Washington – Continental duck populations dropped slightly from last year, but are significantly above their long-term averages, according to a report released last week by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A 3-percent drop in overall duck numbers – 42 million last year, 40.9 million this year – isn't bad, said Steve Cordts, DNR waterfowl specialist. "Especially continentally, the status…
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said earlier this afternoon that it has no plans to restrict waterfowl harvest quotas for the 2010 hunting seasons due to the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. Waterfowlers across the country have been monitoring the habitat damage the oil leak is causing in the Gulf, and with good reason. Waterfowl, shorebirds, neo-tropical…
Bemidji, Minn. — The number of breeding ducks in Minnesota this spring was down slightly from last year, according to a report the DNR released earlier this week. The estimated duck population this year was 531,000, compared with last year’s estimate of 541,000. The long-term average is 624,000, and this year’s estimate is the fourth-lowest since 1985. Steve Cordts, DNR…
DNR Report Madison – State breeding duck numbers are lower than average this spring due to severe drought conditions across northern Wisconsin and fewer seasonal wetlands observed in southern Wisconsin, according to waterfowl biologists. "Year to year, local and regional variations in wetland habitat and breeding ducks is part of the natural cycle in the world of wetland wildlife," said…
Moline, Ill. – The North American Duck and Goose Calling Championships will be held March 6-7 at Moline's Ramada Inn and Conference Center and will include three sanctioned regional qualifying events for the upcoming World Duck Calling Championship in Stuttgart, Ariz. The contests are the North American Regional, Illinois River Regional and Northern Illinois Regional. The March 6 schedule includes…
Columbus – There's good news for Ohio's grain farmers as state wildlife officials propose the use of both rifles and shotguns to kill the Canada geese that are eating field crops. The DNR Division of Wildlife is advocating a change to the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) that would allow farmers to shoot nuisance Canada geese with a rifle. Under the…
