Migration Report 12/6/2006
1)Location: Regina, Saskatchewan
Date: December 7, 2006
Name: Mike Hungle
Weather: It's been another cold week here in Saskatchewan, with daytime highs well below the freezing mark and high winds making thing extremely miserable. The long range forecast is for moderate to warmer weather with highs exceeding 32 degrees.
Snow Cover: Regina has approximately 8 inches of snow cover.
Water Conditions: There is no open water remaining.
Feeding Conditions: Most feeding locations are snow covered. Geese continue to feed on wind swept hill tops, where snow levels are lower or non-existent.
Species and Numbers: There are still small pockets of Canada geese remaining on the lake in the middle of Regina.
Migrations: Amazingly, these stragglers roost right on the frozen lake. Two days ago, it was near blizzard-like conditions and geese were winging it from the roost to a feeding location instead of heading South.
Season Stage: The season has been open since September first and remains open until December 16.
Hunting Report: Hunting action at this time is very poor.
Gossip: Maybe some mild weather will result in a hunt or two, providing the birds leave the safety of the city limits.
2) Location: Columbia, MO
Date: 12/6/06
Name: Jason Zerrer
Weather conditions: Over the last week we've had subfreezing temperatures and over a foot of snow. Highs the last 2 days have been mid 40s with lows in the upper 20s/low 30s. Significant melting has taken place. Wind today has shifted from south to NW and increasing up to 20+ mph. We are expecting a short cold front tonight dropping high into the 20s tomorrow. Early next week another warming trend is on the way bringing forecasted showers.
Local water conditions: Still low overall.
Local feeding conditions: Bleak. We had 15.5 inches of snow in the middle part of the state which covered up the available food. Public areas are frozen allowing birds to get to standing corn previously out of reach.
Waterfowl numbers and species in the area: The large front that swept through last Thursday night pushed out some birds, but many remain. The ice has concentrated birds to a few places that continue to cling to open water. We lost nearly all of our “off” ducks with almost 100 percent mallards and a few gadwalls remaining.
Migrations: Large migration 6 days ago on Dec. 1. Points south of here should have seen a huge influx of birds. We replaced teal, widgeon, etc., with mallards.
Season stage: Missouri 's north zone season has less than 3 weeks as of today. Middle zone is just over half way finished.
Hunting report: Hunting before and during last week's front was phenomenal. The freeze we have, coupled with the snow cover, have made things…more challenging over the past week. Good numbers of ducks remain to provide opportunity, if someone is willing to put in the extra work for that opportunity.
Gossip: With shallow water locked up tight, hunters have been moving to the deep and moving water with variable success. Warming temperatures have helped immensely getting the snow off. In just a day, we went from 15 to 6 inches of snow on the ground. Ground north of here that wasn't hit quite as hard is starting to show dirt again. The snow melt should create lots of sheet water in the fields and rev up the end of the season just in time.
Date: 12/5/06
Name: Christian L. Curtis
Snow Cover: None
Water Conditions: Good in the southeastern part of the state. Conservation areas are holding good water and private lands are in good shape.
Feeding Conditions: Very Good
Species and Numbers: We have a pretty good number of mallards and a surprisingly high number of gadwall, pintail, and wigeons right now.
Migrations: Due to the significant weather north of us last Thursday, we got a large push of birds immediately following. We have had some freezing conditions, especially in the mornings the last week and I think that some of the birds may have moved on. However, starting this weekend, it is supposed to warm up and we expect those birds to move back north.
Season Stage: 2 nd Week
Hunting Report: Hunting has been good until today when the freezing conditions either moved birds out of the area or kept them on big water, namely Reelfoot Lake. We have harvested a fair number of mallards and a high number of pintail, wigeon, and gadwalls.
Gossip: Rumor mill has it that there are still some birds braving the weather north of us but they have lost a fair number.
