# New birds



## JimmyZ

Well now that the birds are here and sure more to come with this big front coming I'm so glad the north zone and marsh zone close tonight. Why would we want to hunt when the ducks show up? Tons of divers on maumee bay, lots of new puddle ducks as well. Hunted in MI. Yesterday and shot 14. Thank goodness they know how to set season dates and their split doesn't come till Nov. 30. North zone in Ohio closed for 3 weeks. Stupid.


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## BobcatJB

Sucks doesn't it? Saw a ton of birds at Nimisila yesterday, many groups of high flying migratory birds. Not many shots fired considering how many birds were around...the guys skybusting and trying to shoot cormorants ddint help.

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## BuckeyeHunter

Over 1,000 geese went flying by Buckeye up high on Friday 100-200 at a time. Over the past 3 days we've shot 2 ring necks, 2 bluebills, 3 buffleheads, 2 black ducks, 2 immature pintails and of course an assortment of mallards and geese. Its rare to see any of that let alone all of it these first two weeks. Lots more migrators than normal for the early season. So of course it closes  I figure about Wednesday my mom who lives on the lake will call to tell me how many ducks are behind her house.

It was still a good first season, shot more birds than I think I ever have the first split.


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## ducky152000

Had a good first split as well, the odnr can only predict the flights of birds, there is no crystal ball. Yes it would of been nice to have another week after this front but at least we got the beginning. Got into a bunch of new mallards and grey ducks! Worked like they never seen a spread before. Im still pi$$ed they moved the line to 70. But o well.


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## firstflight111

ducky152000 said:


> Had a good first split as well, the odnr can only predict the flights of birds, there is no crystal ball. Yes it would of been nice to have another week after this front but at least we got the beginning. Got into a bunch of new mallards and grey ducks! Worked like they never seen a spread before. Im still pi$$ed they moved the line to 70. But o well.


but the odnr did an online survey and that's what everone wanted 70 as the split ..I am pi$$ too I am only 15 mins from rt 30 

Thats what i have been doing shooting ducks ..we have been getting big black duck's woodys teal mallards and one coot that i told my buddy that it's a realy good to eat  he tried it and call me as how to get the smell out of his house LOL....


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## JUSTCRAZY

You would have had to be stupid to vote for the split at I-70, if you were one that did shame on you and I hope you never shoot another duck again.


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## WeekendWarrior

JUSTCRAZY said:


> You would have had to be stupid to vote for the split at I-70, if you were one that did shame on you and I hope you never shoot another duck again.


Rob,
I agree!! The birds finally showed up and its over!!

We shot a 2 man limit at a marsh near Buckeye yesterday in very little time. We had Mallards, Gads, Pintails, Buffles, Woodys, and teal work us very well.

We ended with a mix bag of Teal, Buffies and Mallards. Wiffed on a Bull Pintail with a 6 inch split sprig! Still P!ssed!!!!


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## firstflight111

JUSTCRAZY said:


> You would have had to be stupid to vote for the split at I-70, if you were one that did shame on you and I hope you never shoot another duck again.


DID YOU READ MY POST i live 15 mins from RT 30 ... why would i want it at 70 it is 2.5 hours away


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## ducky152000

Firstflight I dont think Rob was aiming that at you but agreeing with me. I believe he was saying anyone out there that wanted the 70 split is stupid.


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## BaddFish

I hunted the north end at Mosquito Sat... I saw over 500 ducks. no kidding. First flock we saw was 120 or so mallards. 
Hunting sucked though- we only shot one shell at a lost teal.


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## firstflight111

ducky152000 said:


> Firstflight I dont think Rob was aiming that at you but agreeing with me. I believe he was saying anyone out there that wanted the 70 split is stupid.


oh okay copy ..the new head of the DOW set this crap up for his dad and he dads buddys remember back when it was rt 70 before ..well now his son is in charge of it ..and it all about the erie marsh hunters ...


