August, they aren't here in July eating that rice, and the rice is gone. 01:02:44.880 --> 01:02:49.199 And I don't blame the farmer, the farmer has to do what

he has to do to prepare for the next year. 01:02:49.519 --> 01:03:00.159 But when it's you know, there's no stubble left, so even if even if it caught rain in it or they did flood, you wouldn't get the invertebrae and the slugs and all that for them to feed on. 01:03:02.320 --> 01:03:03.840 Yeah, it's dry dirt. 01:03:04.000 --> 01:03:12.559 Um, I could be around Hayes, Louisiana, and um you know, you add all those things up, everything we've talked about, and a duck don't stand a chance. 01:03:12.800 --> 01:03:13.440 Yeah. 01:03:14.880 --> 01:03:18.880 Um, you know, I know you're around, you know, Paul and all the other guys. 01:03:19.039 --> 01:03:28.079 I know Louisiana has a, you know, you put farmers put water on their fields and they'll give a tax break or they'll do a payback. 01:03:28.320 --> 01:03:32.800 But you every farmer or guys I've talked to says it's just not worth it. 01:03:33.199 --> 01:03:49.360 I mean, do you do the bottles that you you know you're around, and and you don't have to mention names or nothing, or you know, say I don't know, um, do they talk about like a how can we implement the private guys to help out the state? 01:03:50.320 --> 01:03:57.039 Yeah, and for the most part, that's where your your the activity is is the private guys. 01:03:57.199 --> 01:04:03.440 You know, that's where you we we banned um the majority of our mallards on private, you know. 01:04:04.239 --> 01:04:16.159 In previous years there was such an abundance of mallards you could do both, but in specs, a lot of a lot of you know the the specs that L DWF bans is our Paul Link, should I say? 01:04:16.320 --> 01:04:18.880 Yeah, that's done on private ground. 01:04:19.599 --> 01:04:22.159 Aside from maybe Cameron Prairie. 01:04:22.559 --> 01:04:27.280 Yeah, you know, he you're not catching specs on public ground anywhere in South Louisiana. 01:04:27.599 --> 01:04:27.920 Yeah. 01:04:28.320 --> 01:04:35.039 You know, maybe the occasional harsh winter, they'll they'll have some go into Rockefeller or something. 01:04:35.119 --> 01:04:36.159 I'm sure there has been. 01:04:36.239 --> 01:04:37.840 I'm not saying there never was. 01:04:40.079 --> 01:04:44.400 But you know, that yeah. 01:04:45.760 --> 01:04:46.400 Yeah. 01:04:47.519 --> 01:05:03.519 You know, I mean, and you know, but you know, before we get on on a more lighter note, uh I like picking your brain because you are you you are being being real, and you you know you're pretty honest when we've talked offline. 01:05:04.239 --> 01:05:07.199 I might not be right, but I'll I'll be honest. 01:05:07.440 --> 01:05:22.079 Yeah, you you see an almost struggle now in here in Louisiana with uh Delta Waterfowl, the state, federal, du everyone kind of points a finger at everyone. 01:05:23.519 --> 01:05:35.599 Where where do these nonprofit organizations that you know, and and I have a um not soft spot for these organizations, but I have a um a way of thinking about them, right? 01:05:35.920 --> 01:05:38.079

And there's two ways of looking at it. 01:05:38.239 --> 01:05:42.559 Yeah, where do you think they fit in on the solution part? 01:05:43.119 --> 01:05:53.519 And do you think that yes, you know, some people are saying, hey, they're the you know, they're they're solely at fault, or they're the majority at fault for this. 01:05:55.119 --> 01:05:58.719 I'll I'll ask this well, who else is gonna fund it? 01:05:59.440 --> 01:05:59.760 Well. 01:06:00.079 --> 01:06:02.239 Else is gonna make these projects happen. 01:06:02.559 --> 01:06:03.039 Yes. 01:06:05.920 --> 01:06:08.719 You know, I'll let you answer that however you want. 01:06:09.360 --> 01:06:12.239 Yeah, every this is America. 01:06:12.400 --> 01:06:21.760 There is um I wouldn't say coercion is not the word, but there's there's crooked people everywhere. 