Outdoor tips with Jack Morris
BY JACK MORRIS
Sunday, December 02, 2012
12/02/12 at 7:38 AM
Outdoors with Jack Morris: Listen to a conversation about duck season with Jack Morris.
Duck season opens again after the split on Saturday, but the season looks like it's going to be a tough one until we get some rain or sleet or snow or ice or something - anything - that's wet.
Some birds are around on the smaller bodies of water, but there seems to be little consistency in where they're showing up and where they're staying. More ducks will move in with more winter fronts. The question is whether we will be able to keep them around.
To find birds, hunters are going to need to focus on some of the larger bodies of water and put in a good deal of travel time both on the road and on the water. That's going to make it a tough go for anyone trying to fit duck hunting in between work days. Kaw Lake has had some fair reports, and lakes in the Grand River System and along the Verdigris and Arkansas River Navigation System may be worth a look.
Die-hard hunters will be able to find some pockets with birds and enjoy a day's hunt without being focused on bagging limits for everyone in the group. Watching the weather and putting yourself in place to catch birds on larger bodies of water on migration days will be worth the effort. With a little wind and a little water, you could see some good decoy action.
Field hunts sometimes are a good option in winter, but we'll need much colder weather to motivate larger flocks to move onto those protein sources with any kind of regularity.
As much as I hate to suggest it, alternatives might be the way to go until we get a change in the weather. Some hunters have been seeing fair success with geese on winter wheat fields. If you've ever thought about taking a road trip to find birds in surrounding states, this may be the year that it will be worth the trip.
Jack Morris is a professional guide and host of Outdoor Trails Thursday nights at 6 p.m. on KTBZ am1430. Contact him at 918-691-3840, jackswildlife@cox.net or see tulsaworld.com/jackmorris
Associated Images:
|
