Wildfowl_-_September_2019

There were an estimated 2.

million gadwalls on the nesting

grounds in 2018, a whopping

IF YOU BELIEVE everything you
read, you might think these are dark
days for waterfowl hunters. Mallards
don’t migrate south like they used to.
Hunters at the bottom of the flyways
spend more time cussing empty skies
than working birds. Atlantic Flyway
hunters were just hit with a one-two
punch of shortened seasons and re-
duced bag limits on Canada geese
and a cut to the daily limit on mal-
lards. Pintail populations continue to
struggle and wigeon numbers have
been relatively flat for decades.
Bad? Sure, but if you can look
beyond the gloom and doom, you’ll
see a world filled with ducks and
geese. Things are actually pretty
darn good out there. Snow geese
continue to provide unprecedented

hunting opportunities throughout

the central U.S. Specklebelly geese

are also increasing in numbers. Many

states have inched up daily bag limits

in response. And then there are the

ducks. Some species are near all-time

highs with numbers well above long-

term averages, providing ample hunt-

ing opportunities.

There’s no better example than

gadwalls. Once considered a strap-

filler, gadwalls have become a staple

among waterfowlers throughout

much of the country. There were

an estimated 2.9 million gadwalls on

the nesting grounds in 2018, a whop-

ping 43 percent above their long-

term average population. Louisiana

Boom Time

Good news: A combo of factors has led to spikes in many

species and bright spots in waterfowling. By David Hart

CONSERVATION CORNER

© Phil Kahnke

10 WILDFOWL Magazine | September 2019 wildfowlmag.com