Record high temperatures across most of the nation during March resulted in a fast and furious spring migration for snow geese. Hunting in the northern reaches of the Central and Mississippi Flyways was difficult at best as birds quickly moved north. While the unseasonably warm temperatures have been tough on light goose hunters, the spring field trial season has begun in many states and both dog and trainer have been enjoying the pleasant weather.
Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
The mild winter that left many ducks and geese lingering in northern states during the general waterfowl season thawed quickly this past month. Spring seemed to have sprung right into summer temperatures and light geese, ducks, swans and cranes pushed their way north towards their nesting grounds.
Whether you attribute these milder-than-mild conditions to carbon emissions, the ending of the second ice age or random voodoo juju from old Mother Nature, the fact remains that as much as it feels nice to thaw your aging bones out early, it just feels wrong.
Here in the north, the trees are confused and budding early, all at once. Pollen counts exploded into the 1600 level as trees of every species decided to wake up all at once. Owners of trusty, duck munching Labrador retrievers in the north are unclogging vacuum cleaners from explosive undercoats and dare we say, prepping lawnmowers for the earliest grass cutting ever. Insects are buzzing, fish are spawning and Easter daffodils have already bloomed and dropped.
While the smug northerner nervously chides the unseasonable temperatures by stating, “Just wait until the April blizzard,” climate prediction forecasts say it is unlikely to happen. Long –term weather prediction models report that the drought in the southwest will continue in to the coming duck season and expand it’s range into portions of the Central Flyway. In short, the odd weather seems to be here to stay this year so plan accordingly.
Waterfowler.com encourages out members to stay in touch with the number one source for habitat and waterfowl survey data again this spring, FLYWAYS. US. Readers can follow along with the field and aerial survey teams as they traverse across the duck factory, collecting the data that will determine season lengths and bag limits for the 2012-2013 waterfowl season. In addition to publishing the final survey results, FLYWAYS.US real-time blog offer a ringside seat to the survey process as teams post their observations, reports and imagery from the nesting grounds. The annual waterfowl survey is the most complex wildlife survey in existence and the data is vital process of maintaining the annual waterfowl-hunting season. Be sure to add them to your web browser favorites list and visit them often during the coming months by clicking on the related link below.
Until out next report, we invite our Great Lakes Readers to attend the Rice Creek Gun Fair and Show, sponsored by Reed’s Family Outdoor Outfitters on April 21st and 22nd. The Gun Fair is celebrating it’s 20th year and will feature over 25 gun and ammunition factories gathered together for the purpose of allowing shooters the chance to shoot and compare all kinds of shotguns, pistols and rifles. For more information visit Reedsgunfair.com at the related link below.
Migration Update – April 16, 2012
As Fish and Wildlife crews prepare for the coming spring surveys, the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) Committee announced the release of plan’s new draft. The revised plan is being updated to address the ever-changing world of waterfowl management including population, climate and habitat trends. Waterfowler.com encourages our members to continue to participate during open comment periods and remain informed of the proposed changes and direction.
Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
While the off-season for duck and goose hunters is a time to relax and partake in other outdoor endeavors, waterfowl and waterfowl managers are hard at work putting together the pieces that bring us the hunting season each year. As ducks are getting busy on the nesting grounds with mating rituals, the nation’s biologists are planning, plotting and counting all the elements that insure the continuation of the waterfowl season.
Throughout the month of May, spring breeding survey data is collected and used to determine the length and bag limits for the coming waterfowl season. The annual data is also used to track long-term trends in waterfowl populations and that data is used to form new strategies in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP).
The introduction of the NAWMP in 1986 marked a new era in conservation management as it married the local interest and concerns of waterfowl hunters with the international community, to address the needs of waterfowl on a continental basis. When you consider the current state of political affairs and the difficulties congress has finding bipartisan agreement on any single issue, by political standards, it’s amazing that the NAWMP exists – yet it does, and does so very well.
As an evolving document, the NAWMP is designed to change with time and re-establish the fundamental goals of conservation and waterfowl production. While the adjustments rely heavily on long-term data, the changes also address stakeholder input. As a hunter, you are considered a stakeholder and the open comment periods that lead up to the publishing of the final plan allow the committee to gather facts and listen to ideas and vetting from the community.
The NAWMP revision website (link below), is chock full of helpful data, workshop schedules and reports. Waterfowler.com encourages our members to participate in the process by staying informed as the plan is finalized. Knowledge, as they say, is power. Visiting, reading and participating in the process let’s the waterfowl management community know that there is interest, eyes are watching and there is value to the openness and spirit of input the document was designed to revolve around.
Until our next report, visit the nawmprevision.org at the link below. Great Lakes readers, plan an outing to the Rice Creek Gun Fair & Sale in Little Falls, MN on April 21 or 22. The “try before you buy” gun fair, sponsored by Reed’s Outdoor Outfitters, features over 1,000 guns at this hands-on festival. For more information visit reedsgunfair.com at the link below.
