Not seeing much this split

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
Saw 2 on Saturday that I didn’t get a shot at because I was trying to get my dog untangled from a brier patch, and saw one flock of 5 early this morning but not much movement. Last year I had a lot of luck in January at this spot, hope this year will be similar.
 

CountryRN

Twelve Pointer
I have seen good numbers when scouting but have been working every day. I hope to get after them on Wednesday morning
 

Papa_Smurf

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
heard some hunters going at it nearby when i stepped out of the house this morning at about 0700. They must have been flying in Eastern Wake county.
 

DuckyDave

Eight Pointer
Contributor
Hooded mergansers are thick in Carteret County now, should be some good ducks showing next week if Northeast states get another storm this week.
 

Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
You're not the only one, I think the whole Piedmont region is completely void of birds right now except for the swamp chickens that never leave
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
Im sure there are birds somewhere but they aren't in the spots i normally see them. Other than a few wood ducks and the group of buffleheads hanging out at the golf course at work its been slim. Theres several ponds that annually have good numbers of ducks loafing around ill see out riding but i have yet to see any. Theres one smack dab in the middle of a nice neighborhood that cant be hunted that usually has a couple hundred ring necks, and its been bare all season.
 

Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
Im sure there are birds somewhere but they aren't in the spots i normally see them. Other than a few wood ducks and the group of buffleheads hanging out at the golf course at work its been slim. Theres several ponds that annually have good numbers of ducks loafing around ill see out riding but i have yet to see any. Theres one smack dab in the middle of a nice neighborhood that cant be hunted that usually has a couple hundred ring necks, and its been bare all season.

That's the thing......none of the 1000000000000 refuges we have around here are even holdng birds....I know of one silt pond that is holding 5 hoodies and that it is. There is a pond close to me that usually holds around 1000 birds this time of year and I haven't seen a duck on it yet all fall. To date, I've still only seen 9 migratory ducks since the beginning of fall. It's understandable, there is NOTHING at all to attract or hold birds here. Haven't pulled my gun out of the safe yet and probably won't until my out of state hunt on New year's. After that it'll sit in the safe until next year's out of state hunt.
 

Inshore duck

Eight Pointer
Rough year in Hyde. Limits have been few and if it wasn’t for gadwall and ring necks some of those limits would not have happened. Birds are scattered. Refuge has some but much lower than years past. Big operation here in Hyde even quit the “duck” business. The writing is on the wall.
 

kahunter

Eight Pointer
Rough year in Hyde. Limits have been few and if it wasn’t for gadwall and ring necks some of those limits would not have happened. Birds are scattered. Refuge has some but much lower than years past. Big operation here in Hyde even quit the “duck” business. The writing is on the wall.
Who is the operation that quit?
 

Inshore duck

Eight Pointer
Dare to Hyde, supposedly finishing out the season then no more. Of course they make most of their revenue off bear hunters anyway. Credible second hand information.
 

shurshot

Ten Pointer
Have noticed this trend now for the last 5 seasons....going down hill. But ....I’ve had my best puddle duck hunting in the last 3 trips than I’ve had in a loooooog time. Not a lot of birds around , we just happen to kill a lot that comes to us. We like em close ...
 

Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
Dare to Hyde, supposedly finishing out the season then no more. Of course they make most of their revenue off bear hunters anyway. Credible second hand information.

This doesn't surprise me a bit. I love Hyde County and have been a regular there for many years but the hunting has took a major nose dive(as it has all over the state) in the last 5 years. So sad. Used to be paradise.
 
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nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
Have noticed this trend now for the last 5 seasons....going down hill. But ....I’ve had my best puddle duck hunting in the last 3 trips than I’ve had in a loooooog time. Not a lot of birds around , we just happen to kill a lot that comes to us. We like em close ...
That checks out with some of the people I've talked to that said they've been killing mallards and spoonies in areas they've never seen them.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

Hydemarsh

Six Pointer
I thought Dare to Hyde was not offering trips this year, I am wrong a lot. Not seeing any body there but bear hunters.
There are no birds in the sound, ducks in some impoundments, not in mine. People should really stop even coming down east
and go kill birds at Lake Mayo.
 

Inshore duck

Eight Pointer
I thought Dare to Hyde was not offering trips this year, I am wrong a lot. Not seeing any body there but bear hunters.
There are no birds in the sound, ducks in some impoundments, not in mine. People should really stop even coming down east
and go kill birds at Lake Mayo.

They may have stopped immediately. We assumed they had obligations to those who already booked for this season. Maybe they refunded all of those hunts, I’ve never hunted with them. Either way, them leaving the business is a litmus test of sorts for Hyde. Hard to get folks to pay 550 per day to shoot woodies and mergansers.
 

bigdrumnc

Ten Pointer
Any one with credible info......exactly why is dare to Hyde getting out of duck hunting? I know of two people here local who quit steady jobs to work for them. I have heard of several young guys working as guides for them. I thought they had a pretty solid buisness? This really surprises me. So far this season for me here on the obx has been decent probably gonna get better. I do belive all this rain has ducks pushed inland in swamps etc.
 

Inshore duck

Eight Pointer
Heard they weren’t getting rebooks as they weren’t shooting ducks. Folks don’t like paying Kansas prices to look at empty skies in Hyde county. They sold Greenhill so it was believable to me. Historically that is one of the top 3 impoundments in the county. Supposedly sold for 3 million, to some folks that own a road construction company.
 