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## ducky152000

Yep, I heard all about that! Wish I could change such a big thing like that just to make it better for myself, lets not worry about anyone else. SAD SAD SAD.


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## collegekid

I get some of the frustration...but:

1. If the season was much later and we got a bunch of cold nasty weather...We might lose a bunch of our wood ducks that are by far the most plentiful resident bird in Ohio. The first season is a great chance to chase after wood ducks. 

2. I live just a few minutes south of 70. I do believe we get a lot more guys coming down to hunt the South zone (at least the Northern part of it) than before, but it is worth it to me to be able to hunt two zones without a ton of traveling like before. Like most everything else in America..it was up to a vote. Majority won.

3. Honestly I am kind of glad that some of these migrating ducks get a break and can continue on down. I killed my share of woodies and resident birds, also got into some awesome migrators on Saturday. Now it is time to take a break, clean up the gear and start scouting for the next season. Maybe I'm too much of a "Ducks Unlimited" nut, but I'm ok with shooting my fair share of what the weather conditions present and letting the birds that come down during the closed season move on to other hunters along the flyway and even on to their wintering grounds to prepare for next years Spring migration and the season that will produce for us next year.

Good luck during the second seasons. !$


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## JUSTCRAZY

I know of no vote that ever really took place but I do know that the biologist in charge at the time of the switch was 100% against the change and it was way more politically motivated than any of us will ever really know. I too thought that it had to do with the marsh zone, but have been told that it was big money in the Norther Columbus area that played the biggest role. That was directly from DNR official trying to fight the decision. But that is what we now have to live with for now.

Firstflight, I never pointed my comments at you, only those who would have been in the "voter" side of this decision. 

Since getting married and having a child, hunting in something I get to remember back on more than I get to do, but the zone split just kills my chances of being successful when I do get out. I would redo the whole dates and split given the chance, but that is too much typing for now. Just wish we could hunt later into the year around here. For now I just go when I can and wish I lived in a different place when it comes to hunting.


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## BaddFish

collegekid said:


> I get some of the frustration...but:
> 
> 1. If the season was much later and we got a bunch of cold nasty weather...We might lose a bunch of our wood ducks that are by far the most plentiful resident bird in Ohio. The first season is a great chance to chase after wood ducks.
> 
> 2. I live just a few minutes south of 70. I do believe we get a lot more guys coming down to hunt the South zone (at least the Northern part of it) than before, but it is worth it to me to be able to hunt two zones without a ton of traveling like before. Like most everything else in America..it was up to a vote. Majority won.
> 
> 3. Honestly I am kind of glad that some of these migrating ducks get a break and can continue on down. I killed my share of woodies and resident birds, also got into some awesome migrators on Saturday. Now it is time to take a break, clean up the gear and start scouting for the next season. Maybe I'm too much of a "Ducks Unlimited" nut, but I'm ok with shooting my fair share of what the weather conditions present and letting the birds that come down during the closed season move on to other hunters along the flyway and even on to their wintering grounds to prepare for next years Spring migration and the season that will produce for us next year.
> 
> Good luck during the second seasons. !$


Understand what your saying but you have to realize that in years past December has been a "locked up" month... meaning, winter has hit and the only thing open is Erie, the rivers and some larger inland lakes.
Losing the whole month of Nov stinks.. Alot of guys don't really start hunting the inland lakes until the snow flies. 3 seasons ago- the snow flew and within a week mosquito was locked up.


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## WeekendWarrior

JUSTCRAZY said:


> I know of no vote that ever really took place but I do know that the biologist in charge at the time of the switch was 100% against the change and it was way more politically motivated than any of us will ever really know. I too thought that it had to do with the marsh zone, but have been told that it was big money in the Norther Columbus area that played the biggest role. That was directly from DNR official trying to fight the decision. But that is what we now have to live with for now.
> 
> Firstflight, I never pointed my comments at you, only those who would have been in the "voter" side of this decision.
> 
> Since getting married and having a child, hunting in something I get to remember back on more than I get to do, but the zone split just kills my chances of being successful when I do get out. I would redo the whole dates and split given the chance, but that is too much typing for now. Just wish we could hunt later into the year around here. For now I just go when I can and wish I lived in a different place when it comes to hunting.


