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Faithful Retrievers wrote:They hadn't made this far yet unless they went via Jonesboro. I was waiting on report out of AR looks like it will be froze up next two mornings.

Damn_It_Boy wrote:Just curious as to how one identifies local ducks opposed to migrating ducks in the middle of duck season? Do they where a sign around there necks?

Anatidae wrote:I suggest folks manage their expectations wisely and be prepared to adjust for extreme disappointment if ducks don't show-up by Christmas. It takes a series of weather events conducive to freeze-up and migration to move significant concentrations of birds. The weather has been a factor in timing of planting, growth, and now harvest. The Dakotas and Iowa have plenty of water and food sources. The only way birds will leave that is if the water freezes and food is covered with a minimum of 10" of snow for extended periods (like a week). Freeze/thaw periods only complicate things as far as mass migration goes. Birds will stay along the freeze line or just below it. Bigger birds like honks and big mallards will sit on ice for a week before they move-on.

We only get the 'fringe' of the lower portion of the mass until Mid to late January - if we're lucky. I hope this is the year we get weather patterns and duck concentrations similar to '97-99. We're definately due another 'cold' cycle.

If you're into weather watching, count the fronts that come out of Alberta. When you get to 10, then you won't have to wonder where the ducks are. If the weather comes from Washington/Oregon - we're screwed again. The jet stream also has to dip way-down to do us any good. Just because it goes to 32 degrees here one night doesn't mean the ducks will be sitting in you hole in the morning. Maybe 3 days of low's around 17 and high's below 35 is more likely to get things moving in our neck of the woods.

Happy Hunting