# Early teal?



## Public Land Prowler (Aug 15, 2010)

Well we have less than a month until early teal season.Are they already coming down this way,or is the extreme heat going to hold them off?


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## Arrow3 (Aug 16, 2010)

I haven't scouted much but I have seen some blue wings down already.


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## Core Lokt (Aug 16, 2010)

I was wondering the same thing. I'm at the Fl/Ga line and rode 18 miles on the lake Fri and didn't see  the first teal.


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## georgiaboy (Aug 16, 2010)

I have been riding a good bit on local lakes and checking ponds.  I haven't seen any teal yet.  The geese aren't cooperating very well either.


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## 242outdoors (Aug 16, 2010)

they are here....ya'll just aint in the right spot


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## fishndinty (Aug 16, 2010)

Seeing some teal moving in the marshes in OH and we are getting cooler weather this week...my bet is some might move on at night and you guys will get them late this week.


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## DuckGodLiaison (Aug 16, 2010)

Boy I hope.  I sure hate for all this corn to spoil!


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## cmk07c (Aug 16, 2010)

if you don't find any teal core you can focus on the woodies. Nothing wrong with a couple woodies to fill a bag!


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## wingding (Aug 16, 2010)

fishndinty said:


> Seeing some teal moving in the marshes in OH and we are getting cooler weather this week...my bet is some might move on at night and you guys will get them late this week.



When does yall's teal and goose open?


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## fishndinty (Aug 16, 2010)

wingding said:


> When does yall's teal and goose open?



Goose is Sept 1st, teal is a few days after.  

I am PUMPED to go out and shoot some geese.  I have shot trap and 5 stand a couple times this summer and am feeling a lot more confident now that I learned to shoot right handed (I am right eye dominant and left handed).

Got lots of goose groups scouted out.  Trying to get permission on a few fields that are fallow right now that the birds are passing or hitting, depending on the day.

I don't have a sure thing yet for opening morning, but I think I have a good chance at a limit if things go to plan.


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## bub commander (Aug 16, 2010)

What size loads do y'all usually use for teal?


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## fishndinty (Aug 16, 2010)

atlgolfer said:


> What size loads do y'all usually use for teal?



Since we get a lot more geese early season, I just use #2 steel...It will swat a teal and is sufficient for decoying geese.

A more common load where you don't see so many geese is #4  or even #6 steel and perhaps a more open choke like skeet or IC.  Teal come in on the deck and are often close crossers and snap shots like with dove can be the norm.

The #2 load is certainly a compromise; I can only say it absolutely SWATS a teal if you do your job and actually hit it.  I've never seen a teal crippled with that load


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## kscoggins (Aug 16, 2010)

bb's lol


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## Core Lokt (Aug 17, 2010)

cmk07c said:


> if you don't find any teal core you can focus on the woodies. Nothing wrong with a couple woodies to fill a bag!



I hear ya! From what i've been seeing while fishing we have a lot of resident birds and the woody numbers are way up.


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## cmk07c (Aug 17, 2010)

*teal are a bonus*



Core Lokt said:


> I hear ya! From what i've been seeing while fishing we have a lot of resident birds and the woody numbers are way up.



Any teal will be a bure bonus to me, during early season I'll be walking into the cypress swamp targeting woodies. Your right about there being a good amount of resident birds in leon/jefferson county area. I think its about 50/50. Its hard to beat those january wood duck hunts in the evenings. You hunt lake Miccosukee I take it?


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## GADAWGS (Aug 17, 2010)

I was leaving the BP in Duluth last night, driving south on 85 one exit south of the BP. Saw a group of teal fly over headed west. Guessing 8-10 birds in the flock


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## WOODIE13 (Aug 17, 2010)

They are starting to show up pretty good here in VA, probably be gone by the opener


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## ngaduck (Aug 17, 2010)

GADAWGS said:


> I was leaving the BP in Duluth last night, driving south on 85 one exit south of the BP. Saw a group of teal fly over headed west. Guessing 8-10 birds in the flock



I don't believe you.  You can't even count to 8.


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## Jaker (Aug 17, 2010)

I saw about 45 to 50 yesterday morning when I was out scouting/ planting some secret spots. 

hope it isnt like last year, had atleast that many spotted the same place the day before the season and the next morning saw 2 and killed one.


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## JonathonJEB (Aug 17, 2010)

ive seen some teal in N.GA, and a whole lot of geese


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## Larry Young Jr (Aug 17, 2010)

On Clayton water lakes there is Some mallards and a bunch of black ducks 60 to 100 and about 300 geese. but no teal. the lakes are south of Atl. Have talked to friends from Tenn. They seen a few flocks north of Knoxville and other friends have about 300 teal on some ponds in Ill. The teal well get here in Oct. I have been hunting ducks in Ga for years, But I have on got 1 Teal and got it in Fla. Last Year In Jan. I have seen them in Ga. In Oct. Good Luck.


