Afternoon duck hunts...advice

[2dogs1name]

I got off work early today and thought, why the hell not...off to San J to refill a blind. Well, I realized that afternoon duck hunting is quite different (1st time in 5 years) than morning...

The Good:

I was able to call in this single and drop ‘Em with one shot in the head.



The Bad:

There was only one other bird that flew into my shooting range 40yrds....and I did the stupid “safety was on” bonehead move...no shot.

The Ugly:

I realized I picked the wrong refill blind as the birds were doing a circle of the ponds, but not where I was. The only way to learn this is by experiencing it first hand...

Recap:

I considered this more of a scouting hunt and a learning experience. Know the flight pattern of the birds and what blinds to pick Also use less Decs in the afternoon...

I came with 25 shells and left with 24...and a bird...life is good!

 

[Mud Pigeon]

Good job! Rarely hear of people calling in ruddies.

 

[fish dog]

Well, so far at least, SJ has been almost a total morning shoot. Afternoons have sucked. I've done 4 afternoon hunts this season and have fired a total of 4 rounds for one bird (although it was a nice Gadwall) Like you, it was the only shot I fired that day. The other three days were 1 shot, zero shots, and 2 shots (at 1 bird). I've honestly seen a total of about 30 ducks on these 4 hunts...that's not 30 ducks within range of my blind or 30 ducks each afternoon I was out there, but 30 ducks flying total. I've shot limits as SJ in the afternoon in years past but, at least so far, this isn't the year for that, apparently. But will I keep going and doing afternoon hunts when I get a chance? Of course...you can't shoot 'um sitting on the couch. (What's that definition of insanity?)

 

[SpoonySmacker]

Well, so far at least, SJ has been almost a total morning shoot. Afternoons have sucked. I've done 4 afternoon hunts this season and have fired a total of 4 rounds for one bird (although it was a nice Gadwall) Like you, it was the only shot I fired that day. The other three days were 1 shot, zero shots, and 2 shots (at 1 bird). I've honestly seen a total of about 30 ducks on these 4 hunts...that's not 30 ducks within range of my blind or 30 ducks each afternoon I was out there, but 30 ducks flying total. I've shot limits as SJ in the afternoon in years past but, at least so far, this isn't the year for that, apparently. But will I keep going and doing afternoon hunts when I get a chance? Of course...you can't shoot 'um sitting on the couch. (What's that definition of insanity?)

It’s not cold enough for good afternoon shoots this year. It’s definitely been colder in the past few years. There no good reason for them to not wait till after dark to search for food.

 

[2dogs1name]

If I get a good ressie in Jan, I’m inviting you guys to join...

 

[ilovesprig]

Scott,

Every time out is a learning experience.....Waterfowling these days isn't easy.....And it's always great being in the marsh at daybreak.

 

[nicapopolis]

It’s not cold enough for good afternoon shoots this year. It’s definitely been colder in the past few years. There no good reason for them to not wait till after dark to search for food.

Interesting thought. I would never consider So Cal cold enough to drive the birds to feeds.

I have always thought the better afternoon shoots at SJ correlated with a full Mystic lake and full Lake Perris.

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[2dogs1name]

Interesting thought. I would never consider So Cal cold enough to drive the birds to feeds.

I have always thought the better afternoon shoots at SJ correlated with a full Mystic lake and full Lake Perris.

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Agree with you about that...especially a full Mystic...

 

[WaterDawg]

Great attitude!

 

[SpoonySmacker]

Interesting thought. I would never consider So Cal cold enough to drive the birds to feeds.

I have always thought the better afternoon shoots at SJ correlated with a full Mystic lake and full Lake Perris.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Well, it never gets super cold but when it does reach lower temps, the 30s, I see more bird movement later in the day in SoCal. Most of the birds that we shoot year around are fair weather birds and don’t like the cold so temps in the 30s and 40s will make them move more. We are barely reaching the 40s at the moment. And I don’t think we are going to see anything really in the 30s soon. When we are hitting 60 and 70s in the afternoons like right now we will see poor afternoon hunting. All of the birds are loafing around waiting for dark. Even with more water in mystic, do you think it would make a difference of them waiting till after dark to fly back into SJ with this same weather and why?

 

[nicapopolis]

Well, it never gets super cold but when it does reach lower temps, the 30s, I see more bird movement later in the day in SoCal. Most of the birds that we shoot year around are fair weather birds and don’t like the cold so temps in the 30s and 40s will make them move more. We are barely reaching the 40s at the moment. And I don’t think we are going to see anything really in the 30s soon. When we are hitting 60 and 70s in the afternoons like right now we will see poor afternoon hunting. All of the birds are loafing around waiting for dark. Even with more water in mystic, do you think it would make a difference of them waiting till after dark to fly back into SJ with this same weather and why?

