Final split of waterfowl season begins with first serious cold front of winter

Email to a Friend  Print this Article

Last week, duck hunters throughout the southern portion of the Mississippi Flyway became excited when weather forecasters predicted the first major blizzard of the winter. Hunters’ hopes are always that the cold fronts bring in new migrations of ducks, and indeed, the first noticeable waterfowl migration occurred both immediately before and after the weekend. The cold front brought snow and ice to most of the upper Midwest, and a deep freeze extended even into southern Missouri. As a result, most waterfowl species, including green-winged teal and gadwall, migrated south to escape the cold. However, biologists in mid-latitude states report that many mallards still remain on intensively managed public areas.

The lack of substantial rainfall has continued throughout the state, so WMA staff continues to pump moist-soil areas and fields to maintain water levels. Duck numbers have noticeably increased on many WMAs last week. Subsequently, hunters should expect increased public use on these areas since many private lands are not flooded yet. Gadwalls and mallards were the predominant birds reported at Mahannah WMA, and continued harvest of many species is reported at Muscadine Farms WMA. Harvest of mallards is increasing throughout many areas of the Delta, and hunters can maintain consistent harvest by managing both disturbance and hunting pressure.

The first large concentrations of snow geese were observed during the last two weeks, and some landowners have reported damage to winter wheat crops. In most years, snow geese begin arriving in the Delta prior to duck season, but the migration seems delayed this winter. Also, due to extremely dry weather conditions, these geese have been observed roosting and loafing on large catfish pond complexes. One of the most effective methods of controlling unwanted geese is through legal hunting, but hunters should remember that the daily bag limit during the regular waterfowl season is 20 light geese. Hunters and landowners should also review and be familiar with federal migratory bird baiting regulations prior to hunting any waterfowl species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides examples at the following link: http://www.fws.gov/le/HuntFish/waterfowl_baiting.htm.

The mid-December aerial waterfowl survey began on December 14, and results will be posted on MDWFP’s website immediately upon completion. Hunters are also encouraged to track the mallard migration throughout the Mississippi Flyway through the MDWFP Waterfowl Program website: http://www.mdwfp.com/waterfowl. The Waterfowl Program website also reports water levels and habitat information for specific WMAs throughout the state.

Reader Comments

Would you like to comment?

Sign up for a free account, or sign in (if you're already a member).