Call It What You Want

[Jmuv]

Well this is enlightening. I just am wondering, who really believes that we as a species are capable of changing the weather pattern to make it colder in the northern hemisphere earlier and longer? Or make it rain more or less on demand? Unless folks have truly been brainwashed into believing that the natural changes in the climate are all the fault of humanity wake up and realize that we cannot change the weather. Migration patterns can and do change due to habitat destruction, modification or creation . I was told by an old dnr warden from Wisconsin that, “ Mallard ducks will stay in Wisconsin until the snow cover is 8” deep and the water freezes. Then they go south until they find better conditions.” Hurricanes destroy habitat, weather modifies habitat and people and nature creates habitat. People cannot control the weather but we can create habitat that will affect how many waterfowl winter on our hunting grounds.
As a landowner I would not allow anyone to use my property that would not improve the habitat. I have to believe that to give up and blame others is not the best solution. No matter where you hunt make it better than you found it The animals will benefit and the landowners will take notice.

 

[ducaholic]

Well this is enlightening. I just am wondering, who really believes that we as a species are capable of changing the weather pattern to make it colder in the northern hemisphere earlier and longer? Or make it rain more or less on demand? Unless folks have truly been brainwashed into believing that the natural changes in the climate are all the fault of humanity wake up and realize that we cannot change the weather. Migration patterns can and do change due to habitat destruction, modification or creation . I was told by an old dnr warden from Wisconsin that, “ Mallard ducks will stay in Wisconsin until the snow cover is 8” deep and the water freezes. Then they go south until they find better conditions.” Hurricanes destroy habitat, weather modifies habitat and people and nature creates habitat. People cannot control the weather but we can create habitat that will affect how many waterfowl winter on our hunting grounds.
As a landowner I would not allow anyone to use my property that would not improve the habitat. I have to believe that to give up and blame others is not the best solution. No matter where you hunt make it better than you found it The animals will benefit and the landowners will take notice.

Very good points and I do just what you stated but I do my work on public land which is tiresome, frustrating, , exciting, and fulfilling when you finally get an agency to do the right thing.

 

[bill cooksey]

Yes, most ducks utilize quality habitat in good locations until conditions make moving advantageous. For most of the time ducks have been on this continent, there was an incredible amount of habitat. Despite the amount of habitat, in most years weather made it advantageous for most of them to winter in the south. If those weather patterns return, the ducks will react accordingly.

Saying I recognize our weather patterns have been very different the last several years doesn't mean I believe man is responsible, nor does it mean I think we can change it. Just means I'm paying attention to the weather and I don't let my political preferences prevent my saying so.

 

[ducaholic]

Bill your recollection of what the weather used to be compared to what it is now is probably skewed on both ends of the spectrum. While I agree that it needs to be colder and more impactful the differences of then and now are not as extreme as you make it out to be. I say this realizing some years were just extreme but those are few and far in between. Your marker appears to be Saint Louis as I have heard you refer to the weather there many times. Fact is weather in SE Kansas is often 15-20 Degrees colder than it is in Saint Louis on any given day. It takes a unique weather pattern to chill Saint Louis to the bone and those are certainly more rare. Fact is they always have been as I have followed Saint Louis Weather as one of my critical markers for many many years. Maybe that's crucial for West Tennessee hunting but it's far less crucial for most of La. other than maybe extreme NE La. which probably needs more Miss. River ducks to reach its full potential. That's not to say that we don't need more impactful and timely weather over all but we also have to consider other outside factors when we say the ducks are not making it to La. like they used to. It's simply not all weather related.

 

[Ramblingman]

Bill your recollection of what the weather used to be compared to what it is now is probably skewed on both ends of the spectrum. While I agree that it needs to be colder and more impactful the differences of then and now are not as extreme as you make it out to be. I say this realizing some years were just extreme but those are few and far in between. Your marker appears to be Saint Louis as I have heard you refer to the weather there many times. Fact is weather in SE Kansas is often 15-20 Degrees colder than it is in Saint Louis on any given day. It takes a unique weather pattern to chill Saint Louis to the bone and those are certainly more rare. Fact is they always have been as I have followed Saint Louis Weather as one of my critical markers for many many years. Maybe that's crucial for West Tennessee hunting but it's far less crucial for most of La. other than maybe extreme NE La. which probably needs more Miss. River ducks to reach its full potential. That's not to say that we don't need more impactful and timely weather over all but we also have to consider other outside factors when we say the ducks are not making it to La. like they used to. It's simply not all weather related.

Bingo.

