Unusual Season for Waterfowl Hunters

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Unusual Season for Waterfowl
by Steve McCadams
(from 2001-2002 Season)
www.stevemccadams.com

Waterfowlers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi. portions of Tennessee and Alabama have noticed a significant decrease in the number of ducks they have seen this year compared to years prior, and consequently, the number of birds harvested.

This past year and during the middle and late 1990s, high waterfowl populations led to excellent waterfowl hunting across the four-state area. This year, most hunters have been frustrated, surprised to see so few birds at their usually reliable honey-holes.

"Where are the birds?" is the million-dollar question that Ducks Unlimited staff has been asked constantly.

"Veteran duck hunters already know the answer to the million-dollar question," says Ken Babcock, Director of Operations for Ducks Unlimited's Southern Regional Office in Jackson, Mississippi. "Though they live in the South, they have been watching northern weather conditions closely and know that the birds have not migrated south because this winter has been warm, almost balmy, as far north as the Dakotas. Consequently, wetlands in the Midwest still have open water and good food sources that have not been covered by snow."

The heartland of America serves as a typical example of temperatures this winter. The average high temperature in Kansas City in December was 47 degrees Fahrenheit, and it has been in the 40s through the first 15 days of January. There was a brief cold spell at the very end of December and during the first week of January, but even then the highs were still in the middle to upper 20s.

"That's just not cold enough to force ducks to move south, particularly when there is abundant food not covered by snow. The Midwest has had little or no snow so far this winter," says Babcock. "Mallards in particular will not leave areas where food is available unless cold weather freezes the wetlands and snow covers food sources like waste grain."

"Mallards stay as far north as habitat conditions allow every winter," says Tom Moorman, Ph.D., Director of Conservation Planning for Ducks Unlimited. "Healthy mallards store fat reserves that allow them to withstand short bouts of severe weather for up to seven days. Ice and snow cover that lasts longer than that will force them to move south in search of open water and food.

"In most years, Mother Nature gives the Midwest an arctic cold front with snow that arrives in December or January and persists for several weeks," Moorman continues. "This year, she has given Midwesterners a break from harsh winter with no major outbreaks of cold and or snowstorms. In so doing, she has given southern waterfowlers a frustrating lesson in waterfowl biology: Weather conditions still drive the onset of migration in the fall and determine where the birds will spend that winter."

In mild winters, even when there is a short period of cold weather, birds may remain put as long as there is no snow to cover their food. Even if the cold periods are strong enough to move birds south, the birds will move back north if the duration of the cold spell is short.

Many of the birds simply never flew south this year, as evidenced by annual inventory counts conducted by state and federal agencies. The Mid-Winter Inventory count was flown in the South from January 7-11. Louisiana results are typical: Its habitat is supporting about 3.3 million birds this year, in contrast to last winter's inventory of more than 5 million.

"Counts are down, yes, but there is yet another variable that has contributed to the sportsmen's dilemma this year," says Curtis Hopkins, Ph.D., Director of Conservation Programs for Ducks Unlimited. "Rainfall. Heavy rainfall. We saw more than 9 inches of rain in a three-day period in late November across much of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

"Heavy rain has produced some of the most extensive flooding of lowland forest and agricultural land the region has seen in several winters," he says. "Consequently, habitat conditions for waterfowl in the region have been superb, really great for ducks, but really frustrating for duck hunters. Hunters might be able to find a concentration of birds to hunt, but the minute they begin to shoot, the birds head toward puddles with no hunting pressure. Since there is so much water on the ground, that could be just about anywhere."

Given the weather conditions throughout the Midwest, it is likely that waterfowl are scattered across a wide range of mid- and southern latitudes. The abundance of flooded bottomland and agricultural land in the Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana further scatters the birds in the region, making it one of the more frustrating hunting seasons in recent years, even though continental populations are still relatively high.

"It has been a frustrating year for southern duck hunters, and you can tell it by talking to some of the diehard waterfowlers in our office," says Babcock. "We have guys who have really worked hard to get on birds this year, and they are averaging maybe one or two birds per hunt, with a lot of days when no shots were fired at all."

"This year hunters really need to be dedicated and willing to work to get on birds, and need to be grateful for the opportunity to hunt versus shoot ducks," Moorman says. "Mother Nature will always have surprises in store for us in some years, but for what it is worth, I think that that is what makes us really appreciate the good years," adds Moorman. "We have no choice but to endure the tough years and look to the future for better hunting."

"As we look to the future, we need to stay focused on the most important issue for waterfowl," Babcock says, "and that is habitat conservation. Early indications tell us that the breeding grounds in Canada and in the Dakotas are swinging toward a dry cycle, and that means continental populations may start to decline. We need to do everything we can to conserve waterfowl habitat so we can maintain healthy populations of birds like we have had in recent years. Our best hope to have healthy waterfowl populations tomorrow is if we all work together to conserve their habitat today.

Steve McCadams
is a professional hunting and fishing guide here in the Paris Landing area and host of The Outdoor Channel's television series IN-PURSUIT.

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