You know you've reached the cold part of the season . . .

Jeff Reardon

Jeff Reardon

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. . .when the pile of clothes on the floor after you get home from hunting is large enough to be a load of laundry all by itself.

Heavy longjohns, heavy weight fleece pants, two pairs of socks, two polypro shirts, light fleece shirt, heavy fleece jacket.

About 10*F when I started; all the way up to 15 when I got home at noon.

I waded in to fix the decoys and forgot that in the cold season you can't wade past the bottom of your wading jacket. Water was a little over my waist, maybe the bottom 10 inches or so of my jacket. When I sat back down it flash froze, hard. I near peed my pants while trying to get it unzipped so I could take a leak. Eventually I had to take it off over my head. When I set it down, it stood up on it's own like a little dome tent.
 
Its not that cold down here yet. i had skim ice in the dekes on friday but my hopes of ice fishing or hunting ice holes seems to be once again only a dream
 
Chris, it's gone up here, too. It warmed up all night last night, and turned from snow to sleet to all rain this morning. It was mid 40's this afternoon. My deer hunting friends thought they'd finally have some tracking snow, but I bet it's all gone by morning.

We did make a lot of ice, and it seems to have moved some birds. I took a ride down to the coast today for some Christmas shopping and one of my favorite late season tidal spots was loaded with black ducks.
 
I don't miss those days back when I had canvas waders. Wish you could push that weather into the Dakotas.
 
Went out scouting today, saw plenty and 1 snow goose sitting with a flock of blue wing teal, Oh yeah 78 degrees and the south end of Lake Okeechobee. Gotta love it.
 
The fog is real bad with the temp swings too hopefully we can at least follow the river bank this morning.

Every week i say its time to get bait for my tanks i usually get 70-100 dozen. But with 60 degrees why even bother
 
. . .when the pile of clothes on the floor after you get home from hunting is large enough to be a load of laundry all by itself.

Heavy longjohns, heavy weight fleece pants, two pairs of socks, two polypro shirts, light fleece shirt, heavy fleece jacket.

About 10*F when I started; all the way up to 15 when I got home at noon.

I waded in to fix the decoys and forgot that in the cold season you can't wade past the bottom of your wading jacket. Water was a little over my waist, maybe the bottom 10 inches or so of my jacket. When I sat back down it flash froze, hard. I near peed my pants while trying to get it unzipped so I could take a leak. Eventually I had to take it off over my head. When I set it down, it stood up on it's own like a little dome tent.
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Jeff, I saw that you had a 5 degree swing in temps. This morning the low where I hunt will be about 25F and by this afternoon it is supposed to climb to 70F.
Al
 
A beautiful 78 degrees on Dec 2 in Arkansas. Had shorts and sandals on all day! Which is fine for now; but season opens back up on Thursday and I strongly detest sweating and swatting bugs when I duck hunt - it is not natural. I grew up hunting waterfowl in Iowa and although as I am aging I appreciate the milder winters more - it should be cold when you duck hunt!!
 
I agree with you, John. Last week I was trying to keep the honey bees away while I was hunting. Saw a fritillary by the house yesterday.
Al
 
It was in the low 70's here this weekend. Lows around 50, with lots of fog. I didnt even bother hooking up the boat. Supposed to be like this all week, no front in sight..
 
Carl,

There was a nice push of birds going down the Mississippi River Saturday morning. I watched for 10 minutes or so 1000's of ducks in large "V's" from horizon to horizon at 20,000 - 25,000 feet headed south but I can't imagine they got any farther south than Missouri with temps up here in the 60's and 70's. At 8:30 we have a temp of 59 degrees. Hang in there they'll get to you.
 
You know it is cold when.....

You are out ice fishing and you have to put the beer in a cooler to kepp it warm.

Never saw the cold up here this year. Suppose to be mid 50's today. Got a tee time for 2:00. Actually saw two teal go buzzing by the house last night. Unbelieveable.

Mark W
 
Got a tee time for 2:00. Actually saw two teal go buzzing by the house last night. Unbelieveable.

Mark W
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You know it's a bad year for duck hunting when the "Greens" are still green!!...;-)
 
It was right snappy on Saturday morning. Cold enough that the mud froze at low tide and stayed frozen after the timde came in. Lots of birds too....Lots of shots too.....
 
I am jealous Jeff. We had about 5 days of cold weather here that froze the small stuff but we were right back into the 60 for this weekend. Good thing we decided not have a Lake Michigan season.....NOT!
 
Chris, it's gone up here, too. It warmed up all night last night, and turned from snow to sleet to all rain this morning. It was mid 40's this afternoon. My deer hunting friends thought they'd finally have some tracking snow, but I bet it's all gone by morning.

We did make a lot of ice, and it seems to have moved some birds. I took a ride down to the coast today for some Christmas shopping and one of my favorite late season tidal spots was loaded with black ducks.
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The marshes were froze up pretty good until the rain and 50 degree weather showed up yesterday. Now there will be some open water for the late birds.
 
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