DuckSouth.com

The Daily World
by Chris Berzas

The most recent press release from Ducks Unlimited revealed some startling statistics that should agree with most Louisiana waterfowlers' experiences afield this season.

DU depicts much of the north with "unfrozen lakes, ponds, and streams over large portions of the upper flyways."

I remember two years ago when a friend from Michigan observed thousands of mallards rafting in certain coves of the Great Lakes in January. I am sure veteran duck hunters who keep up with waterfowl reports nationwide have heard these same field reports in our last two duckless years.

The press release is further sobering . . .

"Due to unseasonably warm conditions (prior to the most recent arctic fronts), all sources indicate large concentrations of ducks and geese as far north as South Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota. In fact, according to the latest state waterfowl surveys conducted in mid-December, nearly 4 million birds remain scattered across nine states in the upper Central and Mississippi Flyways."

"For example, in South Dakota, hearty birds totaling nearly 50,000 ducks and 250,000 geese remain along the Missouri River. In northern Illinois, annual goose hunting quotas have been nearly reached and dark goose numbers are staggering. Missouri is holding the most birds, with an estimated population of 571,359 ducks alone at last count. Goose and duck hunting in these northern states continues to be excellent to good where the season remains open."

In southwest Louisiana, Jeff Poe with Big Lake Guide Service near Cameron continues to lament the poor season in the Bayou State.

"The ducks were just not here in force," reported Poe. "Many of the most renown duck hunting clubs here in Cameron Parish are calling this season the worst ever in their many years of hunting."

Regarding our own Mississippi Flyway, lands are still quite dry this season according to Dr. Thomas Moorman, Director of Conservation Planning for DU's Southern Regional Office in Jackson, MS.

"We're still dry down here and there is no river flooding of which I am aware. Without this core of habitat, it will be difficult to hold birds as they make a move south," said Moorman.

"This recent front was strong, but we didn't get significant rainfall, and that has been the pattern all winter," he added. "We need good arctic fronts that produce heavy rain as they move through the Deep South. That produces floods in the White River, the Yazoo River and others that haven't flooded much during recent duck seasons.

"Add to that the fact that weather behind these fronts has had a tendency to moderate quickly, and we just don't have conditions that make birds move south, or stay in the region if they do move because habitat conditions are far less than ideal," he observed.

"As a passionate Mississippi waterfowler, I've been frustrated by the continued warm weather patterns experienced in mid-latitude states," remarked DU Biologist Chad Manlove.

"Under these conditions, mallards will tend to hold-up until freezing temperatures reduce their available water and food resources.

I've got my fingers crossed that the recent cold front will send a few birds south, allowing southern ducks hunters to finish the season with a BANG."

As for the rest of Louisiana's duck season, the west zone season will end this Sunday, whereas the East Zone is set to close on January 25th. Hunters don't have much time left and already I am hearing many are turning their thoughts to geese.

A few have reported to me with severe frustration that they may be much better off buying LSU football season tickets next year than continuing their duck leases.

I do hope they are able to continue their duck leases, as well as obtaining LSU season tickets. But I don't know . . . It's not so simple anymore. Waterfowlers spend loads of money each year in support of their passion of waterfowling in Louisiana.

And they are crying "foul" over the lack of fowl.

I am sure in the coming months there will be even more theories as to the dearth of big ducks in Sportsman's Paradise.

So please stay tuned.

Chris Berzas is the outdoors writer for the Daily World.

I watched the winter weather the whole season, as I have since the advent of the weather channel. I also have friends in the northern tier that I talk to regularly.

This was not an unusually warm winter, and they did have a good bit or snow as well.

Compared to the last 5, it was the most "wintery" season of all of them, and some say the worst for the ducks down south as well.

I guess they are now going to try and say that a glacier extending down to the north Oklahoma border is what we really need to move the ducks.

maybe the most "wintry", but also the MOST DRY Jim!

I'm not sure if you remember Chopper, but last year there was plenty of water and still no ducks. From the way it sounds from most of your posts, I'm sure you and your hunting group killed ducks last year as well. But for most of us that have had food and water the last couple of years and not killed ducks in places they have been killed for years and years, it doesn't make any sense. Private land or public land the ducks have been few and far between in the past few years.

