Hunting is underway in many northern states this week and the promises of a good breeding season have come to fruition. Despite Indian summer arriving with the opening week of waterfowl season for many hunters, harvest and population reports were excellent across the north.
Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
An unfortunate outbreak of Avian Flu at a poultry farm in Saskatchewan triggered an emergency ban on the import of waterfowl from Canada into the United States. While testing did confirm that poultry at the farm had avian influenza virus H7N3, and not the deadly H5N1 strain, hunters returning from hunting in Canada were required to dispose of their waterfowl at the border.
Despite the quick reaction of government agencies dealing with the crisis, the temporary ban required hunters returning to North Dakota, Minnesota and Montana to dispose of over 4000 waterfowl at the border before the ban was lifted.
“The timing of the event couldn’t have been worse for waterfowl hunters,” said Darin Sakas, president of Waterfowler.com. “Avian Flu is a very serious matter for the Agricultural, Medical, and Waterfowl Hunting communities. The destruction of over 4000 waterfowl was very, very unfortunate. While I do believe that government agencies acted quickly to the situation, I would hope the event leads to a clarification of policy to prevent this sort of thing from happening again in the future. The current policy specifically addresses live and unprocessed avian products. If there is a simple solution, it rests with the proper definition and policy for determining what a safe, processed bird is. I am confident hunters would prefer to take an extra step to meet the requirements and cost of safe processing than to witness this kind of wanton waste again.”
Hunters traveling to Canada over the next few weeks are cautioned to monitor all regulation and emergency policy changes with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at http://www.aphis.usda.gov
An now, on with the flyway-by-flyway Migration Update:
ATLANTIC FLYWAY:
In the New England States to eastern Pennsylvania, blue wing teal are fair to good in areas where water is good, with pintail and widgeon low. The first flights of green wing teal have begun to arrive but overall numbers are low. Woodduck numbers are good to fair throughout the northern portion of the flyway and numbers are declining as birds have begun the migration south.
With a substantial cold front passing across the US this week, hunters in the northeast can expect some of the first early flights of big ducks this season.
Despite some rainfall, water conditions from Virginia through the Carolinas and Georgia remain extremely low. In the southeast, woodduck and blue wing teal numbers continue to climb each day in areas holding water. While precipitation is expected with the coming cold front, a substantial amount of rain would have to fall to improve water conditions across the southern portion of the flyway. Hunters in the southeast are encouraged to spend time scouting, as access to limited water will define the difference between a productive and unproductive season.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY:
The first substantial numbers of migratory Canada Geese have begun to arrive throughout the northern portion of the Flyway. Goose hunting has been good to excellent across much of Minnesota and the approaching cold front is expected to bring new flights of birds to the land of ten thousand lakes. In Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, local mallard, teal and woodduck numbers are good to excellent, with pintail numbers increasing each day.
In Iowa, pintail and blue wing teal numbers are excellent across the state and along the Mississippi River, with mallards good, and gadwall and spoonbill low.
In Illinois, young hunters are preparing for the coming youth season opener, with general seasons to follow in the coming weeks. With cooler temperatures on the way, young hunters should expect an excellent start to the waterfowl season, with mallards, woodducks, teal and pintail numbers good to excellent in northern and central Illinois.
Early teal seasons ended in the south with overall harvests good to excellent in the southern portion of the flyway. With rainfall expected throughout the lower portion of the flyway this week, hunters should expect habitat conditions to improve as the countdown to the general waterfowl season continues.
CENTRAL FLYWAY:
In the Dakotas, hunters continue to pursue birds raised locally on the prairie. Mallards, gadwall and teal continue to comprise the primary bag limit. Giant Canada goose hunting is fair and lesser Canada Geese and snows have yet to arrive in any substantial numbers. Birds are dispersed and scouting is an absolute must for consistent success.
Hunting in Colorado is off to an excellent start, with widgeon, teal and mallard numbers good to excellent. In Nebraska, woodducks and teal comprised most of the bag, with all other species good to fair. Water conditions are good across most of the state with gadwall and widgeon numbers on the rise.
Early teal ended with a bang for most states in the southern portion of the flyway, with harvest good to excellent for those participating in the early season. With hunting curtailed until the general waterfowl season begins, hunters are encouraged to expand their opportunity by scouting and seeking additional access for prime hunting spots.
PACIFIC FLYWAY:
Hunting is underway in Oregon and opening day reports were good to excellent with mallard numbers good, and Canada and White-fronted goose numbers good to excellent. Water conditions are good to excellent in many areas and overall waterfowl numbers are climbing each day as the current cold front passes.
Waterfowl numbers in the Columbia basin are excellent for this time of year. Despite previous weeks of warmer temperatures, the recent cold front has spawned an influx of migratory birds in the northern portion of the flyway.
In California, mallards, sprig and gadwall numbers are good to excellent in the Sacramento Valley, with Specklebelly (white-fronted) goose numbers good and rising.
To the south, teal numbers continue to grow each day in southern California, with pintail and all others fair.
In New Mexico, north zone hunter success was good to excellent opening weekend with teal numbers good to excellent, and mallard, widgeon, pintail and gadwall good. As temperatures dip 30-degrees below the previous weeks highs, hunter success is expected to improve over the coming week, along with the influx of new birds that are expected.
Until next week, take a kid hunting.
