Louisiana to Allow Whistling Duck Harvest During Teal Season (My Thoughts)

[@FreedomWon20]

100% FOR THIS! Here in FL. they are taking over some of these lakes... Thick as skeeters

[@GeeBigSup]

Lets see, they taste good, easy to decoy, have a weird ass call and are everywhere during teal season...HECK yeah I am for it. Side note: Here in St. Martinville for the last three summers we have had pair nesting in an old oak tree at the house on the corner from me. Every May the when the hatch is big enough fly down and walk the brood the 2 blocks to the Bayou Teche. Except this year they spent the morning in my neighbors pool before walking down to the bayou. So yes they are very much like our native woods, just bigger.

[@michaelcope2329]

Excellent content and very down the middle analysis on your part. Well Done Man! Thank You

[@BigKlause]

south louisiana here. i remember seeing 2 ducks about 15 years ago and my dad told me they were rare, and you barely ever see them.. fast forward to today. there are thousands, everywhere. they even sit on the side of the road by the bayou. they are gettting absolutely smoked this year.

[@CajunGirlOutdoors]

Great points. I’ve never gotten the opportunity to harvest a whistler. We’ve seen a couple last teal season. Would be cool just to knock another bird off the list

[@wescordray948]

I'm for it! Had a flock fly over the house yesterday evening. I agree with the more research side also.

[@SouthernBendOutdoors]

In South Georgia there are SO many during the summer and teal season. See roughly 200 every morning of teal season.

[@jonboy9860]

I could go either way on it. Like you said more data is always good! Louisiana has always been on my bucket list to hunt so if they eat good I would take advantage of an early season hunt for them more so than teal cuz they look to be much bigger.

[@robertstolf4845]

Like how you break it down Nathan

[@bruceronquille6366]

I totally agree with the harvest of this species ! During the September teal season would be a great time while we still have vegetation growing in my experience the young ducks are maturing and able to fly and they really do eat up the winter vegetation witch attracts the migrating species. If we don't start asap we are gonna end up with flying NUTRIA that will destroy their own habitat and yes I've seen several fly from wood duck nest in the swamp......%100 for harvesting this species before it's too late.

[@bigjakesbigadventures5584]

I’m in Texas and have been seeing more and more each year

[@Marsh-Mechanic]

These things are extremely plentiful and I see them it seems everywhere. If they are harming our agriculture. It’s definitely time to up the opportunity to harvest them. Teal season would be a great time because they seem to disappear later in the season. Good one man!

[@jacobcortez1948]

Hurts us bad they take over every woodduck box there is

[@stcldjim]

Don’t fit in a wood duck box!

[@fallingtidetv]

@stcldjim I’ve seen them in wood duck boxes before. Someone said in the comments that sometimes people make the holes too big.

[@mikerhodes3563]

In Chicot Park Lake here in Evangeline Parish they have taken over nearly all the wood duck boxes and they seem to have taken over as we dont see a lot of wood ducks in the lake which used to be very abundant. Now they are pretty with their orange feet and have heard they taste good. Used to be a die hard duck hunter but now the ducks are just dont make it here because of all the short stopping. And go buy a box of ammo if you want a sticker shock.

[@youroutdoors5453]

That is some great information you put out, thank you for that. I am 53 years old and always wanted to go duck hunting, but I couldn't find anyone to take me and that my friend is why duck hunters are a dying breed. Every time I would ask someone I knew and some of these guys I had known for a few years and I always got the same answer about how they have a group and they don't hunt with nobody else and no new people are allowed in the group. Now did they all say that because they didn't like or trust me, I don't think so because I would fish, hunt deer, have BB-Q at their house. So the problem is this: Duck hunters don't like new people and won't take out people who want to learn how to duck unless they are family or someone they grew up with from childhood. Please tell me if I'm wrong, because I have talked to a lot of people who have said the same thing. Now don't get me wrong I am not bad-mouthing duck hunters at all, this has just been my personal experience and would still love for someone to show me how to duck hunt and go take some of these Black-Belly duck. Love your channel because you keep it real, God bless and see you on the next one.

[@fallingtidetv]

This is what I think you should do. Get familiar with duck identification, research the dates for your local hunting season, when the season starts get your boat ready to go, and then go ride out to your local public land area at daybreak, find you a good vantage point to scan the area and just watch until about 10:00am, when you see where ducks are going to, get yourself a game plan to hunt them the next day. Bring 6-12 decoys and a couple boxes of steel shot and get hidden in the bushes as close as you can to where they were landing the day before. If you can do that, then you’re a duck hunter and no one had to take you out there.

[@youroutdoors5453]

@@fallingtidetv That sounds like a plan I can do, thank you.

[@shawndeshotel8253]

I rarely hunt teal season anymore because the teal just aren't that abundant our lease, but we see hundreds of whistlers. If they pass the early season I would start going during early season again.

[@AidanAlvarado1]

I’m not from Louisiana, I’m in Texas and I don’t know all the info about them and the damage they do but purely as a hunter, I’d love the opportunity to harvest some during an different season because we only see them around here during teal season and during October as well, not during big duck season.

