Resident goose hunting is open in a number of states and dove shooting is underway across most of the United States. Hunters braving the heat and mosquito swarms are reporting good success on resident geese — despite very short activity periods at sunrise and sunset.
Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
This past holiday weekend marked the start of the 2007-2008 Hunting Season, and hunters across the nation headed to the field in pursuit of Doves and resident Canada Geese in the selected states, where seasons were open.
While the waterfowl hunter seems to be more at home in multiple layers of clothing and venturing outdoors during the harshest weather known to man, the Dove opener is celebration of the coming of autumn and all other hunting seasons. As friends and family gathered this past weekend for a holiday cookout and dove shoot, the general hunting season opened with a bang for many avid outdoorsmen.
According to the national average, dove hunters bag approximately one bird for every eight shots fired – or, three birds per box of shells. In short, the dove is a fast flying, respectable game bird that will sure help improve your shooting skills for waterfowl hunting. If you do not have a dove season in your state, now is the time to plan a early season hunting excursion using WFC’s Trade-A-Hunt feature to expand your hunting opportunities – so post an ad online today.
And now, onto our flyway-by-flyway rundown:
ATLANTIC FLYWAY:
Hunters in the New England states are reporting good to excellent success on resident Canada Geese and those willing to head to the field are filling their liberal bag limits, or at least have had the opportunity to do so. Dove shooting is underway and most are reporting good to excellent numbers.
Goose hunters are reporting good to excellent teal and wood duck numbers throughout the flyway, as they await the opening of the early season in the weeks to come.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY:
In the north, resident goose hunters are working hard to reduce populations of nuisance geese along the outskirts of metropolitan areas. Goose hunting is best at the earliest times, with evening hunts hit-or-miss, as most evening flights are well after dark when temperatures begin to drop.
With flooding throughout most of the Great Lakes Region, teal are abundant but dispersed into the countless acres of flooded fields. With early teal season approaching, hunters are encouraged to begin their scouting early and follow the birds into new areas as water continues to recede.
Dove shooting has been good in the northern portions of the flyway and excellent from the middle of the flyway south. Hunters throughout the flyway reported successful opening day harvests and abundant shooting opportunities.
Teal are on the move and numbers in the north are changing daily from Wisconsin to Arkansas. Hunters are encouraged to monitor the jet stream map (link at right) to help predict new arrivals and schedule scouting trips.
Early teal season will begin in selected areas over the next few weeks – hunters are reminded to verify approved season dates and bag limits before heading to the field.
CENTRAL FLYWAY:
Resident goose hunters are putting the hammer down from the Dakotas to Nebraska. The predictable pre-season flight patterns changed as quickly as the shooting began and, as always, resident hunting success will change from easy-pickings to difficult very quickly. While resident geese may be abundant, even first year birds learn to avoid decoys quickly. Goose hunters in the Dakotas are reporting outstanding numbers of ducks, and the results of a superior breeding season are becoming more apparent as hunters head to the field and witness the results.
Teal numbers are good to excellent in the Prairie Pothole region and on the rise in Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma.
Dove shooting was good to excellent throughout most of the flyway for opening weekend; however, hunter success will drop slightly until the next cold front.
PACIFIC FLYWAY:
Dove shooting is good to excellent throughout most of the flyway, with California and Nevada hunters reporting outstanding numbers and harvests.
Hunters with resident goose season in the north are reporting mixed success, but reports of local breeding duck numbers are good to excellent in many areas of western Washington and Oregon.
With many portions of the flyway experiencing severe to extreme drought conditions, waterfowl hunters in the west are hoping for some much needed rain before the migration begins and the general waterfowl season opens.
Until next week, be sure to verify your APPROVED season dates, bag limits and the regulation changes for your area before venturing into the field.