All I can come up with to say is WHATEVER. I'm not listening to DU or the USFWS any more. They have been hyping it all up for the past 4 or 5 years which have been terrible. How many times do you have to hit yourself on the thumb with a hammer before you decide to quit doing it because it feels so good when you stop??? I actually paid a bit of attention to the weather this year and WAY early in the year N and S Dakota were locked up solid. At Thanksgiving it was 9 degrees in Minnesota at my buddies' brothers house, and over a foot of snow on the ground. Even when it was 14 degrees here 2 weeks ago (would have to be colder north of here) there were no ducks. In order for there to be some ducks pushed down here there have to BE some ducks to get pushed down here!

Amen...Good answer Dutch Dog

Mile001, I agree the ducks have been few and far between the past years.
All i'm saying to jim, who I think is an idiot, is that the ducks haven't really been here, like they used to because of the weather. The weather includes both water and temperature. He said this year has been the coldest year in the past 5, and I said it also has been the dryest. Last year was definitly wet, but warm. I think if the two ever pair up, the ducks will be here.
Yes we did kill ducks last year, but I want all the factors to be there, so that the ducks will be plentiful.

I will agree with that Chopper...Lots of ducks for everyone is the way to be.

I think it's no water and high pressure for a duration of 6 years is enough to change the entire way they use this area, but that's just my idiotic opinion.

I know men who have been hunting for 35 years that have said that is enough for them, they will do something else until it gets better. In fact I know several men who have said after this year, that's all they can stand, it's just too pathetic.

I know a biologist and an 80 year old man who still hunts the same hole he has been hunting for 50 years, who laughed in my face when I asked them if the flyway had changed jim.

What did you ask them?
Anybody who says the flyway hasn't changed isn't paying very much attention. No matter what the reason, ducks have not been here for 5 years, and that is a flyway change, you callit what you wish.

You are trying to imply that all conditions as you wish, things will return back to the old ways. That makes ME laugh but I would sure like to be proven wrong. I think we are in grave problems and they arent going away anytime soon.

I call it slow years

I do too, who would have thought that the most ducks in history would accompany those years. Good thing they weren't in a decline, there may not be a duck in all of Mississippi.

I trust the numbers, and I trust the FWS more than any other Govt organization. In fact I trust them without question.

A lot has change in those years. I say even if we did get a real blaster up north to cover the food, they would pop in and be gone to LA. They wouldnt stay. Too much pressure, not enough water. Successive years of that damages the entire flyway usage. It can repair itself, but it is going to take a lot more of those "slow" years than any of us want IMHO.

I agree with Dutch! First we was told that we had record number of birds to hatch this year and I don't believe we did. Second, they said we didn't have any rain and granted we didn't, but we had rain last year and no ducks to speak of then either. Third, they said the north didn't have a cold enough winter and granted it was warm, but you do a google search and see that they had a pretty good winter. In my opinion, we will have to have the moon and stars to line up in the Delta just right in order to have any ducks in this fine southern state of Mississippi!! Duck season in Mississippi is beginning to remind me of the Budweiser commercial with Leon and he's saying it's everybodies fault when had those four fumbles:lol: Nobody wants the blame I guess. Maybe nobody truly knows?

Hookup Your right it has been cold up north, but not really cold enough to freeze the big bodies of water. Plus there hasn't been enough snow fall to cover up the food. I know because I live in Nebraska we have had it snow about 2 or 3 times here, but it hasn't stayed around very long. Same thing for the cold it has been cold at times but the majority of the time it has been pretty warm. Just last week or the week before I was wearing shorts outside, but the next day we had about 5 inches of snow that lasted for about 3 days then we were back into 40-50 degree weather. Mo and Ill have not seen any of this cold weather to speak My in laws live in St Louis and I don't think it has hardly even snowed there. Maybe I am wrong, but I don't think the north has seen any kinda of cold weather to speak of.Nothing compared to what I had grown accustomed to living in here in Nebraska and Kansas. A couple years ago here were I live in Nebraska it was cold enough that the Mo River was frozen over solid and this it is not even close to being frozen.