# Bay Flats Lodge - "Only 30 Shooting Days Left"



## Capt. Chris Martin (May 22, 2004)

Bay Flats Lodge on San Antonio Bay
December 30, 2016

*Capt. Chris Martin*
There are only 30 more days of shooting left for duck hunters in the South Zone of Texas, as the regular 2016-2017 duck season ends at sunset on January 29th. But, thatâ€™s not to say that you donâ€™t still have time to take advantage of the fun weâ€™ve experienced so far this season. Bay Flats Lodge still has plenty of openings available for you and your guests to enjoy what is shaping up to be a most promising end to another successful duck season. Give us a call today at *888-677-4868* to schedule your last minute Duck Hunt, or Blast & Cast adventure before itâ€™s too late! Meanwhile, here are some helpful tips you may wish to take into consideration as you closeout your efforts on this yearâ€™s late-season ducks.

To realize success to the bitter end, youâ€™ll need to work smarter, not harder. The late-season ducks have had all types of scenarios thrown their direction the past couple months, so keep in mind that they have probably seen pretty much anything you might be thinking of showing them, and theyâ€™ve probably heard just about any call imaginable. Theyâ€™re going to be leery, and it may seem as though they've even become distrustful of the other birds they fly around with. Youâ€™ll boost your end-of-season odds as you carry the hunt to the birds by hunting to the very best of your ability.

Over the years, a good number of duck hunting aficionados have shared with me their thoughts surrounding the need for them to call to the ducks toward the end of the season. They all have their own opinion on the subject, but one conclusion you can draw from each discussion is that very few of these guys, if any, believe there is a necessity for them to spend a lot of their time calling to late-season ducks. However, if you happen to be an avid caller, keep in mind some of these helpful calling hints that may just give you the advantage youâ€™re looking for at this point in the season. First, know that the ducks tend to circle much more now than they did just a month ago, sometimes making several passes overhead before trying to decide whether they should commit to landing in your spread. If you call to circling birds theyâ€™ll be able to locate the source of the sound if they can see you, so wait until they are flying away from you or until they have the sun in their face. Secondly, try your hardest to refrain from calling to any ducks that happen to be flying directly toward you. Wait until they fly over you and have traveled downwind of your location a good ways, and then give them one simple comeback call if you feel itâ€™s absolutely necessary. Then, stop calling again. Remember, the less calling you do to these late-season birds will often prove to be more advantageous, as you wonâ€™t be trying to force them into doing anything they wouldnâ€™t want to do on their own accord.

Like I said, a popular practice of late-season ducks is to circle your blind and decoys as they look for anything which appears to be out of place or that is suspicious to them â€" things like your bare face and hands. Thatâ€™s why it is so very important that you cover everything, including yourself. Cover your face with a facemask and always wear camouflaged gloves, even if it doesnâ€™t feel natural to you while firing you shotgun. And donâ€™t be afraid of using extra camouflage on your blind, as thereâ€™s probably no such thing as being over-camouflaged at the end of the season. You can use a basic camouflage netting to blanket the front, back, and sides of your blind as a primary base to start with. Then, simply gather lots and lots of vegetation that is natural to the surrounding area where you are hunting â€" duckweed, palm leaves, cattails, marsh grass â€" and stuff the base netting with it until you simply canâ€™t stuff it anymore. You donâ€™t want any part of you or other members of your hunting party to be seen. Whenever possible, providing overhead cover of any kind will also put you at an obvious advantage. Anytime youâ€™re able to crouch into the shade of something above you greatly lessens the odds of you being detected from overhead.

When it comes to your decoys, there are a few things to take into consideration when trying to outscore other late-season hunters. One thing for you to recognize is that whatever you did with your spread earlier in the season usually wonâ€™t be equally as effective or successful in the late days of the season. Pay strict attention to the number of decoys you are using. A lot of times, many hunters continue using a large quantity of decoys throughout the entire season, and consequently end the year wondering why more is not always better. An important thing to remember here is that a late-season duck generally wonâ€™t pass over another duck while flying close to the waterâ€™s surface. Instead, theyâ€™ll simply fly completely on the outskirts of your decoys. If you happen to have a massive spread scattered across the water, this will usually mean that the approaching ducks are going to be just out of range of your shot. Experiment with the results of you downsizing the overall number of decoys you use. To start with, cut the number of decoys in half, and wait to see what happens. If youâ€™re still not getting the reaction from the birds that you hoped for, downsize some more. Lots and lots of late-season ducks have been taken over minimum spreads. If you find the decision hard to make as to which ones to use, go with the drakes. Also, choose those that still have the brightest paint on them because brightness and color can mean the most right now.

