As Canada goose numbers near peak levels in the northern portions of our nation, mallards continue to slip further south in the Central and Mississippi Flyways. In the west the migration continues to progress at an un-hurried, near normal pace, while hunters on the opposite coast are witnessing their first hard flights of northern birds.
Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
Hunters were treated to a spectacular trough in the jet stream over Thanksgiving weekend that ignited migration activity in the Central and Mississippi Flyways. The great Sandhill Crane migration was under way yesterday in the northern Mississippi Flyway, as thousands of cranes rode the thermals in circular fashion as they made their way south.
Along with the cranes, ducks and geese were riding these favorable winds south throughout most of the day. Field reports from Central and Midwestern portions of the nation indicated flight birds of all types on the move. As colder temperatures and the bulging jet stream continue eastward, expect similar activity in the Atlantic flyway in the days ahead as the snow falls along the Ohio Valley and the southeast.
Temperatures will continue to drop across the nation this week and ice will begin to lock up additional areas in the north. As a rule of thumb, three consecutive days below freezing often result in ducks pushing south to areas with open water. As we look at temperature predictions for the coming week, on all likelihood a number of states in the north loose more ducks as a result of icing.
As the number of duck days declines and seasons close in the north, hunters are changed their focus to larger quarry. As goose hunters take to the fields in the coming weeks most should be greeted by excellent numbers and opportunity.
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PACIFIC FLYWAY:
Diver hunting along the Columbia River remains slow as numbers are low for this time of year. Puddle duck numbers are good to excellent through out most of the northern portion of the flyway, with goose numbers also good to excellent all the way to the Klamath Basin. In the Sacramento Valley the harvest is catching up and hunter success is improving dramatically. Ducks numbers continue to improve from central California to the Great Salt Lake. Duck numbers remain average for this time of year in the southern portion of the flyway.
CENTRAL FLYWAY:
The bulk of the mallard population is scattered across the northern half of the flyway, with the heaviest concentrations in SD, NE and eastern Colorado at this time. Goose numbers are good to excellent in the northern third of the flyway. Hunter success in the southern portion of the Flyway has varied greatly due to drought conditions. While teal, gadwall, widgeon and pintail numbers are good to excellent form the Panhandle to the Gulf coast, the first split of the Texas season was met with mixed results.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY:
Duck hunting has ended in Minnesota where a number of ducks remain along with excellent numbers of Canada Geese throughout the northern Great Lakes Region. Mallard numbers are good to excellent localized areas of Iowa and Wisconsin, and scattered along the Missouri, Mississippi, Illinois, and Ohio River corridors. Gadwall, Teal, Pintail, Widgeon and teal filled the bag during the first split of the Arkansas season as mallards remain to the north.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY:
Goose numbers increased dramatically over the past week in the northern portion of the flyway along with the first flights of Mallards and Black Ducks. Bufflehead numbers are good to excellent from the Chesapeake Bay to North Carolina with other divers far behind. Teal, gadwall, pintail and wood ducks continue to comprise the primary bag limits in the lower two-thirds of the flyway as hunters await the push of big ducks.