Hydemarsh

Six Pointer
I thought they had a good business and a good reputation. I never hunted with them but have an impoundment very close to Greenhill. Last year when it was so bad for us they were shooting a lot. Dare to Hyde still has a very vibrant bear hunting operation. I had a couple of friends who worked there, one young , one not so young. The young one, from an old Hyde family left this summer to work in Wilmington. The other left for eastern Shore.
 

bigdrumnc

Ten Pointer
I thought they had a good business and a good reputation. I never hunted with them but have an impoundment very close to Greenhill. Last year when it was so bad for us they were shooting a lot. Dare to Hyde still has a very vibrant bear hunting operation. I had a couple of friends who worked there, one young , one not so young. The young one, from an old Hyde family left this summer to work in Wilmington. The other left for eastern Shore.
 

bigdrumnc

Ten Pointer
Are you talking about hatchell concrete? I was under the impression dare to Hyde leased several impoundments not just owning one. Lol and I know for fact I can hunt for cheaper than 550 a day in Kansas and kill several species!
 

kahunter

Eight Pointer
I had heard there was a big impoundment sold for 3 million. Thats alot for a duck spot. There are way to many guides and way to many impoundments around the lake. My new hypothesis on one aspect that is hurting the hunting is the lack of grass in the lake. This is effecting how the birds are using the lake and surrounding areas as they HAVE to go to the impoundments to feed. In years prior they could loaf and feed on the lake on warmer days or any day really. Now there is no sustenance on the lake for them and since they have to feed on the impoundments all of the time it has changed how they use them. This is a small part among many parts but could be a factor. Just a thought.
As to ducks, there are a few birds around but this weather is terrible. I mean its really bad. Gonna try tomm and saturday. Hope we get some weather soon. Heard we should get a push of cold for the new year. We will see.
 

Inshore duck

Eight Pointer
Are you talking about hatchell concrete? I was under the impression dare to Hyde leased several impoundments not just owning one. Lol and I know for fact I can hunt for cheaper than 550 a day in Kansas and kill several species!

Barnhill. They have numerous impoundments but Greenhill was one of their top spots. They paid 1.2 for it a few years back. Most of the other impoundments are on the farm which they tried to sell to the feds but didn’t work out. Likely a smart business move getting out now, as the duck numbers continue to decline so will property values. No offense to Hyde but it has a lot less “worth” with no ducks.
 

chevync20

Twelve Pointer
I will be down at Dare to Hyde January 11 and 12th for our Veteran's Hunt and again for both Youth Hunts in February. I will certainly ask and see what they say. I have hunted Green Hill numerous times and had good luck there until last year. That big freeze really was tough on a lot of people. I do know the bear business really pays the bills. I would not doubt this does not have merit.
 

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
Drove back to WV today will be here for the next 10-12 days. Gonna try duck hunting a couple places here that are right along the Ohio river. Hoping by the time we get back to NC the ducks will be in there. My best spot near Havelock usually has a couple dozen woodies and some mixed bag divers come through over the course of the morning but this whole season I’ve been seeing 6 or less woodies every morning.
 

bigdrumnc

Ten Pointer
Barnhill....dang one of our friends is a big foreman/manager there! He is no duck hunter though lol. As for opening day i know of a few guys who hunted Hyde in impoundments and did very well, but a few scraped out a few birds. Their are defiantly health issues with the lake. From what i have seen the impoundment business is thriving. It has always had a high turn over rate in ownership/membership. A lot of guys can afford to buy one but not maintain and manage one. A lot of guys can afford a lease or membership but not lodging. Most get disgusted when they realize life issues prevent them from leaving at 0 dark thirty from where ever they reside when its raining/foggy/snowing/or blowing a gale. If you only hunt impoundments on Saturdays you might be disappointed. Some impoundments(the better ones) have what is known as locally at a proven track record. Then there are several that only hold night ducks. Then if you ask any of the old timers here in Dare and Currituck counties...impoundments and the refuges have ruined the sound duck hunting. In my opinion the ducks get no rest period. From the impoundments hunted every day, to the guides in box blinds on the reefs and every where in between of the obx and the scissor riggers blasting them in the middle of the sound on calm days. It all adds up. Duck hunting is dyeing a slow death with an expensive price tag.
 

Greenhorn

Six Pointer
I've have had handful of good hunts this year but I go A LOT. Got to go through quite a few duds to get good ones where I hunt. I could shoot hen buffies and ruddy ducks and say I shot 4 or 5 but I would rather them swim around in the dekes. This time of year is usually slow in my neck of the woods. A lot of bad hunts will burn you out - between that and too many youngns that are out from school. I've been on 2 guided hunts that were absolute duds....only to go to my usual spot a day or 2 later and have a good one, so I don't even bother with guides anymore. I am lucky enough to get an invite to a private impoundment 1-2 times a year when they have ducks and it's like WOW. It will straight up ruin you....but those dudes are paying some serious coin and even they don't have a good hunt every time. We need some weather.
 

Clark

Ten Pointer
Hunted a piedmont lake today and saw zero ducks. Even rode around about half the lake. Saw seagulls, swarms of blackbirds, a kingfisher and a zillion cormorants - but no ducks.
 
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