01:06:21.920 --> 01:06:24.639 You know, even in our government, there's so much corruption. 01:06:25.199 --> 01:06:31.199 You know, if you donate a certain amount of money to an organization, that organization's most likely gonna favor you. 01:06:31.679 --> 01:06:40.960 And that's what you see with Delta and and and not so much Delta, but DU, really, and they don't even hide it, they don't hide it at all. 01:06:43.119 --> 01:06:44.480 But who else are we gonna have? 01:06:44.559 --> 01:06:45.840 Who we're gonna replace them with? 01:06:45.920 --> 01:06:47.039 You know, yeah. 01:06:48.079 --> 01:06:48.880 Ted Nugent? 01:06:49.039 --> 01:06:50.400 Maybe we can get Ted Nugent out. 01:06:51.039 --> 01:06:51.760 Uncle Ped. 01:06:52.079 --> 01:06:53.760 Uncle Ted, he's a pretty sweet guy. 01:06:54.000 --> 01:06:54.639 Yeah, Uncle Ted. 01:06:54.800 --> 01:06:56.079 I never met him, but I think he trapped. 01:06:58.000 --> 01:07:00.880 I don't know if you watch his podcast or listen to him every now and then. 01:07:00.960 --> 01:07:02.320 I do, and he's on a roll. 01:07:02.480 --> 01:07:08.239 Yeah, I've watched his podcast and I've watched his um Spirit of the Wild show on the on the outdoors channel. 01:07:08.400 --> 01:07:11.039 Yeah, I love these things. 01:07:11.280 --> 01:07:14.800 Yeah, I kind of have a twofold, right? 01:07:15.920 --> 01:07:18.639 Um I've looked, all right. 01:07:18.719 --> 01:07:27.840 So I know I grew up in California where I've watched Cal Fire Waterfowl Association, which is a great, super great organization. 01:07:28.000 --> 01:07:31.599 I wish we had an organization that mirrored that here in Louisiana. 01:07:32.480 --> 01:07:40.000 Um, and if I had the money, the time, mainly the time, I would love to even start one with with a bunch of you know with a bunch of guys. 01:07:40.239 --> 01:07:42.559 Have you ever heard of uh Friends of the Refuge? 01:07:42.800 --> 01:07:44.079 No, I have not. 01:07:44.480 --> 01:07:47.360 It's it's a couple guys, Southwest Louisiana. 01:07:47.440 --> 01:07:49.920 There, the it's over the Southwest complex. 01:07:50.719 --> 01:07:53.119 Local volunteers, nonprofit organization. 01:07:53.280

--> 01:07:56.079 Um, my good buddy Chris Cole is part of it. 01:07:56.320 --> 01:08:03.280 Um, I'm in the I'm not I wouldn't say that I'm part of it because I've never really actually lifted a thumb or given them a dime, but I'm in their email threads and stuff. 01:08:03.360 --> 01:08:05.920 I just I got too many eggs into the basket. 01:08:06.079 --> 01:08:06.719 Yeah. 01:08:07.679 --> 01:08:09.840 But uh they they're kind of like that. 01:08:10.400 --> 01:08:15.840 And it's they donate a lot of their time towards you know the public land aspect of things. 01:08:16.079 --> 01:08:17.199 Public land aspect of it. 01:08:17.439 --> 01:08:30.880 Yeah, trying to get more done, and I think with them opening up some of the the refuge systems and loosening those rains that we're gonna be able to get more, you know, be able to get in there and cut uh Chinese tallow out of it, you know. 01:08:30.960 --> 01:08:36.640 Go go spray for Salvania or or whatever we gotta do to take care of things. 01:08:36.880 --> 01:08:38.399 Yeah, dude, definitely. 01:08:38.880 --> 01:08:45.199 I've heard more people talk about invasive grass out here in Louisiana than anywhere else I've ever lived in. 01:08:45.439 --> 01:08:47.039 Oh, Salvania's the worst. 01:08:47.359 --> 01:08:49.279 Yeah, it takes over, everything's bad. 01:08:49.680 --> 01:08:54.560 You know, I've heard that's the reason why Mar Paul swamps the way it is, you know, now is because of that. 01:08:54.880 --> 01:08:56.640 Yeah, I've I've heard that too. 01:08:56.800 --> 01:08:59.520 Yeah, never worked in there. 01:08:59.840 --> 01:09:00.319 Yeah. 01:09:00.560 --> 01:09:12.800 For you know, and I know you said that um DU doesn't hide for the viewers and from you know for myself too, because you know, um I I like transparency. 