6) Location: Pierre, SD (central South Dakota )
Name: Tyson Keller
Date: 12/6/2006
Weather conditions: Monday, December 4: 28 degrees, W at 10-20 mph, sunny Tuesday, December 5: 36 degrees, NW wind at 20-30 mph, partly cloudy Wednesday, December 6: 31 degrees, W wind at 25-35 mph, mostly cloudy
Local water conditions: Lower than usual. There are extended shorelines on many of the existing sloughs and lakes. Many small creek arms and bays are beginning to freeze along the Missouri River. During extremely cold days, the river will occasionally have a thin layer of ice.
Local feeding conditions: Canada geese are feeding well during morning hours with much heavier feeds during the evening. Winter wheat and disked corn fields have been the preference among most flocks. Mallards are currently feeding during late evening hours with the bright moon lit nights.
Waterfowl numbers and species in the area: Many migratory Canada geese are moving in on a daily basis. Last week's cold fronts brought in a good number of larger Canada 's but many of the Lessers decided to move south for the winter. Canada goose numbers around the Pierre area are in excess of 150,000+ birds. Mallard numbers are currently hovering around the 50,000+ mark.
Migrations: Many Lesser Canadas are currently filtering out of South Dakota. Consistent influxes have taken place within the last week. Heavy migration traffic has been occurring daily with cooler temperatures and Northwest winds
Season stage: Currently, South Dakota is at about mid-season stage.
Hunting report: Many hunters have been doing alright field hunting for Canada geese. The best luck has been a result of new bird arrivals during colder weather days. Some duck success has been reported from boat hunters also.
Gossip: Many hunters feel that hatches were good this year. At this point in time, pretty much all locals are impressed with bird numbers so far this year.
7) Location: Central Iowa
Date: 12/6/06
Name: Travis Mueller
Weather: cold with no snow cover
Snow Cover: n/a
Water Conditions: Frozen solid with rivers even frozen or producing float ice.
Feeding Conditions: Still for some reason only feeding once a day, but starting early around 2:30.
Species and Numbers: Most everything is gone except for mallards and Canada geese.
Migrations: We are on the last leg in terms of migrations. With the colder weather, we are losing ducks and geese everyday only to have them hit the snow line 2 hours south and return.
Season Stage: Ducks in the north zone is closed, and south zone closes in a week. Goose season goes into January.
Hunting Report: Goose and duck hunting in the fields have been very good if you can find the X. Most water is frozen solid and the last of the birds are sitting in town on ponds with aerators or bubblers.
Gossip: Pound the pavement and scouting is the key. The snow line is 2 hours south, and they are in no hurry to leave an area with no snow and enough open water to hold them.
8) Location: Vance, MS
Date: 12-6-2006
Name: Rob Heflin
Weather: Lows have been in the 20s and 30s and the highs in the upper 40s for about a week.
Feeding Conditions: What birds are here are feeding in grain fields.
Species and Numbers: Very few ducks at this time. What I'm seeing are gadwalls, mallards, shovelers and a few teal and pintails.
Season Stage: Duck season opened 12-5 and runs through the end of January.
Hunting Report: Poor at best. Only a small minority of hunters have any birds to speak of and very few limits are being taken. Most fields I've seen are absent of birds. Hunters with access to brakes and oxbows have been fairing better than most, but it's still extremely slow.
Gossip: Crazy ducks! It's 20 degrees in Mississippi, where are y'all?
9) Location: Southeast Missouri
Date: 12/07/06
Name: Hunter Johnson
Weather: Sunday 12/03 – Tuesday 12/05, cold – lows in the teens, highs in the low to mid 30s. Wed 12/06 & Thurs 12/07 – lows in upper 20s highs in low 40s
Snow Cover: None
Water Conditions: Still a lot of water in fields from recent rains, rivers are on the rise or stable.
Feeding Conditions: Birds are feeding hard in the afternoons, from 2:00 p.m. on up into early evening before the water starts freezing up each night.
