| Kentucky Lake Outdoor Guide- Fishing, Hunting and everything outdoors...... | |
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| Kentucky Lake Outdoor Guide- Fishing, Hunting and everything outdoors...... | |
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Sporting Goods, Bait and Tackle Hunting Stories and Information Fishing
Stories
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Record Year for Tennessee National
Wildlife Refuge They
say “birds of a feather flock together”, and in these cold
temperatures that’s certainly been happening on the Tennessee National
Wildlife Refuge. Flying
over the refuge on Tuesday refuge biologist Robert Wheat reported a high
number of ducks during his bi-monthly waterfowl surveys.
Over 320,000 ducks were recorded, which is the highest since the
winter of 1989 for this refuge. Whereas our numbers of Canada geese have been much higher in
the past, the number of geese seen on the refuge came to almost 20,000. So,
why so many ducks and geese for this year?
Is it simply the cold temperatures this winter, or is it the
management efforts on the refuge? In
all fairness it’s a little of both.
Cold temperatures have frozen up a lot of the northern habitats
sending the ducks southward. But, of course, during duck hunting season, the largest draw
the refuge has to waterfowl is that is serves as a sanctuary against
human disturbance. There are other reasons also.
The refuge carefully manages it’s lands so as to provide as
much food and habitat as possible just at the right time when these
birds are seeking it. This
involves flooding impoundments and manipulating the water levels,
managing for natural moist soil vegetation and planting grains such as
winter wheat and corn for foraging foods.
All this has to be timed just right, therefore refuge personnel
are constantly watching the weather and surveying the activities of the
wildlife so the birds can benefit from these management activities the
most. Where
there are high concentrations of ducks and geese, there will also
inevitably be bald eagles. On
Tuesday’s flight, 94 bald eagles were counted on the refuge, with 53
occurring on the Big Sandy Unit. Of
those reported on the Big Sandy Unit, 40 were seen on a 4-mile stretch
of the land from the tip of Pace Point to the southern border of the
refuge on the Tennessee River side.
Those numbers are an all time high for the refuge showing that
bald eagles are definitely becoming a much more common sight in this
area. Also a delight to
many birdwatchers, the number of sandhill cranes visiting at the Duck
River Unit has now risen to 40. For
those who love to observe wildlife usually know that finding the
wildlife to watch is mere chance, they just move around too much.
But, for a good chance to see a concentration of eagles, try
going to the Big Sandy Unit this weekend.
Take 69A to Big Sandy, then north onto Lick Creek Road.
This unit is located 12 miles north of Big Sandy on Lick Creek
Road. To get
to the Duck River Unit to possibly find the sandhill cranes, take
Highway 70 to New Johnsonville. Turn
onto Long Street and follow the brown and white signs to the unit
borders. With
temperatures on the rise this weekend, our new observation deck with its
mounted viewfinders might be a good place to observe the ducks and
geese. To reach this from
Paris, go out highway 79 N. Take a left onto Oak Grove Road and follow the signs to the
refuge. Once on the refuge
there are signs to direct you to the overlook area. Please observe all signs as there are certain areas of the refuge closed to all entry to give total rest to our visiting wildlife. For more information or for a map of the refuge come by our office on 3006 Dinkins Lane or call 901-642-2091.
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