Waterfowler.com would like to wish all our readers the Happiest of Holidays. Here’s hoping Santa has brought you a great waterfowling season and for those of you with some of your season still to come, here’s hoping that the New Year brings new ducks. And now, on to the Migration Report.
PACIFIC FLYWAY
As yet another storm moves inland this week, waterfowlers along the Pacific Flyway wait and wonder if this will be the one that kicks the migration into high gear.
Although the last front brought the action up a notch for much of the flyway, reports and surveys from Eastern Washington continue to be below expectations for this part of the season. Some improvement should come this week as the heavy winds move birds inland from the coast.
Southern flyway hunters should also see improvement as portions of northern and central Idaho lock up under a fresh sheet of ice and snow.
CENTRAL FLYWAY
With snow and hard freezes in the near forecast for portions of the upper and north central flyway, the migration should pick up as the weekend draws near. Though late, the snowfall on the prairie is a welcome sight for both hunting and spring breeding conditions.
In the south central portion of the flyway, the recent front looks to have birds on the move. Reports out of Oklahoma and North Texas are of new flights of ducks and geese. The new birds are still tough to work but a few less-wary ducks and geese do appear to be moving south after the recent storms.
Southern portions of the flyway can also look to benefit from the recent front as birds that were holding in southern Oklahoma and North Texas shift their holiday vacation a bit further south.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
The same storm system that cut though the lower plains states this week has pushed though the mid-latitude states of the Mississippi flyway, bringing with it a white Christmas for some southern states and a fresh push of birds.
Heavy rains and cold weather should improve conditions in areas of the flyway where water and weather have both been in short supply this season.
On the lower end of the flyway, recent surveys by both the Arkansas and Louisiana Game and Fish departments tell the story of a smaller than average migration thus far in the season.
In LA, the most recent survey shows an improvement in waterfowl number from the 2001 season (up 500,000) but numbers were well below the five year average (down 800,000). In AR the overall number of waterfowl was on par with recent years, but the mallard count was down over 35% from 2001.
Hunters in the southern portion can expect a good push of birds just in time for the post-Christmas hunts. With heavy snow forecast as far south as the boot heel of Missouri, this most recent front looks to have all the makings of a big mover for the lower flyway.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY
The northern flyway is continuing to produce both fresh and salt water ducks and geese. Eider hunting has been very good along the coast of Maine and Brant hunters all along the upper east coast have been reporting good success for the past week.
Inland puddle ducks continue to move down out of Ontario with enough regularity to stretch out the weeks of good shooting for the New York and Pennsylvania waterfowlers.
Mid–Coastal states are getting fresh flights of puddle ducks in a slow trickle from their northern neighbors, but the Blue Bill hunting along the coast is by far the hottest ticket on the coast.
Southern flyway waterfowlers have seen a steady increase in both teal and wigeon numbers, and divers are also in good supply for the warm weather waterfowlers in areas of Florida. Gadwalls have been the best bet for “big ducks” in the southern flyway.
So, naughty or nice? The truth may soon be known as waterfowlers this week see if Santa has brought them their Christmas wish. And as we look toward the New Year we wait to see if all our wishes for good breeding conditions on the prairie will be granted this year.
Here’s to the brightest of Holidays and a New Year full of Promise, for waterfowl and waterfowlers around the world. Merry Christmas from Waterfowler.com