 

[bill cooksey]

Bill your recollection of what the weather used to be compared to what it is now is probably skewed on both ends of the spectrum. While I agree that it needs to be colder and more impactful the differences of then and now are not as extreme as you make it out to be. I say this realizing some years were just extreme but those are few and far in between. Your marker appears to be Saint Louis as I have heard you refer to the weather there many times. Fact is weather in SE Kansas is often 15-20 Degrees colder than it is in Saint Louis on any given day. It takes a unique weather pattern to chill Saint Louis to the bone and those are certainly more rare. Fact is they always have been as I have followed Saint Louis Weather as one of my critical markers for many many years. Maybe that's crucial for West Tennessee hunting but it's far less crucial for most of La. other than maybe extreme NE La. which probably needs more Miss. River ducks to reach its full potential. That's not to say that we don't need more impactful and timely weather over all but we also have to consider other outside factors when we say the ducks are not making it to La. like they used to. It's simply not all weather related.

It's actually pretty easy to look at weather patterns at any point in modern history, and we simply aren't getting the needed fronts. Also, we fight ice less and less each year while our schools use fewer and fewer snow days and/or let out at the least hint it may snow since the days are already allotted. None of that is really arguable. The fact we are now killing more sprig, gadwall and teal than mallards is also telling. I use St. Louis a lot in conversations because it's an easy reference point for folks and I'm about the same distance from St. Louis and NE LA. I have locations from NOLA to Sioux Falls saved in my weather app to watch as the season goes on.

Consider all the factors you want. Many, such as huge habitat loss in many flyway states is certainly a worthwhile discussion. That said, if past winter weather norms returned, ducks would react accordingly.

 

[BMan]

The Pacific Flyway has its own issues - This year we had a great migration. The birds showed up when the weather got cold up north. This year was more extreme and the cold forced the birds down like I dont remember seeing in a long time. Everything except the Mallards. I hunt a decent size refuge and got my first green head of the year. Upon check out the staff said that was the third that day - probably close to a thousand birds checked out. I believe that the high dollar clubs in WA along with the super high dollar clubs in CA are hogging the birds. I havent made the trip to hunt the clubs up north but when I see the pics and hear the stories it is multiple days, multiple blinds and limits of mallards. The high dollar clubs here seem to hold large numbers of big birds but those clubs are not seeing the numbers of the past. Compounding the issue CA recent drought has decimated the local hatch. Number wise I had a great season but I shot mostly pintail and wigeon and teal .

 

[ducaholic]

It's actually pretty easy to look at weather patterns at any point in modern history, and we simply aren't getting the needed fronts. Also, we fight ice less and less each year while our schools use fewer and fewer snow days and/or let out at the least hint it may snow since the days are already allotted. None of that is really arguable. The fact we are now killing more sprig, gadwall and teal than mallards is also telling. I use St. Louis a lot in conversations because it's an easy reference point for folks and I'm about the same distance from St. Louis and NE LA. I have locations from NOLA to Sioux Falls saved in my weather app to watch as the season goes on.

Consider all the factors you want. Many, such as huge habitat loss in many flyway states is certainly a worthwhile discussion. That said, if past winter weather norms returned, ducks would react accordingly.

Then we should also explore the impact of the explosion of duck hunting as a sport and the specialized habitat is has spawned as a result of AHM driven liberal regs over the last 30 years. Fact is it hasn't been studied because no one in the business wants to have to admit that man's good work has in fact altered the migration (shortstopped) much in the way they altered the Canadian Goose migration many many years ago when we had good weather by all accounts. Yes La. used to have a season. They simply didn't have to come to La. any longer. I don't have any doubt that if we have a winter like 83 or 89 or 2000 or even 2013/14 that we will have ducks close to days gone by but that is not the norm. I'll just keep going and see what happens. Not much else a common man can do in this duck crazed era.

 

[ripline]

I believe that the high dollar clubs in WA along with the super high dollar clubs in CA are hogging the birds. I havent made the trip to hunt the clubs up north but when I see the pics and hear the stories it is multiple days, multiple blinds and limits of mallards. The high dollar clubs here seem to hold large numbers of big birds

In the last 30 years, many high dollar duck clubs have risen out of the muck. Many of the best wetlands are purchased/leased/created for/by the duck club. Many have impoundments that they have created to keep the ducks far longer into winter than in the past. Diverting/redirecting water on frozen fields creates artificial wetland that promote the waterfowl to stay, ice eaters etc...
May have contributed to shortstopping... by design!

 

[bill cooksey]

Then we should also explore the impact of the explosion of duck hunting as a sport and the specialized habitat is has spawned as a result of AHM driven liberal regs over the last 30 years. Fact is it hasn't been studied because no one in the business wants to have to admit that man's good work has in fact altered the migration (shortstopped) much in the way they altered the Canadian Goose migration many many years ago when we had good weather by all accounts. Yes La. used to have a season. They simply didn't have to any longer.

There are plenty of hungry biologists who would happily accept a grant for such a study, and those things are indeed being studied. So far, like always, when weather in November and December makes moving south attractive, ducks will move.