In most cases, bundling your decoys will more than likely bring the ducks in better than anything else right now. Try setting your larger, main concentration of decoys as you normally would in front of your shooting position. Pick out one, or a pair of decoys that you feel would best be used as your focal point, or target decoys for approaching ducks. These target decoys should look different than the other ducks in your main body of decoys. For example, if the main body of decoys is comprised primarily of teal, mallards, and redheads, you might want to use two pintail decoys as the target decoys. Position the two target decoys on the downwind side of your main group of decoys in the exact spot where you want approaching ducks to land, and leave a flight path for the ducks where they can land on the water in front of the blind. Next, set a few smaller groups of decoys, ranging in numbers from just a couple to a half-dozen decoys, sitting a small distance away from the main body of decoys. The ducks will generally be flying and feeding in small groups, and you will often see small groups sitting alone while they feed. You setting up your spread in the same basic manner will tend to help make things look much more natural to the ducks.

One last secret weapon to help you claim fame at the tail end of the season is to remember the fact that live ducks always seem to manage to create muddy water wherever they are feeding. So, while youâ€™re putting out your decoys prior to shooting time, you and the other members of your party should attempt to disturb the muddy bottom with your feet as much as possible before settling into the blind. Ducks flying overhead will see the spotted water and shouldnâ€™t think twice about trying to land within your feeding decoys below. Again, the more realistic you can make the presentation, the better.

Happy New Year, and good luck at the end of what I hope is another great season for you!

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*2016-17 Winter Fishing Special (December thru March)*
http://www.bayflatslodge.com/2016-17-winter-fishing-special
You and your party can enjoy a great ending to the year with some well-deserved rest and relaxation as you savor some fabulous cuisine, enjoy first-class accommodations, and experience great fishing at some of the best rates Bay Flats Lodge will offer all year long.
$412 per person 2 Guests per boatâ€¨
$275 per person 3 Guests per boatâ€¨
$232 per person 4 Guests per boat
(Includes 1 night lodging, 3 meals, and 1 full-day of fishing
Live bait provided at additional charge, if requested.
6.00% Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax not included.

*Deer Season Is Hereâ€¦*
Open marshlands and sandy swamps covered by grassy plants, and nearly impenetrable motts of trees and brush, are both natural environs that make for a great attraction to the deer, and Bay Flats Lodge hunters are able to take advantage of both. Being less than three hours from Houston, Austin, or San Antonio, our deer hunting property is located along the coastal bend region, providing time saving convenience to hunters. Gone are the days of having to drive into the depths and remoteness of south Texas, or out to the far reaches of some of the more secluded western regions of the state in order to enjoy a trophy hunt of a lifetime. Hunting whitetails with Bay Flats Lodge means spending more time enjoying the finer things in life such as the pleasure of the hunt itself, the camaraderie of friends and family, and the truly finest accommodations and service offered anywhere along the Texas coast.

Our whitetail hunting area was developed locally several years ago, and the land and the wildlife have been managed closely ever since. In that we hold exclusive outfitting privileges on this hunting area, and because it sits just moments away from our Lodge, we are able to provide our customers with a whitetail hunt second to none. We invite you to experience Bay Flats Lodge, the premier hunting and fishing destination on the Texas coast for your next trophy-class whitetail deer hunt.

Three-Day Weather Forecast
*Saturday 80 % Precip. / 0.36 in *
Showers likely along with a possible rumble of thunder in the morning, then cloudy skies late. High near 70F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
*Saturday Night 20 % Precip. / 0.0 in*
Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds light and variable.
*Sunday 10 % Precip. / 0.0 in*
Mainly cloudy. High 74F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
*Sunday Night 30 % Precip. / 0.01 in*
Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 67F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
*Monday 20 % Precip. / 0.0 in*
Partly cloudy skies. High 78F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.
*Monday Night 0 % Precip. / 0.0 in*
Clear skies. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. 
*Synopsis:* 
Conditions continue to improve this morning with weakening offshore flow and decreasing seas. Onshore flow will then develop on this afternoon as surface high pressure quickly moves east of the region. Scattered showers are expected on Saturday. Southerly flow increases on Saturday across the nearshore waters. An upper level storm system will move across Texas Sunday night, providing for a chance for showers and thunderstorms. A weak cold front is expected to move across the coastal waters on Monday. Drier air will follow the frontal boundary. Weak offshore flow behind this front will transition to onshore by Tuesday night. 
*Coastal Water Temperature:* 
Rockport 62.1 degrees
Seadrift 63.0 degrees
Port Aransas 62.1 degrees

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Captain Chris Martin
www.BayFlatsLodge.com

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## Capt. Chris Martin (May 22, 2004)

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## Capt. Chris Martin (May 22, 2004)

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## Capt. Chris Martin (May 22, 2004)

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## Capt. Chris Martin (May 22, 2004)

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## Capt. Chris Martin (May 22, 2004)

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## Capt. Chris Martin (May 22, 2004)

*Fun Duck Hunting Vid*

Thanks


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