F-Y-I on Duck Whereabouts

[captain duck]

According to La Fish and Wildlife by late Jan the La coast has 3 million ducks. This year only 1.2 mil. Central to north La usually has 750,000. This Jan 106,000. The chief biologist for the August A Bush Wetlands preserve in central Missouri states that the preserve is currently holding 60-80,000 ducks instead of the normal 1/2 million this time of year. Consensus: there are masses of ducks in Illinois and in Michigan the wetlands are packed with ducks. Hundreds of thousands of ducks are currently in the Missouri bootheel. Lake Erie is usually frozen over this time of year and had no ice this winter. The snow covered fields of Iowa in normal January have had only flurries and 40 degrees. Therefore, the good news is that the ducks will be healthy going into this year's breeding due to a short migration. The duck numbers should be up next year. The bad news is that another warm winter in 02-03 will have similar results. What's a man to do?

[Greenhead22]

I know of a refuge in south La. that had around 1.5 million ducks on it during the season, and it would only cost you a $200 fine to hunt them during the season.

[captain duck]

Greenhead22- I think we should book a three day hunt next winter!

[Greenhead22]

I almost convinced the guide down in Buras to do it, but decided not to. Then I tried to get Jeff interested in it, and he also declined. [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[captain duck]

Does the guide in Buras work for Ryan Lambert at Cajun Adventures. I have fished with them 1/2 times or so.

[Greenhead22]

Nope, he works for Cap. John L. Taylor's charter service in Buras.

[Johnboy114]

Hey Greenhead, how much is it for out of season? may be a better deal! [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[ February 06, 2002: Message edited by: Johnboy114 ]

[MemphisStockBroker]

Captain,
Will this help the ducks in their breeding this season, since their travel range will be cut down? It seems like there should be fewer natural fatalities if they dont have to fly to Mexico and back... Could that possibly mean a better hatch this year?

(trying to find some positive out of this...)

[Wildfowler]

MSB, that's an interesting consept you've just suggested. I've never considered that before. I wonder what the stats would say about the mortality rate cooresponding with the number of miles a waterfowl travels during migration... Interesting.

[judge jb]

i read where the early hatch {the ducks that get back earliest} have the highest hatch success.. and you know that us good ole MS. boys normally take a bunch of birds... seems they will have a short trip back to the nesting grounds.... you would think it would make for a great duck forecast for next year, but there are alot of obsticles between now and then.... i give up on predictions along time ago...haha....

judge jb

[captain duck]

I wish I could take credit for that brilliant deduction that the ducks are going to be physically stronger and therefore have a better hatch due to a shorter migration trip but I read this in my Louisiana Sportsman magazine over the week-end and the theory was from a wildlife biologist wityh the USFWS.

[Quack Attack]

I believe spring waterfall in Canada will dictate the nesting success more than anything at this point.

They have had no snow, and that fills the pools. They need moisture in Canada, it just might go the other way on the nesting if they don't get it.

Still up in the air, but they certainly benifited from being able to stay where there was plenty of food with no pressure from hunting, because the seasons were closed.

Good winter survival rate and with some rainfall a very good hatch.

[BrianB]

Captain D, shoot me an email, need to ask you a quesiton