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The Fly Councils have published their reports on breeding conditions and the results range, as expected, from very good to very bad. While breeding conditions are normally the focus of our off-season reports, deliberations on a new harvest strategy for scaup is on the table for the coming season. Various factions within the waterfowl community are up in arms over this decision, and the possibility of a 1-bird scaup limit.

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The significant, long-term decline of scaup has been a topic of concern for nearly a decade in the waterfowl community. The 2007 Breeding Survey recorded the third lowest scaup population on record. Continue reading

With the May Pond Survey complete, waterfowl hunters across the nation await the published results and the impact on the coming season. With Duck’s Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl Foundation already voicing their concerns over the vast dry areas of the Prairie Pothole Region, the outlook for overall duck production can best be described as realistic, not optimistic.

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The North American Drought Monitor Map (link below) provides a quick overview of the struggle duck production faces this season. Water levels are low across most of the Prairie Pothole Region, and pond counts will most assuredly be much lower than the past few seasons. While the Parklands and Ontario, and most of eastern Canada are in good to excellent condition, it would be unrealistic to hope that the Parklands alone could salvage the production losses expected in Manitoba and Saskatchewan’s Prairie Pothole Regions. Continue reading

Reports are rolling in on nesting conditions in the Prairie Pothole Region. While there are pockets of good news, a number of areas in North Dakota, Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan are experiencing abnormally dry conditions.

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A quick review of the North American Drought Monitor Map (link below) shows that large portions of the Prairie Pothole Region are not in prime condition this breeding season. While not severe, it is expected that pond counts for this season will be lower than previous years.

Of course, water is only part of the breeding equation; grasslands are equally important to duck production. According to John Devney, Senior Vice President of Delta Waterfowl Foundation, there are pockets of good news as well. Continue reading

Spring has sprung across most of the nation, and the long, lingering winter has finally given way to a new season. As of April 4, snow geese had moved into North Dakota and moved as far north as the Devils Lake area and into parts of Canada.

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Recent warming trends melted much of the snow covering the Central Plains these past few weeks as Mid-Continental Light Geese pushed north on the warmer winds of spring.

Hunting action was fast and furious in Nebraska, Colorado and South Dakota as the number of snow geese surged to peak populations then diminished quickly. Hunter success was fair to good during that time, and without a doubt, the effects of hunting pressure played a significant role in hunter success. Continue reading

While snow and ice hug the Great Lakes Region, warmer air sliding north along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains has light geese on the move in the western part of the Central Flyway.

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While the past two weeks have been a two-step-forward-one-step back migration pattern for light geese, warming temperatures in the western part of the Central Flyway have sparked a major migration of snow geese into Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado.

From the northern most portion of the Texas Panhandle to Colorado, light goose action is heating up and hunters hoping to reap the harvest this year should plan on heading to the field in the next few days. With snowfall predicted again this weekend, geese are expected to retreat with the storm if the snow accumulation is significant. Continue reading

The Spring Conservation Action is underway and light geese are already on the move in the Central and Mississippi Flyways. With snow continuing to accumulate in the northern portions of the Flyways, hunters along the snowline are reaping the harvest.

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Snow continues to fall in the north and a quick glance at the snow cover analysis map (link at right) paints a hard picture of the northern migration. From New Mexico to Central Illinois, geese are pushing up to the snowline along the river systems and hunting is heating up in Kansas, Southern Missouri and Southern Illinois at this time.

Over the past week, most geese have begun the journey north and light goose numbers in Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana dropped significantly. While huntable numbers still remain, the bulk of light geese, in traditional fashion, are pushing north hard and fast. Continue reading

Teal are on the move in the northern parts of the flyways and it won’t be long before the waning, dog days of summer give way to the sound of whistling wings and the report of a shotgun blast.

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A taste of autumn can be found on the winds of a late evening chill in the north, and the count down to the opening day of Dove, early Goose and Teal seasons has begun. For those who are holed-up in the confines of an air-conditioned den, now is the time to awake from that off-season hibernation and begin your preparations for the coming season.

Guns need cleaning and ammunition patterned. Blinds need thatching and some may need repairs. Decoys should have a through scrubbing to remove unwanted mud, and a touch of paint in all the right places can improve your success. Continue reading

As cabin fever reaches it’s peak in the hearts of the northern waterfowler and we head into the final days of the 2007-2008 general Waterfowl Season, WFC takes a look back at the season’s results and sets our sights on the coming Spring Conservation Action for Mid-continental Light Geese.

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In the areas not stricken with extreme to exceptional drought conditions, the 07-08 Season will go down in the books as a season for the south. Abundant waterfowl populations, favorable migrating winds for early species and an abundance of snow all contributed to facts that moved waterfowl south in force this year.

A number of states in the south are expected to post their highest harvest in the past few years, and some may even approach a record high. Continue reading