No clue. I would just speculate that the more water in mystic could just attract and hold more birds. More birds in the area could mean more opportunities in the afternoon.

When I was living in so cal I hardly ever hunted SJ in the afternoon, so your first hand experience is probably better than my keyboard biology. I know a fair amount of guys who say more water in mystic = better afternoon hunts, but maybe it is just better hunting all around.

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[SpoonySmacker]

No clue. I would just speculate that the more water in mystic could just attract and hold more birds. More birds in the area could mean more opportunities in the afternoon.

When I was living in so cal I hardly ever hunted SJ in the afternoon, so your first hand experience is probably better than my keyboard biology. I know a fair amount of guys who say more water in mystic = better afternoon hunts, but maybe it is just better hunting all around.

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They could be right, honestly. If Mystic was full, some birds may opt to not head to Lake Perris after the day break show. Or it could be more possible for them to bounce between LP and Mystic during different times of the day. I guess we'll never know until Mystic has water again. I've been in SoCal for 6 years now and have only seen water in Mystic one year late in the season. It was decent hunting off of the Walker ponds, but it was also in the 30s during that same time period. I only hunt SJ maybe 2 times a year now. Im a Wister junky.

 

[fish dog]

Interesting thought. I would never consider So Cal cold enough to drive the birds to feeds.

I have always thought the better afternoon shoots at SJ correlated with a full Mystic lake and full Lake Perris.

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I'm in complete agreement with this. Mystic is the key IMHO. And not the 100 yard across puddle that it is now, I mean a full Mystic Lake. It attracts more birds and gives them a place to go after the morning fly off. Right now, when they fly off in the morning most of them go to Perris or Diamond Valley and then they are gone for the day. If Mystic is full a lot of them will go over there and then, later in the day, when they get antsy and start to fly they are close enough that they can see SJ's ponds and are attracted back there which makes the afternoon shoot. Some might dispute this but I've had great afternoon hunts at SJ when Mystic is full. Also, if they are hunting Lake Perris, that keeps the birds moving over there. Right now, with no hunting at Perris, they have no reason to leave. Personally, I think shutting down the hunting at Perris due to "low water" is bogus and just an excuse to eliminate hunting there. I'll be surprised if they ever allow hunting there again, no matter the water level.

 

[SpoonySmacker]

I'm in complete agreement with this. Mystic is the key IMHO. And not the 100 yard across puddle that it is now, I mean a full Mystic Lake. It attracts more birds and gives them a place to go after the morning fly off. Right now, when they fly off in the morning most of them go to Perris or Diamond Valley and then they are gone for the day. If Mystic is full a lot of them will go over there and then, later in the day, when they get antsy and start to fly they are close enough that they can see SJ's ponds and are attracted back there which makes the afternoon shoot. Some might dispute this but I've had great afternoon hunts at SJ when Mystic is full. Also, if they are hunting Lake Perris, that keeps the birds moving over there. Right now, with no hunting at Perris, they have no reason to leave. Personally, I think shutting down the hunting at Perris due to "low water" is bogus and just an excuse to eliminate hunting there. I'll be surprised if they ever allow hunting there again, no matter the water level.

So I’ve never asked Tom or anyone there why they don’t flood the lake or keep it flooded. They just want it to be natural? Funding? Issues with the local gov.? It would only make sense to have it flooded if it could be a benefit to migrating waterfowl since SJ doesn’t really have a closed zone beside LP and the Ramona Duck Club.

 

[Aeon]

water is hard to come by and expensive.... since we have had zero rain fall this year a lot of local potholes and lakes are dry. All that hurts the local hunting big time.

 

[fish dog]

So I’ve never asked Tom or anyone there why they don’t flood the lake or keep it flooded. They just want it to be natural? Funding? Issues with the local gov.? It would only make sense to have it flooded if it could be a benefit to migrating waterfowl since SJ doesn’t really have a closed zone beside LP and the Ramona Duck Club.

I have asked and it's apparently against some law or ordinance or policy. They used reclaimed water at SJ and for some reason, there's some law or whatever that prevents them from dumping reclaimed water in Mystic.

 

[SpoonySmacker]

I have asked and it's apparently against some law or ordinance or policy. They used reclaimed water at SJ and for some reason, there's some law or whatever that prevents them from dumping reclaimed water in Mystic.

Sounds like the typical red tape scenario.