01:09:13.359 --> 01:09:23.600 Where do you where can you find some of the stuff that you know that people say, you know, I heard Wallace, like you know, they're paying directly for the corn and all that. 01:09:23.920 --> 01:09:25.439 Where can people see that? 01:09:25.600 --> 01:09:28.239 Where can the common public man see that stuff at? 01:09:28.960 --> 01:09:33.359 Well, and I'm not gonna say AI is always accurate, but if you Google it, it's there. 01:09:34.399 --> 01:09:36.319 You can follow the money. 01:09:37.279 --> 01:09:37.760 Yeah. 01:09:38.239 --> 01:09:40.079 You know, it's yeah, they don't hide it. 01:09:40.159 --> 01:09:48.399 And I I don't know where they got that they pay for the corn necessarily, but they may like certain certain farms they've paid for the development rights, you know. 01:09:48.479 --> 01:10:00.479 That's why they put soft unlimited pays the salary of which your USDA, your local offices, they pay you the salary for a USDA officer. 01:10:00.880 --> 01:10:01.520 Yeah. 01:10:02.000 --> 01:10:04.640 You know, they keep them on standby, basically. 01:10:04.880 --> 01:10:06.079 And there's a reason for that. 01:10:06.399 --> 01:10:07.039 Yeah. 01:10:07.520 -->

01:10:07.840 Yeah. 01:10:08.000 --> 01:10:10.239 I would you know, I would love to find and see that. 01:10:10.319 --> 01:10:21.039 And you know, I've had you know du uh entities on here before, and you know, you know, like they say they you know, they definitely say they don't pay for flooded corn or whatnot. 01:10:21.439 --> 01:10:31.680 Well they won't directly come out and say that they pay for the flooded corn, but they pay they donate money to that, you know, that collaboration of people. 01:10:31.920 --> 01:10:32.560 Yeah. 01:10:32.880 --> 01:10:35.279 And they pay for the development rights. 01:10:35.359 --> 01:10:46.479 So what do you I mean essentially I would say that just because you're not giving direct just because you're not handing Joe cash to plant that corn doesn't mean you're not paying for it. 01:10:47.119 --> 01:10:47.520 You know? 01:10:48.000 --> 01:10:48.319 Yeah. 01:10:48.560 --> 01:10:50.800 And do you think that's helping or hurting? 01:10:52.239 --> 01:10:54.880 Oh, I mean, I think that they could put that money in other places. 01:10:55.199 --> 01:10:55.760 Other places. 01:10:56.000 --> 01:11:00.960 Yeah, I don't think you should, I don't think that you should be funding million dollar god services. 01:11:01.600 --> 01:11:02.159 Yeah. 01:11:02.560 --> 01:11:06.239 And that's just what they're doing in mid lateral states. 01:11:07.680 --> 01:11:19.279 Yeah, so but as far as you know, but donating money for habitat, that's I understand that, but yeah, habitat alone. 01:11:19.600 --> 01:11:22.560 Yeah, I I definitely say don't take away habitat. 01:11:22.720 --> 01:11:29.199 I I would rather not see the I'd if it was up to Joe, I'd I'd want to see the ethanol go away. 01:11:29.439 --> 01:11:31.439 I'd want to see the less field corn. 01:11:31.600 --> 01:11:42.880 I I don't want to see people draining freaking um marsh to um to make more farms for it. 01:11:42.960 --> 01:11:44.159 I you know, right. 01:11:44.479 --> 01:11:46.960 It's the one thing I I gotta tell everyone two things. 01:11:47.199 --> 01:11:56.319 We ain't making more land, and the worst thing I could ever say, the the scariest thing I've ever heard or want to hear is we're the government and we're here to help. 01:11:56.479 --> 01:11:59.760 Um that's the guy that's the guy who's worked with the government his whole life. 01:11:59.920 --> 01:12:00.159 Yeah. 01:12:00.640 --> 01:12:01.359 To this day. 01:12:01.600 --> 01:12:03.840 Um that speaks volumes. 01:12:04.000 --> 01:12:15.920 Yeah, I mean, I've worked, you know, 100% the government, you know, you know, the Department of Defense has paid my bills since I was 18 until 40, I'm about to turn 41 next month. 