State Breeding Waterfowl Surveys Spur Optimism for Upcoming Hunting Seasons
Duck and goose hunters anxiously await results from the comprehensive 2022 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey, which will return this year after being cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of concerns surrounding COVID-19. Survey results are expected from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service later
Some of the bad
North Dakota- blue-winged teal were down 4 percent, wigeon were 10 percent lower and gadwalls declined by 36 percent.
Minnesota- Mallards were estimated at 231,058, a 19% decrease from 2019 and 9% below the 10-year average. Blue-winged teal checked in at 161,395, a 28% drop from 2019 that is 24% below the long-term average.
Michigan - Duck numbers were significantly lower, with total ducks estimated at 202,026, a 79% decline from 2021 and 68% below the long-term average. The 2022 mallard estimate stands at 138,713, a drop of 55%.
Some of the good
North Dakota- Mallards increased 58 percent, while pintails were up 108 percent and shovelers registered 126 percent higher than last year.
Wisconsin- Mallards are estimated at 181,686, a 3.3% increase over 2021 and 1.5% higher than the long-term mean. Blue-winged teal increased to 81,359, up 9% this spring.
[QUOTE=CTR0022;16350203]Looks like another la Nina winter....
Yep ,gonna kill the hunting again if so. Lots of places already low on water, LCRA not selling duck water Etc. Birds are gonna get pounded & move on because of pressure. Hope it doesn't happen ,but setting up like last season & it was beyond bad in most areas, but I'll be out there enjoying the outdoors.
Saw a couple groups yesterday On my farm in some flooded second crop rice. Not a great picture of one group but you get the point. Won’t be long now.
Unless something changes, seems like there is going to be a lot less water on public this year. Sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes it's not. All depends on where you hunt I suppose.
If it keeps going like it has been I won't have much water to hunt and I don't think any ducks are gonna come into my spread on a dry tank. Hopefully we get some substantial rain before season and some good cold fronts during it
Looking forward to it. My son will be 4 this year and we've got some cupcake places to take him. His little Boykin is coming along well enough we may be able to take her along too so they'll both enjoy a first hunt together
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