Migration activity has picked up over the past forty-eight hours. Towards the end of the week, the jet-stream is expected to pass down through Canada and curl across border states in the northern portions of Central and Mississippi Flyways – bringing the next wave of early migrating waterfowl for the season.
Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
Waterfowl hunting has opened at a fevered pace in Canada and reports from Saskatchewan are off the charts at this time. Traveling waterfowl hunters and guides alike have been impressed with the populations, conditions and harvest results (which are expected to continue until the harshest arctic winds drive the birds south).
When you consider the breeding that occurred in the U.S. Prairie Pothole Region, if waterfowl activity is excellent in Canada, gunning in the Dakota’s this season could be the best it has ever been.
Blue-winged Teal continued to move south at a better pace the past few days, along with cormorants and other early migratory birds. Rail, snipe and a few early pushes of woodcock have been reported along with a steady stream of mourning doves that continue their journey to southerly destinations.
While waterfowl hunters often focus on bird sightings to mark the progression of migration, the teal migration often coincides with the migratory patterns and timing of the Monarch Butterfly. As these familiar creatures make their way south to the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico and California, they are riding the same air currents and thermals as migrating birds. In short, if your sightings of Monarchs have increased, in all likelihood migratory birds are moving at the same time.
While the fall season provides a host of visual entertainment for the avid outdoorsman, the current advisory from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) for teal hunters is a grim reminder that the Gulf Oil Disaster isn’t over yet.
As thousands of hunters headed to the field for the September 11, 2010 teal opener in Louisiana, they witnessed the activities of clean up crews and the monumental effects of a disaster that is still unfolding.
While the LDWF has stated that it’s unlikely hunters will harvest an oiled bird, it must be kept as part of the daily bag limit, but LDWF is advising hunters NOT to eat visibly oiled ducks. Hunters are asked to report any oiled bird harvested, and any other oiled birds observed in the field, to the Oiled Wildlife Hotline at (866) 557-1401 and also to the nearest LDWF Field Office. If possible, wrap the oiled bird in aluminum foil or paper, and deliver it to the nearest LDWF Field Office or active bag check station so the bird can be analyzed and become part of the oil-spill damage assessment.
Hunters are also encouraged to report oil impacted marsh habitat to the Environmental Hotline at (866) 448-5816.
As part of the wildlife recovery and rehabilitation process, a few game birds that were recovered have been cleaned and released back into the wild. These birds have been tagged with a standard silver federal band and a red auxiliary band that says “Oil Spill Bird.” Hunters should not eat these birds, but should call the phone numbers on the band to report them.
While collecting bird bands has long been a celebratory event for duck and goose hunters, recovering an “oil spill” band is an event we could all live without.
Until our next report, we count down the days to the general waterfowl season in your area.
