Free: Contests & Raffles.
There is fewer ducks migrating into the Columbia Basin. The corn ponds have an effect for sure but its minimal. There was a guide last year on the Columbia river shooting client limits and the public hunt areas were very productive.
Quote from: Hot Lunch on May 24, 2018, 05:38:37 PMThere is fewer ducks migrating into the Columbia Basin. The corn ponds have an effect for sure but its minimal. There was a guide last year on the Columbia river shooting client limits and the public hunt areas were very productive.I don't agree that there are fewer ducks migrating in to the Basin each year. I think you just don't see them like we all used to because they have learned to use the corn complexes and no longer travel the same routes they once did. I also think the presence of 10's of thousands of snow geese that never used the Basin until recent years indicates that it is still a very viable and even improving wintering area for the birds.
Also as the birds learn these habits and the numbers of birds killed on public drops the price of the private flooded corn seats go up. As the seats go up in price people pay 275-350 to kill seven ducks just giving the flooded corn operation more capital to create more flooded corn ponds.. Look at the different guide operations they are making more flooded corn ponds every summer adding warm well water to the others.... It's a vicious cycle... When does it end?
Quote from: drk9988 on May 24, 2018, 08:35:58 PMAlso as the birds learn these habits and the numbers of birds killed on public drops the price of the private flooded corn seats go up. As the seats go up in price people pay 275-350 to kill seven ducks just giving the flooded corn operation more capital to create more flooded corn ponds.. Look at the different guide operations they are making more flooded corn ponds every summer adding warm well water to the others.... It's a vicious cycle... When does it end?It won’t end. It’s going to get worse. Lots of money flowing up my way for leases and lots of ground getting purchased for duck spots. Seeing more and more 10-30 acre corn plots all around. Some much larger. Most leases are going from $5,500 to $12,000 per season for good ones.
The numbers are definitely down on public land in the area around Royal City. We have a seen a decline for the last 15 years. Less and less birds on royal lake. The ducks used to come out of the refuge for almost an hour, now we are lucky to see 10 minutes of flight. Corn ponds are certainly part of the change in pattern and so are the apple orchards. The amount of quality feed fields on the Royal Slope are half of what they were 15 years ago and more apples get planted every year. WDFW does an aerial count of waterfowl, I found it referenced in the spokane newspaper. Does anyone know if they seperate birds seen on public vs private land? Goose patterns have changed as well.
If you were to regulate the planting for ducks, where does it stop. Are you going to say that you can't plant a food plot for deer or elk because all the big ones are now on private property. I have land and plant for ducks and Flood my corn and kill the hell out of them. If you can afford it go for it. It just sounds like crazy everyone's a winner mentality. I suppose since I'm a better caller than most and pull birds away from others set ups when I hunt public I should put my calls away and wait till everyone has shot their fair share.
Quote from: head hunter on May 24, 2018, 06:44:54 PMIf you were to regulate the planting for ducks, where does it stop. Are you going to say that you can't plant a food plot for deer or elk because all the big ones are now on private property. I have land and plant for ducks and Flood my corn and kill the hell out of them. If you can afford it go for it. It just sounds like crazy everyone's a winner mentality. I suppose since I'm a better caller than most and pull birds away from others set ups when I hunt public I should put my calls away and wait till everyone has shot their fair share.You're right that hunting will never be "fair" in the sense of everyone having equal skills/gear/etc. My hope is that reducing the number of flooded corn ponds on private land would increase the numbers of ducks using public areas...and hopefully you'd still find a way to kill some birds on your property without the flooded corn, too.
Quote from: hunterednate on May 25, 2018, 09:10:20 AMQuote from: head hunter on May 24, 2018, 06:44:54 PMIf you were to regulate the planting for ducks, where does it stop. Are you going to say that you can't plant a food plot for deer or elk because all the big ones are now on private property. I have land and plant for ducks and Flood my corn and kill the hell out of them. If you can afford it go for it. It just sounds like crazy everyone's a winner mentality. I suppose since I'm a better caller than most and pull birds away from others set ups when I hunt public I should put my calls away and wait till everyone has shot their fair share.You're right that hunting will never be "fair" in the sense of everyone having equal skills/gear/etc. My hope is that reducing the number of flooded corn ponds on private land would increase the numbers of ducks using public areas...and hopefully you'd still find a way to kill some birds on your property without the flooded corn, too.If you took the feed and corn ponds out of the picture, it would level the field significantly. Many spots just wouldn't hold birds without feed. Some have done it right with good wetland investments, so birds will come without the $30k-$100K crop investments. I think the game department weighs the outcome. Food for birds, the state doesn't have to pay for vs. loss of habitat and potential agriculture depredation to farmers, etc. Many high end clubs only hunt them for a short period per day. Feeding thousands of birds vs a small percentage harvested? The birds benefit. All the clubs in Washington short stop a lot of birds heading south on the Pacific Flyway. Lots of California clubs have been effected by this amongst other things. California used to be or may still be the #1 harvester of waterfowl in the US.