Cold air is moving south across much of the country, and it appears the ducks and geese are making tracks as well.
Hello folks, and as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
With the first real cold of the season diving down the country, waterfowlers from are fired up about the coming weekend.
Christmas shopping and other holiday chores may get put on hold for a few days while the bulk of the duck hunters in the US hit the fields over the weekend.
Before you take off, make sure you have your current mailing address in your user profile. The latest issue of Waterfowler.com Journal is off to the presses and should start showing up in mailboxes just in time for the Christmas break. And while you’re at it, why not give yourself a little Christmas treat by renewing or upgrading your WFC membership?
Oh, and don’t forget, the 10% PreChristmas ProShop Sale is good through Christmas Eve (December24th). All of our last minute shoppers, members and guests, can get a 10% savings on an entire order through the WFC ProShop. Certain items are excluded; see sale info on the WFC homepage.
And now, on to the Migration Report.
PACIFIC FLYWAY
Although the weather along the upper coastal region is a bit on the warm side, new birds are showing up along the coast and around the interior of Washington. Larger numbers of new birds have been sighted east of the Cascades than west.
Mid-flyway, small but steady increases in duck and goose numbers continued over the past week, but these birds are quickly becoming educated and tough to hunt.
Southern and interior portions of the flyway saw the largest jump in duck numbers over the past week. In California the jump was mainly in pintail, teal, wigeon and shovelers, while inland teal and mallard numbers improved significantly.
With above average temperatures expected for the upper flyway again this week, a major push of birds is not likely for the western side of the flyway, but colder weather on the western edge of the Central Flyway could send more birds into south-eastern portions of the Pacific Flyway.
CENTRAL FLYWAY
Teal and mallards in Montana, in December? Well, I guess you just never know. Upper reaches of the flyway are freezing up, but in some areas of open water, huntable numbers of ducks are holding tight. Dark geese are the most plentiful waterfowl for hunters in much of the Dakotas, though southern South Dakota reports holding good concentrations of ducks in certain areas. For North Dakota, small Canada Geese remain in ample supply but are hanging tight to the remaining open lakes and have been tough to decoy as the pressure on them builds.
Mid-tier states saw a rise in duck and light goose numbers with the recent cold front, but not as much as expected. From the reports, the migration below the Dakotas has taken up a random, hop-scotch pattern. Lots of ducks in scattered places, some with few to none.
The most consistent reports of building bird numbers have come from New Mexico, southern Texas and portions of Colorado. All of this has folks in Nebraska and Kansas wondering how the heck the birds got past them.
Fear not, more ducks are still north of these states and when the weather and winds are right, they should move south in a more regular fashion.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
Indications from the upper flyway are that the ducks are pulling a wishbone maneuver in this year’s migration, splitting their path in a way that has taken the bulk of birds west of the Mississippi River and east of the Illinois/Indiana line.
Upper-eastern areas of the flyway began reporting new waves of ducks as the lake effect snow machine cranked up for a few days this week, and western areas of Missouri and Iowa have been seeing flight birds moving into their area in recent days.
Mid-flyway and southern states are faced with high water, but the good news is, more ducks are being reported as well. Though the numbers are not exactly skyrocketing, the increase in duck numbers in along the Mississippi river states is encouraging.
The western side of North Louisiana, influenced strongly by the Central Flyway, has seen good numbers of new ducks since the cooler weather settled in.
Most of the lower flyway should see a slight rise in bird numbers as the upper flyway begins to freeze out, but a serious lack of snowfall will hold the migration back somewhat for the time being.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY
Upper-coastal states are holding good numbers of geese and sea ducks, though few new birds moved in over the last week. As high water falls over the next week, the birds should begin re-concentration in traditional areas and thus improve hunting. The strong cold front moving into the region will also serve to reduce option for the new birds and should bring higher concentrations of waterfowl to the open water of large lakes, rivers and bays.
Mid-flyway states are still waiting on mallards, but diver numbers along the coast are improving steadily. Small ducks and ringnecks have bugged out for the southern latitude states. Reports from Florida show a sharp rise in teal, pintail, wigeon and ring neck numbers. Hunting in the Atlantic Flyway is best on the northern and southern ends at the moment, while mid-coast states are waiting out the next wave of migration.
The Holiday spirit of the North American Waterfowler is running high this week. Winter is only a short few weeks away, and the weather looks to be turning to the cold side. With any luck, Santa’s bag will be filled with new ducks for all the good duck hunters far and wide. Happy Holidays from all of us here at Waterfowler.com.
