With early resident Canada goose seasons already closed in the north, the first migrant geese have already begun to arrive. Early teal seasons are underway, and much needed rain is falling in the Central and Mississippi Flyways. This coming weekend marks the start of Youth hunting days in many states and Opening Day is about to commence for North Dakota waterfowl hunters.
Hello folks, and as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
Guns are blazing in Saskatchewan and Manitoba and waterfowl hunters in Canada are reporting incredible success and number of birds. Throughout the Mississippi Flyway, teal numbers are above the long-term average for this time of year and hunter success is high. It’s truly shaping up to be a banner year for waterfowl hunting.
Hunters are reported mixed success on resident geese. Unpredictable flight patterns, warm temperatures and random feeding patterns continue to prove that hunting highly educated, resident Canada geese is not without its challenges.
Speaking of challenges, WFC members are invited to submit their favorite hunting tips and tactics on video for inclusion on WFC’s all new, Waterfowler.com Journal Video Magazine. Video footage can be submitted on High-8, Mini-DV tapes. Or, on CD in mpeg, windows media or Quicktime movie formats. The video snippets will be included in the DVD Extras in each issue of Waterfowler.com Journal Video Magazine.
WFC readers are reminded that in additional to the two DVD magazine you receive with you WFC membership, you can also receive a FREE copy of “Stranglehold” from Knock ‘m Down Productions when you join or renew online.
And now, our Flyway-by-Flyway rundown:
ATLANTIC FLYWAY:
Teal numbers are building from Massachusetts through eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware. Resident geese are abundant and feeding patterns are becoming more predictable as the harvest begins in many areas and migrant geese begin to arrive.
Goose hunters in New York are reporting thickening flights of wood ducks and black ducks heading to roost each evening – with numbers growing each day.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY:
Resident seasons are closed in the northern portion of the flyway and hunters in Illinois have turned their sites on teal. Survey indicate teal numbers still above the long-term average and with above average harvests clear down to Louisiana. Youth hunting begins this weekend in various northern states and the Wisconsin general Waterfowl Season opens in less than fourteen days. Cold, wet weather has moved into the northern portion of the flyway, with early pintail, gadwall and widgeon arrivals.
CENTRAL FLYWAY
Much needed rain has falling on the prairie. While large potholes are still holding water, much of the smaller, secretive honey holes in North Dakota remain dry. The limited water is likely to make for crowding and extra scouting time for many duck hunters in the upper central flyway as the great gadwall shoot begins. Migrant geese are arriving in the Dakotas and the approaching cold front and weekend of gunning in North Dakota will likely send the first waves of birds south. Teal are just beginning to arrive in Kansas, along with a few scattered pintail.
PACIFIC FLYWAY
Summer weather made early goose seasons problematic at best for Washington hunters. With youth waterfowl days approaching, hunters are hoping for cooler temperatures to move local birds for young gunners. Widgeon have begun to arrive in southeast Oregon along with the first white-fronted geese. Hunters in Arizona are reporting fair numbers of teal. Water levels are low in many areas, concentrating birds and hunting pressure – with here today, and gone tomorrow activity. In Nevada, teal numbers are good to excellent. Find the water and you’ll birds.
Until next week,
Take a kid hunting, and plan to participate in a youth waterfowl hunt.
