By Bruce Ross, Executive Director bruceross@wi.rr.com
This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s October, 2021 Newsletter edition.
Every year for the past several, former WWA director Mark Kakatsch – in his current hat as migratory bird chairman with the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation – hosts a meeting with the DNR, Conservation Congress, duck NGOs, etc. – the “usual suspects” – and Wisconsin’s key waterfowl media. There are some timely tidbits as we start the season, and you’re getting them first… well, sort of.
Wisconsin’s waterfowl outlook. Despite a drought in the states and provinces west of us, Wisconsin, while dry, is expecting good production to fuel the harvest opportunities. Total breeding duck numbers are up over last year and the long term average.
Drought condition across the US and Canada this week
Mallards are down slightly, falling below their long-term average (LTA) this year. Blue wings are incrementally up from last year, but still below their LTA in the state. Wood duck numbers are suspiciously high, and local goose numbers continue to grow. Put it all together, and we should be seeing ducks in the marsh in slightly greater numbers than last year. But with less rain this year, and less surface water, the birds will be more concentrated than in the previous high water years.
With drought conditions throughout the US and Canada breeding grounds, there is some concern for future seasons. While I remember 30-45 days seasons with the infamous point system, a whole generation of waterfowlers has experienced only 60-day seasons and generous bag limits. Hmm. Fingers crossed that these “good ole days” continue. Points to the importance of wetlands, doesn’t it?
Wisconsin breeding duck trends
Early Reports
Early season teal action was good but variable – no surprise there. Early – and now regular – goose season is producing for hunters. Farmers are reporting that a disease, “tar spot”, is causing early dying of the corn plant, so they are harvesting earlier. This is opening up fields to hunters much earlier than in years past.
There are more hunters in the marsh. The DNR report substantial numbers of hunters – record or near record – in the usual haunts when the North zone opened last week. It’s not a surprise that staggered openings allowed more hunters to open in the North zone, it also seems that the “COVID bump” of hunter numbers may have a lingering effect. The DNR won’t know for sure until mid-late October when stamp sales can be used to gauge hunter numbers.
Opener harvest reports were good to very good across the north with teal and woodies leading the take. Dry conditions are concentrating the birds, but also concentrating the hunters. Stay patient, don’t sky bust, and remember that the best days are really ahead when the pressure is lessened by deer season and football.
Science Projects
Dr. Drew Fowler, waterfowl research biologist for the DNR, has a bunch of research happening around the state, from technology to monitor and manage harvest, to the origin of the birds we harvest, to using drones to better monitor habitat evaluation and seasonal distributions of birds. You can play a role. Check out the mallard and ringer wing collection article in this same newsletter.
Using feather isotopes to determine where our harvested birds came from
Installing a radio transponder on a mallard hen
A mallard study using embedded transponders is already revealing more about the regional and seasonal movement of one of our favorite birds, the mallard. We’ll have more on these in future articles—good to have Drew aboard!
Law Enforcement is in the house
We got an update from DNR Top Cop, Casey Krueger. Chief Krueger has a lot going on with his team, from assisting fellow Law Enforcement agencies with big events (think Ryder Cup and Bucks’ home games) to promoting safety, saving lives, and enforcing regulations. Staffing is okay, but always fragile in his world, so you might see some of his wardens in a marsh near you this year with Warden Duck School having just concluded. By the way, “Top Duck” honors this year go to Warden Samuel Eagan from the Kettle Moraine Southern unit! WWA annually recognizes and awards the warden with the highest performance in the waterfowl enforcement training for new wardens. Read more about it here.