01:12:16.159 --> 01:12:18.239 So I mean that's just it is what it is. 01:12:18.399 --> 01:12:22.000 You know, I I support our country. 01:12:22.079 --> 01:12:26.560 Uh you know, uh, you know, I'm uh super patriarch, love this country more than anything. 01:12:26.880 --> 01:12:33.920 But I if if we could fix trick sales and not get our parents involved, uh I would rather have that. 01:12:34.239 --> 01:12:34.560 Right. 01:12:34.640 --> 01:12:37.359 Um at least you can see it for what it is. 01:12:37.600 --> 01:12:38.079 Yeah. 01:12:38.239 --> 01:12:44.319 Um, because you know, well, it's because uh we get these politicians involved, right? 01:12:44.640 --> 01:12:53.840 And they do what's best for them, or they're lobbyists, yes, or they do the big, you know, like right now, you know, everyone with the Kennedy. 01:12:54.159 --> 01:12:58.319 I love I want Kennedy to do this more than anything. 01:12:58.720 --> 01:13:07.279 But you know, one, if you think our nation right now is thinking about ducks with you know, you see what's going on in the news. 01:13:07.439 --> 01:13:09.840 Um, we can't even get a peace treaty right now. 01:13:10.000 --> 01:13:26.720 Uh and then we have the Iran-Iraq conflict, uh Russia, um the Russia-Ukraine conflict, you have China looking at Taiwan like a uh like uh like a starving uh like a starving man, you know, looking at a pork chop. 01:13:26.960 --> 01:13:29.359 Yeah, and if you think it's all coincidental, you're wrong. 01:13:29.600 --> 01:13:30.159 Yeah, 100%. 01:13:30.479 --> 01:13:32.000 It's all tied into, you know, trust me. 01:13:32.319 --> 01:13:34.880 I've been I've been in those countries and they're all tied together. 01:13:35.039 --> 01:13:38.000 Um you ask the common folk and uh they don't know, you know. 01:13:38.239 --> 01:13:49.680 Yeah, you know, it's you know, yeah, it russia and Iran and what was going on, you know, with all the proxies and China, they're all the same. 01:13:49.920 --> 01:13:52.079 Um, they're all the same. 01:13:52.560 --> 01:13:55.760 Um, but you know, that's just Joe speaking. 01:13:55.920 --> 01:14:03.439 But like, so then it's like, man, do you really want these guys who yes, some of them do duck hunt, but they're not duck hunters, right? 01:14:03.520 --> 01:14:11.279 They they might go on a paid hunt once a year, take their photos and make everyone feel good about it, but are they real? 01:14:11.439 --> 01:14:15.600 Is that if duck hunting went away, would it really hurt those politicians? 01:14:15.840 --> 01:14:18.640 I sometimes I think they they just wouldn't care. 01:14:19.199 --> 01:14:20.239 No, they wouldn't. 01:14:20.399 --> 01:14:25.039 Yeah, so you know that we basically devote our lives to it. 01:14:25.199 --> 01:14:42.079 Yeah, and for guys like us, and I you know, what I hate seeing, and why you know I I harp on you know, the kind of like the subject is I would rather see unity amongst us all now, instead of you know, instead of it being such a hard divide you see with some guys that like at the end of they were all duck hunters. 01:14:42.159 --> 01:14:48.319 We literally have the same, the same passion, and we all want the same thing, you know. 01:14:48.479 --> 01:15:00.000 And if you know, if we had 50 million ducks on the landscape, you know, we had 18

million mallers on the landscape, we'd probably all we'd probably all get along and no one would, you know, no one would bicker. 01:15:00.800 --> 01:15:01.680 It maybe. 01:15:01.920 --> 01:15:03.119 Yeah, maybe. 01:15:03.359 --> 01:15:18.880 Uh but yeah, I I I think we sometimes we were we rely on the parents and and big big brother to pretend that they're gonna do the best for us when you know there's other fishes, you know, and it's nothing against them. 01:15:18.960 --> 01:15:21.279 They just got other big, they got bigger issues, right? 