If Mother Nature will just cooperate . . .

[Brent Bryant]

The duck numbers are through the roof for us this year. Below are a couple of articles that should have us all VERY excited. Our club biologist has a copy of the underlying report by the USFW that these articles are based on. I'll be happy to email anyone a copy that is interested in reading it.

Delta Waterfowl Press Release

July 2, 2009

Editors: For immediate release. For additional information, contact John Devney at 888-987-3695, Ext. 218.

Breeding Population Survey Released;
Wet Conditions Attract Ducks to Dakotas
BISMARCK, N.D.-At first glance, the results of the 2009 duck breeding population and habitat survey are eye-popping: May ponds across the prairie breeding grounds increased 45 percent from a year ago, the total duck population was up 25 percent and mallard numbers climbed 10 percent.

Look closer, however, and some of the survey's findings explode from the pages like a Fourth of July fireworks display.

"If you would have told me 10 years ago we’d have twice as many pintails nesting on the U.S. side of the breeding grounds as Canadian prairie, I would have laughed in your face," said Dr. Frank Rohwer, Delta’s scientific director.

Yet that's exactly what happened this year as 1.4 million pintails nested in the Dakotas and eastern Montana while only 664,000 set up housekeeping in prairie Canada. The U.S. side of the region also attracted 78 percent more blue-winged teal (4.5 million) than prairie Canada (2.5 million) and a higher percentage of mallards than any other year since the survey began in 1955.

The results of the breeding-population and habitat survey were released Thursday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service. The B-pop, as it's called, is the most extensive wildlife inventory on the continent.

The total duck breeding population rose 13 percent from 37.3 million to 42 million, and for the first time ever more ducks (14 million) settled on the U.S. side of the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) than the Canadian side (12.7 million).

"That's sobering news for prairie Canada, which continues to experience sub-par duck production, but exciting news for the U.S., where nest success has been excellent because of an abundance of grass and a scarcity of red fox," says Dr. Rohwer,

"Ducks track ponds and the Dakotas and eastern Montana are wet," says Senior Vice President John Devney. "Not only that, but thanks to heavy rains in June, our grass cover is in excellent shape and we’ve maintained good wetlands, which bodes well for re-nesting and brood survival.

"We ought to be making a bunch of baby ducks this year," echoed John Solberg, the USFWS pilot-biologist who flies the eastern Dakotas survey each spring. "We're very wet, and the cover response to recent rains has been incredible."

A breakdown of the numbers shows the PPR had a 45-percent year-over-year increase in May ponds to 6.4 million. Prairie Canada was 17 percent wetter than a year ago and 5 percent wetter than the long-term average while the U.S. side had a whopping 108 percent increase in wetlands and was 87 percent wetter than the LTA.

The mallard population climbed from 7.7 million to 8.5 million. The U.S. attracted a 2.96 million mallards while 3.04 million settled in prairie Canada.

Among the other most popular species, gadwall numbers were up 12 percent to 3.1 million; green-winged teal rose to an all-time record of 3.4 million; blue-winged teal rose 11 percent to 7.4 million; northern shovelers climbed 25 percent to 4.4 million; northern pintails were up 23 percent to 3.2 million; canvasbacks were up 35 percent to 662,000, and scaup rose for the third straight year, up 12 percent to 4.2 million, the highest level since 1999.

The only species to show a drop in breeding numbers were redheads, which were down one percent to 1.0 million, and wigeon, down one percent to 2.5 million.

The PPR constitutes only 10 percent of North America's breeding habitat but annually attracts two-thirds or more of all nesting ducks. The surveyed portion of the region includes North and South Dakota and a sliver of eastern Montana in the U.S., and prairie Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba in Canada. About 75 percent of the PPR exists in Canada, which historically attracted 75 percent of the ducks that nest there.

During the wet cycle of the 1990s, duck production on the U.S. side of the border increased dramatically thanks to 5 million acres of grass nesting cover provided by the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

"Things look great right now," Devney says, "but hunters need to remember we've lost more than a million acres of CRP just since 2007 and more contracts will expire this year. On top of that, we’ve been losing native prairie at an alarming rate and several million more acres are at risk. If we can’t find a way to preserve existing upland cover, we simply won’t enjoy this kind of production in the future."

Estimates of Breeding Ducks
Species
2009
2008
% Changefrom '08
% Changefrom LTA

Mallard
8.512
7.724
+10
+13

Gadwall
3.054
2.728
+12
+73

American Wigeon
2.469
2.487
-1
-5

Green-winged Teal
3.444
2.980
+16
+79

Blue-winged Teal
7.384
6.640
+11
+60

Northern Shoveler
4.376
3.508
+25
+92

Northern Pintail
3.225
2.613
+23
-20

Redhead
1.044
1.056
-1
+62

Canvasback
.662
.489
+35
+16

Scaup
4.172
3.738
+12
-18


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total Ducks
42,005
37,276
+13
+25

All numbers in millions. LTA is long-term average.

#################################


Ducks Unlimited Press Release

Duck numbers up overall

Greatly Improved Habitat Conditions Increase Ducks for 2009

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - July 2, 2009 - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released its preliminary report today on mid-continent breeding ducks and habitats, based on surveys conducted in May and early June. Total duck populations were estimated at 42 million breeding ducks on the surveyed area. This estimate represents a 13 percent increase over last year's estimate of 37.3 million birds and is 25 percent above the 1955-2008 long-term average.

"The increase in duck numbers in relation to the increase in habitat conditions is consistent with what we would expect to see in U.S. and Canadian breeding grounds this spring," said Ducks Unlimited’s Executive Vice President Don Young. "History has repeatedly shown that when water returns to the breeding grounds ducks respond with a strong breeding effort."

