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

About DU!

Ducks Unlimited (DU) was formed in 1937 by a group of sportsmen who had a common interest. Conserving Waterfowl. During the time that it was formed, Duck populations were at an all-time low due to drought conditions across much of the U.S. Their mission was to conserve, manage, and restore waterfowl and waterfowl habitat. DU has become the largest privately owned waterfowl conservation agency in the world. Today, they are still fighting the same battle as wetlands and habitat are rapidly being destroyed and developed for human usage and "Progress."

Here is an interesting chart that shows how much land DU has saved since its existance.

Through mutual agreements with landowners and government agencies, DU has successfully helped the waterfowl populations recover to numbers that haven't been seen in decades. DU has over 550,000 members and is still growing! There are both local and university chapters of DU around Mississippi State University.

I am an avid duck hunter and enjoy the outdoors. Period. I am a member of the Mississippi State chapter of DU. DU makes it possible for people like me to continue doing what I love and I know that as long as they are around, there will be ducks to hunt for many years to come.

In this blog, I intend to keep ya'll updated on the current issues concerning DU, both locally and nationally.

Here are the links to some current news for DU:
2012 Annual Waterfowl Report
Mississippi Ducks Unlimited Recognized Nationally
Habitat Enhanced On Mississippi Wildlife Management Areas