01:15:21.439 --> 01:15:26.640 Yeah, way bigger issues, way bigger issues, um, you know, for us. 01:15:27.199 --> 01:15:37.199 But now on a um more friendly topic before we end the podcast, you're actually opened up a guide service in Missouri this year. 01:15:37.680 --> 01:15:41.600 Yeah, well, I'm kind of venturing out on my own and and doing my own thing. 01:15:41.680 --> 01:15:45.680 I've I've filled in as a guide for a few years now. 01:15:46.880 --> 01:15:56.159 Uh, you know, the stars just lined up where I was able to um at least at least a lodge from a buddy, and I I have the experience afield out there. 01:15:56.239 --> 01:16:04.960 I've networked people and I was able to lease up some some pretty good quality ground and invest some money in all this. 01:16:05.119 --> 01:16:09.359 And yeah, uh I've already started booking, but I haven't advertised yet. 01:16:09.600 --> 01:16:09.840 Yeah. 01:16:11.760 --> 01:16:23.760 It's kind of I I'm sure someone may be listening has been in my shoes, but it's very glorifying being able to, I say this humbly, being able to book, you know, without having to advertise. 01:16:24.159 --> 01:16:24.560 Yeah. 01:16:24.800 --> 01:16:28.560 It's really nice to know that you people have put trust in you and they have that much confidence. 01:16:28.720 --> 01:16:30.640 And that's what makes a person motivated. 01:16:30.800 --> 01:16:34.079 You know, I I didn't plan on guiding and doing this for a living. 01:16:34.239 --> 01:16:39.199 I I would do it sometimes, you know, to pay for my my duck hunts, my trips, whatever it may be. 01:16:39.439 --> 01:16:48.319 But I this fell into my lap, and you you line it up with my health, you know, condition that I mentioned a little earlier with my lower back. 01:16:48.560 --> 01:16:55.680 I I'm just not gonna be able to get back in, you know, the field like I used to be, as far as like the oil field and yeah, working jobs like that. 01:16:55.760 --> 01:17:05.600 So this is this is really something I'm gonna try to run with, and and I'm gonna offer the public an experience, you know, that they can't really replace. 01:17:05.760 --> 01:17:07.920 I'm gonna try I'm gonna do my best to do that. 01:17:08.319 --> 01:17:08.800 Yeah. 01:17:09.760 --> 01:17:11.359 What is your outfitter's name? 01:17:11.680 --> 01:17:14.479 Uh I'm gonna be I'm running at Little Lacassen Waterfowl. 01:17:14.720 --> 01:17:16.079 Little Lacassine Waterfowl. 01:17:16.479

--> 01:17:21.600 But I'll be uh partnered with Harris Outfitters, this old Tyson Harris up in Oregon, Missouri. 01:17:21.760 --> 01:17:22.079 Yeah. 01:17:22.479 --> 01:17:25.439 The the partnership just consists of me leasing the lodge running. 01:17:25.760 --> 01:17:27.119 Everything else is separate. 01:17:27.359 --> 01:17:27.840 Yeah. 01:17:28.560 --> 01:17:31.039 And uh we'll see what happens, we'll see where we go. 01:17:31.279 --> 01:17:32.640 I think it could be a good thing. 01:17:32.800 --> 01:17:40.960 I think this year, especially with the the property that I've leased up, I doubt we'll have a little bit of flooded corn. 01:17:41.199 --> 01:17:44.479 So if any cage is one of a couple lessons, okay. 01:17:46.319 --> 01:17:47.840 I don't mind doing that. 01:17:49.600 --> 01:17:51.840 The lessons are free, they come with you day rate. 01:17:53.039 --> 01:17:58.399 So saying that, you know, what have you seen the difference between the flooded rice and the flooded corn? 01:17:58.640 --> 01:18:03.039 Like, do how how much different do birds actually really act in it? 01:18:04.319 --> 01:18:05.199 They're no different. 01:18:05.439 --> 01:18:06.239 No different? 01:18:06.479 --> 01:18:07.199 No different. 01:18:07.439 --> 01:18:17.680 They're not a I I say that, I mean, I've watched through my binoculars when they when they're feeding in that in between those rows where they'll, you know, they kind of act. 01:18:17.760 --> 01:18:23.520 Well, I guess they don't really act any different than they would in a dry cornfield, but it's like a feeding frenzy, you know, they they're stepping all over each other. 