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Waterfowl Report for November
18th
by Steve McCadams
www.stevemccadams.com
Waterfowl are beginning to increase in the Kentucky Lake area.
Area
state and federal refuges, along with some TWRA wildlife management
areas, have begun weekly waterfowl counts.
The initial count taken at Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge
at Lake Barkley near Dover had just 989 geese and 639 ducks counted two
weeks ago. This week's count showed increases of both ducks and geese.
In one week Cross Creeks went from 989 geese to 1,816. Ducks
increased there from 634 to 3,890. That's a 83 percent increase from the
previous week on geese and 509 percent increase on ducks. The numbers
are 19 percent above the 10-year average there at this time of the year
for ducks but 27 percent below average on geese.
Here along Tennessee's Kentucky Lake the Tennessee National
Wildlife Refuge took its second count of the fall and reported increases
as well. From the previous count taken some two weeks ago, duck numbers
increased 497 percent while geese increased 65 percent.
The count taken on Wednesday, November 14, indicated 967 Canada
geese and 45,708 ducks. Geese are 14 percent below the same period last
year and 27 percent below the 5-year average.
Ducks on the TNWR were 15 percent ahead of last year at this time
and in line with the 5-year average count taken at this time of the
year.
Of the three units making up the refuge, the Duck River sector had
the lion's share with 35, 342 ducks and 745 geese out of the total
count. The Big Sandy unit had 10, 202 ducks and 222 geese out of the
total count. The Busseltown unit had no geese and very few ducks.
A breakdown of the species on the total TNWR count indicated 22,
682 mallards; 9,216 gadwalls; 4,950 green-winged teal; 2,018 widgeons;
1, 790 ringnecks; 1,459 black ducks; 1,389 pintails. A few scaup,
redheads, and various other divers were also reported.
The most recent count from Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
throughout its wildlife management areas of west Tennessee river bottoms
and Mississippi drainage areas such as the Obion and Forded Deer,
indicated very few ducks or geese. However, the count was taken last
week before the recent rains and most units were void of water.
Many state and private areas are now pumping water in preparation
for the statewide duck season which opens Saturday, December 2nd.
Meanwhile, some much needed rainfall has helped, although runoff has
been slight due to the extremely dry conditions that have prevailed here
all fall.
Along Kentucky Lake, where there is always water, there are a log
of ducks using the shallow mud flats and shallow sandbars where
vegetation is abundant. The majority of the ducks are gadwalls with a
few mallards and greenwinged teal mixed in. Some widgeon and shovelers
have also been seen.
Several Canada geese are using the sandbars too and while numbers
of geese in the area have increased slightly, the vast majority appear
to be resident flocks.
|Cold weather continues to fall on the Dakotas and Saskatchewan. Snow
was present over much of the area a few days ago with shallow ponds
beginning to freeze. Migrations of both ducks and geese were underway as
cold fronts descended on much of the northern areas.
Previous Waterfowl Reports
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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