After Hurricane Katrina smashed into southeast Louisiana in August 2005, and Hurricane Rita demolished southwest Louisiana three weeks later, sportsmen along the Gulf Coast kissed their duck season goodbye.

Besides destroying towns and lives, these two meteorological monsters ravaged some of the best duck habitat in a state that already loses 20 square miles of marsh per year. In places, salt water more than 25 feet deep covered considerable chunks of southern Louisiana miles from the Gulf of Mexico.

"The marshes were hit very hard," said Larry Reynolds, a waterfowl biologist with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. "Between the scouring action from the wave energy and the high salinity, nearly all of the aquatic vegetation was killed. Before the storms hit, Louisiana was in a drought. A hurricane combined with a drought is about the worst possible combination for a marsh. The marshes looked terrible, with very high salinities staying for a long time."

With hundreds dead and millions forced to rebuild their shattered homes and lives, most people concentrated on sheer survival. Hunting ducks didn't even register as a distant priority. Debris, including wrecked ships and entire houses, would have prevented access to many areas even if people had been able to find places for launching their boats. Some normally popular public hunting properties remained closed all season. After four straight dismal waterfowl seasons, even people who could reach their hunting areas held little hope of seeing much action.

However, hurricanes can bring some good news in terms of habitat. The salty storm surge killed many noxious aquatic plants, such as water hyacinths, giant salvinia and other undesirable species. They opened new channels and ponds, although they also filled in many existing ponds. In some places, the wave action overturned marsh grass, allowing birds to get at food that they normally couldn't reach.

"In the long term, the storm probably helped the marshes," said Kirk Stansel of Hackberry Rod and Gun Club south of Lake Charles. "Marshes need a mixing of fresh and brackish water. Many ponds were choked with freshwater aquatics. The salt water opened them back up and allowed widgeon grass to grow. Widgeon grass needs some brackish water to grow. That's a primary food source for most ducks."

The storms also deposited a huge layer of new sediment. This layer of sediment helped stem the sinking of the marshes, at least temporarily. In some places, the storms actually built new land. The sediment and decaying organic matter also fertilized some areas. New plants sprouted and even some unusual species took root.

"The marsh that remains looks a lot healthier now," said Mike Herrmann of Louisiana Gulf Coast Outfitters who hunts in St. Bernard Parish, one of the areas hardest hit by Katrina. "Delacroix had virtually no aquatic grass growing all winter, but in May, the interior of the Delacroix marsh was full of freshwater plants. I found some areas with coontail, widgeon grass and other vegetation, so ducks should have food this fall."

By the time the season began, less than two months after Rita hit, some marshes looked nearly dead, devoid of ducks and nearly any type of life. Other areas held ducks, but people couldn't reach them. Some areas briefly held ducks -- until the birds consumed all available food sources and moved on to habitat whose larder was still full.