By Bruce Urben, President

This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s December Newsletter edition.

In the last 24 days, as I write this, the state has been cold, snowy and/or rainy with some blustery winds exceeding 30 mph. Certainly not expected for late October and early November. In my part of the woods, the temperature got down to 3 degrees for several days and never got above freezing for over 2 weeks! Needless to say, every boat landing on the west shore of the Bay of Green Bay was frozen tight, limiting access for duck hunting. November 14th was the freeze-up date here, the earliest I can remember in some time.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources say that Wisconsin can have a 60 day duck season … well, that is if Mother Nature cooperates! So far, a 43 day season (in the South zone) is what we may end up with for open water hunting. Clearly, Mother Nature is in charge!

Soon, the WDNR will be sending out their Waterfowler Hunter surveys to tally waterfowlers in advance of the next year’s seasons. Not all waterfowlers in the Wisconsin will will receive a survey, so if you do, please complete and return them to the WDNR – your voice, concerns and opinions are important.

I wouldn’t doubt, based on this years weather, that many waterfowlers will want to start earlier in the future to try to get more days of hunting in, particularly in the North zone.

This is the time of planning for your WWA as well as for waterfowlers all over the state. WWA is in the process of setting their budget and finalizing plans for 2020 events, educational classes and habitat projects in the pipeline.

Many of our habitat work projects will be initiated this winter due to the wet fall conditions that  kept us off the landscape. If you’re planning for a wetland habitat restoration project  for your property, I would encourage you to contact WWA for assistance and funding.

Apply for assistance to WWA and your Association can support your efforts in a variety of ways; through technical expertise, with both onsite planning and permitting, through access to grant funding opportunities, as well as the utilization of WWA membership funds applied as a grant match. Once we receive your application, the WWA project staff will notify you if funds are available for your project, or for more detailed information and an on-site evaluation.

While the weather forecast is calling for warmer temperatures and rain, I am optimistic that we will get several more days of open water duck hunting before the December 1st. closure. That is … only if Mother Nature cooperates and we get soft water in the landings.

Have a safe and joyous Holiday Season, and I hope to see you at our Christmas Bash on December 5th in Delafield.