Taylor
Well-Known Member
AERIAL SURVEYS SHOW DUCK NUMBERS ON THE UPSWING
By Steve McCadams
Numbers of ducks in the area have increased according to recent aerial surveys taken by biologist Robert Wheat of the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge office here in Paris. And, it�s likely ducks have increased in the last few days since the survey was taken as the winter conditions descended.
Duck hunters across the region are hoping action improves and it very well could as the weather should be stimulating what has been a sluggish migration.
Heavy rains preceded the cold front at midweek, flooding many low lying areas across West Tennessee�s Obion and Forked Deer drainage as well as the Hatchie River watershed. That will open up a lot of shallow areas for new ducks to the region this week.
The latest survey in the area was taken December 4th and showed duck numbers had increased on the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge by 55 percent since the last survey was taken about two weeks ago.
However, duck numbers are still twenty percent below last year�s tally at this same time and fifteen percent below the 5-year average for this time of year here.
Total estimate for the three units of the refuge showed 91,045 ducks and 2,158 geese.
The Duck River unit was holding the lion�s share with 66,548. Here on the Big Sandy unit ducks are down somewhat from the average for this time of year as there were 23,849 estimated with a mere 270 geese.
The tiny Busseltown unit south of Interstate 40 was holding the balance of ducks at 648 and geese at 220.
Topping the list by species at TNWR were mallards comprising 48, 997 of the total estimate while gadwalls were second with 14,670. Pintails were third with 5,125, followed by greenwing teal at 4,768, ringnecks 4,500, and widgeon at 3,685.
There were also 41 eagles using the refuge.
Neighboring Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge on Barkley Lake at Dover was holding 15,511 ducks and 1,790 geese. While the total is up fifty-one percent from the previous survey taken a few weeks earlier, it is still fifty-five percent below last year at this time and 30 percent below the 5-year average.
Mallards, gadwalls, and ringnecks topped the list at CCNWR.
Locally, reports are spotty coming in from duck hunters in from West Sandy wildlife management area where most are complaining about the lack of ducks seen. A few blinds have had shooting some woodies but not many mallards have been working the unit.
A few more ducks were seen at midweek; however, as the gale winds stirred things up around the whole Kentucky Lake area and had ducks in the air. Winds were west to northwest on Wednesday with gusts up to 25 miles per hour at times.
Temps were falling fast Wednesday as the cold front made its presence known.
Elsewhere across the region comes word of some pretty good days for a select few blinds in Camden bottoms that have managed to take double figures several days since the season reopened.
Big Sandy and Gin Creek have been fair but action improved at midweek as the cold front entered the picture. Hunters were reporting new ducks entering the
Most open water blinds on the river have been slow as gadwall and greenwing teal numbers have been down across much of the area, although some days several scrap ducks have been taken.
Although a few success stories are coming in, the vast majority of duck hunters across most of middle and west Tennessee are hoping the recent cold front will deliver more ducks down south.
Things are changing quickly and the weather patterns are working in favor of pushing more ducks to the region. Every day is different out there and all it takes is a cold front and a brisk wind and things can go from bad to good pretty fast.
That�s just what happened in the last few days here.
By Steve McCadams
Numbers of ducks in the area have increased according to recent aerial surveys taken by biologist Robert Wheat of the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge office here in Paris. And, it�s likely ducks have increased in the last few days since the survey was taken as the winter conditions descended.
Duck hunters across the region are hoping action improves and it very well could as the weather should be stimulating what has been a sluggish migration.
Heavy rains preceded the cold front at midweek, flooding many low lying areas across West Tennessee�s Obion and Forked Deer drainage as well as the Hatchie River watershed. That will open up a lot of shallow areas for new ducks to the region this week.
The latest survey in the area was taken December 4th and showed duck numbers had increased on the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge by 55 percent since the last survey was taken about two weeks ago.
However, duck numbers are still twenty percent below last year�s tally at this same time and fifteen percent below the 5-year average for this time of year here.
Total estimate for the three units of the refuge showed 91,045 ducks and 2,158 geese.
The Duck River unit was holding the lion�s share with 66,548. Here on the Big Sandy unit ducks are down somewhat from the average for this time of year as there were 23,849 estimated with a mere 270 geese.
The tiny Busseltown unit south of Interstate 40 was holding the balance of ducks at 648 and geese at 220.
Topping the list by species at TNWR were mallards comprising 48, 997 of the total estimate while gadwalls were second with 14,670. Pintails were third with 5,125, followed by greenwing teal at 4,768, ringnecks 4,500, and widgeon at 3,685.
There were also 41 eagles using the refuge.
Neighboring Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge on Barkley Lake at Dover was holding 15,511 ducks and 1,790 geese. While the total is up fifty-one percent from the previous survey taken a few weeks earlier, it is still fifty-five percent below last year at this time and 30 percent below the 5-year average.
Mallards, gadwalls, and ringnecks topped the list at CCNWR.
Locally, reports are spotty coming in from duck hunters in from West Sandy wildlife management area where most are complaining about the lack of ducks seen. A few blinds have had shooting some woodies but not many mallards have been working the unit.
A few more ducks were seen at midweek; however, as the gale winds stirred things up around the whole Kentucky Lake area and had ducks in the air. Winds were west to northwest on Wednesday with gusts up to 25 miles per hour at times.
Temps were falling fast Wednesday as the cold front made its presence known.
Elsewhere across the region comes word of some pretty good days for a select few blinds in Camden bottoms that have managed to take double figures several days since the season reopened.
Big Sandy and Gin Creek have been fair but action improved at midweek as the cold front entered the picture. Hunters were reporting new ducks entering the
Most open water blinds on the river have been slow as gadwall and greenwing teal numbers have been down across much of the area, although some days several scrap ducks have been taken.
Although a few success stories are coming in, the vast majority of duck hunters across most of middle and west Tennessee are hoping the recent cold front will deliver more ducks down south.
Things are changing quickly and the weather patterns are working in favor of pushing more ducks to the region. Every day is different out there and all it takes is a cold front and a brisk wind and things can go from bad to good pretty fast.
That�s just what happened in the last few days here.
