Duck News from the Sportsman's Show

crabbait · 02-10-2002, 09:55 PM

I spent five days at the Sportsman's Show manning the Duck's Unlimited booth. For those of you who went, I'm the guy with the big yellow lab (Nick).

We had a great show and appreciate all the support for the ducks and for our dinner (March 9, Milwakee Elk's Club). Mat Studer won the gun.

I also got to spend alot of quality time with some of the DU biologists. They said that the Alberta area is having one of the worst years ever and if they do not get some heavy snow or rainfall quick we could be looking at reduced limits and seasons next year (60 days and five birds was mentioned).

Hey, Birdhunter, it was great meeting you. Lets put a trip together.

birdhunter · 02-11-2002, 09:13 AM

Hey Crabbait,

Bad news for the ducks. Really hope we get some rain.

Very nice to meet you too. Had a great time talking with you. I'd love to get a trip planned some time. Got any ideas? Keep in touch. I'm looking forward to it.

Lives_to_fish · 02-11-2002, 01:41 PM

It is sure hard for a simple guy like myself to make sense out of bird counts. Most of the season, hardly any birds around. Season is over and they are like flies in my area. What does it mean? Do they think we killed too many birds last year? I have to wonder if they take counts at a specific times and places each year and if they do, but the birds are somewhere else, sure seems like we could be jumping to conclusions. If we had a 60 day season this year that started in October, it would have been just about worthless.

crabbait · 02-11-2002, 09:19 PM

According to the biologist, Alberta and the entire mid-section of Canada is experiencing the worst drought on record. Seasons and bag limits are set based on the number of ponds/lakes that are counted during an aerial survey in May, as I recall.

The theory is that the habitat available for successful nesting in the spring is an accurate predictor of fall bird numbers. No water, no nests, no birds. I don't think harvest numbers are a big part of the equation.

If federal hunt days are restricted to 60, I believe it is up to the states to determine which 60: Could be two months straight or it could be Wed/Sat/Sun for a longer period.

Anybody who has more info please chime in.

bigshark · 02-12-2002, 02:47 PM

Crabbait, can you tell us more about what they said? Is there a pattern that suggests there won't be enough water given where we are in the time of year? When they shorten seasons does the state really get to dictate or do they rubber stamp a Fed suggestion? In the past do they normally take time off the beginning and end of the season? I thought we started too early anyway and would have done better if they allowed us to have more season later. What percentage of our birds come from Alberta?

crabbait · 02-13-2002, 02:05 PM

BS, the way I understand it, the fed sets the maximum number of season days and bag limits, the state gets to choose which days.

We get some of our birds crossing over the rockies through Montana, but most from Alaska and British Columbia.

The biologist said that if we do not get rain/snow in the mid-west portion of Canada soooooon, we could expect changes next season.

Disclaimer: This is from talking to one biologist and is second hand at best. I have not gone to the DU home site to see if there is more news there.

In my opinion, if limiting the season and the bag will make for a better future than we had this year, I'm all for it.

bigshark · 02-13-2002, 07:38 PM

Crabbait, I sure agree with you that we need to
do whatever it takes. But I am very glad to hear the states can choose when we start and end the season. I think there's alot of ways to have just as much fun taking 5 birds as 7. I guess the next question is will the western states agree to agree
on times best for all. I really dislike the early
opening in October when its still 65 degrees and over. Too bad we can't hire Burt Lancaster to go up to Aberta and recreate his Rainmaker role once more. :grin: