PACIFIC FLYWAY
As ice build in the northern portion of the flyway, goose and duck hunting action has slowed considerably in Washington and Idaho over the past week. Goose action in western Montana is poor in most areas. Puddle duck action remain fair to goose in most of the central portion of the flyway. Utah hunters continue to experience the best harvest of the season as Northern California and Nevada Hunters struggle with educated, dispersed flocks. Hunting action in Southern California was excellent over the weekend with an influx of new ducks and geese from Wister east to the Colorado River. Hunting in Arizona was good to excellent in most areas with good reports on all species with overwhelming numbers of Gadwall.
Central Flyway
As the recent storm passed over the Central Flyway the remaining ducks and geese in the north began their travels south. Hunting north of southern Kansas is futile at best with rivers and big-water the best bet. Goose numbers are fair to good in most areas in Kansas and all others low. Duck hunting is good form the Texas Panhandle South. Gadwall, Wigeon and Mallard numbers are good to excellent in most of Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. Goose hunting is Texas is nothing short of incredible with Lubbock an absolute hotspot.
Mississippi Flyway
With season closed in the northern portion of the flyway, weather is the primary motivational force moving feather fowl. Since the recent cold front, large flocks of field feeding birds have been passing through Iowa, North Central Illinois and Missouri. It\’s “go-time” for waterfowl hunters in Indiana and Ohio as the best shooting of the season is underway. Duck shooting has slowed in Missouri as ice begins to build on sloughs and small wetlands. Duck numbers are low from eastern Arkansas to Louisiana. THe first northern arrivals for Kentucky and Mississippi began to pour in a few days ago and numbers should increase throughout the week as additional mallards, gadwall, wigeon and fair numbers of Canada Geese trickle in.
Atlantic Flyway
It\’s finally on out east –mallards, bluebill, cans and formidable numbers of blacks are on the move. Puddle duck numbers and divers are increasingly daily in New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Reports form New Jersey, Virginia and Maryland have hunters greeting the first good groups of flight birds of the season. In the Carolinas teal and gadwall numbers are climbing and there are formidable numbers of bufflehead and other divers on the coast. Sea Duck shooting is fair to good in most areas and woodduck numbers are reducing. In Georgia and Florida gadwall, wigeon and teal numbers are increasing while ringneck numbers are steady and all other divers low.
