As duck hunting continues into the final week of the general waterfowl season, ducks are thick in the Deep South around the Gulf coast and scattered to the Mason Dixon Line in the Central, Mississippi and Atlantic Flyways. Without a doubt, the 2010-2001 Duck Season was a good as it could get for many states, with hunters reporting record harvests. While the drought conditions in many southern states did limit public hunting opportunity, those who found water or pumped private land this season were rewarded with a consistent harvest when the water was free of ice.
Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
Old Man Winter provided another dose snow and cold temperatures to the nation this past week – adding a bit of icing to that big duck hunting cake. Continued cold weather has kept the bulk of the migration at their southern most destinations, with ice, gunning pressure and the search for food and water keeping them moving.
With substantial snow pack in many areas of the north, the spring migration of mid-continental light geese should offer plenty of opportunity in the coming months. If you did not get your fill of ducks this season, now is the time to plan that spring, light goose adventure. The conditions that provided the best duck hunting in over a decade are likely to fuel the best spring snow geese season a traveling hunter could hope for. Light goose populations remain at record-breaking numbers and juvenile bird numbers are good to excellent in most areas. While the number of guide services offering light-goose hunting opportunity grows each season, the number of weekends in the season remains limited in peak hunting states, so be sure to book your trip now for choice dates.
Spring snow goose hunters should keep in mind that the spring migration can progress at an extremely unpredictable pace, as these birds are driven to return to the breeding grounds as quickly as possible and begin there nesting. Light geese will push north along the edge of the snowline and move northward at every opportunity melting snow provides. Hunters should be prepared to move north with the birds and have a guide service that is does the same. Mobility and flexibility are the keys to a successful light-goose hunting experience, so count on having a “Plan B, C and D.”
Waterfowler.com will activate our light-goose hunting report page in the coming week and encourage our readers to post their reports often. In addition to the report pages, the migration map remains open throughout the spring months to aid in tracking the light goose migration. We look forward to reading your reports as we partake in this special hunting opportunity provided by the Conservation Order.
PACIFIC FLYWAY:
Ducks numbers remain at peak form the Sacramento Valley of California to western New Mexico. Consistent weather patterns have provided excellent hunting conditions over the past 10-days and hunter success remains high in the lower third of the flyway.
CENTRAL FLYWAY:
Duck hunting remained near or at peak from Oklahoma to the Gulf Coast of Texas. Mallard numbers remain higher in the north Texas and Oklahoma with a mixed bag along the coast.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY:
Hunter success in Arkansas varies despite excellent duck numbers. Water remains king in the Duck Capital of the World. Duck numbers remain at or near peak in Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana – with record numbers along the Gulf Coast.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY:
Duck numbers remain at or near peak in North and South Carolina and hunter success remained good to excellent in most areas. Duck numbers were below average for this time of year in Georgia, Alabama and Florida, where drought conditions persist.
Until our next report, get those last hunts in before the Fat Lady sings.
