The longest day of the year has passed, and only one season now stands between the waterfowler and their time of year. It’s all downhill from here!
Summer is upon us and though the heat of July and August lay ahead, the shrinking days and news from those in charge are building our momentum as we return again to Autumn.
Some relief was to be had this week from the drought of information and long spell of hot debate over the shape and substance of the 2002-2003 waterfowl season. The Canadian Wildlife Service has released it‘s regulations for migratory game birds. Also this year, Waterfowl Heritage Days ( a program designed to introduce young people to the world of waterfowling ) will be held one week prior to the start of the regular season in most areas. Be sure to check this year’s regulations for any changes.
Despite the fact that a clear picture of what lies in store for waterfowl and waterfowlers here in the U.S. is still a few weeks away, some bright spots have turned up in the past week. In a report published in the Bismarck Tribune the North Dakota Game and Fish Department reports a 26% increase in the breeding bird count over the 2001 numbers. The news comes with a caution; due to a late spring, numbers found in the survey may be inflated by birds stopping over before heading further north to breed.
Hunters in the U.S. were also handed some good news recently by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service. The expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities on seven National Wildlife Refuges was proposed by the USFWS in the June 20th Federal Register. Public comment on the proposal is open through July 27, 2002.
What a year! If we learn nothing else from the trials and tribulations of this past season it should be this: Mother Nature is in charge, and can change her mind at any time. From drought to flood, from a winter that almost wasn\’t to a spring that showed more white than green, this year has left no doubt of who is really at the wheel. In the coming weeks, as numbers begin to pour in and wagers are settled, the promise of Autumn can be heard and seen. Summer is just under way, the days have begun to shrink, and the downy young of the marsh now replace fluff with feathers in preparation for the next turn of the seasons. For waterfowlers the downhill stretch has begun, catalogs fill our mail, and our schedules bear dates of early season openers and gatherings with like-minded folk who seek to ensure the glory of bird filled-skies for countless generations to come. At times our hopes may rise and fall as we watch and wonder what will greet us in the coming season; that, too is part of the game and integral to what it means to call oneself a waterfowler.
