Reports are starting to come across the desk of some early goose broods in several parts of the US. All across the breeding grounds the spring renewal is building. With conditions on the breeding ground steadily improving the duck factory looks to be primed and ready for production.
Hello folks, and as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
Though the snow geese have not made it home just yet, the bulk of North America’s waterfowl are settling in to their summer homes across the upper tier of the flyways. In just a few short weeks the May Pond Count survey flights will begin, and the first glimpse of the waterfowl season to come will begin to take shape.
Even though it is the ‘off season’ the next few months provide some edge of your seat tension for the hardcore waterfowler. Ahead are crucial decisions in congress for funding of important conservation programs, the first sneak peaks at next year’s toys, tools and of course, the surveys that help our wildlife managers set seasons and bag limits for the next regular waterfowl season. In the life of the dedicated duck and goose hunter, there really is no ‘off season.’
Waterfowler.com is having an inventory clearance sale on all in stock items. While supplies last, you can save 30-50% on some of the best gear in the business. A list of items is posted in the Online Lodge Open Forum. All orders must be placed by phone. Purchases through our online store, huntersproshop.com are not included in this special sale. To place your order please review the post in the Online Lodge Open Forum and follow the instructions.
And now, on to the Migration Report.
The snow goose migration is all but done on the US side of the border, but then again we thought that last week? Suffice it to say that there are still a handful of light geese hanging around the Dakotas, but their numbers are becoming fewer by the hour.
North of the border the migration is now heaviest in the area between the Quill Lakes area and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. A warming trend over the next week should keep both the birds and the snow line moving north at a steady pace.
Reports from the area indicate a serious increase in hunting pressure compared to recent years. The heavy gunning does not; however, appear to have done serious damage to the overall success of hunters in the area. That being said, it is always best to be considerate of your fellow waterfowlers, and in most cases, getting away from the crowd can dramatically improve your hunting.
Instead of following the pack toward the “white wall,” hunters heading north over the next week, might be wise to consider skirting the edges of the most intense light goose concentration and hunting the less pressured flocks along the fringe of the migration. Often times, targeting these lesser concentration can mean more birds in the bag because of easier decoying.
Regular reports on the conditions of the US and Canadian breeding ground will begin next week. Be sure to stay tuned to Waterfowler.com for the very latest news from the world of waterfowl and wetlands.
