The first wave of this year’s migration is hitting the upper flyways just as several states get their season underway. As fall colors hit their peak, ducks are on the move and waterfowlers everywhere are eager to greet their returning feathered friends.
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And now, on to the Migration Report.
CANADA
Delays in crop harvests continue to dog hunters in many parts of Canada. Warmer, drier weather over the next few days should go a long way toward speeding up the removal of crops, but isn’t likely to do much in the way of moving birds.
Reports out of some areas of Saskatchewan are of hordes of ducks and geese devastating standing crops. As stated last week, until these crops are out and some serious cold and/or snow moves into Canada, the migration is expected to be slow at best.
With both ducks and geese heavily concentrated on the few harvested fields, hunting pressure is playing a major role in success or failure for waterfowlers in most of Canada. Hunters who have been able to resist the allure of the larger concentrations of birds and target the smaller, scattered flocks have had better luck decoying birds. Sure, the temptation to be where scads of geese and ducks are stacking into a field is large, but that is part of the problem. If you can’t resist being there, bet on other hunters thinking the same.
Take time to scout lesser flocks and smaller fields holding respectable numbers—chances are good these smaller flocks have had less pressure and will be more ready to decoy.
PACIFIC FLYWAY
Ducks are moving into the upper flyway in good numbers. From Coastal WA inland to the MT border reports are coming in of northern mallards arriving over the last week. Above average temperatures will give way to a cooling trend as the weekend nears and should help increase activity of ducks and geese that have moved into the area.
Central and southern portions of the flyway benefited from the recent cooler weather to the north. Teal, pintail and wigeon are reported from southern Oregon and down into Nevada and Arizona.
CENTRAL FLYWAY
Montana is starting to report an increase in new ducks and geese, though the effect of the harvest delay is being felt all across the upper Central Flyway. Last week’s cold snap moved a lot of teal and gadwall out of North Dakota, but huntable numbers of big ducks are still hanging around.
As you might expect, South Dakota and central areas of the flyway saw a sharp rise in teal and smaller puddle ducks as the birds bugged out of ND ahead of or just behind the recent cold snap. Mid-flyway states also began seeing some early mallards move down out of the Dakotas earlier this week.
Teal are in good supply in portions of Colorado, but the goose numbers for that state have yet to bulk up. From Colorado down into Texas, a minor push of new ducks moved in last week, but the heaviest concentrations of ducks and geese remain well north of the lower central and southern areas of the flyway.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
A strong blast of early fall cold moved birds down into the upper reaches of the Mississippi Flyway this past week. As far north as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, reports are coming in of heavy concentrations of geese on the move. Further west, mallard numbers appear to be on the rise in Minnesota.
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and other Great Lakes states are seeing a slight rise in duck numbers and a much more satisfying rise in Canada goose concentrations. Reports coming in from north of the Lakes show duck numbers still very high as of midweek, so the big factor now is the arrival of timely cold fronts. Will the push happen all at once or in smaller drives? Only time will tell, but early fall looks to be setting up as a cold one.
Central and southern portions of the flyway are in a holding pattern. With the harvest delays in Canada and no real weather driving south, duck numbers from Southern IL down to the coast are thin at best.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY
The upper Atlantic Flyway is seeing just what record breeding in the Maritime has to offer. Heavy concentrations of puddle ducks are reported in most parts of the upper flyway, and sea ducks and divers are showing up along the coast as the season kicks off.
Mid-Atlantic states are still holding good numbers of teal and wood ducks but the only mallards to be found are local birds. The weather forecast is for average to slightly above average temperatures for the week ahead, so any movement of new ducks down the coast will be a matter of pressure from the northern hunters rather than weather.
Southern flyway states will be on hold for a while as weather to the north stays warm. Scattered pockets of local geese and wood ducks are around to be seen, but while the lower flyway waits for the opener, few new birds are expected to move this week.
As the first week of October slides by, it looks as though fall is right on track, and in many areas of the country the birds are making a move south. First frost and changing leaves all speak of colder days ahead and the sights and sounds of the annual migration of North America’s waterfowl. Even in states where the season has yet to open, the hearts of hunters are warming to the thought of new birds moving south on the cold north winds. It is once again upon us—this, our favorite time of year.
