Kentucky Lake Duck Hunting Report 2011

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WATERFOWL NUMBERS DOWN ON REFUGE

Recent aerial surveys taken on the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge here on Kentucky Lake continue to reflect low numbers of ducks and geese wintering here this year.

According to refuge biologist Robert Wheat’s report there were a total of 68,976 ducks and 4,509 geese estimated on the three units, which is comprised of the Big Sandy, Duck River and Busseltown areas.

Numbers of ducks were down 51 percent compared to last year at this time and 38 percent below the 5-year average for this time of year. The total was 22 percent below the 10-year average.

Geese were down as well and the recent total was 40 percent below last year’s survey and 35 percent below the 5-year average. Compared to the 10-year average the total was 29 percent below normal.

All surveys taken this year reflect below average numbers since surveys began back in the fall and continued throughout the winter months. A very mild winter here and in states to our north did not stimulate migration this year.
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TOUGH SEASON WINDING DOWN FOR DREARY DUCK HUNTERS

In real estate there are three key words for success: location, location, location. For waterfowlers there are also three key words for successful seasons: weather, weather, weather!

Duck hunters across the region had a very short honeymoon the last week or two with rare visits from cold fronts. Last week saw a major migration take place one day when a dramatic weather change brought falling temperatures and gale winds to the area but within 24 hours a south wind took over and temps bounced back above the norm for this time of year.

This week was almost a carbon copy as a minor cool snap passed through at midweek but it only lasted one day before moderate weather chased it away. Forecasts for the weekend indicate temps will climb into the upper 50’s and low 60’s, a weather pattern that has pretty much dominated the duck season here in Tennessee and elsewhere across the southern region.

While a few hunters enjoyed significant improvement last week for a day or two, action quickly slowed as bluebird days filled with high skies and no wind seemed to curtail the short surge of activity. Ducks have been sluggish to move around much, a scenario that had been common throughout this year’s mild and wet winter.

No doubt the warm weather in states to our north has been a big factor. Lakes that normally ice up this time of year have remained open and big numbers of ducks have stayed north of their normal wintering grounds where ample food and open water have met their needs.

The National Weather Service recently reported a January day when some 163 cities across the nation set record highs and some 65 others tied a record.

It has been an unusual winter and added to the above average temperatures over an extended time has been wet weather that further scattered ducks.

Although local hunters had a brush with cold weather on a few rare days it hasn’t enough to erase some two months of mild weather. Overall it has been tough season for most hunters south of the Mason-Dixon Line yet there are always a few success stories and isolated spots that have fared well.

Generally speaking, this year’s duck season has been disappointing for many hunters, and mild weather is a likely culprit. Many weather stations in the Dakotas and other parts of the northern plains were recording record high temperatures earlier this month. In fact, the mercury soared to 73 degrees at Rapid City, S.D., on Jan. 5, which was 4 degrees warmer than the high temperature in Miami that day.

Over in neighboring Arkansas, high temperatures reached 60 degrees somewhere in the state on more than a third of the days between Dec. 1 and Jan. 15, according to a recent waterfowl report from Arkansas Game and Fish. And the cold air that has made its way into the state hasn’t stayed for long.

The Missouri Department of Conservation reported more than 650,000 ducks in the Show Me State as of Jan. 13, a record number for this time of year. Missouri’s five-year average for the first week of January is about 242,000 ducks.

Here in the Kentucky Lake area duck numbers have been below average all year on all the aerial surveys taken at Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge. The same goes for Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge on Barkley Lake at Dover.

Back on January 3 an aerial survey on TNWR showed 147,110 ducks on all three units, which was down 30 percent from last year at this time. A comparison to the 5-year average showed the count to be 23 percent below normal and 14 percent below the 10-year average.

Nearby CCNR had 32,502 ducks on a survey flown a day later, which at the time was 28 percent below the 5-year average for this time of year and 13 percent below the 10-year average.

An updated aerial survey will likely be taken in the days ahead but the surveys throughout the season have reflected what duck hunters already knew and that was low numbers of ducks in the skies day in and day out.

Local hunters may take some gratification in knowing that neighboring state duck hunters have pretty much been in the same boat.

The window of opportunity is narrowing as season ends in Tennessee on Sunday, January 29th. Hunters are about to hit the home stretch in a season filled with long and winding roads.

After an excellent fall flight forecast waterfowlers were braced for a good season with high expectations thanks to record high numbers of ducks raised on the breeding grounds this spring. However, the dismal picture once again shows just how important weather is in pushing ducks.

Weather is the most active ingredient in the recipe for successful ducks seasons. Local hunters are hoping to end on a good note but someone better send the weatherman some flowers. Thus far he’s been at odds with duck hunters.

by: Steve McCadams

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