Drought

Roanoke

Eight Pointer
This is as dry as I have seen it for this time of year. Last time is this dry was back in 95. Everyone that has so much to say about ducks not being on the Lake needs to go and take a look. Coast is going to be the place to go this season. I am guessing that only 45% of the impoundments in NC will be flooded this season. I know many landowners that have wells for pumping and there is not enough ground water to keep up with all the evaporation. The warm trend that we are having now is not helping.

My biggest concern is my flooded timber. This drought will effect us for the next couple of years. We have been fortunate with extremely wet winters for the past 15 years. All of the water from past years has enabled us to dawn and hold a good number of mallards. This year they will have to find another location to pair up and get ready for the trip back home. It takes a few years to recover from a bad drought. I have seen this happen on my lease in Arkansas. You may think that you are holding now just because you have water in one of your holes. Your first hunt will be good but watch what happens after they get some pressure. Big ducks like roosting in flooded cutovers that has water over two feet deep so they can dive and get away from owls. How many flooded cutovers have you seen? I try to go and watch ducks every evening. Roosting patterns have totally changed from past years. If you build it they will come but you have to add water. I flew over much of North Eastern NC this week and it does not look good. Currituck is holding as well as many other coast spots. I will be back in the scissor rig some this year with the rest of the crowd.
 
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TomstoSwans486

Four Pointer
Part of the cycle with ole Mother Nature. Moist soil wetlands, and creek beds, beaver ponds. will have more natural food come next year (assuming we get normal rain) after this dry period. This is good. From what I've seen it looks like the prarrie pothole is getting some good snow and i hope that continues and melts for nesting in the Spring. Another bad drought up there and it'll be really bad. I do have a wetland I hunt, that in the past was a really good roost hole, normally 40-50 woodies and a dozen or more mallards every given day. This year maybe a dozen in total. The water is well under a foot of normal. I agree with you - it may take a while to get birds back there. Doing a big project after the season and putting in more wood duck boxes - we maintain 5 there now, but could have 10 or more.
 

Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
We’ve had NOTHING but flood after flood after flood after flood for 4 straight years up until 2 months ago so I am thankful for this dry spell. I hope we go til April without rain. The year of the drought that WM spoke of was some of the best duck hunting I’ve ever had. They didn’t have many hiding places. And we had a cold winter that year. Low water and it froze and any open water you could find was loaded. The coastal open water was a lot fun back in those days when the water in land would freeze.
 

kahunter

Eight Pointer
It absolutely has helped the coastal areas. Was a much better than normal november in back bay, currituck was good throughout november and coastal areas I hunted south of currituck to hyde seemed to have plenty of ducks. We have been pumping alot more than normal and arent holding quite as many wood ducks as we generally do now. ofcourse that could be that impoundments just keep getting built all around us but who knows.
 
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kahunter

Eight Pointer
They are backing down the rain coming wednesday as well. We need it for work (landscaping) and to fill some hunting spots as well as knock down some weeds. Lets hope we get a few inches
 

Clark

Ten Pointer
Was a much better than normal November in back bay, Currituck was good throughout November
My timing must be off, we hunted the Currituck NWR and saw just a handful of sky-high ducks, none anywhere near us. So bad we left early to catch the noon ferry so we could get a flight and sausages at Weeping Radish. Saved the trip, made 10 hours in the car seem more worthwhile!
 

kahunter

Eight Pointer
My timing must be off, we hunted the Currituck NWR and saw just a handful of sky-high ducks, none anywhere near us. So bad we left early to catch the noon ferry so we could get a flight and sausages at Weeping Radish. Saved the trip, made 10 hours in the car seem more worthwhile!
There were certainly a few days like that but with a little bit of weather we would have a pretty good day.
 
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Hevi 13. Anson

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Finally made it to my Bladen lease only to find 30 acres of water reduced to less than 5 acres. Only good news is beavers have flooded my swamp again, looks like Woodies will be the target this year.
 
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