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Light goose numbers in southern and central Saskatchewan increased over the past week. Hunter success has been down and hunting difficult due to the abundance of sheet water in the fields, a slow melt and even some fresh snow in areas of the Province. While the abundance of snow and precipitation will be a boon for ducks this nesting season, the delays in the light goose migration will surely compress the number of hunting days until the season’s close.

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As hunting under the Conservation Order in the Continental United States fades with the northern migration, the hunting community turns a watchful eye to waterfowl nesting areas and spring habitat reports. As the clock ticks down to the start of the May Breeding and Habitat Survey, both biologists and waterfowl hunters are hopeful the reports will turn in record numbers. Continue reading

As the grip of winter holds tight in northern states, the number of snow geese in South Dakota holds near record numbers. Recent snow has added to the difficulties of previous winter runoff, flooding and mud. Hunters in western Iowa are reporting the return of some birds in various areas and it appears that some will get an encore performance of great hunting in the days to come.

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Despite the continued wintery conditions, the instinctive fire that drives light geese back to the nesting grounds is burning brightly. With the hard push of migration activity to the edge of the snowline and slightly beyond, it would appear as if mid-continental light geese are willing the warm gulf winds to follow them north. Continue reading

The snow goose migration continues with birds pushing into South Dakota, Nebraska and Western Iowa. Light goose numbers in Kansas and Missouri have continued to decline over of the weekend, though hunters reported decent, last-minute harvests.

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As snow begins to melt on the Central Plains, light geese have pushed northward to the edge of the snow line and slightly beyond. The snow pack in Montana, the Dakotas and Minnesota remains at substantial at this time — with current temperatures in the twenties. While light goose numbers have dropped significantly in Kansans and Missouri, the hard-working light goose hunter is still scratching out a fair harvest.

Of course, one of the advantages of spending time in the field during the spring is witnessing the return flights of ducks to the nesting grounds. Light goose hunters have consistently reported the skies filled with mallards, gadwall and widgeon over the past weeks, along with great flights and rafts of diving ducks.

The levels of snow that provided a near perfect fall migration and steady light goose season thus far will also provide some of the best nesting conditions in decades.

A recent report from Delta Waterfowl Foundation stated the record soil moisture and snow pack is both a boon for duck production and looming disaster. A quick melt could result in dangerous flooding in both the United States and Canada.

“This is nothing but good news for ducks,” says Delta Waterfowl Scientific Director Dr. Frank Rohwer. “When you get great water conditions, you get more females breeding where they should be breeding…on the prairies.”

Increased water on the Prairie Pothole Region results in more nesting hens, and increased survivability of broods. With drastic budget cuts jeopardizing the survivability of conservation programs in Congress, a little help from Mother Nature this nesting season could not have come at a better time.

While it’s easy to get lost in the hype and potential success of a great nesting season, the health of the resource is determined by the worst years, not the best. In short, conservation efforts are designed to maintain and raise the base level of our lowest production years. The danger of having a great nesting season when budgets are being cut is that this false positive could lead to a perception that life is grand on the prairie. With the proposed bloodletting in federal funding, this could be one of the last great years of waterfowl production.

Waterfowler.com encourages our members to stay in touch with their congressional leaders and maintain a voice in the process. Make an extra effort to monitor the efforts of Delta Waterfowl Foundation and Ducks Unlimited over the next few months and help protect the funding that protects our wetlands.

Until our next report, visit deltawaterfowl.org and ducks.org today.

With the snow line receding to the 42nd parallel, snow goose numbers have increased dramatically in Missouri, Nebraska and southern Illinois over the past week. With another round of snow piling up in the northern states, light geese are expected to hold in popular hunting areas until the next thaw begins.

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The quick spring thaw ignited light goose activity was met by another taste of winter and accumulating snow in the northern parts of the Central and Mississippi Flyways. The additional snow pack will provide an insurance policy against a quick Canadian escape for light geese over the next few weeks and the excellent hunting in Missouri, Nebraska, and Illinois will continue until the thaw. Light goose numbers are slowly increasing in southern Iowa and hunter success is expected to improve over the next week. Continue reading

The spring light-goose season has been ushered in by a series of snowstorms and blizzards this past week – holding snow geese at their southern most destinations. With snow cover blanketing areas of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas, it has become clear that this abnormal weather will make for a very abnormal spring migration.

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The State of the Union is cold and snowy. While there is a difference between Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland and our nation’s current Winter Wonderland, weather conditions can best be described as “Curiouser and curiouser!” Continue reading

As duck hunting continues into the final week of the general waterfowl season, ducks are thick in the Deep South around the Gulf coast and scattered to the Mason Dixon Line in the Central, Mississippi and Atlantic Flyways. Without a doubt, the 2010-2001 Duck Season was a good as it could get for many states, with hunters reporting record harvests. While the drought conditions in many southern states did limit public hunting opportunity, those who found water or pumped private land this season were rewarded with a consistent harvest when the water was free of ice.

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Old Man Winter provided another dose snow and cold temperatures to the nation this past week – adding a bit of icing to that big duck hunting cake. Continued cold weather has kept the bulk of the migration at their southern most destinations, with ice, gunning pressure and the search for food and water keeping them moving. Continue reading

If there is one thing you can count on in the world of migration tracking this season it’s change – and what a difference a new year can make. A warming trend during the first week of the year ignited a number of reverse migration events, and birds returned to a number of previously snow-covered states. Duck numbers in southern Illinois, southern Missouri, Kentucky and Arkansas rebounded significantly over the past week, as waterfowl totals on the Illinois Natural History Survey reached number nearly two times the 10-year average for the lower Mississippi survey area.

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With the final month of the General waterfowl season underway in the south, moderate to exceptional drought conditions persist in much of the south. With temperatures rebounding in the central tier of the United States, ducks that were driven south by ice and snow are rebounding northward into areas with better habitat conditions. Continue reading

Ducks and geese are on the move in the Atlantic Flyway as yet another “perfect storm” greets the 2010 waterfowl season. For the first time in over 100 years, areas in the southeast were treated to White Christmas and serving of migration a la mode. Waterfowl activity increased from Delaware to Georgia throughout the weekend with duck hunters in Florida receiving a special holiday treat as ducks head for the Sunshine State.

Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.

After a series of perfect storms in the Central and Mississippi Flyways so far this season, it was hard to imagine the duck season could get any better for so many hunters. When snow began to fall in the southeast over the weekend, duck hunters in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama had a very good reason to do a happy holiday dance. While the storms may have forced the closure of multiple airports, it is clear that air travel for waterfowl would not be hampered or hindered in anyway. As reports roll in from the southeast, ducks and geese continue to scurry down the flyway in force and waterfowl activity is as good as it can get. Waterfowler.com encourages our members in the Atlantic flyway to post their reports as often as possible, to track this epic migration event in the east. Continue reading