Waterfowl Breeding Habitat Conditions

[Sunklands]

I'm hunting **** ponds....

That’s the same as flooded corn but off the cob.

 

[LADucks]

Local conditions are the biggest factor for how an individual's season goes, but the total kill for the southern half of the flyway is always highest in years with high numbers of juvenile ducks.

As far as an individual season goes and not long term conditions... I'll take a cold winter and good duck water on our landscape over a good hatch any day.

 

[WuChang]

Juvenile kill rates is an interesting topic. I haven't a taken look at those trends in a long time. Maybe Larry will visit and share some info.

Good luck finding the older Harvest Reports on the new improved FWS site……..just saying

 

[bill cooksey]

As far as an individual season goes and not long term conditions... I'll take a cold winter and good duck water on our landscape over a good hatch any day.

That’s basically what I said in the first half of the first sentence. What kind of season each of us has largely depends on local conditions. Total kill for the southern half of the flyway is heavily influenced by the number of young ducks in the flight.

 

[WuChang]

That’s basically what I said in the first half of the first sentence. What kind of season each of us has largely depends on local conditions. Total kill for the southern half of the flyway is heavily influenced by the number of young ducks in the flight.

And the further south,the lower ratio of juvenile to mature
as to rate of change……..you need the archived reports

 

[Squaller]

As far as an individual season goes and not long term conditions... I'll take a cold winter and good duck water on our landscape over a good hatch any day.

Agreed.

Looks like good news for the ducks...

For us here in the central valley of California... There might be twice as many ducks, but the hunting will not be nearly as good as it was in the last two seasons. Some early winter storms last season, with the drought concentrating birds where the hunters were. Two hears of drought have definitely shown that the lack of water might not be good for the ducks, but it is good for the duck hunters. Ducks took a pounding the last two seasons.

On the south end of the flyway, we are quite dependent on the weather up north of us. Duck populations could triple, but if weather does not push them down it does not matter much.

 

[ducaholic]

As far as an individual season goes and not long term conditions... I'll take a cold winter and good duck water on our landscape over a good hatch any day.

Without a doubt. I'd say with the spinners and increases in specialized habitat to our north a lot of juvies that used to make it through no longer do.

 

[DisplacedDuck]

Local conditions dictate how low the floor, but breeding success on the prairie dictates how high the ceiling.

Statistically speaking, there is a "moderate-to-strong positive linear correlation" between hunter success (birds harvested per capita) and the habitat conditions. Meaning that the two are well-related, far above statistical insignificance.

 

[Crew_ChiefND]

Living and hunting in the ND PPR, I've seen the drought years and now the decades long wet cycle. I was out last weekend where I hunt, and there is a lot of 'extra' temporary water, but that will dry up with the warmer than normal temps right now. Lots of pairs of ducks tucked into every body of water, so looks like a lot could be sticking around to possibly nest. Water conditions look good at the moment, but can change quite quickly. I say water conditions look good, not sure how nesting conditions are, as we've lost so much CRP over the last 20 years, it's staggering.
We had a tougher than normal winter and a late spring. We had Canada geese showing up with 3 feet of snow on the ground and in between spring blizzards. Planting is behind, but according to AGWEEK, they are catching up.
NDGF should have their spring pond counts out in the near future.

 

[ducaholic]

Now Larry may visit.