The season of extremes continued this week. From flooding on the West Coast to drought fueled fires in Oklahoma and Texas, the first part of 2006 has been a bit on the “wild and woolly side.” But the season continues and results are still on the positive side for many waterfowlers across the US.
Hello folks, and as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
The final stretch of the regular season is under way. Warmer weather across much of the US sent many ducks and geese back north over the New Year’s weekend, but hunting remains good for many areas of the southern flyways.
With seasons wrapping up in some mid tier states, hunters are hoping winter decides to return and keep the bulk of the migration from holding in recently thawed areas. Cooler weather is on the way, but the big question is, how long will it last?
Here’s hoping old man winter returns.
And now, onto the Migration Report.
PACIFIC FLYWAY
The coastal reaches of the flyway will get a break this week. After a series of back to back storms that brought flooding and high winds the relative calm is a welcome sight for waterfowlers from California to Washington.
High water will continue to be a major factor for areas that saw flooding in recent weeks. Though the rains may slack off, warm winds are now threatening to thaw snow cover in some mountain portions of California.
Despite the rising waters and high winds, duck hunting all along the coastal flyway has been consistently good. Hunters who have been able to access newly flooded areas report good success, but caution is advised when navigating in these temporary waterways.
Inland, areas east of the Cascade Mountains have continued to see a build up of bird numbers, from Washington through northern California. Though many areas of the northern flyway continue to be iced up, areas of open water in large lakes and rivers have been producing heavy game straps.
Southern portions of the flyway report a slow, but steady increase in waterfowl numbers, in part due to the heavy storms that have been impacting the western parts of the flyway.
CENTRAL FLWAY
Montana and Wyoming have both continued to see a strong number of waterfowl moving into and through that portion of the flyway. Wyoming, in particular appears to have picked up a significant number of ducks over the New Year’s weekend.
The middle flyway saw a boost in duck and goose numbers last week, but not from where you might expect. Reports from Colorado to Nebraska indicated a reverse migration as the weather warmed and fields, sloughs and lakes thawed. Look for waterfowl to concentrate on newly available water and food sources.
Wildfires burning across Oklahoma and Texas underscore the drought conditions prevalent through much of the southern flyway. Lack of water has concentrated the migration, but has also made bird concentrations extremely susceptible to gunning pressure.
Though there appears to have been some level of northward shift in bird numbers with the recent warm up, duck and goose numbers are still good in much of the southern flyway.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
Goose hunters from Iowa have seen a significant rise in waterfowl numbers as the thaw expanded into their state. While the duck season is closed, hunters are still reporting seeing a noticeable increase in duck number over the last week.
Waterfowl numbers also remain good from Central Illinois through Ohio. As the snow melted geese and ducks began easing back into central and northern portions of the lower Great Lakes states. Hunting has remained good-to-excellent along the Ohio River Valley.
Mid-tier states, from Missouri to Kentucky, report a slow down in waterfowl activity. The overall number of waterfowl has not dropped dramatically, with birds from points further south moving back into the area, but warmer weather has had the birds a bit on the lazy side.
In the southern flyway, historical wintering grounds in Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas area are in dire need of water. Photos from some of the most famous public grounds across the region show duck holes bone dry. Artificially flooded fields and sloughs have managed to continue to produce good hunts, but warmer weather slowed the hunting down in the last few days.
On the bright side, a short lived cold front will move into the lower flyway this weekend and should improve waterfowl activity.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY
Colder weather will move into the upper flyway over the next few days, dropping overnight lows below freezing as far south as Southern Virginia. The colder weather should help improve hunting for most of the flyway.
With heavy rainfall across many areas this past week, ducks and geese have been keying in on newly flooded areas and temporary waters in fields and pastures.
Sea duck hunting from New Jersey to North Carolina has been on an upswing over the past week. Brant numbers are looking very good in the upper reaches of this area and the overall migration of divers and sea ducks is getting better and better by the day for areas from the upper flyway to the Carolinas.
Florida is waiting for the next cold snap to reinforce their bird numbers. The overall migration into The Sunshine State has been very good this year, but birds have gotten a bit “stale” over the past week. As holiday hunting pressure eases and colder weather moves into the upper flyway hunting should improve for most of the lower flyway.
