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Waterfowl Report for November
11th
by Steve McCadams
Ducks began arriving a few weeks ago to the Kentucky Lake area
with the usual early migration of gadwalls. Continued weeks of warm and
stable weather have not stimulated any significant migrations yet and
several Greenwing teal remain in the area.
The year's first aerial waterfowl census was taken recently by the
Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge (TNWR) along the three units of
Kentucky Lake. The count indicated 7, 657 ducks and 587 geese using the
refuge at this time.
The refuge is comprised of three units. The Duck River and
Busseltown units are located around the New Johnsonville area while the
Big Sandy unit is located near the towns of Big Sandy and Paris, TN.
Of the total count there were 3,312 gadwalls and 2,080 Greenwing
teal. Mallard totals were 1,030.
From Lake Barkley's Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge comes
the year's first waterfowl census taken there. A total of 989 geese were
sharing the refuge with 639 ducks. Those total reflect a -35 percent
from the same time last year and -14 percent on the 10-year average
count taken at this same time of the year for geese.
Duck counts indicated a -53 percent from last year at this time
and a whopping -88 percent from the 10-year average count taken at the
same time.
Conditions throughout the area are warm and dry. Recent rains will
help inundate some of the private areas and state wildlife management
areas in the days ahead.
Meanwhile, reports from Canada's Saskatchewan province indicate
warm weather had been dominating the picture there until Monday when
8-10 inches of snow fell. Thousands of geese and ducks had been
lingering in the province through last week where ample grain fields and
open water remained.
Ponds were beginning to freeze by Tuesday and snow geese and
Canadas were reported to be leaving in large flocks. Ducks are still up
north in big numbers while most of the Dakotas and Iowa are remain quite
dry.
Meanwhile, local hunters are hoping for some much needed rainfall,
especially in the Obion and Forked Deer bottom areas.
The information above is
compiled by outdoor writer
Steve McCadams
Steve 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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