Mississippi Duck Season Approaching!

It's that time of year again! The cold air has finally reached us here in the south, and it has brought some ducks with it. In a few short days (10 to be exact), opening day of Mississippi Duck season will be here. For some of us, the wait has been too long!

The season will officially start on November 23, 2012 at 6:05 a.m. On this morning, thousands of Mississippians will take to the field to try their luck. From my recent observations, there will be plenty of ducks to hunt. I have observed more ducks around this year than I ever have this early in the year. This could be due to a couple of things: 1. Record duck populations
                                                    2. Cold weather in the Northern States arriving early
Either way, I'm not complaining. I can't wait to see what this duck season holds in store.

SIDENOTE: Have you ever wondered where the ducks we harvest in MS come from? I have. I did a little research and this is what I found. The majority of the migrating ducks harvested in the state of Mississippi come from the Prarie Pothole Region a.k.a. "The Duck Factory." This region includes parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, and the Canadian provinces of Mannitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Some of our ducks also come from the Great Lakes region. Here is a map showing the distribution of ducks that migrate to MS. This information is based on the data gathered from ducks that were harvested that had a band.

That's all for this week, good luck to all who venture out for the season opener!

Information for this blog can be found HERE

Mississippi State Chapter Banquet This Week

It's that time again! The Mississippi State Chapter of Ducks Unlimited is holding their yearly banquet this week. The event will be held at Rick's Cafe this Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. Events of the night include: A pork Tenderloin Dinner, both silent and live auctions, and raffles. Some of the prizes being raffled/auctioned include: Yeti Coolers, RNT Duck Calls, and many other hunting items. Tickets are $35 if you buy them early and $45 at the door. Your ticket also gets you a year long membership to Ducks Unlimited!

Information about the banquet can be found HERE.

Low Water Concerning Mid-South Waterfowlers

The summer of 2012 was one of the driest on record for much of the mid-south. The lack of rainfall has resulted in very low water levels across the region. One of the areas that has suffered the most is Northwest Arkansas. This area has traditionally been considered as one of the premier duck hunting destinations in the country. Local lakes, rivers, and sloughs are all at historically low levels, meaning less habitat will be available for migrating waterfowl. In addition to the low water levels, the dry weather has resulted in below average production of the plants that waterfowl feed on, including moist soil plants and acorns. To make matters worse, we have just experienced the first cold front of the season, which brought the first wave of migrating waterfowl with it. Noticeable numbers of Green Wing Teal, Pintails, Gadwalls, and Northern Shovelors have shown up across the mid-south. With no water for them to utilize, they won't stick around long. The only thing that  fellow  waterfowlers can do: Pray for rain.

Information used in this blog can be found: HERE

Waterfowlers to benefit from NWR Expansion

Our National Wildlife Refuges play a major part in providing essential habitat for migrating waterfowl. There are over 300 NWR's in the United States that offer waterfowling opportunities and several in our part of the country. These areas provide hunting, fishing, camping, and all sorts of other outdoor activities for the general public to enjoy.

Here is a map showing the NWR's in the United States:

DU announced in mid-September that the federal government is planning on investing nearly $30,000,000 to improve and expand wetlands and hunting opportunities on some of the nation's NWR's. According to the proposal, the feds will add over 10,000 wetland acres to seven NWR's under the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. Also, the funding will allow for an additional 95,000 acres of wetlands to be added under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. They will also expand hunting opportunities on 16 NWR's in 14 states, with several new hunting opportunities included.

What this boils down to:

Sportsmen and hunters across the country will benefit from this increase in federal funding to the NWR's. By increasing wetland areas, they are providing more habitat for waterfowl. This has a direct effect on the waterfowl population and will help out in the long run. As an added bonus, they are also increasing hunting opportunities, which is always a plus for hunters. There are several refuges in our general area that will benefit from this investment, including areas in Tennessee  Missouri, and Louisiana. Overall, this is a win-win for the general public and the waterfowl population.

The information for this blog entry was found here

Teal Season is upon us!

The fast flying Blue Wing Teal have made their way down the Mississippi Flyway in a BIG way this year. As I posted earlier, DU has recorded record numbers of these crafty creatures. Well, I found out this weekend that we are seeing the results of some of these record numbers right here in Mississippi. I had the privelage of going on two teal hunts this past weekend, and the teal really showed up. I have been teal hunting for about ten years, and I have NEVER seen equivalent numbers of birds that we have this year. Reports across the nation agree with my observations-that there are more of these things than there ever has been before. Hunters and outdoor enthusiasts better enjoy it while they can, because one thing about teal is: they're always on the move! They are one of the fastest flying waterfowl species in North America. The Blue Wings always start their migration earlier than most waterfowl species as they make their way towards South America and Mexico.If you haven't had a chance to hunt them yet, you better hurry cause' the season closes September 30!

DU weekly update 9/10/12

This week in DU news, Ducks Unlimited has been named as the primary sponsor for National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD) on September 22, 2012. National Hunting and Fishing Day brings awareness to the general public about how sportsmen have played a major role in the conservation of both our wildlife species and the lands they inhabit. NHFD has been going on since the early 1970's when President Nixon signed a proclamation to dedicate the day for the fourth Saturday in September.

In local news, Mississippi's Early Teal season is set to open Saturday, September 15. This season is designed so that hunters may catch the early migrating Blue-Winged Teal as they come through the Magnolia State. The bag limit is set to 4 birds per person and the season lasts from September 15-30. With the recent rains from Hurricane Isaac, Mississippians should have plenty of water-filled habitat to hunt these fast-flying targets.

That's all for this week,

Scott

Links:

Ducks Unlimited celebrates victory for Gulf Coast restoration

As the House farm bill moves toward a vote, the future and nature of Sodsaver hang in the balance

Weekly DU Update 9/4/2012

Hey ya'll,

This week in DU news: Ducks Unlimited Chief Scientist, Dale Humburg reports that this hunting season could be one of extremes. From weather to duck migrations, he expects the 2012-2013 year to be one for the recordbooks, either good or bad. Humburg explains that the mild and dry winter from last year could carry over to this season, causing ducks to never leave their nesting grounds of the Prarie Pothole region, and never make it to the "Good Ol' Boys" down South. But, with record duck numbers this year, if we are blessed with a cold winter- that could mean a bang-up year for us southern hunters. Duck hunting success in the South really depends on one thing: Mother Nature. If she decides to let the mild temperatures of summer and fall carry over to winter, Mississippians might as well head to the deer stand until late January, when you will catch a few migrating ducks passing through. If she decides to call on her distant relative "Old Man Winter", then grab your guns and hold on boys it might get interesting!

Anyways, enough about that; I could ramble on for days about hunting season. In other news, the Grenada County Chapter of DU has announced that they will hold their annual banquet/dinner on September 29, 2012 at 6:00 P.M. at "The Hanger."

Well, thats all for this week folks. As always, I have included links to more news stories for DU at the bottom of the page.

Have a Good Week,

Scott

Links:

Where MississiCome From
 The Ducks Unlimited Story
New Waterfowl Migration Map Features