Strong fall flight predicted for upcoming waterfowl season
Excellent breeding conditions in the Dakotas and Manitoba helped produce an abundance of ducks, which should benefit hunters this season.
Ducks
Natural Resources Board approves 60-day duck hunt
Hen mallard daily bag limit increases to two per day for 2020 season.
State waterfowl hunters meet with legislators to explain support of duck stamp hike
The state duck stamp has been the same cost since 1997, while inflation and higher costs of gasoline and equipment to “build” habitat eat away at its effectiveness.
Breeding duck population declines, but most species remain above average
Annual breeding population survey estimates 38.9 million total ducks, down 6 percent, while May pond counts drop by 5 percent; mallards, gadwalls and greenwings increase.
Ducks, stuck, loose: Police rescue 3 ducklings from grate
(Photo by Brian Peterson)NEW YORK — A mother duck and her nine babies were crossing a New York City street when three ducklings fell through a storm grate and had to be retrieved by police. The news site Gothamist reports that the rescue happened Sunday in the bustling Brooklyn neighborhood of Park Slope. Witness Lynn Harris says the mother duck…
Big jump in North Dakota spring breeding duck numbers
72nd annual spring breeding duck survey showed an index of 3.4 million birds, up 20 percent from last year. That’s the 22nd highest index on record and stands 40 percent above the 71-year average.
Reduced mallard, goose limits among Pennsylvania’s waterfowl season changes
Also, in AP hunting zones – including southeastern Pennsylvania – the length of the regular season has been decreased from 50 to 30 days and daily bag limits have been reduced from three to two geese per day.
Murky waters for Pennsylvania’s mallard numbers
Ian Gregg, game management division chief for the Game Commission, said there isn’t one single cause that is responsible for the declining mallard population. Contributing factors include habitat changes impacting food reserves, competition from Canada geese on food sources and genetic issues resulting from hybridization with domestic mallards.
Sight of buffleheads soothes on a cold winter’s night
A waterfowler’s season is never over, even when the trusty, weatherbeaten old shotgun is cleaned and racked and the bags of decoys and other paraphernalia of the trade are stowed in the barn for winter. That is because waterfowlers, duck and goose hunters, never stop watching the sky and sniffing the air, looking, looking, looking. They are, in their own…
Late waterfowl hunt a pleasure in 2018, but changes coming in 2019
It’s possible you could spend a couple of hours setting up for a morning hunt, only to have it over within five minutes – depending on the day, of course. We need to look at the big picture and not get discouraged. Don’t hang up those waterfowl calls just yet.
Thanksgiving goose? Most waterfowl opportunities dwindling, but Canada goose field hunting still worthwhile
Canada goose numbers remain good in many areas and should provide some opportunity for goose hunters over the next week, especially in central and southern Minnesota.
Duck hunting slows as lakes freeze
But Canada goose numbers remain good in many areas and should provide some opportunity for goose hunters over the next week.
Report: Duck, waterfowl hunter numbers continue to dwindle
But Canada goose numbers continue to increase slightly each week in most areas. And while wetlands conditions remain good, hunting pressure is extremely low and will likely decline further with the deer opener this weekend.
Few ducks but lots of wildlife at annual duck camp
Swans, grebes, shorebirds and others help hunters pass the time in a duck blind.
Report: Ring-necked duck numbers drop, Canada goose numbers up slightly in some areas
Hunter numbers have declined significantly from earlier this season, according to Minnesota Waterfowl Migration and Hunting Report.
DNR waterfowl hunting report: Hunters should see increased species diversity
Water levels remain fairly dry in the northern portion of the state but good to excellent across most of the rest of the state.
DNR: Numbers reason for optimism as waterfowl opener looms
Wetland habitat conditions are variable across the state, with some dry conditions in the northern portion of the state, for Saturday’s opener.
USFWS: Duck numbers down in 2018
But survey says most populations are still above long-term averages.
Easing of drought good news for duck hunting in North Dakota
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map shows just 2 percent of North Dakota in some stage of drought. That compares with 82 percent at the same time last year.
Thanks to rains, North Dakota duck brood numbers see recent bounce-back, spike
This year’s duck brood index was up 37 percent from last year, and showed 5.11 broods per square mile, an increase of 39 percent.
Breeding duck, Canada goose numbers improved from last year
“The survey is designed for mallards and our breeding mallard population remains above its long-term average.”
Wisconsin’s 60-day duck season will open Sept. 29 in north, south zones; long-standing Horicon Marsh goose zone eliminated
Hunters will see several changes in the state’s 2018 Canada goose season. (Photo by Tim Eisele)Wisconsin waterfowl hunters will see some major changes in the 2018 seasons. The Natural Resources Board approved the seasons that include: A uniform statewide opening of the duck hunting season on Saturday, Sept. 29. Elimination of the Horicon goose zone. A Canada goose season in…
Wisconsin Natural Resources Board expected to adopt 60-day duck hunt at April 11 Madison meeting
The season is expected to look similar to previous waterfowl seasons overall as far as season length and duck bag limits, but with one significant change on the duck side of the season – the duck zones would all open on the same day, if NRB members approve the season framework as offered by the DNR.
Duck identification workshop: ‘If you are a beginner, you need to know what you are shooting’
Beginner duck hunters encouraged to attend a free waterfowl identification workshop.
Despite frigid weather, Canada geese count up significantly in North Dakota
An additional 16,400 mallards were tallied statewide.
Extreme opener: Sometimes waterfowling hurts
But it was a successful hunt, one we’ll remember for a long time.
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