Interesting to see the owner of Winous Point is on the State's Waterfowl Council. Im sure he helped to persuade a little.


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## JUSTCRAZY

Jeff nothing suprises me, just ready to go hunt.


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## ducky152000

BaddFish said:


> Understand what your saying but you have to realize that in years past December has been a "locked up" month... meaning, winter has hit and the only thing open is Erie, the rivers and some larger inland lakes.
> Losing the whole month of Nov stinks.. Alot of guys don't really start hunting the inland lakes until the snow flies. 3 seasons ago- the snow flew and within a week mosquito was locked up.


I am not complaining about the dates, just the zones, ive hunted long enough to realize we do not get big pushes of ducks until December in my area. I feel the south zones dates are perfect, one week to kill a few wood ducks and the rest of the days in December and January to kill mallards,blacks,pintails and the few divers that come around. If the zone split was at 30 I would be happy happy happy. As for the guys above 30 I can not talk for. I do not no the area well, but I have hunted above 30 in the past, when 30 was the line and I was always amazed how many more birds was up there in late November compared to my area in late November. I have had some great hunts up there during gun season.


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## firstflight111

ducky152000 said:


> I am not complaining about the dates, just the zones, ive hunted long enough to realize we do not get big pushes of ducks until December in my area. I feel the south zones dates are perfect, one week to kill a few wood ducks and the rest of the days in December and January to kill mallards,blacks,pintails and the few divers that come around. If the zone split was at 30 I would be happy happy happy. As for the guys above 30 I can not talk for. I do not no the area well, but I have hunted above 30 in the past, when 30 was the line and I was always amazed how many more birds was up there in late November compared to my area in late November. I have had some great hunts up there during gun season.


for me just like you i love the freeze up best time of the season...if you want to shoot black ducks you should of rang i kill one on the first day.we taken 18 over to first split .....


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## ducky152000

Exactly, proof to show that the line should be 30. You guys had blacks already, we saw a few but nothing I would consider a real push of them. The new birds I noticed was gw teal and gadwalls, with a few new mallards.


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## firstflight111

ducky152000 said:


> Exactly, proof to show that the line should be 30. You guys had blacks already, we saw a few but nothing I would consider a real push of them. The new birds I noticed was gw teal and gadwalls, with a few new mallards.


lol we had more blue wing teal this year them green wings ...i ony hunted geese 3 time on this split too many duck around to mess with them...


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## ducky152000

firstflight111 said:


> lol we had more blue wing teal this year them green wings ...i ony hunted geese 3 time on this split too many duck around to mess with them...


Exact opposite for me we 120 geese this split, but we also had 6 to 8 guys at a time this year. I did have a few good woody and gadwall shoots though.


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## WeekendWarrior

ducky152000 said:


> Exactly, proof to show that the line should be 30. You guys had blacks already, we saw a few but nothing I would consider a real push of them. The new birds I noticed was gw teal and gadwalls, with a few new mallards.


I would be happy if it was Rt 36/37.


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## JimmyZ

I don't care about the line, I'm too far north. I know a lot of birds come in December, but some years water is froze up solid, real solid, where you can't get a boat out. That sucks. So with these season dates you can get screwed with freeze up. I'm off the next two weeks to duck hunt and a little deer to. I can't even hunt the north zone the next two weeks, which sucks. That's why I said Michigan is still open. Thank God! I hunt up there as well. I actually get a 3 month season instead of just 2. MI. Closes nov. 30th , with 2nd split only 4 days, dec. 30 thru jan. 2. 

I know you can't predict weather and migration, but a lot of new birds showed up last week, so it just royally sucks Ohio is closed. There are so many divers on maumee bay right now it's ridiculous . Clouds of them. New big ducks to, and like ducky said, grey ducks too. 

I just like having options, especially with the wind this year.


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