2019-2020 Duck regulations

[Quackmasterofgeorgia]

Season will now end on the 31st of January, and mallard limit is now at two. IMO the season ending on the 31st isn't going to change amount of ducks in the state, all it's going to change is that a lot of hunters will lose hunting days.

 

[across the river]

Season will now end on the 31st of January, and mallard limit is now at two. IMO the season ending on the 31st isn't going to change amount of ducks in the state, all it's going to change is that a lot of hunters will lose hunting days.

People have been complaining for years that the season went out too early, so to the state's credit, they have bumped it to end as late as they can possible can have the season end. With any change there will be those happy and those not happy with it, like yourself. They took a survey, so I would assume more people were for it than against it. Georgia is Georgia, and dates have nothing to do with the amount of birds passing through the state year to year. I think it does help from the standpoint that you get an extra five days in late January. The chance of getting a significant push of birds in late January is going to be greater than getting a push of birds in early December year end and year out. There have been plenty of times I have seen a pile of birds move in the week after the season went out.

 

[WOODIE13]

People have been complaining for years that the season went out too early, so to the state's credit, they have bumped it to end as late as they can possible can have the season end. With any change there will be those happy and those not happy with it, like yourself. They took a survey, so I would assume more people were for it than against it. Georgia is Georgia, and dates have nothing to do with the amount of birds passing through the state year to year. I think it does help from the standpoint that you get an extra five days in late January. The chance of getting a significant push of birds in late January is going to be greater than getting a push of birds in early December year end and year out. There have been plenty of times I have seen a pile of birds move in the week after the season went out.

You are absolutely correct, all it takes is one good cold front.

 

[Quackmasterofgeorgia]

People have been complaining for years that the season went out too early, so to the state's credit, they have bumped it to end as late as they can possible can have the season end. With any change there will be those happy and those not happy with it, like yourself. They took a survey, so I would assume more people were for it than against it. Georgia is Georgia, and dates have nothing to do with the amount of birds passing through the state year to year. I think it does help from the standpoint that you get an extra five days in late January. The chance of getting a significant push of birds in late January is going to be greater than getting a push of birds in early December year end and year out. There have been plenty of times I have seen a pile of birds move in the week after the season went out.

Those extra five days will be nice unless you have to work those five days. My best hunt this past year was in early January, not late, it’s the way it’s been the past few years for me.

 

[WOODIE13]

Waterfowl hunting is driven by weather, regardless.

 

[Mark K]

I remember several years back when we had ice the week before season opened. Our little farm ponds had Redheads and Canvasbacks the second week of season...good looking birds too. The only thing extending the season does is give us one last opportunity for a push due to weather.
My only wish was youth season would be the weekend after our season ends instead of before. Used to take my son to Arkansas for theirs after the regular season and it was epic!

 

[across the river]

Those extra five days will be nice unless you have to work those five days. My best hunt this past year was in early January, not late, it’s the way it’s been the past few years for me.

And I have hammered them plenty of times in December when the weather was right, but that is completely irrelevant to this year or the years after, as is your good hunt in early January. You don't set regulations based on an indivudual's success or desire. The temps in the mid-Atlantic this year in early January were well below normal and well below what they were in late January up there. That is likely why you had a good hunt, but it doesn't mean it will be like that next year. My point is, if they have 5 or 6 days to play with, they can either put them in early to mid-December, or the last week of January. Late December or early January (your favorite) are irrelevant because the season will be in anyway with a 60 day season. Statistically speaking, there is a much better chance that the Northeast and mid-West will be frozen up and have weather pushes birds down in late January than in December. It doesn't mean that that week will always be good here or that the weather north of us will cooperate that week, but on average the weather that week should be better for pushing birds down to Georgia than a week in early December. For that reason I think it is better to have those five days in January, because I think you chances getting a good push in late January is better than your chance of getting a good push in mid-December.

 

[WOODIE13]

Funny thing about waterfowl hunting, it's a game of chance with the weather. My buddy's nephew got a pintail in mid September here during youth day, just never know

 

[rnelson5]

Funny thing about waterfowl hunting, it's a game of chance with the weather. My buddy's nephew got a pintail in mid September here during youth day, just never know

A lot of pintails leave the breeding grounds early.

 

[rnelson5]

I am all for taking it to the end. If it ends during a weekday then so be it. That just means there will be less folks out.

 

[Quackmasterofgeorgia]

Funny thing about waterfowl hunting, it's a game of chance with the weather. My buddy's nephew got a pintail in mid September here during youth day, just never know

I’ve had gadwalls, shovelers, pintails, and black ducks on my pond in GA in September and October. Had picks on my old phone until I took a swim last thanksgiving lol.