01:18:23.680 --> 01:18:24.319 Yeah. 01:18:27.680 --> 01:18:38.880 You know, like one particular conservation area in Missouri that floods corn, there was a uh one particular cut that has a mound in the middle when they harvested the corn, a lot of it got knocked over into there. 01:18:39.199 --> 01:18:44.000 Um they they they shoot each other in the foot if they had a gun. 01:18:44.239 --> 01:18:44.560 Yeah. 01:18:46.239 --> 01:18:54.560 Yeah, and that's another thing, like uh not to get back on the corn topic, but even if they out if they abandon it across the U.S. 01:18:54.640 --> 01:19:05.920 for for hunting over it, I still wouldn't mind it seeing it supplement moist soil on those refuges for the birds. 01:19:06.159 --> 01:19:13.600 Um I mean, you know, you hear a lot of those guys up there talk about moist soil in the winter, they're not gonna use that if it's cold. 01:19:13.840 --> 01:19:14.319 Yeah. 01:19:14.560 --> 01:19:20.880 They're gonna most likely get, you know, leave because I thought that most my moist soil is gonna freeze up. 01:19:21.520 --> 01:19:23.119 They're gonna feed in the corn. 01:19:23.279 --> 01:19:23.600 Yeah. 01:19:23.840 --> 01:19:26.159 I don't think you're gonna ever get rid of the corn amount, you know. 01:19:26.319 --> 01:19:28.560 Speaking hypothetically, I understand, but yeah. 01:19:29.039 --> 01:19:34.560 They they don't there's Tony Vandemore and Ira McCullough said that that's why they stay in those moist soil units. 01:19:35.119 --> 01:19:36.800 Yeah, that's that's a load of crap. 01:19:36.880 --> 01:19:38.159 They don't like it when it's cold. 01:19:38.399 --> 01:19:38.960 It's cold. 01:19:39.199 --> 01:19:43.840 I've seen that, at least not in northwest Missouri, but I don't see them changing their behavior. 01:19:43.920 --> 01:19:47.199 You know, you go 115 miles southeast. 01:19:47.520 --> 01:20:00.960 No, a mallard for me, a mallard, a pintail speckle belly in Canada is the same bird that does the same stuff here in Louisiana, and you hear a lot with the people calling, right? 01:20:01.199 --> 01:20:03.119 I say that in reference to their form. 01:20:03.359 --> 01:20:05.760 That's that part is for me up there. 01:20:06.000 --> 01:20:06.640 Yeah. 01:20:10.079 --> 01:20:10.560 Yeah. 01:20:11.199 --> 01:20:11.520 Yeah. 01:20:11.840 --> 01:20:15.920 I that bird's looking the same thing in Canada that's looking from down here in Louisiana. 01:20:16.079 --> 01:20:16.399 Yeah. 01:20:16.640 --> 01:20:20.560 It's looking for safety, water, food, and um not being shot in the face. 01:20:20.800 --> 01:20:21.199 Exactly. 01:20:21.359 --> 01:20:24.399 If it's freezing cold, that's gonna feed on whatever carbs. 01:20:24.720 --> 01:20:25.359 Whatever, yeah. 01:20:26.000 --> 01:20:28.159 At that point, it's going in survival mode. 01:20:28.319 --> 01:20:28.960 Right. 01:20:29.279 --> 01:20:40.239 Um, but if viewers want to um book a hunt with you, where you know, where can they get in touch with you two book hunts, you know, either this season or even in future seasons? 01:20:40.640 --> 01:20:42.479 Yeah, um, I have my cell phone. 01:20:42.640 --> 01:20:46.159 I I can uh I guess I can give it out on here. 01:20:46.239 --> 01:20:48.880 I'd rather not, but uh Facebook really. 01:20:49.039 --> 01:20:49.359 Yeah. 01:20:49.760 --> 01:20:51.680 On Facebook, Jacob Scott Abear. 01:20:51.840 --> 01:20:54.880 Um, I do have a page, little lack of scene that's in the works. 01:20:54.960 --> 01:20:59.600 I will before the end of the week, I keep saying I'm gonna advertise, but I keep booking people. 01:20:59.760 --> 01:21:02.319 So I'm just putting it off, putting it off. 01:21:02.960 --> 01:21:09.279 And uh, but reach out to me on Facebook, Jacobs Scott Abear or Instagram, same thing. 01:21:09.520 --> 01:21:15.840 If you have any uh questions about you know what the package includes, you know, I got lodging. 01:21:16.000 --> 01:21:18.880 You know, I it's gonna, I'm gonna have a first class cook. 01:21:19.119 --> 01:21:20.640 It's gonna be he's a Cajun. 01:21:21.359 --> 01:21:23.840 And he was uh his name's Blake Abear. 01:21:24.000 --> 01:21:33.840 He'll be hosting me for the first few weeks, and then I'll have to transition to uh having some buddies cook or me myself, or just find a full-time chef, I guess. 01:21:34.239 --> 01:21:35.600 I wish I could

