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Rains are falling across much of the breeding ground as the May Pond Count gets underway. Conditions on the prairie are widely varied at this time but should improve with the most recent round of storms.

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The Waterfowler.com GREAT GEAR GIVEAWAY is here! Imagine walking though the isles at Mack’s Prairie Wings and filling your cart with $2,000 worth of the best in waterfowling gear, then stepping outside to enjoy the wonders of the Wings Over the Prairie Festival. Daydreams like this go a long way to easing the off-season blues. Continue reading

Opportunities to hunt snow geese still remain as we near the end of the Conservation season here in the US. With warm weather in store for the extended forecast the geese will be moving fast, so don’t wait.

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Warm weather and rains have chased all but the last of the snow out of the Upper Midwest. Recent rainfall for the region will help ease drought concerns as the breeding season for North America’s waterfowl population gets into full swing. Continue reading

With spring in full force across most of the US, the light goose migration is crossing the border and moving into Canada. While the white wave moves back to the tundra, ducks and geese are settling in for the breeding season all across the U.S. and Canada. Spring is here and all eyes are on The Duck Factory hoping timely rains make for a bumper crop of ducks and geese.

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Waterfowl and wetland conservation has been a hot topic in the press for the past few weeks. News from conservation organizations and private business topped the list of duck buzz.

Wal-Mart announced a conservation partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation last week. Under Wal-Mart’s new “Acres for America” program, the retailer has pledged to permanently conserve at least one acre of priority wildlife habitat for every acre developed for Wal-Mart Stores.

With $35 million dollars committed to the program over the next ten years, the “Acres for America” program is one of the largest ever public-private conservation partnerships. Based on current store development, footprints, and projected growth over the next ten years, the program will conserve a minimum of 138,000 acres of habitat across the country.

"Wal-Mart is the first corporation to commit to offsetting its entire

developed land use for conservation," said Max Chapman, Jr., National Fish and Wildlife Foundation chairman. "We introduced the concept of the offset program to Wal-Mart last year," he said. "They were quick to say yes, and Wal-Mart’s leadership is

raising the bar in conservation."

To learn more about the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Acres for America program visit www.nfwf.org.

In other conservation news,

PROSHOP NEW S – 2004 Model Clearout Sale from Higdon Decoys. For a limited time Waterfowler.com members and guests will have the opportunity to buy the last of the 2004 model Higdon Full-Body and Stackable Canada Goose decoys at a price that can’t be beat. Be sure to stop by the ProShop today to get this great deal on these fantastic products Higdon Decoys. This is a limited time offer and good only for remaining 2004 models in stock. Decoys come with the standard Higdon warranty but are not available for exchange with the 2005 model decoys.

New Product News – Old Waterfowling Tales – Volume III is now available in the WFC ProShop. Collected and edited by Worth Mathewson, these stories transport the reader back through time to illuminate the world of wildfowling and sporting journalism as it once was. From Swans on Sauvie Island to Illinois Crane hunting, the collection paints a vivid picture the wildfowler’s world at the turn of the twentieth century. Stop by the WFC ProShop today to purchase your copy.

And now, on to the Migration Report.

Well, spring has at last taken hold across most of the US. By and large, the return migration of light geese has made its way to the very northern portions of the country and moved well into Canada. Scattered reports of light goose flocks are still coming in from locations south of the U.S/Canadian border, but the best bet for any last minute snow goose action will require a trip to visit our neighbors to the north.

As the breeding season ramps up, the Migration Report will give way to the Breeding Ground Report. In order to keep everyone up to date on the latest conditions on the all-important waterfowl breeding grounds, WFC has added a list of links to the WFC home page. Located in the top right navigation menu are links to drought monitors, precipitation maps and more.

As news of our web-footed friends comes in, Waterfowler.com will pass it along to the dedicated men and women of waterfowling whose efforts both in season and out are so crucial to the long term preservation of North America’s Wetlands and Waterfowl and this great tradition we share.

An Easter cold front is in store for much of the upper Midwest this weekend. Falling temps and possible snowfall across the region has hopes running high that the snow goose migration will remain on the US side of the border for at least a few more days.

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Spring is here for sure. Ducks and geese are in the early stages of nesting in much of the US and a few fluffy hatchlings have already been spotted in the southern reaches of waterfowl nesting areas. Continue reading

The snow cover line has retreated to the northern portion of ND, and the spring migration back to the breeding grounds is in full swing.

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Conditions on the breeding grounds are widely varied. Heavy rainfall over the past week in much of ND and SD should improve soil moisture levels and hold drought at bay for the time being. Spring precipitation, be it snow or rain, will be crucial in setting the stage for this year’s breeding season. Even in areas that received better than average snowfall, low soil moisture can mean dusty potholes as the ground simply absorbs runoff from snow melt. On the bright side, most of the breeding ground in both the US and Canada is in better shape than at the same time last year. So, keep your fingers crossed. Continue reading

If you have plans to chase snows, the time is now! As winter retreats northward the major body of the return migration is fast on its heels.

