The Fowl Play Game Calls crew in Southern Illinois has killed over 200 ducks this year.  This is the first year we have shot over 200 ducks, not including geese.  I know hunting is not really about the numbers, but the fun times in the blind (trust me there have been many), but the past two years I have been documenting our hunts.  We have had a great year, and we still have 1 month of duck season remaining.  The geese are starting to arrive, and we got some good fields lined up to hunt this year.  Hope everyone else has had a great season as well, and happy hunting to those who are right in the middle of it.

Congrats on your milestone. Im starting to go through withdrawls up here in South Dakota.

Nice job racks. This is the first year in a while that we have broke 200 as well. Thanksgiving weekend was amazing, 4 man 6 duck limits everyday! Had one of our best hunts Wednesday. Birds everywhere, at times we couldnt even retrieve the ones we had on the water, before the next few bunches started to work. Then got met by our local CPO on the way out. He stood behind our blind for at least 3 hrs without us knowing it, & then checked us as we were leaving. Got us for not seperating our bag limits. We had our ducks seperated on the bank behind the blind all day, as we usually do, then when we were loading up in the pooring down rain we just threw them in the boat in one pile to hurry and get out of the rain and he came running down the bank & wrote us up. Didnt ruin my day though, that great of a hunt is well worth one ticket.

Its terrible that the CPO has to go there.  How much was the ticket?  He was probably jealous that he wasn't shooting ducks, and had to get out in the rain to check you guys.  Glad to hear that you have had a good season as well, with that unfortunate setback.

This is been the best season for me also. My limit of green heads today put me at 82 for the season. Wife is mad this season is taking solong, we are usualy locked up with ice by this time.

Well we finished this season in IL with a bang.  We headed south and hunted hard all weekend and ended up with 27 ducks in two days with 3 guys.  This brings our total for the season to 267 ducks.  Had a great year despite the warm weather conditions holding birds up north.  Hunted over 60 days.  Here is the breakdown by species.

29 GWT

29 BWT

24 GADWALL

73 MALLARDS

19 PINTAIL/SPRIG

9 WOOD DUCKS

7 WIGEON

14 BLUEBILL

11 RINGNECK

22 SHOVLER

2 GOLDENEYE

5 REDHEAD

1 BUFFLEHEAD

4 RUDDY DUCKS

6 COOTS

2 HOODED MERGANSERS

Its not all about the numbers, but I like seeing how many different species we get each year.  No Canvasbacks this year, but plenty of puddle ducks!

I'm not much for a numbers guy, mostly because I don't shoot enough worth counting, but I am damn impressed with the number of different species you got to bag!

Teal, Mallard, Woodduck & Goose is all I get to put on my list from 2011. Seen some mergansers and grebes, but that's about it lol.

Thats a nice year Racks. We were fortunate enough to have one of our better years in a long time. I know a lot of people are cussing the DNR about the seasons & I still don't think we have that massive push of mallards, but I have no complaints about this season other than it ended & I can't hunt anymore. Not sure if we were just fortunate to be there on most of the flight days that have taken place or there were just that many more birds this year, but we had at least 10 or 12 days where we couldn't get ducks picked up before we had more falling in the decoys. We also got to shoot more mixed bags than I ever have. On one occaision I filled my bag with 6 different species. If there are as many birds left up north as they say there are, with no hunting pressure because all the seasons are out & the mild weather keeps them there until all the seasons go out down south, we should have another record count & another great season next year.

I'm up to 6 ducks this season. I have taken some friends out on great hunts, but not been on the target my self this year. I have one week left to season and it don't look good. I even went on a couple hunts with my brother and a buddy of his that is started guiding hunts, and hand no luck on those hunts. I have a problem when I'm told to put my calls away and not to call, but the boys that are calling have no clue on what they are doing. I also have a problem with the only shots being called are the ones the boy guiding has.

congratulations...???

it isn't that many.  I've personally killed over 200

Great year racksnquacks!

Very nice year man, hard work pays off. Don't pay any attention to the only negative response here.  I'd estimate this year I got around 300 ducks (All but probably 10 were mallards), 220 Canadas (including Lessers) and 175 snows (All phases).  My best hunt of the year was 56 birds (32 Ducks 24 Canadas) between 4 people, (8 Canadas away from a double limit).  I don't know if you are counting birds your personally shot, but these numbers were taken through group totals not just the ones I shot. I had my first hunt in late September (mid 20s) and last one December 13th which means it was my longest season yet, didn't get iced out by -30 winters at the beginning of November for once! haha. I told you guys this would be a year to remember for you all, you should learn to trust your Canadian neighbour! On a side not I went ice fishing last weekend, I stopped by the river where it is still open and seen a flock of 15 ducks and 12 being greeners and were they ever nice and full.

I know we the river has been covered in ducks and geese since season has been out.  Still cool to go out and see them all feeding, even if we can't hunt, their colors are really starting to show.  All the gear is put away, and like IMBORAY said, next year all the ducks that survived should breed and produce some great numbers again next year.

success is not rated on the weight of the game strap rather the quality of the hunt.  congratulations.

Numbers wise..this wasnt that great of a year for me. But it was my best year for adding newbies to the sport. Took 3 kids out on there first hunts and it worked out for them to get good shooting. They are officially hooked and cant wait until next year.

It would be fun to get some youngsters out in the field.  Im pretty young still, and many of my friends have kids that are not old enough to go out yet, but as soon as they are, we will have them in the blind.  I can't imagine anything cooler than seeing a kid shoot their first bird.  I can still remember the excitement that I had when I went out hunting as a youngster! 

Lol when I took my buddy out for the first time 2 years ago ( The one you see in the pics ) I had the same feeling when he shot his first bird. he was all gums haha  I call him my son now when we go hunting (because I try to teach him everything I know lol) And the funny thing is that he doesn't mind  because that's basically what it is,  just goes to show you that even a then 19 year old can get that childlike feeling again, oh the wonders of hunting.

Im 27 and I still get that feeling everytime I have a flock coming in or a deer coming under my stand. Gotta love hunting!!