Waterfowl season public comment

Gus

Six Pointer
....and the WRC did just that by going with what the MAJORITY of hunters wanted for season dates per the waterfowl survey. The public spoke, the Commissioners honored their sentiment.

I think the dates are great. I was for moving the Oct days later- sick of hunting in 90° weather. The coastal wood ducks aren't leaving in those 3 weeks and you've already had 3 weeks to work on the teal in Sept. if you're into tropical hunting. Probably been 10 yrs since I killed a big duck in the 1st week of Oct. Sprigs and widgeon are coming later in my neck of the woods and this will give me a much better shot at them than Oct 1st. Worth trying imo.
Happy as hell with the extra week and earlier start in Nov. plus eliminating the worst part of Dec.
It's about as good as NCWRC could have done considering the holiday weeks they really had to include.
 

coachcornbread

Ten Pointer
I think the dates are great. I was for moving the Oct days later- sick of hunting in 90° weather. The coastal wood ducks aren't leaving in those 3 weeks and you've already had 3 weeks to work on the teal in Sept. if you're into tropical hunting. Probably been 10 yrs since I killed a big duck in the 1st week of Oct. Sprigs and widgeon are coming later in my neck of the woods and this will give me a much better shot at them than Oct 1st. Worth trying imo.
Happy as hell with the extra week and earlier start in Nov. plus eliminating the worst part of Dec.
It's about as good as NCWRC could have done considering the holiday weeks they really had to include.

Spot on. I shoot the same ducks in January that I shoot in October.
 

kahunter

Eight Pointer
....and the WRC did just that by going with what the MAJORITY of hunters wanted for season dates per the waterfowl survey. The public spoke, the Commissioners honored their sentiment.
Yeah well that also got us blinds in the permit impoundments and Joe Biden. How is that working out?
 

Dingbatter

Four Pointer
I haven't hunted a permit impoundment in years, but the last one I hunted was the first year of blinds and this one had blinds. Permit impoundment hunts were already pretty bad then, I can't see them being any worse due to blinds. Just do what I did don't apply anymore you'll never miss it, I haven't.
 

Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
I haven't hunted a permit impoundment in years, but the last one I hunted was the first year of blinds and this one had blinds. Permit impoundment hunts were already pretty bad then, I can't see them being any worse due to blinds. Just do what I did don't apply anymore you'll never miss it, I haven't.


X2
 

kahunter

Eight Pointer
Yeah the blinds made the hunting go way downhill in my experience. We had the permit hunts that we used to hunt regularly figured out to the point where we usually did pretty well and more times than not shot limits. We did the blinds and it just wasnt the same and the hunting was off and frankly it just wasnt as much fun as it was before. We stopped going.
 

Clark

Ten Pointer
I was in a couple of the permit impoundment blinds last year and was impressed at how much better the blinds had been prepped. They were well camouflaged and matched the surrounding cover. WRC put in some work. That said, we saw only a half-dozen ducks/day and they were all headed elsewhere, never fired a shot. But that was a lack of ducks using the impoundments. Spoke with a WRC biologist and he sounded really frustrated that despite growing lots of food, good water, etc. the ducks were just not using their ponds.

I've had two good hunts the last 3 years ('good' being relative and defined here as getting multiple shots/killing more than one duck in a day) and those were on permit hunts.

For those no longer seeking permits to ponds with blinds, I'd guess you have a viable alternative? Nobody in this group quit hunting...
 

kahunter

Eight Pointer
Looks like the official seasons are out. Man splitting the state really gave us 2 distinct seasons! oh wait its almost identical except for 3 days!?! Im gonna shut up about it but this was a dumb idea and messed with something that didnt need to be messed with. If it aint broke, dont fix it!
 
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Downeast

Twelve Pointer
Looks like the official seasons are out. Man splitting the state really gave us 2 distinct seasons! oh wait its almost identical except for 3 days!?! Im gonna shut up about it but this was a dumb idea and messed with something that didnt need to be messed with. If it aint broke, dont fix it!

Do you have a link to the 2021 season dates?
 

cootmayne

Button Buck
I was torn at first between moving the october season, but all in all I like the changes. Really like them moving november opener to the 6th.
 

Greenhorn

Six Pointer
Regardless of season dates, some things are certain for success, year after year:
1. Hunting in a swamp for wood ducks. 2nd best 5 minutes of your life.
2. At some rich :donk:donk:donk:donk:donk:donk:donks impoundment.
3. Baiting.
4. Hunting another state that has ducks.
 

shurshot

Ten Pointer
Agree with you on most GH but #2. A number of rich azz impoundment owners wouldn’t know how to manage for ducks even if they were under the best flyway. Impoundments don’t always equal success, no matter how deep the owner’s pocket, unless you’re getting proper management from a qualified person(s).
 

Hydemarsh

Six Pointer
Agree with you on most GH but #2. A number of rich azz impoundment owners wouldn’t know how to manage for ducks even if they were under the best flyway. Impoundments don’t always equal success, no matter how deep the owner’s pocket, unless you’re getting proper management from a qualified person(s).


This is soooooo true, lot of impoundments do not have ducks or just serve as roost. The well managed ones are smoking hot!!!
 

Clark

Ten Pointer
Hope this is a misprint. If not, they need to make up their damn minds. I plan trips and vacations around their dates, sucks when they jerk us around at the last minute.
 

nettereo16

Six Pointer
Hope this is a misprint. If not, they need to make up their damn minds. I plan trips and vacations around their dates, sucks when they jerk us around at the last minute.
That's what I'm wondering - if they screwed up and posted the wrong sections online and there will still be zones. The permit brochure which came out last week has the separate zone dates.
 

kahunter

Eight Pointer
Looks like common sense prevailed. Much better dates than the proposed for coastal. Should be some fun hunting
 

vibesalive

Button Buck
Step back off the ledge, lol. I was told it was a misprint and should be corrected shortly. Nothing has changed since WRC announced the seasons at the April Commissioner's meeting.
 
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