The blue winged teal migration continues to progress in the standard, “here today, gone tomorrow” fashion. Blue-winged teal numbers increased dramatically in the far south over the past week from the gulf coast eastward to Louisiana, but the numbers are fluctuating as these early birds continue migrating to tropical climates. Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com. A quick analysis of the current NOAA Departure from Temperature map (link below) unravels the current mysteries of the blue-winged teal migration in the Central and Mississippi Flyways. August temperatures throughout the central portion of the U.S. were below average and resulted in an earlier blue-winged teal migration. In contrast to the cooler temperatures and early migration in the Mississippi and Central Flyways, temperatures in the Atlantic and Pacific Flyways were above average with the blue-winged teal migration running slightly behind schedule. Continue reading

The Dove and early Resident Goose Seasons are underway in various states across the U.S. and opening week harvests are reported to be below average in a number of states. Recent cold fronts, above average precipitation for the month of August, and agricultural harvest delays are contributing factors to the decline. Hello folks, and as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com. Hunter participation for seasons beginning on the first of September was down in most states due to a mid-week opener. For many, the weekend will provide the first opportunity to head to the field and kick off the 2009 season. Hunter participation is expected to increase significantly over the weekend and the added pressure is expected to increase harvest and activity for doves, teal and resident Canada geese. Continue reading

Blue-winged teal are on the move in the Central and Mississippi Flyways. The first migrants reached Louisiana over the weekend and numbers in the northern portions of both flyways are above average for this time of year. With early teal and goose seasons opening in just a few weeks, the timing couldn’t be better. Hello folks, and, as always, Welcome to Waterfowler.com. The dog days of summer are reaching their peak but the coming of the autumn season has been marked by the start of the 2009 Waterfowl Migration. Yes, blue-winged teal are on the move and some have already reached their southern wintering grounds. This migration event was ignited by favorable migrating winds. The jet stream that brought cooler temperatures and a break in the heat over the weekend also carried these early migrants down the flyways. The jet stream has since flattened across the U.S. and Canadian borders… Continue reading

The 2009 Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM) and the final Waterfowl Population Status reports were published this week and the results echoed the promise of the preliminary reports. Waterfowl numbers are strong, duck production is up and the numbers qualify for a liberal season framework in all four flyways. Hedging your bets for a successful hunting season will require proper planning and prediction with regard to the current El Nino weather event. Thankfully, WFC members have access to hunting report archives for migration trends and data. Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com As states rush to propose and approve their final dates for 2009-2010 waterfowl season, duck and goose hunters across North America are plotting and planning their adventures. Of course, having an incredible year of duck production doesn’t guarantee you’ll have an incredible season in your area. An El Niño weather event is in progress, and drought conditions… Continue reading

The results of the 2009 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey have been published, and the results are nothing short of outstanding and a reason to celebrate. Pond counts within the survey area were up 45% over 2008 and 31% above the long-term average. Waterfowl numbers are up 13% over 2008 and 25% above the long-term average. Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com. With the exception of Widgeon and Redheads all other species experienced double-digit increases over 2008 survey results – with mallards up 10%, Pintail 23% and Canvasback 35%. While Redhead numbers are down 1% for 2008, they remain 62% above the long-term average along with the other top contenders, with Gadwall at 73%, Green-winged Teal at 79%, Blue-winged teal at 60% and Northern Shoveler at 92% above the long term average. Continue reading

The spring breeding and habitat surveys are complete and the data will soon be released in the 2009 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey. Early habitat reports from the spring survey teams are good to excellent across the North American waterfowl breeding range – with most habitat conditions improved over 2008 and pond counts in many areas well above the 10-year average. Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com. The Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey that occurs each spring includes data collected from over 2.1 million acres in the United States and Canada. In short, it is one of the most intense and extensive wildlife surveys in existence. The heavy winter precipitation that played a significant role in improving habitat across the waterfowl breeding range continued into late May and early June in the northern most survey areas. Survey flights were often grounded and the crews struggled to… Continue reading

While the northern breeding grounds capture the headlines and attention of North American waterfowl hunters, the Black-Bellied Whistling ducks have returned to their nesting grounds in the deep south – sporting their breeding plumage for potential mates and the camera of one avid waterfowl hunter. Hello folks, and as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com. The May Pond Counts are underway across the North American waterfowl breeding grounds and pond counts are expected to be up significantly over previous years – due to the abundance of precipitation that accumulated over the winter season. Continue reading

Mid-continental light geese are on the move again and numbers in Squaw Creek dropped from over 500,000 to 40,000 in a matter of days. In the Dakota’s, light goose numbers soared over the past week as hunters in North Dakota face dangerous flooding conditions when heading to the field. Hello folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com. The great outdoors are filled with moments of irony and light goose hunting is no exception. While the pristine, downy feathers of a snow goose can be pure-white, the spring pursuit is often plagued by an absolute onslaught of mud. While you may not fill your limit of geese on every spring hunt, you can count on getting mud on your boots, gun, clothes, layout blind and decoys. If you haven’t gotten your truck stuck at least once when snow goose hunting, perhaps you’re not hunting hard enough. Yep, spring snow goose hunting… Continue reading