In addition to extensive grassland cover, one of the most important elements in duck breeding success is the amount of water present in portions of prairie and parkland Canada and north-central United States. Total pond counts for the United States and Canada combined showed 6.4 million ponds, a 45 percent increase from last year’s estimate, and 31 percent above the long-term average. Habitat conditions in 2009 were mostly a good news scenario. Conditions across the southern portions of the Canadian and U.S prairies improved considerably from 2008.

However, drought remained in some parts of the traditional survey area, including western portions of the Prairie Pothole Region. Southern Alberta saw a decrease in ponds of 19 percent. This area contrasted sharply with record amounts of snow and rainfall in the Dakotas. The north-central U.S., which includes the Dakotas, saw a 108 percent increase in total ponds. Above average snowfall this winter and considerable precipitation in late spring recharged wetlands across the Dakotas and eastern Montana.

The Canadian parklands received below-normal precipitation, but waterfowl habitat in this area continued to benefit from above-normal precipitation received in 2007. In the Boreal Forest, spring break-up was delayed as much as three weeks and most large lakes across the region remained frozen in early June. Overall habitat conditions in this important region were considered good.

The FWS spring surveys provide the scientific basis for many management programs across the continent including the setting of hunting regulations. The four Flyway Councils will meet in late July to recommend and adopt the season structure and bag limits for 2009-10. Individual states will make their specific selections within a federal framework of season length, bag limit, and outside dates. Hunters should check their state's rules for final dates.



The 2009 report is filled with positive news for all duck species. As might be expected, most breeding populations increased as habitat conditions significantly improved from 2008 to 2009. Of the commonly surveyed species four of the 10 showed a significant increase, and six of 10 were significantly above their long-term averages.

The mallard population increased 10 percent above last year. An estimated 8.5 million mallards were on traditionally surveyed areas this spring, compared to last year’s estimate of 7.7 million birds and are now 13 percent above the long-term average.

"The increase in breeding mallard populations to numbers above their long-term average could very well be good news for hunters," said DU’s Chief Biologist Dale Humburg. "Although we also know that migration timing and local conditions will also be important in this fall’s hunting prospects."



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And finally, from the AGFC Outdoor Report:

Early breeding grounds surveys show duck numbers are up
LITTLE ROCK – There is some fresh news for Arkansas duck hunters, and it is good.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released its preliminary report on mid-continent breeding ducks and habitats, based on surveys conducted in May and early June. Total duck populations were estimated at 42 million breeding ducks. This estimate is a 13 percent increase over last year's estimate of 37.3 million birds and is 25 percent above the 1955-2008 long-term average.

A key component for waterfowl managers is that pond count.

The number of ponds in the Canadian prairie provinces and in the upper Midwest of the Untied States is 45 percent more this year than last year and 31 percent more than the 1955-2008 long-term average, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission waterfowl biologist Luke Naylor says. “Of particular interest for Arkansas duck hunters is the dramatic increase in pond counts in the Dakotas, an area that makes a substantial contribution to this state's mallard harvest,” he said. “Unfortunately, this good news must be considered in light of continued loss of the grassland habitat that has made this region so valuable for nesting ducks and in turn Arkansas duck hunters,” Naylor stated.

According to the FWS, wet and dry cycles, where water levels fluctuate over time, are vital components of maintaining wetland productivity. This is especially important for the prairie potholes of the northern plains. While hunters and ducks rejoice with the return of water, droughts are important in rejuvenating wetlands. As evident by this year, dedication to conservation, even through dry cycles, can pay off when water returns to the prairies and wetlands again teem with breeding waterfowl and other wildlife.

Habitat is the vital element for ducks as it is for all wildlife. The number of ponds is up, the number of ducks is up, but some parts of the Midwest and the South, Arkansas especially, were hard hit by heavy rains and flooding in the spring. In Arkansas, rice and soybean crops are far behind schedule, and these are used extensively by migrating ducks.

The FWS issued a caution note. “Improvement in water conditions is only part of the story. Water without nesting cover does little to improve the duck outlook. As good as the news is this week, waterfowl and prairie habitats continue to face greater long-term threats. Grassland habitat is under siege on many fronts and is being lost at alarming rates. The U.S. prairie pothole region has lost more than 1.2 million Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres since 2007 (another 3.1 million acres will expire by 2012), and more than 3.3 million acres of native prairie are projected to be lost during the next five years.”

The FWS surveys 10 species of ducks in its population counts. Eight of the 10 showed increases this year, and the two that didn’t showed very slight drops.

Mallards, THE duck to most Arkansas waterfowl hunters, increased 10 percent over last year and 13 percent over the long-term average.

Gadwalls increased 12 percent over last year and 73 percent over the long-term average.

Wigeons decreased 1 percent over last year and 5 percent over the long-term average.

Green-winged teal increased 16 percent over last year and 79 percent over the long-term average.

Blue-winged teal increased 11 percent over last year and 60 percent over the long-term average.

Shovelers increased 25 percent over last year and 92 percent over the long-term average.

Pintails increased 23 percent over last year but decreased 20 percent over the long-term average.

Redheads decreased 1 percent over last year but are up 62 percent over the long-term average.

Canvasbacks increased 35 percent over last year and 16 percent over the long-term average.

Scaup increased 12 percent over last year but are down 18 percent over the long-term average.

Population estimates for black ducks, ring-necked ducks, bufflehead, goldeneyes, and mergansers are similar to last year as well as their 1990-2008 averages.

Hunting season dates and bag limits for Arkansas will be proposed by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Wildlife Management staff at the AGFC’s July 16 meeting in Little Rock. The commissioners will set the seasons and bag limits at their Aug. 20 meeting in Little Rock.