With over 450,000 teal already in Louisiana, and a number of Youth Waterfowl Hunts already complete in some northern states, waterfowl hunting is well underway in the United States and Canada.
Hello folks, and as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
While hurricane Ike brought an abundance of water to areas of the Gulf Coast and Mississippi Valley, the southwest, southeast and north central United States continue to experience varying levels of drought conditions. For the traveling waterfowl hunter, the heart of the Mississippi Flyway is offering exceptional conditions this season, and based on the migration trend thus far this year, if you ever planned to hunt the famed timber holes of Arkansas, this would be a year to do it.
Resident goose hunters that have bared the heat of the early-season, have been met with both success and defeat. Despite the lesser opinion some hold for these resident nuisances, they continue to prove the reasons for their proliferation by their difficulty to hunt. Yes, the resident Giant Canada Goose remains a respectable quarry, even when faced with advanced tools such as electronic calls and extended shooting hours. As more and more migrants begin to arrive over the next few weeks to join these local flocks, hunters reworking their strategies until the regular goose season opens, are waiting for their next opportunities. Of course, cooler temperatures and the harvest will drastically change the daily habits of these birds, and add excitement to the hunt. The difference between success and failure is determined by the hunter’s ability to adapt to the movements of these birds. Now is the time to network with local farmers, and obtain access to as much land as possible before the season begins.
LAND ACCESS TIP: Knocking on doors, clad in camouflage and asking to shoot the birds sitting on somebody’s field is risky at best. Prior to peak migration, take time to create a contact information page using your computer. Include short biography about yourself, a photo, and your contact information (phone numbers, etc…). Load up your truck with a stack of fruit pies from the local super market and deliver the pie and your information sheet to landowners in prime waterfowl areas. Simply tell them you are a waterfowl hunter that hunts in the local area, and would appreciate it very much if they would contact you if they see an abundance of waterfowl any time this season. Asking for a report, is much more welcoming than an introduction that has a landowner staring at a truckload of dogs, gear, guns and your hunting partners. When they call with a report (and most do), only then discuss the possibility of access on their land, or for the contact information for friends or neighbors that would allow access. More often than not, these phone calls result in prime access, and the start of a long-term friendship.
Waterfowler.com encourages our readers to make time each day to post migration information on the real-time MIGRATION MAP. Simply enter your zip code for the area you hunt, select the activity level for the various species in your area and click submit. It only takes a few minutes each day and the information is valuable to us all.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY:
With abnormally dry conditions in eastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin, migrating waterfowl appear to be congregating along the major rivers in the north, and fanning out into flooded marshes as they travel further south. The blue-winged teal migration was steady over the past few weeks and over 450,000 have already arrived in Louisiana. Early migrants, including a mix of widgeon, gadwall and pintail are trickling down the flyway at this time, with pintail numbers on the rise in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa. Youth waterfowl hunts in the northern states have resulted in a mixed bag of wood ducks, both blue and green winged teal, pintail, widgeon, gadwall and local mallards. Wood duck numbers are reported as good to excellent through the northern portion of the flyway and the flocks are growing in size as they begin to stage. Teal numbers are fair to good in Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Kentucky. With the bulk of blue-winged teal, feeding happily in recently harvested rice fields in Louisiana.
The first lesser and cackling Canada geese began to arrive in the north, just as resident seasons ended. The call of the migrating Canada goose has returned to the skies, signaling the coming of general waterfowl season for many hunters. Goose numbers are on the rise in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and northern Illinois. Until the corn and bean harvest is in full swing, expect geese to congregate in recently harvested fields, and changing locations often.
CENTRAL FLYWAY:
Goose numbers are on the rise in North Dakota and recent rains have provided some relief to hunters for the opener, though water remains extremely low in most areas – with wetlands down 23% according to the fall survey. Non-resident hunters will find opportunity very limited and birds heavily congregated, with the eastern part of the state providing the best conditions. Duck numbers are on the rise in Montana and Wyoming, and Canada goose numbers are increasing daily as the lessers have begun to arrive.
In Colorado, resident goose hunters wrapped up a successful start to the season, with hunting good to excellent in most areas. In Nebraska, the bean harvest is underway and resident goose activity is good to excellent in recently harvested fields. Blue-winged teal numbers are good, with most already south, and widgeon, gadwall and local mallards counting for the primary species at this time. In Texas, teal numbers are good to excellent and all other species low.
PACIFIC FLYWAY:
Geese are on the move in Alaska over the past few days and the journey south has begun in force. In Washington, teal and widgeon numbers are on the rise in the Basin and Yakima Valley. Resident goose numbers are good to excellent in most areas, with hunter success spotty, and limited to very early morning activity. The youth hunt in Oregon provided an excellent opportunity for hunters, with mallards, widgeon and teal filling the primary bag limit. In California, Idaho and Utah, youth hunters received an excellent introduction to the sport this past weekend, with hunter success good to excellent in most areas and hunter participation good to excellent across all three states.
White-fronted goose numbers are on the rise in the Sacramento Valley with numbers average for this time of year. Pintail and Mallard numbers are fair to good in the upper third of the flyway, with teal and widgeon good.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY:
With Hurricane Kyle bearing down on the northeast, waterfowl reports are secondary to our thoughts and prayers for our readers in the path. Mother nature continues to flex her muscles this season, and we wish the best for you and yours.
Throughout the New England states, resident goose hunters met great success with the burgeoning local populations. Hunter success was limited to the early hour feeding zones, and spotty on late-morning loafing ponds. Evening shoots on roosting ponds provided excellent shooting – once. Teal numbers are on the rise in the northern portion of the flyway, and wood duck numbers, as they are across most of the nation, excellent this year. As “old growth” forests become more prevalent in wood duck nesting regions, and with the help of nesting box programs, wood duck numbers continue to improve each year – along with turkey and white-tailed deer numbers.
As the count down to opening day begins in the north, Waterfowler.com encourages our readers to take a kid hunting this fall. Check your state’s regulations for special youth hunting days, and introduce a child to the sport and pass on the tradition.
Until our next report, take a kid hunting!
