Water fowl: This past duck season was one of the worst North Carolina has seen in years. The birds just didn’t get down this far. There were ducks, just very low numbers of migrators. The wood ducks, this year, were our saviors because without them, there would have been zero ducks. Early season had some teal, woodies, and resident Canadas. The middle season held some small ducks and a few wigeon and mallards. Late season was really no different than the other two, except there were a few divers around. Each weekend there were hopes that it would finally be good again, however most of the time it stayed the same, if not got worse. Personally, I was very disappointed with the lack of ducks, the wariness of the waterfowl, and the inconsistent weather. Even though my limits were rarely filled, I still made many good memories and learned a lot. The most effective hunting this year was getting in a swamp and waiting on some woodies to fly over. Just ensure that you bring the right equipment like an arrow quiver.

Most were passing shots, which was no hard feat if you had a modified or full choke. Thorp Smith, a Wilson County duck hunter, said “This past duck season was slower than a turtle walking through a field of peanut butter, but we still managed an ok amount of ducks”. However, there is some good news, it is not quite over. There are still two youth days the following Saturdays and there is a resident goose season. Any person under the age of 16 may hunt waterfowl on these youth Saturdays as long as they are accompanied by licensed adults. These youth days can be very good because the lack of hunting pressure. The resident goose season closes the 13^th, but is a fun way to get your waterfowl fix. Whether you are hunting a beaver swamp or a cut field, the action will be exhilarating. You must be in the correct goose zones though. Overall duck season was slow, but that didn’t stop anyone from meeting new people and making great memories together in the outdoors.

Things to do in February: February is not known as the best outdoors month, however it is underrated. If one is fortunate enough to go quail hunting, this is the perfect time to do it. With the mild winter, the Covies should still be together in strong numbers. There really isn’t anything better than dogs on point and birds flushing on a sunny February day. The squirrel hunting is good this month as well. The same goes for the raccoon hunting. The rabbits are running in full swing this time of the year. Dogs will usually pick up scent much better on a dry day. Edgecombe county hunters reported shooting 21 rabbits this past Saturday.  While hunting small game, one can also start scouting. This is the perfect month to start scouting for turkeys, deer, and ducks. The more time you spend in the woods, the more prepared you will be for next season. Putting up trail cameras will give you lots of intel for turkey season. February can be very productive for small game and scouting. The fishing this month should be exceptional due to the weather. As long as we don’t get to much rain, that is. Bass will start hitting deep water lures and jigs this month. I like to throw crank baits from the bank that dive around 5 feet. The lure color truly depends on what the water looks like. The annual shad run should slowly begin later in the month. It could even start a little early this year. February looks very promising this year, if you know what to do. Scouting, hunting and fishing this month can be prime this month, so get out there!

As a side note, enjoy the slideshow of readers’ pictures from past hunts that have been sent in so far!