Last week’s weather brought a mixed bag of conditions to waterfowlers across the US, and as we look ahead the chance of weather appears about the same for the week before the Holidays.
Hello, folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
Yes, the weather outside is frightful . . . from snow skis to suntan lotion we have seen it all in the past week. But perhaps Santa will bring us all the weather we need, along with the other goodies on our wish list.
Speaking of goodies, be sure to stop by the Waterfowler.com Pro Shop as you wrap up your Holiday shopping. With new gear and gifts showing up at discounts that make the long drive worthwhile, there is no better place to pick up the last minutes gifts for the waterfowler on your list than in our new Pro Shop. And while you’re there, you might just find a thing or two for yourself.
And now, on to the Migration Report
PACIFIC FLYWAY
High winds, rain and storms greeted most hunters along the flyway this past weekend. With the weather turning harsh, waterfowlers hit the field with high hopes and an extra dose of caution.
The heavy surf and high winds did little to improve coastal hunting, but hunters inland saw a marked increase in birds once the salts got rough. The southern end of the flyway also saw a respectable increase in activity this past week, but the big story of the flyway is birds still holding in southern British Columbia.
Reports from around that area paint a picture of the “Big Push” still to come for most of the Pacific Flyway. As a new series of storms moves ashore this week and cooler weather heads down I-5, a fresh hope of Northern Birds is brought to life for the flyway.
CENTRAL FLYWAY The recent warming trend has slowed the southward movement of the migration for the Central Flyway. Although hunters as far south as Texas are reporting decent results, the overall picture is of a migration stuck in the mid-latitude states.
Little Bend, South Dakota’s most recent waterfowl survey showed a near 100% increase in both duck and dark goose numbers, each above the quarter million mark.
As the next storm system rolls into the Central plains this week, accompanied by colder weather and a return of freezing sloughs and ponds, hunters should see the migration get back underway.
The southern end of the flyway may take longer to get back up to speed, but should see some increased migration as the weather north of them turns back toward a more wintry pattern.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
With seasons coming to an end for some Northern Tier states, the verdict is still out on the migration of 2002-2003 for the Mississippi Flyway. Last week’s unsettled weather brought snow as far south as North Mississippi but was followed by rapidly rising temperatures.
As snow and ice pushed through the midsection of the flyway a small shift of birds pushed into portions of Arkansas just in time for their second opener. Unfortunately, success tapered off as the weather turned from winter to almost spring-like conditions.
Further south, teal numbers jumped last week along the coastal marshes, but mallards are still in short supply for the lower end of the flyway.
Another wet week is ahead for the central states, with a slight cooling trend expected by the weekend. With the Mississippi River and its tributaries rising and cooler weather in store, the outlook for next week looks brighter for duck hunters from Northern Missouri southward.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY
The Northern portion of the flyway is still seeing better than average mallard numbers, despite recent winter storms, or perhaps because of them. River hunting has been the best bet for most hunters though some fields have been holding their own for both ducks and geese.
In the Mid-Atlantic States, coastal hunters are seeing large diver migrations and some fine shooting can be had off the coast of the Carolinas for Blue Bills and other diving ducks. Inland, teal and wood ducks are still the main bag though some mallard migration has been reported as far south as South Carolina.
At the southern end of the flyway, Wigeon, teal, and pintails are in fair supply but warm conditions have rendered the birds less than active. As the next system rolls down the continent some increased puddle duck migration should begin to reach the midsection and lower portions of the flyway.
Christmas is just around the corner, and those who are fortunate enough to have a few weeks of the season still ahead of them are once again reminding Santa of a need for cold weather. So have you been naughty or nice? Santa knows and he may be the only person out there who can say what Christmas will bring for waterfowlers who depend so much on the weather for the makings of a Happy Holiday.
