As we move into June the first murmurs of the shape and scope of the 2006-2007 waterfowl season are starting. Though no official word is out yet, several states have put forward their “wish list” of season dates for this fall. With these ideas circulating, the rumors and speculations have also begun to fly, but so far most of the buzz is of good conditions on the breeding grounds and early hatches of ducks and geese.
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The fight for conservation dollars continues on Capital Hill. Last week, despite a strong push by conservation organizations and concerned hunters across the U.S., funding for the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) will see a reduction this year. An amendment to the Farm Bill, put forward by Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn.) to bring WRP funding up to 250,000 acres was defeated, reducing new enrollment acres to 144,776, an overall decrease in funding from last year.
With more key legislation ahead, Waterfowler.com urges all our readers to stay tuned to the latest in conservation news through this site and your state and national conservation organizations. Write, email and call your representatives in support of conservation programs in the 2007 Farm Bill.
And now, on to the Breeding Ground Update.
Southern portions of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have had above average precipitation for the last three months, a promising sign for this year’s Canadian pond counts.
Conditions also appear favorable, at this time, for many areas of the breeding ground with more direct impact on the Pacific and Atlantic Flyways.
Reports are already coming in from the portions of Dakotas and Montana that received ample rainfall in March and April , providing prime nesting conditions early in the breeding season, of hatches from some puddle duck nests.
Still, there is a lot of time to pass between now and the first flights of the fall migration, but the picture, thus far, is looking bright.
As the ducks and geese continue their efforts at renewal, Waterfowler.com would like to encourage our readers to remember to donate to your local, state and national conservation groups. By putting your dollars behind their efforts, we can help to ensure a bright future for waterfowl and waterfowlers all across North America.
