Hopes are running higher than expectations as we enter the last week of the 2002-2003 regular waterfowl season. As more cold air spills down the continent, late-season waterfowlers are still wondering if the birds will put in an appearance before the last bell sounds.
Hello, folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
The deepest condolences of all of us here at Waterfowler.com go out to the family of Adam Miller, Waterfowler.com VFE for the state of Pennsylvania, and the families of the other men who lost their lives this past week in pursuit of their passion for waterfowling.
And now, on to the Migration Report.
PACIFIC FLYWAY
The long-awaited push of birds into the northern portions of the flyway looks to have arrived just in time for the last week of the season. Recent reports from the western Washington area are of a rise in mallard numbers, with wigeon and teal also in good supply. Eastern portions of the upper flyway are still holding a fair number of mallards, though some areas report a departure of the heaviest concentrations over the past week.
The southern flyway should expect a continued increase in all waterfowl species as the week progresses. Both duck and goose numbers have been on a steady climb for the lower flyway over the past week, and all indications are of a continued influx of new birds as the season draws to a close.
CENTRAL FLYWAY
While hunters in the far northern portions wait out the spring return of light geese, hunters in the central states are seeing a strong push of dark geese still on their southward journey. Last week’s swift cold front sent the Canada geese packing, and states below the Dakotas have seen a significant increase in all species of Canada geese over the past few days.
Southern flyway states with a week remaining in their duck season report a small increase in overall bird numbers this week, though the influx was well below expectations considering the harsh cold.
Light geese are still in good supply for the southern flyway, and waterfowlers there can expect their number to increase as yet another arctic blast dives southward this week.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
All eyes were on the northern skyline this week as hunters in the southern states waited to see if the most recent freeze would drive ducks down below the Mason-Dixon, but by week’s end it seemed clear that the “Big Push” was not to be. Some areas did see small spikes in bird numbers, but as indicated by the most recent waterfowl surveys, overall duck numbers for the southern states are well below average. Less than 300,000 mallards were found in Arkansas’s most recent survey, the second lowest mallard count for the January survey since 1984.
All hope is not lost though. Even now, another arctic air mass is moving south and may arrive just in time to put new birds in the bayous and backwaters for the closing weekend.
Goose numbers are still high in portions of the northern tier, but with most geese holding in closed quota zones, frustrations are running higher than hopes.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY
New England area hunters continued to find good numbers of both Brant and Black ducks last week in the northern flyway. Dark goose numbers are also still high for the upper reaches of the Atlantic coast.
Mid-coastal states began to see small waves of new ducks after the most recent winter storm, but reports as far south as South Carolina still indicate waterfowl widely scattered and difficult to pattern.
The southern flyway continues to be a story of teal and other small ducks. Mallard numbers have climbed only slightly on the tail of recent fronts and indications for an end-of-season push of big ducks for the far end of the flyway are less than optimistic.
This week’s news of the passing of one of our own should serve as a strong reminder to us all. We, as waterfowlers, pit ourselves against the worst that nature can offer and safety must at all times be our number-one concern.
For the sake of us all, and generations of waterfowlers to come, please make safety your number-one priority when you venture forth to persue our beloved pastime.
