Barometric Pressure on Ducks?

Fishfaced · 11-30-2003, 05:07 PM

Does the barometer have an effect on ducks and geese? I know I have blue bird days when the birds fly well

. Gray overcast days when they don't fly (like this weekend)

. The pressure is 30.02 now and has steady the last two days. Is 30.02 considered high/low or somewhere in the middle? I hope it goes up or down and gets them moving again. Any thoughts? [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]

Swamp Puppy · 11-30-2003, 05:34 PM

Capin' Dan??

ol' Danny has told me that if the barometer is 30 and falling to quit my job, divorce my wife, and get my butt on the lake....so far, he's been right on.

Fishfaced · 11-30-2003, 09:02 PM

Thanks for the tip! I will watch for the falling baro 30 and falling. Lets hope it is sometime soon.

Capin' Dan · 11-30-2003, 09:29 PM

this is a good question for the biologiest out at Sauvies. They have been doing this for years. Call Mark up and ask him whst he thinks.

I have found in the past few years that when the barameter is below 30 and falling that I have a sever case of the flu that day. The best meds being a nice dose of duck soup.

Dan!

Bait Bucket · 12-01-2003, 03:26 AM

When my arthritis acts up, the ducks fly.

Lured In · 12-01-2003, 07:18 AM

Danny is right on. A falling barometer. (preferably falling below 30in), consistently seems to get the birds moving. As will a relatively constant, low barometer.

My favorite Sauvie Island saying is...

"When the wind blows and the water is high...the ducks will die!" :grin:

Fishfaced · 12-01-2003, 08:26 AM

Well it's 30.06 and rising. I guss that gives some comfort to a rainy day. Good day to stay at work. Thanks for the good info. I will keep an eye on it!

Blue Tip Spinner · 12-01-2003, 04:29 PM

Jerry at the eastside check station on sauvie island is the guy to talk to... he has been there for alot longer than mark and jerry has been the guy who has been keeping the numbers on the barometric pressure for at least the last 3 years. if you want to talk to anyone about it, jerry would be the guy. jerry did tell me that if the barometric pressure is above 30.25 or below 29.75, then the shooting should be good. BTS

1pump · 12-01-2003, 08:18 PM

Jerry Ronne has been out there since the 60's. Nobody knows SI like he does. He's passed up a number of promotions in order to stay on the island. Most of the other ODFW employees are just passing through (and act like it) but he's been the "rock" out there.
It'll be a sad day when he finally retires.

Fishfaced · 12-02-2003, 11:30 PM

30.17 and falling 12:30pm

Fishfaced · 12-04-2003, 01:06 PM

29.73 and falling [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]

Fishfaced · 12-05-2003, 02:12 PM

29.66 and Falling Wind from the south@10. Scappoose, OR :shocked:

crabbait · 12-05-2003, 10:49 PM

29.46 and dropping like a rock at 8:00pm tonight. Hang on to your hats.

Fishfaced · 12-06-2003, 08:22 PM

Baro bottemed out at 29.44 @ 10pm Friday night. Figured it was going to be hot on Saturday. WRONG. 2am Sat. The almost full moon was out, stars were crystal clear and not a breath of wind. 7am was a beautiful sunrise and not a duck on the pond or in the sky. 29.75+. So much for high expectations. Lucky if I saw 10 ducks all day.

Oh well let try it again in the morning.

skein · 12-06-2003, 09:10 PM

It's my fault, Fishfaced. EVERY time I've been out this year the weather turns bluebird. I believe I could single-handedly stop tropical storm Odette just by setting up the blind and laying out some shells.

I'm beginning to wonder if I bought an cover-up blind or a tanning booth.

What will you guys give me to stay home so you can have some windy, rainy, stormy days to hunt in? I hate to stay home, but if you make it worth my while....

Skein

Crashin' Bait · 12-06-2003, 09:33 PM

Don't the birds have to be present for this barometer/great fowling thing to happen? Well, rumor has it........aww never mind. [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

Capin' Dan · 12-06-2003, 10:03 PM

Wednesday evening the pressure was dropping and going to be just right for Thursday morning. Woke up with the flu coming on fast I could feel it but I wsn't down and out of it yet. Daylight found me shivering in the blind head hanging. Yep flu caught up with me hard core, I'm too stupid to go in though

First birds come in. safety off buddy says no Pintails this was to be repeated many times over the next few hours. We did pass on sponnies a few times looks like there are some new flocks of them around (Mossberg 3.5). Finally a huge flock of coots came into the decoys. Now the dogs are really confused we have been passing on shots all morning. In looking at the coots I see one with a greenhead swam right in with them. I stand and yell only to have my buddy shoot it out from under me. The only good part was two coots went down with it. I have to ask him how they tasted as he said he was going to try them. Fianlly enough was enough. The wind was howling rain coming from all directions. We picked up and headed in just to pass a bay totally full of puddle ducks I mean they had to have been over 500 of them. So we set up to hunt out the high tide there in that bay. Shooting was steady just not the hitting on my part. We wound up with nine birds for the morning and 2 coots. I think I may have gotten three of them. Of course I get home feeling half dead and my wife really lets me have it as she knew I was coming down with it before I left.
Bottom line was I would not have hunted had the barometric pressure been below 30 and falling. I should have had limits that day. Either that or I lost a lot of shells somewhere.

Dan

[ 12-06-2003, 11:07 PM: Message edited by: Capin' Dan ]

MN Guy · 12-31-2003, 09:16 AM

I wanted to ask this a while back... going out tomorrow. anyone know of a site to check and see what the pressure is doing or going to do. Also- is anyone seeing more birds around? All I got on the CR is big rafts of Bills. One of the ducks I really liked to hunt in Minnesota on the big lakes but out here they don't seem to work in as nice. Seems like they like to be out away from the shore. Any and all help is welcome. Thanks guys, Happy New Year!