Waterfowl Counts

[Dodge Man]

I look at them every year and I don't know how they come up with the numbers they do sometimes. I have been to a few of the refuges this year and they look empty. But they show counts in the thousands.

I also see most of the counts at a fraction of what they have been even just 5 years ago. I think the management of the Reelfoot refuges is what has hurt hunting in West TN as much as anything. Back in 2015/16 the January numbers were 150,000-263,000 ducks alone. Now this year it's barely over 10,000. They have quit pumping and holding water like they use to. I don't think the effort is put in to the refuges like it use to be.

 

[Dodge Man]

Definitely lower numbers overall.

 

[RUGER]

Kinda like twra, we are doing a great job, if you don't believe us, just ask us.

 

[Bgoodman30]

I asked a well known refuge's manager about the 58k duck count a couple weeks ago and he looked at the other GJ and said "58k? No the count is 48k..?, I told him he might want to check the website..

Black Bayou has had a known water problem for a few years now.. Overall duck numbers in this state are bad maybe worse in decades for this time of year...

 

[Bgoodman30]

Do they still count the NWR or is that just gone?

 

[Dodge Man]

I asked a well known refuge's manager about the 58k duck count a couple weeks ago and he looked at the other GJ and said "58k? No the count is 48k..?, I told him he might want to check the website..

Black Bayou has had a known water problem for a few years now.. Overall duck numbers in this state are bad maybe worse in decades for this time of year...

Black Bayou has always had the same problem with holding water. They used to pump it up and keep pumping every few days to keep it full. Now they pump it up a little and don't add anymore the rest of the season.

 

[GUNNERX2]

Went by a flooded field up the road from Black Bayou yesterday and there were several, several thousand ducks sitting on it. Didn't investigate the refuge though, we were in a hurry to get home.

 

[Bgoodman30]

Black Bayou has always had the same problem with holding water. They used to pump it up and keep pumping every few days to keep it full. Now they pump it up a little and don't add anymore the rest of the season.

I don't know about always I remember some of the commissioners toured it a few years back concerning the water issues.

 

[Bgoodman30]

Definitely lower numbers overall.

About 100k less than last year. I know the lack of ducks on Reelfoot is hurting other areas as well because they aren't trading back and forth..

 

[Bgoodman30]

I look at them every year and I don't know how they come up with the numbers they do sometimes. I have been to a few of the refuges this year and they look empty. But they show counts in the thousands.

I also see most of the counts at a fraction of what they have been even just 5 years ago. I think the management of the Reelfoot refuges is what has hurt hunting in West TN as much as anything. Back in 2015/16 the January numbers were 150,000-263,000 ducks alone. Now this year it's barely over 10,000. They have quit pumping and holding water like they use to. I don't think the effort is put in to the refuges like it use to be.

Look at the MS levels in 15/16 the counts were just a fraction of the birds the state was actually holding.. Never seen so many.

 

[TNGunsmoke]

Anyone know where I can find counts for Duck River Refuge?

 

[Dodge Man]

I don't know about always I remember some of the commissioners toured it a few years back concerning the water issues.

Maybe not always, I do remember hearing they would have to pump a few times a year if we didn't get rain.

Looking back and remembering the major MS river flooding in 2016, 17, 18 and 19. I imagine that messed up some of the water holding structures up around Reelfoot.

 

[JagwalCrush]

I went to Duck River this afternoon and wasn't impressed with what I saw at all. #1, never seen as little water as what's in there right now and #2, not many birds at all. I know they can be alot of places there that you can't see but just didn't see much, especially for this time of the year.

 

[Pic IN the Casa]

Kinda like twra, we are doing a great job, if you don't believe us, just ask us.

should be a bumper sticker.

 

[younggun308]

Hopefully a sign of better days ahead.

 

[Dodge Man]

Hopefully a sign of better days ahead.

View attachment 124708

It was warmer in South Dakota, Iowa and that whole northern region then it was in TN today!

 

[younggun308]

It was warmer in South Dakota, Iowa and that whole northern region then it was in TN today!

They've got an incoming cold front or occluded front at the moment. Looks like temps will keep dropping there.

 

[Bgoodman30]

Seeing some redheads and canvasbacks shot the last 2 days, good sign.

 

[RUGER]

Saw the first flock of sandhills come over yesterday.
For whatever reason I think their "flyway" goes directly over my house. Normally see a crap ton of them every year.

 

[Dodge Man]

Saw the first flock of sandhills come over yesterday.
For whatever reason I think their "flyway" goes directly over my house. Normally see a crap ton of them every year.

I saw more Sandhills back in November then I have seen the past few weeks. We had a pool at Crockett last weekend and normally the fields in that area are full of crains. We saw one field that had maybe 500 in its is about all I saw.