As the holiday weekend approaches, a series of weather systems are building off the western coast and are expected to bring favorable migrating winds and weather to northern states. While the change is likely to spawn moderate migration activity, it is unlikely the storms will be powerful enough to ignite the massive migration waterfowl hunters are hoping for.
Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
Thanksgiving weekend marks the halfway point of the 2009-2010 waterfowl season. With the season opening in many southern states and states in the north on the cusp of closure, the effects of the El Nino weather anomaly couldn’t be more apparent. While the early cold blast in October ignited a flurry of activity and harvest, the tepid temperatures of November have resulted in a trickle migration pattern that has duck numbers near or below long-term averages in most areas, with waterfowl activity very low.
In short, ducks are everywhere but very few places hold any major concentration of birds. Delayed grain harvest and steady precipitation trends have played a significant role in waterfowl activity as well, with successful scouting determining the difference between success and failure.
For hunters in the north that will likely see the close of duck season before the major push of ducks move through; the good news is the prospects of an excellent goose season are shaping up nicely. Geese have received very little hunting pressure thus far this season and the snow and cold that will eventually come are bound to make the hunting as good as it can get.
In the south, the early push of teal, gadwall, widgeon, wood ducks and pintail are expected to offer a favorable harvest during the early weeks of the season, but mallard activity will be slow well into December. According to the NOAA Climate Prediction, above average temperatures are expected to continue into December. While the rest of the nation is enjoying the warmer temperatures, the North American Waterfowl hunter will continue to pray for those arctic winds that bring ducks and geese south in great numbers.
Of course, when duck hunting gets tough, the value of your Waterfowler.com Membership begins to shine for those that take advantage of the opportunities offered by our online community. From trade-a-hunt opportunities to real-time communication and networking, hunters that make an effort to exchange information and access can reap the harvest. Migration is the movement of ducks and geese and hunters willing to commit to hunting where the ducks are, enjoy the benefits of increased harvest and the adventure of the hunt. Waterfowler.com encourages our members to make an effort to discover the true value of our network by interacting with other members and working to expand their opportunity. If your season is nearing the end, now is the time to make budget travel plans and extend your season and opportunities by taking advantage of the WFC network today.
PACIFIC FLYWAY
A series of storms will pass through the Pacific Northwest this week and increase activity throughout the northern portion of the flyway. Waterfowl continue to trickle into Washington and Oregon, with redheads and widgeon good and the first flights of golden-eye arriving. In Idaho, mallard numbers are good to excellent, with goose numbers fair to good in most areas. In California, duck numbers are average for this time of year with white-fronted geese good and snows fair in the Sacramento Valley. In Nevada and Utah, early ducks (widgeon, gadwall and teal) are good to excellent with mallards fair. Duck numbers remain above average for this time of year in Arizona, with hunter success fair to good in most areas.
CENTRAL FLYWAY
A favorable jet stream will push through Canada and the upper portions of the flyway this week with mixed snow and rain. While the storm system will not be the classic clipper system every duck hunter dreams of, it should provide an influx of new birds to the Dakotas, Colorado and Nebraska. Mallards are present throughout the flyway but most areas lack significant concentrations of birds. Both light and dark geese were on the move the past few days in noticeable but not significant numbers. In Oklahoma, Kansas and the Texas Panhandle, hunting remains fair with duck and goose activity low. The gulf coast continues to provide the most consistent hunting in the flyway with a mixed bag of mallards, gadwall, redhead and teal.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
Continued above average temperatures plague hunter success with duck activity low, despite populations being at or above the long-term average in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. Diver numbers remain unchanged and good over the past week with hunter success fair in most northern states. Duck numbers along the Missouri River corridor, the Illinois River and Ohio River Valley remain slightly below the long-term average with Mississippi River survey being slightly above. From Arkansas to Louisiana, gadwall, teal and wood ducks will provide most early season shooting with mallards low. White fronted goose numbers are good to excellent in Arkansas and Louisiana, with hunter success good to excellent.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY
Black Duck numbers increased slightly in the northern portion of the flyway over the past week with mallards still low. Light goose numbers remain mostly unchanged from the previous week from Bombay Hook north. Wood duck number increased from the Carolinas south as teal and early migrators continue to trickle down the flyway. Ring-necked duck numbers remain low in the northern portion of the flyway with bufflehead numbers increasing in the northern third of the flyway, along with other diver species. From Maine to Rhode Island, sea duck hunting is good to excellent with scoters, eiders and oldsquaw numbers average for this time of year.
Until our next report, Waterfowler.com would like to wish a very happy Thanksgiving to all of our members and friends. May your holiday harvest be bountiful.