Species and Numbers: Bird numbers are strong, currently holding 40,000 or more ducks on Otter Slough conservation area and the private clubs in the near by area. Several areas within a 20-30 mile radius of Otter Slough holding large numbers of birds as well, some of these areas are holding 50,000 birds or more.
Migrations: A recent cold front has given us a new push of ducks from the north; another cold front is set to pass through over the next couple of days. Snow geese have started showing up in large numbers.
Season Stage: We are currently about midway through our duck season.
Hunting Report: Hunting has been excellent in the afternoons the last few days.
Limits of mallards, pintail and a few gadwall are common.
Gossip: Hunters are killing a lot of mallards, averages as high as 4 – 6 birds per hunter have been common since last Sunday. Birds seem to be holding close to the freeze line, which has been within 50 – 100 miles of us for the last week or two. Specks and a few Lesser Canada geese are decoying well in dry corn and wheat fields. Snow geese are arriving in large numbers with little or no hunting pressure on them.
10)Location: All Zones Illinois
Name: Rich Good
Date: December 07, 2006
Weather: (North and Central Zones) Winter like conditions Northeastern Illinois Lake frozen. ( South Zone ) Cold mornings, reaching the lower 40s in the afternoon. Thursday of this week entire state below freezing with a clipper system moving through.
Water Conditions: North Zone most water is now hard, finding open water on river system would be the key. Central Zone smaller waters frozen, but thin enough to be worked with. Southern Zone again smaller back flooded areas frozen, but easily workable.
Snow Cover: From St. Louis up into Wisconsin is covered with snow. A small triangle from Kankakee, Illinois, following route 57 to the southern part of the state has no snow cover. 60 percent of Illinois is covered with snow from 4 inches to 15+ inches.
Feeding Conditions: In the snow covered areas, geese are really working hard to get food. Eastern Illinois through the southern tip of Illinois providing great feeding conditions.
Species and Numbers: Smaller ducks have moved out some might still be found in the Southern Zone. Canada goose numbers are still increasing and a major migration of Canadas took place on Sunday with large flocks seen migrating from 2:00 p.m. until dark on Sunday. Snow goose and specklebelly numbers are on the rise in Southern Zone. Ducks numbers are increasing daily, and a major migration was witnessed Saturday evening with thousands of new birds coming in high from the Northwest and dumping into the Refuge at Rend Lake.
Migrations: It's on. See above
Season Stage: Local hunters in the Northern Zone report shooting some geese in feeding fields. Duck hunters have hung up the calls in the Northern Zone and switched to ice fishing gear. Central Illinois hunters are still reporting great hunting along the moving waters of the Illinois River System, and Central Illinois Cooling Lakes. Southern Illinois hunters have been into it for only 2 weeks with lots of time left and lots of ducks in the area!!!!!
11) Location: In the last week I have hunted, North Central Missouri, Northeast Arkansas and the Wynne, Ak., area, and I'll do my best to provide a synopsis of each.
Date: 12-7-2006
Name: Bill Cooksey
Weather: I was in North Central Missouri during the snow storm late last week. We experienced single digit temps at night with daytime highs hovering near 20. There has been a slight warming trend since that time, but a new front has plunged temps to the single digits once again. Northeast Arkansas had nighttime temps well below freezing with daytime highs up to 50, and Wynne has been slightly warmer, but many fields were freezing during the night.
Snow Cover: North Central Missouri had approximately eight inches of snow during my hunt, but some has melted due to slightly warmer temps and sunny skies. No snow in Arkansas.
Water Conditions: Due to inexperience in the area, I don't know how water conditions in North Central Missouri compare to averages. The Black is rising in Northeast Arkansas. The White and Cache rivers have both been out of their banks west of the Wynne area, but smaller creeks and fields that depend upon rainfall are either dry or very low.
