PACIFIC FLYWAY
Duck activity in Washington and Idaho is low as the mid-season lull settles in hard. Honker shooting is good from Central Oregon north to the Canadian border and remains a waterfowl hunter\’s best opportunity for a successful hunt. Mallard numbers are increasing in both southern Oregon and Northern California with wigeon and gadwall numbers steady. In southern California, pintail numbers are improving dramatically with Canada goose numbers low and Snow goose numbers fair.
CENTRAL FLYWAY
North Dakota is losing birds faster than birds are arriving from the north. Concentrations of puddle ducks are scattered and some very large flocks have begun their journey south. Snow goose numbers continue to rise in South Dakota and Canada goose hunting is good to excellent across the entire northern portion of the flyway. In Colorado, mallard and goose numbers continue to rise along the Platte and the best concentrations of widgeon, gadwall and pintail are between the Nebraska and Texas panhandles.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
With the mid-season duck-lull in full swing to the north, Canada goose hunting continues to provide the hottest waterfowling action. Fair to good concentrations of bluebill and bufflehead are strung from Minnesota to the western basin of Lake Erie. Diver hunting is providing great early morning action in pressured areas where hunters are moving the birds. Mallard, widgeon and gadwall numbers are increasing throughout the middle portion of the flyway with little impact on hunter success — due to continued mild weather. Teal, woodduck, widgeon and gadwall numbers are building to moderate levels in Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi — with mallard numbers low.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY
If you are missing hunting during your split season, don\’t fret too much because there ain\’t much goin\’ on. Teal numbers remain low throughout the flyway with the largest concentrations in North Carolina. Mallard and black duck numbers are on the rise from Eastern Pennsylvania over to Jersey and around the Bay. Brandt numbers are on the rise along the Jersey coast and seas duck reports are low from Boston Harbor to Maine. As in all other flyways, Canada goose hunters are reporting the best success with Pennsylvania hunters reporting excellent harvests. As divers begin to hop-scotch across the Great Lakes, expect an influx of bluebill and bufflehead over the next week.
