Fall is here and another round of opening days kicks off this weekend across the northern tiers of the four flyways. With a cold front rolling across the plains and temps falling, it should be a great weekend for waterfowling.
Hello folks, and as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
September is almost a memory and October is arriving with promises of an early migration. To help you get ready for the season ahead, Waterfowler.com has extended our Gear Up sale at our online store, HuntersProshop.com. Through October 10th take 15% OFF an entire order. Some restrictions apply.* This is a limited time offer. To receive the discount, enter the following coupon code at check out. (Coupon code : gearup15)
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And now, on to the Migration Report.
CANADA
The migration of ducks and geese appears to be right on schedule across all of the Canadian Provinces. With temperatures running within normal ranges for the near-term forecast, no major push of birds is expected, but the steady march of the migration will no doubt continue.
The first reports of light geese moving into middle portions of the central Canadian Provinces have begun to come in. Though numbers are not yet high, the concentration of snows and blues is on the rise and building quickly.
There were a few reports of shifts in duck numbers as the most recent cold front moved through, but ducks that bugged out for more southern locations have been quickly replaced by migrants moving in from the north, providing a good supply of “fresh” birds.
PACIFIC FLYWAY
Average temperatures along the upper west coast will keep waterfowl in place over the next few days. With warm weather forecast for the eastern portions of the Columbia Basin, there isn’t likely to be any major shift of birds along the flyway.
Until some more fall-like weather moves down out of British Columbia and points north bringing wind and cold, the gunning along the Pacific Flyway will be primarily centered on local birds.
CENTRAL FLYWAY
A cold front driving across the plains has temps falling, and bird activity should pick up as long as the cooler weather holds on. With frost warnings in place as far south as portions of Nebraska, a push of less weather-hardy birds like teal and maybe even gadwall can be expected from the Canadian border southward.
Warmer weather will return to the flyway within the week, but all indications are of another cooldown on the way shortly. If you listen to folk wisdom and pay heed to the signs of nature, it looks this will be a cold fall and an early winter.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
Geese began pouring down the flyway this week. Reports from across the northern tier have been coming in every day of good concentrations of both greater and lesser Canada geese on the move and finally starting to settle into some fall feeding patterns.
The cold front racing across the flyway today and tonight should improve waterfowl activity across the area, and may even have a few new birds heading slightly south as it passes. Though temps will rebound to the normal range as the weekend nears, it should still be cool enough across the upper flyway to make for a nice opener.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY
The same cold front that drives across the upper Mississippi Flyway midweek should reach the Atlantic Flyway just in time for the weekend. This cooler weather should make for a prime early season outing for those waterfowlers hitting the waters of the upper flyway. Although the front is not strong enough to drive many new migrants down the flyway, it should increase activity of local birds and improve flights and feeding patterns of both ducks and geese as the weather cools.
As fall takes hold and the first flights of the migration appear on the northern horizons, waterfowlers in many parts of the country are hitting the field with hearts full of hope for the promise of the new season. As the days grow shorter and the nights take on the crispness of fall the hunter’s heart is again at peace.
