Waiting is a part of waterfowling, in season and out. With May half over and the Memorial Day weekend not too far away, North America’s duck and goose hunters are waiting patiently for the latest word, or any word, on this year’s waterfowl production. Though the surveys are not even completed, hunters are already eager to get some insight into the shape of the 2006-2007 waterfowl season. For now, wild speculation and rumors will have to do.
Hello folks, and as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
Though the May Pond Counts will be completed within the next few weeks, it may still be a month or more before the initial picture of the relative success or failure of this year’s breeding efforts of ducks and geese are known.
This year is also the time for individual states to evaluate and restructure their waterfowl hunting zones and season splits. All across the U.S., state and federal wildlife agencies will be holding public comment periods to listen to the concerns and ideas of waterfowlers. Be sure to check with your local Game and Fisheries departments for meeting times and locations. By attending these meetings and expressing your views, you can take direct action in the way your seasons are established.
And now, on to the Breeding Ground Report.
The pattern of steady rain that had established itself over the Plaines seems to have evaporated for now. As precipitation has become less frequent in the Dakotas, some areas are again drifting into the earliest stages of drought impact. Overall, however, conditions still look better than average for most of the breeding ground.
At this stage, the table is about as set as it is going to get for nesting ducks and geese in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States and Canada. What becomes crucial from this point forward, where weather is concerned, is the arrival of regular rainfall to sustain water levels, and with a little luck, create temporary wetlands for this year’s hatchlings as they grow through the long days of summer.
Although most waterfowl should have begun their nesting efforts at this time, some later nesting species such as gadwall, could also benefit from later rains. Stable water conditions will also help any renesting efforts.
So, while the planes fly and biologists plan, let’s all keep our fingers crossed that the rain falls as needed, just enough and not too much. Let’s hope this breeding season, and all that follow, will provide a bounty of waterfowl for countless generations to come.