have Blake the whole time. 01:21:35.680 --> 01:21:39.119 You know, he hosted the Gate on Duck Club and he's a comedian as well. 01:21:39.199 --> 01:21:42.560 He's a he's a character, real funny, real funny guy, real good guy. 01:21:42.720 --> 01:21:45.600 Yeah, you get a dinner and a show. 01:21:45.840 --> 01:21:46.399 Yeah. 01:21:46.720 --> 01:21:49.600 Shout out to Blake and thanks for helping me out, buddy. 01:21:49.840 --> 01:21:56.560 Yeah, you know, feel free to reach out to me on on Facebook and I can get you hooked up. 01:21:56.640 --> 01:21:58.239 We'll we'll get you some lessons. 01:21:58.479 --> 01:22:02.159 And um for that, uh are you mainly doing duck? 01:22:02.239 --> 01:22:13.359 Are you doing I started out with a 16-day window that I was gonna offer people because I thought that's all I could maybe feel, but but apparently I'm I'm better than that, I guess. 01:22:13.600 --> 01:22:19.199 And I I filled those days and and I've extended them to into more, but uh going out. 01:22:19.279 --> 01:22:20.560 I don't forgot your question. 01:22:20.800 --> 01:22:21.279 Yeah. 01:22:21.520 --> 01:22:24.079 Um, are you doing just duck or no? 01:22:24.159 --> 01:22:27.520 I'm I'm using the ducks and the geese, but I was gonna run on the ducks. 01:22:27.600 --> 01:22:40.560 I was gonna run on on fresh, I was gonna chase them fresh feeds if I could on the dry fields, but now that I've extended those dates and and opened up more, more people were asking about geese, so I had to offer that too. 01:22:40.720 --> 01:22:47.119 And I uh so I hired a goose guide, uh uh uh and I secured some pretty good goose fields. 01:22:47.279 --> 01:22:53.119 So we'll be running any conservation snow goose? 01:22:53.279 --> 01:22:54.880 Uh that's gonna be Tyson's deal. 01:22:54.960 --> 01:23:01.199 Tyson Harris is gonna be offering that in the out of the same lodge, but obviously during conservation season. 01:23:01.439 --> 01:23:02.079 Yeah. 01:23:02.560 --> 01:23:04.720 I'm strictly fall ducking goose. 01:23:04.880 --> 01:23:06.399 Yeah, super excited for you. 01:23:06.479 --> 01:23:10.880 I I always I like seeing guys venture out in the outdoor industry. 01:23:11.039 --> 01:23:12.800 Um, I think it's super cool. 01:23:12.960 --> 01:23:17.920 Um you know, I've you know, like I said, you know, my guiding is pretty much just like your guiding was. 01:23:18.000 --> 01:23:28.319 It was literally just to fund my uh my habit down here to keep the keep the wife happy to where I'm not you know I'm not dipping too much in our in our um our savings in our bank account. 01:23:28.399 --> 01:23:30.720 It kind of you know duck hand pays for itself. 01:23:31.039 --> 01:23:32.800 You may you're a better man than me. 01:23:33.039 --> 01:23:33.600 Yeah. 01:23:33.840 --> 01:23:37.199 Um but like I always say you gotta take chances. 01:23:37.359 --> 01:23:37.840 Yeah. 01:23:38.000 --> 01:23:40.000 Um for me, we always end up. 01:23:40.079 --> 01:23:41.520 I start the season in negative. 01:23:41.680 --> 01:23:43.359 I pay for my leases in May. 01:23:43.520 --> 01:23:52.479 Hopefully, teal when I guide teal and I guide early spec in um yeah, in uh um up in Arkansas. 01:23:52.800 --> 01:23:57.199 I'm like usually I am super hoping I break even for my leases this year. 01:23:57.439 --> 01:24:01.199 I break even and I just fun hunt during during the big duck season. 01:24:01.439 --> 01:24:02.079 Yeah. 01:24:02.399 --> 01:24:11.920 Uh you know, I like I tell everyone, every water, you know, guys that are married that have you know that waterfowl hunt with wives, they're probably the most forgiving people. 