The recent cold front has blue wing teal on the move in the Central and Mississippi Flyways, and resident Canada goose activity has increased substantially in the northern states with the drop in temperature.
Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
Activity on Waterfowler.com’s hunting reports is ramping up as we progress into the season and WFC readers head to the field. In addition to teal and resident goose reports, hunters are witnessing the results of an outstanding breeding season. In short, there are ducks-o-plenty this season, and hunters will have an opportunity to reap the harvest if the weather is cooperative.
A review of the U.S. Drought Monitor Map (link at right), paints a gloomy picture for hunters west of the Rocky Mountains and in the Southeastern United States. The intensity of the drought is severe to extreme in many of these areas, and many low lying wetlands are bone dry.
If you are planning an early season waterfowling adventure, the southern Great Lakes region, the Missouri River corridor and New England States have the best water at this time.
As we head into the season, WFC members and readers are reminded to begin posting their reports on the Migration Map as often as possible, as the data is extremely important to us all.
An now, on with our weekly flyway-by-flyway summary:
ATLANTIC FLYWAY:
Dove shooting continues in the northeastern with hunter success fair to good in most areas – as hunting pressure and cooler temperatures move birds further south. Resident Canada Goose hunting has been good to excellent in the New England States (where seasons are open). Maryland hunters have experienced an exception season this far, with local populations burgeoning in recent years. Teal numbers are on the rise in the north and New England hunters are reporting excellent numbers of wood ducks throughut the northern portion of the flyway.
From Virginia to Florida, early migratory birds are concentrated in areas with the best, and often only, water. Drought conditions in the Carolinas, northern Georgia and nearly all of Alabama are rated as extreme to exceptional. Without much needed rain, migratory birds will likely flyby drought stricken areas in search of more suitable habitat. With water levels in Florida ranging from abnormally dry to moderate, Florida hunters are poised for a good season, especially if it remains dry in the neighboring states to the north.
MISSISIPPI FLYWAY:
Resident goose hunting has been good to excellent from Minnesota to Ohio. Cooler temperatures have expanded hunter opportunity, as birds have become more active. Blue wing teal are on the move throughout the entire flyway, and hunters along the Mississippi River are reporting the best teal shooting they’ve had in a number of seasons – as water and food conditions are good to excellent in the river’s backwaters. Hunters having a difficult teal season are encourage to head to the river and take advantage of the optimal conditions and outstanding numbers of birds utilizing those areas.
Teal are concentrated from Nebraska to Southern Illinois, with numbers on the rise in Arkansas, Louisiana and western Mississippi.
Dove shooting continues throughout the flyway (in states that offer a season), as the cold front continues to pass, expect shooting opportunities to decrease north of the Mason Dixon line and increase to the south.
It should be noted that teal and goose hunters in the north are reporting outstanding numbers of wood ducks throughout the Great Lakes Region – a result of maturing forests, prime water conditions and successful nesting box programs.
CENTRAL FLYWAY:
With portions of North Dakota experiencing abnormally dry conditions, resident goose hunting is best in the central and south central portions of the state, east of Bismarck. While goose numbers are still good to excellent, in the north, birds are concentrated on larger roost in areas holding water. From South Dakota down to the Texas Panhandle, water conditions are good to excellent and resident goose hunting good to excellent in areas with an open season.
Teal numbers are good to excellent in Oklahoma, Nebraska and Kansas, with numbers in Texas on the rise. Water conditions in Texas are normal throughout most of the state, with the exception of the very northern portion of the Panhandle, where conditions are abnormally dry, again.
PACIFIC FLYWAY:
Dove hunting is underway throughout most of the flyway with California hunters reporting an excellent season thus far. Teal numbers are good to excellent north of the Klamath Basin, and fair further south. Reports from the Upper Butte Basin are good to excellent for waterfowl for this time of year.
Resident goose activity is on the rise in Washington and Oregon, as hunters await the rains that will prepare them for the coming season.
Until next week, introduce a friend to the great outdoors and invite them hunting.