[@JunkyardGardener]

I'm in the Galveston county area I've been watching the same group since March they have been here all summer. Been watching them graze seed heads then roost in the oak trees near the house"On the coast". First year seeing them so I started to do some research. Beautiful duck and a beautiful whistle

[@BS-dt1nb]

Living in south central Texas we got a ton of them. Shot a few during big season but most are gone. Population has exploded last few years. I think it’s a great idea to add them to the limit during teal season. I imagine they do a lot of damage to the marsh over there. I can definitely see the damage they can do

[@michaelmaclean4751]

I agree with this except for the recruitment of numbers. Looking at duck stamp sales, they are actually trending upward since the early 90’s

[@fallingtidetv]

Data could be inaccurate because people don’t fill out surveys accurately sometimes but the data shows we have half the duck hunters since the 70s.

[@jonathanchadwickartsandadv712]

I'm all for it!... I wish they move big duck season late October early Nov... I see more waterfoul in the marsh at that time

[@FG-qh7qx]

I'm all for it. Even if it is a 2 or 3 add-on limit to your 6 bird teal limit. 6+2-3.

[@jayd6083]

Get a ton of these around the LSU lakes

[@expedition_duhon]

I bet we have 100k of them ole whistlers in St. John parish alone… Me and your buddy Nathan like to watch them land into the firewater pond at work 😂

[@haroldgallo4246]

I totally agree with the extended harvest of the whistling ducks the only question I have is will this increase the amount of “accidental take” of wood ducks and or mottle ducks during the closed season.

[@fallingtidetv]

We have that already lol but I don’t think most of it is accidental

[@haroldgallo4246]

@@fallingtidetv yea that’s why it’s in quotes 😂😂

[@Beretta_Boyz]

I’m really hoping we can. Whistlers are every where during teal season and during summer

[@brackishboysoutdoors7755]

There in south east ga by the thousands. Been duck hunting 47 years here. Didn't even know what it was the first one I seen after hurricane Harvey hit Texas an blew them here. They where none existent here til then. Now they have exploded. They here in September. But soon. As it gets cold they leave . they'll be thick during dove season in September . Every year there's more an more here .

[@RedneckRacinZR2]

Everything you said I agree! Hell where me and you hunt if you allow tree ducks during teal season maybe the locals will let some mottled ducks live during teal season….

[@fallingtidetv]

I hear that 🤣

[@greyhsonloyd924]

Recently been scouting the northshore areas for the coming season and have seen 10x more whistling ducks then anything else.

[@fallingtidetv]

Same, I was just out there on the north shore today. 95% whistlers, 4% mottled ducks, 1% teal lol.

[@ButterFadeGolf]

Im on NS , too. They are Everywhere here man.

[@greyhsonloyd924]

@@fallingtidetv I talked to a game warden a few days ago and he seems pretty confident that next season we would be clear to take them.

[@cathyknox935]

Nice episode it feels good to have a opinion if the black belly whistling duck comes in at a certain time I feel that's when they should be harvested because to me the farmers will start tripping a big loss that's my opinion tell me what you think great topic I enjoyed it 🔥💯✔️

[@seanbennett7916]

I know nothing about the black bellied whistling duck other than I want to get a few in my life and I hear they are very good to eat. In WI many bluewings and Woodies are past in the north part when general season opens. We do now have a teal season but as much as id like to see wood ducks and even local Mallard added , id want to see lots of data first. It could have positive or even neutral effects, but it also could be very bad and even have consequences thought the flyway.

[@williamgaines9784]

We have a LOT of local whistling ducks in NWLA.

[@anthonywootan9092]

Let’s do this!!!!!

[@duckbrian7973]

I’ve always asked, before records where kept. What was the population of these ducks and home range??? These ducks are in Arkansas and have good numbers. I’ve seen them here since the 90’s. I’m all for a special season. When ever the juvenile ducks are big enough to fend for them selves. This would be another big victory for conservatives 🎉

[@georgeclapenstein7823]

We have been building wood duck nesting boxes since the early 90’s. We have built thousands of boxes for the Army corps, LADWF, MSDWF and Delta Waterfowl. If you see a nesting box with a brand on the face then it was built by us. The absolute BIGGEST mistake other box builders or DIYers are doing is making the entry hole TOO BIG. If it is only 1/4” bigger than what’ it’s supposed to be then it will allow Whistlers to nest in your wood duck box.

[@fallingtidetv]

Yeah that’s a really good point! Thanks for that info!

[@georgeclapenstein7823]

@@fallingtidetv if you want to see a good ole wood duck box factory in the 337… reach out. My guy Red has 40+years of experience in building WLF regulation nesting boxes. He has blue prints of these boxes dating back to the late 1960s during an effort to revive, because at that time they were nearly all but wiped out. Crazy how far they’ve come as a species and how each of us can play a roll in conservation.

[@AidenPlumlee]

As a Oklahoman with 0 experience with these I’m all for it , do like a 1 month early season

[@Drakefromthe9]

The vast majority stay they just congregate in different areas away from hunters. In houma near lake Houma you see a million fly to a roost at night every single night and it can be 32 degrees outside

[@landonblankenship1138]

Woodducks nest early than treeduck also treeduck will have brood during September season seen it myself.

