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Waterfowl Report for December 4th
by Steve McCadams
www.stevemccadams.com
This week's waterfowl report from the Kentucky Lake area
indicates increases over last week for ducks throughout the region.
Geese have yet to build in any significant numbers as the Southern James
Bay Population that winters here on the Tennessee River and on the
Cumberland River, has been slow to migrate.
Counts taken on Tuesday, November 21st at Tennessee National
Wildlife Refuge by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) indicated
1,403 Canada geese and 72, 345 ducks. This is the most recent count made
available as of Wednesday.
Ducks are up 58 percent over the previous week and 93 percent
ahead of last year at this same time. Duck numbers are 44 percent above
the 5-year average for this same time frame.
A breakdown of species indicated 41,039 mallards; 12,575 gadwall;
2,743 black ducks; 2,410 ringneck; 1,865 pintail; 3,835 green wing teal.
Several divers such as scaup and bufflehead are also reflected in the
count.
Of the three units on the TNWR, Duck River accounted for 53, 680
of the duck total and 1,030 of the geese. Big Sandy unit showed 297
geese and 18,449 ducks of the total refuge count.
The most recent count taken at Cross Creeks National Wildlife
Refuge located near Dover, TN on nearby Lake Barkley showed slight
increases for geese but a decline in ducks from the previous week.
Numbers reported were 2,456 geese, up 8 percent from the previous
count. Ducks, however, declined 8 percent for a total of 18,996
reported.
Throughout west Tennessee in the various public hunting areas and
state refuges under the umbrella of Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency,
water continues to be a factor. Recent rains helped over this past
weekend as systems that moved through eastern Arkansas and dumped 5 to 7
inches of rain in many areas there did not quite make it here.
Some rain fell and helped the pumping situation in many areas but
throughout the Obion and Forked Deer bottoms and here along Kentucky
Lake water is still needed in most of the units. Some private areas are
beginning to hold water and attracting ducks in good numbers as where
there's water there's ducks.
However, TWRA has had pump problems in some of its wildlife
management areas such as Dover Bottoms, Gin Creek and Big Sandy where
levels are somewhat behind schedule. More rain this week could help,
however.
Aerial counts of ducks are expected from TWRA this week and will
be updated here ASAP.
Meanwhile, gadwalls, shovelers and green wing teal are staging in
big numbers in the open waters of Kentucky Lake. Dry conditions in many
of the river bottoms have likely contributed to large numbers of ducks
concentrating in the open waters and shallow mud flats there.
Tennessee's statewide duck season kicks in December 2nd for a four
day segment. The forecast appears to be bright for most areas that have
water and a good opening weekend is expected.
Previous Waterfowl Reports
November 28th
November 18th
November 11th
Steve
McCadams is a professional hunting and fishing guide here in the Paris Landing area and host of the The Outdoor Channel's television series
IN-PURSUIT.
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