Dads, favorite uncles and mentors where smiling ear to ear over the weekend and the next generation of waterfowlers may have gotten the best weekend of the season to themselves.
Hello, folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
The groundhog has spoken and as far as he is concerned winter will be around for a while. Snow has continued to fall across much of the breeding grounds and with a little luck the snow pack on the duck factory will continue to build to optimal levels.
Duck decoys and calls are being stowed away and the white suits, rag spreads and plugs are coming out. Winter is holding the return migration off for now but it won’t be long before the white wave starts heading north.
Members are reminded to check their profiles and renew or update their WFC membership in order to stay up to date and on the X for the Light Goose Conservation Season.
And now, on to the Migration Report.
In case you haven’t noticed, it’s still winter. Harsh cold is continuing to dominate weather patterns for most of the US east of the Rockies. Top that off with that furry little weather mans forecast of a long winter and you may get the picture…the Snows are still holding along the southern end of their migration pattern.
LA, TX, MS and AR report high numbers of birds still down south but with each mild warming trend the birds have shown sighs of gearing up for departure.
Reports from the midsection of the Central Flyway are of scattered pockets of snows fighting against the freeze line. Any major push of geese moving north will no doubt be on hold until a warming trend returns.
The waiting game is on. The time is here to sort gear and start making plans to intercept returning snows, while dreaming of next years opening day.
February 10, 2004 – Migration Update
The return migration is underway. Snowfall continued across much of the breeding ground this week, easing drought worries and holding the light goose return migration at bay for the moment.
Hello, folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
We have a winner in the latest Waterfower.com Waterfowling Adventure Sweepstakes.
The winner of the trip is…. (drum roll please)….
Brent Schaap, Souix Falls, SD — aka; hpracing
We caught up with Brent on his cell phone while he was traveling
through the Tetons on a business trip and he nearly drove off a cliff when we told him he had won. Once he regained control of his vehicle and his heart rate, he was beside himself with joy and assured us he would be honored to make the journey to South Africa this summer for his waterfowling adventure of a lifetime!
Waterfowler.com would like to thank the folks at Frontiers
International for making this trip possible and encourage our members who are planning to visit international hunting or fishing destinations to consider their services. Over the years, Frontiers has sponsored adventures to Argentina, Bolivia, New Zealand and now, South Africa. The lucky members who have attended these trips have had nothing but accolades for their services, accommodations and overall sporting experience. Again, we thank them for being a fine sponsor and encourage you to support them.
The post season routine is well underway for most waterfowlers. Long lists of projects put off during the season are being whittled down and all that gear is migrating back to its home, piece by piece. But the dreams of next season have already begun and plans for improving next year’s season are never far from thought. To keep up to date on the latest news, ideas and tools of the trade, be sure to update and renew your Waterfowler.com Membership. As the news from the breeding ground rolls in and the new line of hunting products begin to make their appearance WFC will keep you in the know.
And now, on to the Migration Report.
The return migration of Light Geese has begun. Reports out of LA, TX and AR indicate that the snows are on the move. In the southern states, huntable numbers of birds can still be found but overall the concentrations are dwindling.
With a warming trend forecast for much of the lower end of the flyways, light geese should begin staging in mid-tier states this week. The snow line is still holding fast halfway down the Central and Mississippi Flyways and should keep the birds from making a fast exit back to the breeding grounds. Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa should all see improved light goose numbers as the weather warms. The warming trend will have the geese pushing the snowline as the weekend rolls around and hunters should be prepared to shift locations as the geese take advantage of the mild weather and make for the tundra. A link to current Snow Cover Maps has been added to the WFC home page.
Whether or not you plan to hunt the Conservation Season, be sure to report migration activity in your area in the WFC Migration Mapping System. By doing so, you help out your fellow Waterfowlers as they do their part to save the tundra.