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Spring may still be a few weeks off, but the return of waterfowl to their breeding grounds is well underway. This week brought reports of ducks and geese reappearing on waters only just opening along the northern tier. As more water opens up and winter slowly fades, the full swing of courtship and renewal will get underway. It is a wonderful time to get out to the waters and see the birds as they return from their winter retreat, dressed in their finest. Continue reading

The combination of a warming trend and a good southerly wind are joining forces to make this weekend a big one for snow goose hunters in the central plains.

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Winter is still the official season, but spring-like conditions across much of the US are putting the return migration into high gear. Snow geese are on the minds of many waterfowlers, and to help them as they chase the white wave back to the tundra WFC has launched the 2004 SNOW GOOSE TRACKING department. All the latest snow goose information is now available from this new page. Forums, Field Reports, the Migration Map and articles on the how, where and when of snow goose hunting are all assembled in one place, check it out by clicking on 2004 Snow Goose Tracking under the Migration Update photo.

Snow goose hunting isn’t all that’s heating up these days. As the off season wears on, debate and discussion about the future of waterfowl and waterfowling is beginning to simmer. Keeping your Waterfowler.com Membership current is a great way to stay up to date on all the latest news and issues that affect the resource and tradition we share. Be sure to keep yourself in the know by renewing your Waterfowler.com Membership.

And now, on to the Migration Report.

Expectations are high for the upcoming weekend. Warm weather and southerly winds in the midsection of the country should have waterfowl of all kinds making a major move northward. Reports are already pouring in of a major push of birds showing up in NE, MO and portions of southern IL.

As recently as Wednesday huntable numbers of snows and blues were still to be found in TX, AR and LA, but as the warm southerlies start to blow, these birds are apt to rush northward and begin crowding the snowline.

Light goose hunting has been good in portions of the upper east coast, but with a winter storm cutting through the Mid-Atlantic states it is hard to say what the birds will get up to over the weekend. The storm is predicted to be short lived, and with mid-week temps rebounding to normal or above normal ranges, look for geese to hunker down while the blow is on and get back underway by early in the week.

All across the country, spring is making a stand. It is a great time to get out and witness the return migration. The birds have on their finest duds, making this some of the best photo ops of the year. As the weather warms, courtship flights will begin—an aerial show that caries with it the promise of next year’s fall flight.

Spring is here and the return migration is moving north at full speed. With a warming trend in place for most of the US, it’s a great time to get out to the woods and waters and witness the spectacle. Waterfowl are dressed up in their finest and putting on a show as they prepare for the nesting season.

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It looks as though spring growth is no stranger to our internet waterfowling world. From a slough of new members to a fresh batch of the latest and greatest gear in our OnLine ProShop, WFC is growing with the season. We would like to extend a special welcome to all our new members and encourage you to stop by the New Member Lobby and introduce yourselves to the WFC regulars and irregulars. After that, settle in and make yourself to home in the OnLine Lodge, or anywhere else for that matter. New faces and new ideas are always welcome, and it keeps the rest of us from having to tell the same old stories and jokes.

The growing season is evident in the WFC OnLine ProShop as well. New items, like the Ure-a-duck motion decoy and the latest from Boty, Drake and Mad Dog are being added regularly. Waterfowler.com Members receive special discounts on every item in the OnLine ProShop, and the selection of top notch gear at great prices just keeps growing.

Members old and new are reminded to keep an eye on their member profiles to ensure that we have a correct email and mailing address. Also be sure to renew or upgrade your WFC membership so you won’t be left out of the best deals and the latest news from the waterfowling world.

And now, on to the Migration Report.

Above average temperatures are in store for most of the country this week. From coast to coast the snow is melting and the birds are driving hard for the breeding ground.

Last week’s cold snap had light geese a bit bogged down, but as the warming trend takes hold, look for the bulk of the migration to shift into the Dakotas and possibly across the border into Canada.

From IA to CO small numbers of snow, ross and blue geese can still be found, but the numbers are thinning. On the back end of the migration it looks to be only a matter of days before the last of the stragglers will be but a memory. So get out there and hunt before you have to consider a road trip to wrap up the season.

The warming trend will extend into the upper east caost and should provide good opportunity to intercept the snow goose migration there over the next few days. These birds have, however, been delayed and will most likely shift as far north as possible as the snow melts and waters open.

The best bet for getting in on high concentrations of returning light geese is most certainly the Dakotas, with North Dakota gaining ground as the temps rise. Keep one eye on the weather channel and the other on the Light Goose Tracking Page to get your seat on the X as the white wave moves into the top of the nation before making the last leg of its journey to the tundra.

In many areas of the country, the return migration of other ducks and geese provides waterfowlers the opportunity to see ducks and geese in concentrations only dreamed of during the hunting season. Masses of returning birds in full mating plumage are a sight to behold. It is also a great way to introduce young people to the other wonders of what it means to have waterfowling in your veins. Taking time to explain the process of renewal and the importance of our roles as stewards of the resource gives young hunters a groundwork of reality that will serve them well as they grow older and become the keepers of the flame for our time-honored tradition.