Darren Digby As I type this, the NOAA weather stations in the area are showing north winds at a nice clip. Though the days are plenty hot in between, the mornings and evenings are actually remotely pleasant of late. Indeed, fall is chipping away at another sweltering Louisiana summer, and birds are on the move.
Over the Labor Day weekend, reports across the state were trickling in with sightings of blue wing teal invading rice fields and marshes from southeast Texas to Venice, right on time. I was even fortunate enough to put eyes on a few myself while fishing over the weekend as well. With the opener not until the 14th and a full moon in between, there’s plenty of time for new arrivals to infiltrate your favorite hunting grounds. Even if you aren’t seeing any prior to opening morning, my suggestion is to go anyway, as you might be pleasantly surprised.
Over the Labor Day weekend, reports across the state were trickling in with sightings of blue wing teal invading rice fields and marshes from southeast Texas to Venice, right on time. I was even fortunate enough to put eyes on a few myself while fishing over the weekend as well. With the opener not until the 14th and a full moon in between, there’s plenty of time for new arrivals to infiltrate your favorite hunting grounds. Even if you aren’t seeing any prior to opening morning, my suggestion is to go anyway, as you might be pleasantly surprised.
When trying to find where teal may be keying in on in your area, the name of the game will be shallow water. Teal are on the smaller scale of waterfowl and prefer to feed in very shallow water. It is often the same waters used by wading shorebirds thus I’ll often use them as indicators for where teal may congregate on arrival. Be it a rice field or marsh area, the shallowest areas with food will be your best bets for setting up.
Though blue wing teal are most common, the green wing variety are also commonly harvested during the early season. Keying in on their small size and erratic flight pattern will help to identify teal from other species that may be present which includes mottled ducks, wood ducks, pintail, shovelers and whistling ducks, among others. Though it can prove challenging in low light, know your target. Firing before a positive identification can yield an expensive result in the form of a ticket.
Do’s & Don’t of September Teal Hunting
Though blue wing teal are most common, the green wing variety are also commonly harvested during the early season. Keying in on their small size and erratic flight pattern will help to identify teal from other species that may be present which includes mottled ducks, wood ducks, pintail, shovelers and whistling ducks, among others. Though it can prove challenging in low light, know your target. Firing before a positive identification can yield an expensive result in the form of a ticket.
Do’s & Don’t of September Teal Hunting
- DO dress for the occasion with lightweight, breathable camo.
- DO stay hydrated; after all, it will still mostly feel like typical summer. This goes for your retriever as well.
- DO keep retrieving dogs close if there is any chance of alligator presence in your hunting area. When in doubt, leave your buddy at home, or keep close at hand on a leash.
- DO pack an arsenal of insect repellent measures. A ThermaCell coupled with a can of fogger (YardGuard) are my go-to when getting into the blind.
- DO wear hearing protection. A good teal hunt can involve a lot of shooting, especially when hunting with multiple buddies in the blind.
- DON’T go overboard with shot size; #3 to #6 is ideal, anything larger is overkill for a bird that is thin in fat and feather on their early migration. Similarly, 2 ¾” shells are more than enough, save the 3” and larger shells for the bigger birds still to come this winter. This is also a great time to break out the sub-gauges like 20’s and 28’s in similar shot sizes.
- DON’T forgot your motion decoys like spinning wing decoys, especially. Teal are usually extremely susceptible to the fast flashing of a spinner. These decoys also give you greater visibility from distance on passing flocks.
- DON’T be afraid to call up a storm on a teal call. If a flock of birds are in view, there’s no such thing as over-calling in attempt to turn them your way.
Be sure to pack the fishing rods for post-hunt outings. There’s nothing like a few birds on the strap and a few fish in the cooler on an early fall Louisiana morning. Good luck and be safe out there!
