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With the holiday shopping season upon us and duck and goose seasons in full-swing, Waterfowler.com is pleased to announce the GRAND OPENING of the PROSHOP to both our guests and Members.

Hello, folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowle.com.

Begin your savings today and support this incredible resource by shopping in the PROSHOP@waterfowler.com.

Keep in mind that Supporting and Web Members of Waterfowler.com will continue to receive exclusive discounts on the expanded product line in our store to help offset their annual membership fee.

To kick off the PROSHOP Grand Opening to the public, anyone (member or guest) who spends $100 dollars or more in the PROSHOP will receive a FREE*, Foul Weather DRY BAG from Mad Dog Gear – valued at $29.99.

Offer expires December 15th 2002. Offer void where prohibited by law. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer. $100 minimum order excludes tax and shipping to qualify.

Again, support the continuation of this great resource by becoming a member or shopping online today! To enter the PROSHOP, click on the SHOP OUR STORE link above or, <a href=”<%proshop_link:%>”>click here</a>.

And now, on with our weekly migration update:

PACIFIC FLYWAY

The heavy fog forecast for this past week in the Northern flyway did not materialize. Hunters in both the coastal and inland potions of the upper flyway are still reporting a slow trickle of birds moving down, but no major push thus far.

In the lower flyway, hunters report a big slow down in activity. Teal and other early movers are still the top birds in the lower states, but hunters on the eastern side of the flyway should see an influx of birds over the next week as a series of strong cold fronts spread through the heartland.

CENTRAL FLYWAY

Geese are now the mainstay of waterfowling in the upper region of the Central flyway. Reports from across the upper region are of large concentrations of greater and lesser geese filling the mostly snow-free grain fields and remaining open waters. Duck numbers are falling off as more areas lock up tight with ice.

The middle section of the flyway seems to be holding the highest concentration of puddle ducks, though reports from as far south as coastal Texas are of better numbers than last year.

Snow geese continue to nearly overrun the Katy Prairie of Texas, but as is always the case, the longer they are in the area the harder they are to hunt. With a strong arctic blast shoving down through the flyway this week, hunters from the midpoint south can expect to see bird numbers increase.

MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY

Despite several earlier cold snaps that might have meant an early end to the season for the northern tier, it looks like hunters as far north as Minnesota may go out with a bang. Surprising as it may be, reports from northern MN tell of large concentrations of mallards. Open water and fields will be the key to late or last-minute success as these birds look to stock up before being forced south by the harsh cold fronts lined up to descend the Mississippi River Valley.

The big question for mid-latitude states in the flyway is: Will this last push stop over and redeem what has been a spotty season for many around northern IL? Though some hunters in that area have had success, thus far this season the general feeling is that most of the flight has passed them by.

The lower portion of the flyway is seeing the best early season in recent memory. Both AR and MS report larger than usual numbers of mallards for their opener this past weekend. Although reports are still spotty, it is already clear that this season has great potential for healing the hurt of last year’s duckless days. With ice and snow forecast as far south as North MS and Central AR for the holiday week, hunters should see a strong push of birds from Central MO southward as the weekend nears.

ATLANTIC FLYWAY

The recent cold front moved a fair number of birds into the Northern reaches of the flyway. Goose numbers are on a steady climb and both puddle and diving ducks are starting to make a big push into the area.

The central portions of the flyway saw a shift of birds last week as cooler weather drove many of the birds they had been holding south, while a trickle of “big ducks” began to move into the area. A steady, slow build should continue as the next wave of fronts moves over and down out of Canada and the far northern end of the flyway.

The lower portion of the Atlantic flyway tells a story of teal and local birds at this point, but as cold weather invades their neighbors to the north, a fresh batch of birds should begin to appear.

The Thanksgiving Holiday should be primetime for waterfowlers in most of the United States. With cold weather forcing birds to feed up and move out, hunters should be able to count on better shooting as the weekend draws near. As we gather with friends and family over the next week, let us remember to give thanks for the opportunity to enjoy this great tradition of waterfowling, and perhaps take the time to share our passions with young and new hunters so that our heritage will live on for generations to come.

Mid Season Slump

With the last of the states opening their regular waterfowl season this coming weekend, and the northern tier in the homestretch, waterfowling in North America is entering the mid-season stretch.

Hello, folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.

After an early fall of timely cold fronts and below normal temperatures, the middle portion of waterfowl season got underway this past week with varied success and more seasonable weather. Southern states kicking off their regular season had mixed results and the northern portions of most of the flyways are still wondering if another push might be in the offing.

And now, on to the Migration Report.

PACIFIC FLYWAY

High winds moved in to the Pacific Northwest last weekend but the front that brought them seems to have left the birds behind. Waterfowlers along the Northern end of the flyway reported little in the way of new birds in the area and locals becoming more and more difficult to work.

Further south, the migration has yet to reach waterfowlers in California and New Mexico. Though some areas are still holding their early arrivals, most reports from the lower end of the flyway are of higher hopes than actual waterfowl numbers.

