Sirius is moving away from the sun and the Dog Days of summer are over, though you might not be able to tell from the looks of the mercury. Less than a week remains of the off season for many North American waterfowlers. The Migratory Game Bird Season of 2003-2004 is just around the corner, and it couldn’t come a moment too soon. Hello, folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com. Yes, within a week lucky waterfowlers in Canada and the upper reaches of some of the Flyways will kick off their waterfowl season while their more southerly brothers warm up with a little dove shooting. The earliest migrants are packing up and heading south and the time for last minute repairs and projects is fast upon us. What a relief! Continue reading

Though the mercury has been stretching toward the top of many front porch thermometers, there can be little doubt that the waterfowl season of 2003 – 2004 is just around the corner. Hello, folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com It may seem hard to believe with the recent heat wave still in place for much of the country, but for many North American Waterfowlers the kickoff to this year’s waterfowl season is just a few short weeks away. In preparation, the Waterfowler.com Real Time Migration Mapping System is being warmed back up within the week. So as you are out checking blinds and doing your pre-season scouting, be sure to remember to log your observations of early migration activity on the Migration Map. Heaven knows those little blue wings can be hard enough to keep track of, so give your fellow members a hand by reporting their rapid movements. Continue reading

USFWS Proposed Regulations 2003-2004 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing liberal hunting regulations for the upcoming 2003-2004 waterfowl season that are similar to those set last year. The proposal again contains restrictions on harvest of northern pintail due to continuing concerns about population status, while also permitting limited opportunities for canvasbacks this year. Under the Service’s late-season frameworks proposal, hunting season lengths will be 107 days in the Pacific Flyway, 74 days in the Central Flyway, and 60 days in both the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways. However, seasons for pintails and canvasbacks will be 60 days in the Pacific Flyway, 39 days in the Central Flyway, and 30 days in the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways. Continue reading

The results are in and the Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM) working group formulas suggest liberal frameworks for ALL flyways! Can we get a unified woo-hoo! Hello, folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com. The dog days of summer may be upon us but it isn’t too early to start seriously thinking about ducks and geese. With the AHM formulas supporting a liberal season package and proposed early teal and goose seasons just around the corner, now is the time to gear up for the coming waterfowl season! Continue reading

The celebrations of the forth of July were followed up by the jubilations of waterfowlers as the 2003 pond counts and breeding bird population numbers came out this past week. Hello, folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com. It looks as though the 2003-2004 waterfowl season is shaping up to be a good one. With this year’s pond counts some of the highest in decades and the breeding bird population of many species of waterfowl up from last year a collective smile broke out this past week on the faces of water fowlers across the continent. Things are looking up, so let the count down begin! Continue reading

Summertime, a time for cookouts, vacation, fireworks and of course the most important part of the season, the numbers that will determine this fall’s waterfowl seasons. Hello, folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com. The 4th of July holiday is just around the corner. And what better way to show your spirit than the new Waterfowler.com FLYING THE FLAG hat. This new, limited-edition, high-quality, low-profile, pre-washed twill cap is emblazoned with a beautifully embroidered flying duck in patriotic red, white and blue. Stop by the Waterfowler.com Online ProShop and get your new cap in time for the Holiday. Continue reading

Timely rains have continued to fall across much of the Duck Factory and preliminary reports from hunters and biologists in the area tell of a good breeding season underway. Hello, folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com. The clock is ticking on two great deals for Waterfowler.com Members. The huge $100 per case saving on HeviShot runs through the end of August, and the special decoy discount available to members through the Waterfowler.com Online ProShop expires on the 15th of this month. With spring breeding conditions looking up, now is the time to get in on these great deals from Waterfowler.com. Continue reading