Migration Update – October 7, 2013

Member Photo Credit – Swamp Gas; Family Fun in MN.

Hunting is underway in various northern states and the first flights of ringed-neck ducks have been reported in the northern Great Lakes region.   While the best of the fall migration is yet to come, wood ducks, teal and local mallards continue to provide excellent early season action for many hunters.   Special youth hunting seasons have passed in a few states but there is still plenty of time to get that budding “duck dynasty” fan away from the television and into the great outdoors for an introductory hunt.

Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a pile of rocks or have sequestered yourself from entertainment television, you are, like most Americans, familiar with one of America’s most popular reality TV series of all time, Duck Dynasty.

While viewers are attracted to the show for many reasons beyond the fact that the bearded Duckmen actually duck hunt, it has generated more interest in the sport than any other recruitment medium since duck hunting became a regulated sport.

With public approval ratings of sport hunting hovering near their highest recorded levels and a wealth of new interest specifically in duck hunting, the waterfowl hunting community has been granted a special opportunity to insure our grand tradition not only grows but prospers.

In the coming months, special youth hunting days and state mentoring programs will provide an opportunity to convert interest into experience.   First time hunters in many states can qualify for a first time mentoring license to try hunting before they have taken the mandatory hunter safety class.  As such, the only barrier that exists between interest and participation is an invitation to go hunting.

Waterfowler.com encourages our members to make a commitment this season to simply invite one of the millions of Duck Dynasty viewers on a real duck hunt this fall.

MIGRATION UPDATE:

Pacific Flyway:

Hunting is underway in Alaska and the great brown duck shoot is on.  In the lower portions of the flyway habit at conditions are mixed – with Washington and northern Oregon normal and drought conditions persisting from northern California to Arizona.  The rice harvest is early, and underway in the Sacramento Valley and expected to conclude before the opener – which would be good news for both hunters and migrating waterfowl.

Central Flyway:

An abundance of blue-winged teal are still being reported in Saskatchewan along with increasing numbers of puddle ducks and geese.  Hunting in North Dakota is off to a slow start.  Water conditions in the eastern part of the state are abnormally dry, with the central and western portions of the state fair.  Light and dark goose numbers remain average for this time of year with most species of ducks.  Early teal hunting in the southern portion of the flyway was fair to good – with hunters in Texas experiencing the best success rates.

Mississippi Flyway:

As in the central part of Canada, blue-winged teal numbers have been reported well above average for this time of year in Manitoba.  The first flights of ringed-neck ducks have begun to hopscotch across the northern Great Lakes and hunters in Minnesota continue enjoy the pre-migration harvest of wood ducks, teal, local mallards and scattered early migrants.   Canada Goose numbers continue to rise in the northern third of the flyway and teal continue to trickle south to Louisiana  — where early teal season ended on a very good note.

Atlantic Flyway:

Canada Goose numbers in the far north are good to excellent at this time from Toronto to Montreal.  Sea duck hunting is underway in the far north with hunter success varied.  Blue-winged teal numbers remain above average in the north (as it does across most of the continent).   All other species remain average for this time of year from Massachusetts to Chesapeake Bay.

Until our next report, make your plans to take a friend hunting this fall.