[@fallingtidetv]

That’s interesting, didn’t know they nested earlier!

[@DirtySouthLa.]

There everywhere in south Louisiana right now went scout and that’s mostly all I seen

[@zacharytuckfield9580]

We need to change FLs early teal and wood duck season to teal and whistler

[@disolejunk]

Mais das da first time I see this channel. I might just subscribe. Are you from south Louisiana? Look like it

[@fallingtidetv]

Yeah I’m from Des Allemands

[@beaucephusoutdoors2187]

They have absolutely killed the wood duck population in my area of southeast Louisiana. From 2009 until now there’s not even a quarter of the woods ducks in my area that use to be here.

[@duckman5849]

If they are an invasive species there should not be a limit or season on them just like with the Eurasian collared dove.

[@seanbennett7916]

Ives been back and forth with the kid hunts. I think from what ive seen myself i would not do special hunts. Kids that are not successful in kid hunts may try normal season and if not successful ive seen many give up. Ive see kids that do harvest during yhe kid season and next year during normal season dont and give up. I think it can be good for some but overall it doesnt retain hunters. But the ones that have to do the work to start appreciate it and learn more and seem to stay hunting longer.

[@ButterFadeGolf]

Have a pair that lives in the lagoon in my backyard. Also some qeird looking duck thats always solo...almost like a Black Duck or something? Haven't seen my mallards. Guess the whistling duck cartel took over.

[@BenFlynn-v2n]

At one time there was never a teal season or a Canada goose season in Louisiana so I don’t know why they wouldn’t allow us to shoot blackbellies

[@bobbycrenshaw5167]

Bud- ain’t happening. TDPW tried this few years back (and I spoke to USFWS Mississippi Flyway Liason Jim Kelly about it half dozen years ago……his answer was HELL NO!!!) so ONCE AGAIN a short sighted DRAMASODE from LDWF. Our new secretary is from Ohio, and she is CLUELESS what Louisiana really needs in assessment on losing birds migrating to our state. So, she and Landry both sign a letter……and it will be in the CIRCULAR FILE as soon as it gets to Washington D.C. Anyrate, I wish we had COMPETENT individuals running LDWF (and it may be in many sections) but when it comes to waterfowl management….they gotta stop drinking DU KoolAid!!!🤬

[@justint.4404]

Things like this take years to count/check. It took years to get this way. $$$ is a big topic but a balanced ecosystem best. Traditions and food source are a big thing in the homes of southern people. If food sources are gone we'll all be shootin chicken nuggets at walmart. I dont know how to call chicken nuggets😅

[@crashoverride5317]

I’d rather have a late season on them after regular season ends.

[@stevejones8509]

I'm another guy that thinks Florida should be adding a season for whistlers.

[@graydoncarruth5044]

This isn’t a completely unique situation. A number of states further north (Tennessee comes to mind immediately) allow wood duck harvest in September season.

[@fallingtidetv]

Yeah I know, I mentioned it in the video. I don’t think it’s far fetched at all. I think it’s gonna happen.

[@CoastalSouth]

Louisiana had early woodduck and teal before but it changed to teal only early season.

[@graydoncarruth5044]

@@fallingtidetv i actually commented before I got that far into the video just remembered that fact. My apologies, I wasn’t trying to step on you brother. Just got a little fired up with some random knowledge. You ever thought about chasing ducks in Arkansas? If so would love to talk privately.

[@DarrenConner-q9i]

And now we going to a 9 day teal season in 2025.

[@Willthenextduckcommander]

Their in north Louisiana

[@quackiller12]

can texas do this also? im for it

[@mrd9720]

They lay 2 clutches a year.

[@MR-CVICE]

If they are intruding on native wood duck nesting and food loss then I’m all for it.

[@dillondeweese110]

Completely failed to mention that a large percentage of these Black bellies have babies during teal season. Also i don’t know anyone that would go buy a license or a duck stamp to go shoot black bellies that isn’t already duck hunting the rest of the year. And last but not least they migrated here just like our ducks migrate to Canada, they weren’t brought over on a boat and released. So imagine if Canada started shooting Mallards in May and June while their babies are still flightless, what would that do to our population of migratory ducks that winter here.

[@fallingtidetv]

Thanks for the feedback

[@fallingtidetv]

I did say in the video that I wouldn’t want to shoot them while they have babies on the ground. That’s why in the video I stated maybe October is the answer.

[@dillondeweese110]

@@fallingtidetv yeah i heard that part just didn’t hear anything about that during teal season many of them have babies.

[@dillondeweese110]

@@fallingtidetvalso Wood ducks are generally early nesters so many times wood ducks and whistlers can use the same box. Whistlers have babies now through teal season where young wood ducks are already flying this time of year.

[@fallingtidetv]

@dillondeweese110 yeah you’re right. How would you feel about after the duck season before they start laying?

[@rockyriveroutdoors]

They are awful. Everywhere. I work along the ms river in south La. They fly over by the hundreds every day.