01:24:12.079 --> 01:24:14.159 Uh they're very patient. 01:24:14.399 --> 01:24:17.359 Um, they've had to be, you know, they had to learn. 01:24:17.600 --> 01:24:18.800 Yeah, definitely. 01:24:19.119 --> 01:24:22.319 But hey, brother, it has been awesome having you on, man. 01:24:22.399 --> 01:24:30.880 I definitely want to have you back on after this, you know, after the season to talk about how your season was and how you know we've seen this last season uh of hunting. 01:24:30.960 --> 01:24:36.079 But uh and I I mean I want to know more about the you know, even more about some of the banning stuff. 01:24:36.159 --> 01:24:40.880 And um we'll if you'll kind of see where some of this GPS stuff. 01:24:41.039 --> 01:24:46.319 I wish we could talk more about the GPS stuff, but I know people will then target birds, and it is what it is. 01:24:46.399 --> 01:24:50.800 I uh maybe we can get a do a little collaboration and get Paul on here. 01:24:51.439 --> 01:24:54.079 I would absolutely love to have Paul on. 01:24:55.279 --> 01:24:58.399 Yeah, he would uh it's hard for that man to find time. 01:24:58.720 --> 01:24:59.600 Yeah, I heard it. 01:24:59.680 --> 01:25:05.439 I've always heard he is a very, very busy, but I've heard rumors of him maybe hanging it up here pretty soon. 01:25:05.920 --> 01:25:07.600 Yeah, I don't I'm not sure. 01:25:07.760 --> 01:25:09.680 I mean he can answer that. 01:25:09.840 --> 01:25:12.399 Yeah, I've heard rumors of him maybe retiring. 01:25:12.640 --> 01:25:20.079 Um but no, I knew he I know his retirement was coming up, but uh you know how people are, they'll spend their retirement. 01:25:20.319 --> 01:25:21.920 Yeah, stop, you know. 01:25:22.159 --> 01:25:26.640 Yeah, I mean, we all get hobbies, we buy new toys, we gotta we gotta pay for them. 01:25:26.960 --> 01:25:27.760 Yeah, yeah. 01:25:28.479 --> 01:25:31.520 But hey, brother, Jacob, thank you for being on. 01:25:31.680 --> 01:25:32.800 Uh, thank you for coming on. 01:25:32.880 --> 01:25:46.960 Hey, if every you know, if you guys are looking for a hunt or or or even if you're in Louisiana and you want to help out with the banding and all that, get a hold of him on his Facebook, um, Jacob Scott Ambear, look him up on Instagram. 01:25:47.600 --> 01:25:52.159 Um, Jacob, I once again, I greatly appreciate you coming on and talking with me. 01:25:52.479 --> 01:25:53.439 Yes, sir, Joe. 01:25:53.520 --> 01:25:54.560 I appreciate you having me, man. 01:25:54.720 --> 01:25:57.920 I hope we can send some limelight on some matters for the public. 01:25:58.960 --> 01:25:59.840 And then you know what? 01:26:00.000 --> 01:26:09.439 If we can what I what I want out of these podcast series about down here is one, I'm not from Louisiana, but Louisiana, I fell in love with it. 01:26:09.520 --> 01:26:11.359 It has a special place for me and my family. 01:26:11.600 --> 01:26:13.119 It's unique, it's unique. 01:26:13.199 --> 01:26:14.960 Uh, great people down here. 01:26:15.279 --> 01:26:22.159 Uh the hunting is good as much as everyone, it's still a great waterfowl destination. 01:26:22.319 --> 01:26:26.319 And we still harvest more ducks than anybody than anyone else. 01:26:26.560 --> 01:26:45.039 And if I can bring a little bit of unity to back to the waterfowl community and realize that, hey, we will do so much more working with each other instead of working against each other, you know, I feel that I've done a little a little bit of my part. 01:26:45.359 --> 01:26:47.520 Well, yeah, and we'll be better off in the long run. 01:26:47.600 --> 01:26:48.880 We're all on the same page. 01:26:49.039 --> 01:26:49.760 Yes, brother. 01:26:50.000 --> 01:26:51.920 But for the viewers, thank you for your support. 01:26:52.000 --> 01:26:52.720 Thank you for tuning in. 01:26:52.800 --> 01:26:56.479 And like my great friend Chris always says, let Valor not fail. 01:26:56.800 --> 01:26:58.079 Thank you, Joe.