The next week looks to hold little in the way of major movement as temperatures remain in the normal range and skies clear. As any waterfowler knows, all that can change, and quickly.

CENTRAL FLYWAY

Geese are the best bet for hunters in the far northern portion of the Central Flyway. Moderate temperatures have left some of the smaller bodies of water open and hunters keying in on secluded fields near open water are having the best results.

Duck hunting in the mid-latitude states looks promising this week. A strong front moving in from the west will drop the high temps to near the freezing mark for much of South Dakota, and as the front pushes south and west, so should the birds.

The lower reaches of the flyway should also benefit from the freeze-up. The Katy Prairie of Texas continues to be a hot spot for light geese, and puddle duck numbers are better by the day. The eastern and southern regions of the flyway report mixed success but better then average overall bird numbers for most species of divers and puddle ducks.

MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY

Waterfowl in the flyway appear to be split into two main concentrations. At the top end of the Mississippi Flyway hunters from Minnesota report birds hitting grain fields hard, moving to any open water late in the morning if at all.

The second concentration of birds looks to be holding just around the Mason-Dixon, though hunters from Missouri tell of birds becoming hard to work. Low water levels for that state have concentrated birds and hunters, making pressure constant and the waterfowl wise.

Further south, Arkansas can expect an improvement from last year for the opener this weekend. The birds that were brought down by recent cold fronts have stayed around, feasting on the abundant rice and acorns of the state. In Louisiana, the East Zone opener last weekend came with mixed results. Light goose numbers continue to be high in the state but duck numbers are widely varied in both East and West Zones. The cold front that pushed south last weekend did not bring in the big push that hunters taking to the field Sunday expected. There were even reports of flight ducks moving back north just ahead of the falling mercury.

ATLANTIC FLYWAY

A low pressure system moving east into the upper reaches of the Atlantic flyway could bring snow and ice as far south as West Virginia by the weekend, and hunters heading out after the building flight of divers and sea ducks in the northern flyway should keep a close eye on the weather before hitting big water.

Puddle ducks are making their move down the coast but the recent tug of war between warm and cold weather has birds scattered and hard to pattern. States just getting their season underway should be able to count on their local birds to hang around for the kickoff, with a small influx of new ducks moving down the eastern seaboard on the heel of this latest storm system.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner and Christmas drawing near, waterfowlers should be checking their wish lists and making plans for getting out as much as possible in the holiday season. On our list for Santa this year, let’s all remember to ask the jolly old soul for some snow for the prairies and a safe and happy season for us all.

October brought ice and November came in with mosquitoes, and the weather is once again shuffling the deck on the 2002-2003 waterfowl season.

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Just when the Northern tier was ready to call it a season Mother Nature changed her mind and brought back warm weather and open water, but her mood seems fickle as another series of cold fronts begins to slide down out of Canada. So don’t pack up your gear just yet, a window of opportunity may still be open before the water locks up again. Continue reading

As ducks and geese poured down from Canada last week, Waterfowler.com’s servers reached peak capacity as thousands upon thousands of waterfowlers flocked to our site for the latest migration news, mapping and field information.

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In the simplest of terms, our readership is growing at an astronomical rate. Waterfowler.com transferred a record amount of data during the month of October to over 300,000 visitors. To meet the needs of our readership, we have added additional, faster equipment and moved to yet another ISP that has a data funnel large enough to handle our volume. Continue reading

An Arctic air mass pilling down from the north will have most pumpkins well-frosted this Halloween, if not covered in snow, and ghost costumes may be at a premium as waterfowlers don the old linens to lay in wait on snow-covered fields.

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While the migration peak has yet to pop in many areas, peak activity on Waterfowler.com’s servers has reached an all-time, mind-boggling high – leaving web services slow throughout the afternoon yesterday. Continue reading

The ice has begun to form and snow is starting to pile up in much of the north; the race is on for waterfowlers in the northern tier. Conditions are right for a strong push of birds out of Canada and reports already indicate its beginnings in many areas. The question now is – will the early winter cause a lockout or a pile-up as the Migration of 2002 – 2003 gets into high gear?

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Winter looks to be coming early for the upper Midwest and North East while the West coast will have to be content with near normal weather patterns for the time being. After the early season forecast for El Nino conditions, it looks as though nature has again shuffled the deck for the 2002–2003 waterfowl season. Continue reading

With most of the country expecting below-normal temperatures for the next ten days, waterfowlers north and south are thankful for the common inaccuracies in the art of weather forecasting.

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As the 2002-2003 waterfowl season marches south it looks as though the weather may cooperate, from a hunter\’s point of view. A series of cold waves riding down out of Canada have begun to make this year\’s migration a reality. The \”Big Push\” has yet to hit, but as reports from last week show, the weather is getting the birds up and about and at last putting the mosquitoes to bed for the year. Continue reading

October at last! As more states across the northern US open their regular waterfowl seasons for 2002-2003, Waterfowler.com unveils the latest in migration tracking.

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The new Waterfowler.com National Waterfowl Migration Mapping System is up and running. Utilizing input from hunters from every state the new system provides real time migration intensity information never before available. Continue reading