Feeding Conditions: Ducks in Missouri were feeding mostly in dry cornfields. Due to not killing a duck with anything in its craw, I can only speculate that ducks in Northeast Arkansas are feeding in flooded rice and bean fields. What few ducks are in the Wynne area are feeding in flooded rice and beans.
Species and Numbers: Mallards were definitely the king in North Central Missouri. I saw them in huge numbers, but other species were non-existent. I saw one wigeon and one bluebill. I also saw decent numbers of Canada geese and snow geese.
Hunting timber in Northeast Arkansas, we shot mallards and gadwall, but saw several pintails. While driving around the area I saw all of the duck species you would expect in Arkansas, and the area appeared to be holding decent numbers of specks and snows.
Within the isolated concentrations of ducks in the Wynne area, you'll see the normal variety of puddle ducks associated with the region.
Migrations: In my travels, I didn't witness anything that appeared to be a widespread migration of mallards, but North Central Missouri definitely lost virtually all of their “other ducks.” In general, duck hunting is either feast or famine this year, and by traveling, I've seen a little bit of both.
Season Stage: North Central Missouri is about 2/3 through with their duck season. Arkansas is nearing the 1/3 stage.
Hunting Report: North Central Missouri was incredible, but it required a hunter to be mobile. Northeast Arkansas was very good, but thus far success in the Wynne area has been isolated to a lucky few. The best reports of success in flooded fields have been during afternoons, but most ducks are staying on the roost until the sun is high and temperatures are well above freezing. The full moon has also encouraged night feeding.
Gossip: After covering so much ground and talking to so many people there's not enough room to write it all here. I do however have to take off my hat in respect for the Wildlife Resources folks in Missouri. The public hunting opportunities they have provided by their aggressive use of hunter and taxpayer dollars is incredible.
12) Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Name: Kevin Wilson
Date: December 7, 2006
Weather: Snow, snow and more snow – that's what we're getting in Alberta. A warm front arrived early on in the week, bringing windy conditions and more snow. Daytime highs have been variable between 3 and 5 degrees Celsius. Lows have been around -7 degrees Celsius.
Snow Cover: Snow conditions are variable throughout the province with up to 24 inches in the northern regions, less than 20 inches in the central regions and reportedly less in the southern parts of the province. Given the warming trends that we're experiencing, the snow is compacting.
Water Conditions: All sloughs and lakes remain frozen over. Only on a few select waters, particularly in the southernmost end of the province, can you find small holes kept open by roosting waterfowl reluctant to leave. Very limited open water on major rivers is holding small groups of ducks and geese.
Feeding Conditions: Feeding conditions are getting even tougher. With deep snow, ducks and geese feeding in fields are working hard for their food. Difficult conditions have pushed almost all of the birds to leave. Remaining ducks and geese continue to target mostly barley stubble fields.
Species and Numbers: There are a few ducks remaining on the warm water ponds near the Keephills Power Plant west of Edmonton and likewise at the Forestburg Power Plant in central Alberta. Otherwise, the only birds left, albeit it mostly from Calgary south to the Lethbridge area, are mallards and Greater Canadas. Hunters lucky enough to find birds may enjoy shoots with several hundred birds, but the multiple-thousand bird shoots are done for the year.
Migrations: Most ducks and geese have migrated south, but again, if you're able to locate the stragglers, there are a few small pockets of ducks still in Alberta. Geese in the central and northern regions of the province are gone. Very few geese may still be found in southern Alberta.
Season Stage: We have one to two weeks left to hunt. Alberta 's waterfowl season closes December 16 th in most WMU's and December 23 rd in others.
Hunting Report: With the extreme cold we had last week (i.e., -22 degrees Celsius) most hunters have quit for the year. Those that are hunting mallards are reporting spotty field shoots mostly in the Lethbridge area. Goose hunting is more or less finished for the year in Alberta.
Gossip: As winter continues to settle in and the snow gets deeper, the best duck hunting will eventually take place on or near power plants as warm water outflows attract ducks and geese reluctant to migrate south.
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