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## fishndinty (Aug 18, 2010)

Larry Young Jr said:


> On Clayton water lakes there is Some mallards and a bunch of black ducks 60 to 100 and about 300 geese. but no teal. the lakes are south of Atl. Have talked to friends from Tenn. They seen a few flocks north of Knoxville and other friends have about 300 teal on some ponds in Ill. The teal well get here in Oct. I have been hunting ducks in Ga for years, But I have on got 1 Teal and got it in Fla. Last Year In Jan. I have seen them in Ga. In Oct. Good Luck.



Larry, you sure those blacks aren't mottled?  It would be rare to have resident blacks that far south, esp in the numbers you are talking.


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## Core Lokt (Aug 18, 2010)

cmk07c said:


> You hunt lake Miccosukee I take it?



Only place I hunt. hard to go anywhere else only living 1 mile from the ramp.


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## Larry Young Jr (Aug 18, 2010)

They look like blacks . the most of them show up this week. But there have been a few around for the last month or two. When you drive by they get up fly around.  The ducks have been there or live there for while dont worry about about the cars. The geese you have to push them out of the way. J/R was the one that told me they where there.  He goes by there lot, he lives near there. Have not talk to him to day see if he went by there this morning.


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## cmk07c (Aug 18, 2010)

*doubtful*



fishndinty said:


> Larry, you sure those blacks aren't mottled?  It would be rare to have resident blacks that far south, esp in the numbers you are talking.



I know mottled ducks stray up that way here and there, but most mottled ducks aren't even as far north as Orlando, FL. Unless its the coastal mottled ducks that are in MS, AL, LA, and TX that are REALLY lost. Even then they are two different strands of mottled ducks. and the ones on the Gulf Coast are not inland at all, unlike the S. Florida Mottled birds.


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## WOODIE13 (Aug 18, 2010)

Saw a flock today carrying a sign, "Lake Juliette or Bust"


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## jerry russell (Aug 18, 2010)

fishndinty said:


> Larry, you sure those blacks aren't mottled?  It would be rare to have resident blacks that far south, esp in the numbers you are talking.



Black duck for sure. We are WAY to far North for mottled ducks. And yes, it is kind of odd to see them here but the two big gangs  (40+) of them have been here for weeks. Some "new" black ducks moved in yesterday and had a very strange one among them. A very light cream color. It stood out from hundreds of yards away. 
Never seen one of these dudes...


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## fishndinty (Aug 18, 2010)

jerry russell said:


> Black duck for sure. We are WAY to far North for mottled ducks. And yes, it is kind of odd to see them here but the two big gangs  (40+) of them have been here for weeks. Some "new" black ducks moved in yesterday and had a very strange one among them. A very light cream color. It stood out from hundreds of yards away.
> Never seen one of these dudes...



Could it be an albino black duck or maybe a nice blondie hen mallard?

I swear I saw the most beautiful blondie on the swamp last year....would have shot it if I had the chance.


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## Jaker (Aug 19, 2010)

Larry Young Jr said:


> The teal well get here in Oct. I have been hunting ducks in Ga for years, But I have on got 1 Teal and got it in Fla. Last Year In Jan. I have seen them in Ga. In Oct. Good Luck.[/QUOTE
> 
> thats interesting, I've killed a lot more blue wings in the early season than I have in the regular season. Do we have very many in september, well maybe not but when do we ever have very many ducks, and I know plenty of people that mess them up in september in florida so i'm not real sure about the whole octobre thing


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## Larry Young Jr (Aug 19, 2010)

Oct. Is the only time I have seen them around where I hunt. They all ways show up in my spots when the early season is out. I know others shoot or see them in other areas. That Just me. Where my friends  and I hunt we should see them during early season.  But that is why the call it duck hunting and not duck killing. This year could be different. Shoot some for me. Good luck. Take a kid hunting.
Larry


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## quacksmacker03 (Aug 26, 2010)

WOODIE13 said:


> Saw a flock today carrying a sign, "Lake Juliette or Bust"



Thats got to be the funniest thing ive seen!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## mcarge (Aug 27, 2010)

Here today, Gone tommorow.


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## S_GA_Boy2008 (Aug 27, 2010)

Saw 5 woodies flying late evening on the trip up to Macon tonight. Kinda got my blood pumping to try and get after some teal!


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## Larry Young Jr (Aug 28, 2010)

Seen no teal on ccwd yet.
Good luck
Larry


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