# USFW weekly report......10/22/03



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

NEWS RELEASE

To: News Editor, News Director, Webmaster 
From: Ken Torkelson, USFWS 
Date: Oct. 22, 2003

NOT MUCH WATERFOWL MOVEMENT; HUNTING SLOW, SAYS USFWS

Balmy temperatures and poor water conditions are making waterfowl hunting difficult in North Dakota. The weekly survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, compiled from observations made Oct. 18-22, shows only slight increases in the populations of dabbling and diving ducks, snow geese and lesser Canada geese.

At Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge near Kenmare, manager Dan Severson reports the snow goose population has grown to 20,000 from 5,000 last week. He says most of the snow geese are on the north half of the refuge, with more arriving regularly early this week. The 2,500 Canada geese are mostly on the south portions of the refuge. Mallard numbers are up to 15,000 from 5,000 last week, and they are scattered over the entire refuge. Severson says the presence of 6,000 diving ducks indicates that ducks are starting to migrate out of Canada. He adds that the refuge is also holding about 350 tundra swans.

In Mountrail County, hunters may find small pockets of mallards and sandhill cranes, but the warm temperatures and dry conditions are limiting hunter success. Todd Frerichs of the Lostwood Wetland Management District says a few more tundra swans have arrived, but he has seen very few snow geese.

Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge near Minot held about 2,000 snow geese at mid-week, along with about 5,000 Canada geese and 10,000 ducks. Spokesperson Darla Leslie says the snow geese were mostly on the south end of the refuge, the Canada geese were on the north end, and the ducks were scattered, with virtually no migration.

Water levels continue to drop in northwestern North Dakota. Tim Kessler of the Crosby Wetland Management District says very few ducks are being reported, but about 5,000 snow geese have reached the Crosby area and a few scattered flocks of Canada geese can still be found.

Duck numbers are down, but more snow geese are being seen at J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge in north-central North Dakota. Project leader Bob Howard says the Westhope area is holding up to 60,000 snow geese, with other flocks near Kramer and Upham. He adds that some sandhill cranes left the area early this week, and he saw flocks of lesser Canada geese moving through late last week. However, Howard estimates the refuge has up to 4,000 tundra swans.

Some snow geese are trickling into northeastern North Dakota, but there hasn?t been much other movement. Biologist Aaron Mize of the Devils Lake Wetland Management District says hunting has become very difficult. He reports the combination of drying wetlands, warm temperatures and heavy hunter pressure has reduced success to what some say is the poorest in recent years. Mize notes that neither ducks nor geese are decoying well, and ducks seem hesitant to leave the water.

More waterfowl are moving into central North Dakota. Audubon National Wildlife Refuge project leader Mike McEnroe says the movement includes lesser Canada geese, a few flocks of 50 to 200 snow geese, good numbers of sandhill cranes and some ducks. He says hunters should expect to do some scouting.

There has been a slight increase in the number of lesser Canada geese at Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Moffit. Biologist Cheryl Jacobs also reports a small gain in the sandhill crane population at the refuge. She says the refuge still has lots of gadwalls and shovelers, but there hasn?t been much movement of ducks. Jacobs notes northern Kidder County has the best water conditions, but hunters will still have to spend some time scouting.

The population of Canada geese on Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge has increased quite a bit. Biologist Paulette Scherr says the north end of the refuge and the south end each held about 1,500 Canada geese early this week. Most of the 3,000 ducks on the north end are dabbling ducks? with mallards making up about half the total. Scherr also reports seeing flocks of 20 to 70 Canada geese feeding in harvested fields in southeastern Foster County, and she adds that most wetlands still containing water have at least a few ducks.

Ducks and geese are hard to find, but sandhill cranes are plentiful around the Chase Lake Prairie Project. Operations specialist Dave Bolin says hunters are reporting the most cranes in recent years. He notes that the local ducks have been pushed out of the area and no migrants have arrived to replace them. Bolin says hunters have told him they are having a hard time finding birds, but a few small flocks of Canada geese are scattered throughout the area.

Most of the local ducks are gone, but good numbers of resident Canada geese remain in southeast-central North Dakota. Operations specialist Ed Meendering of the Kulm Wetland Management District says the combination of heavy hunter pressure, warm temperatures and calm winds has made hunting difficult.

Very little migration is reported in east-central North Dakota. Operations specialist Stacy Hoehn of the Valley City Wetland Management District says there are very few hunters. She says the best water conditions are in the northern part of the five counties.

Migrating waterfowl are showing up at Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern North Dakota. Biologist Kristine Askerooth says the refuge has up to 15,000 gadwalls, wigeon and mallards, but not many diving ducks yet. About 5,000 snow geese have reached the area, along with up to 8,000 lesser Canada geese, although most of the greater Canada geese have departed.

Duck numbers continue to increase at Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Aberdeen, S.D., but not much else has changed. Biologist Bill Schultze says the refuge is holding about 125,000 ducks, but the Canada goose population is steady at 2,100. He says a few small flocks of snow geese have been reported in the area, and flocks of mallards are beginning to feed in some of the harvested fields surrounding the refuge.


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

More of the same. Nice to see the USFWS is still able to "call it like it is". If anyone's noticed, they've been very blunt about pressure/bird movements in their reports this year. Sand lake, a stone's throw from the ND border, holding 125,000 ducks this early in October under weather conditions justifying no major migration..........Naw, incessant pressure doesn't have a thing to do with ducks prematurely moving out of state. :******: Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered........


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## Fetch (Mar 1, 2002)

I went for a drive yesterday out to Kelly's slough (Nat. Wildlife Refuge) & was shocked that about 1/2 the water is gone & did not see one duck or goose on water ??? Saw two flocks of Canadas in two different fields. I have never hunted this area, but it usually holds some birds ???

But not one duck & the dry conditions have reached the Valley big time

I sure hope there will be a late Northern flight ???

I'm starting to sound & feel like a Southern Boy

I see Sunday is supposed to be cold & windy ???

But I truely have never seen, this few birds, (ducks) this time of year

Alot of corn is now cut - But have not seen any big concentrations in any ??? Not cold enough for the birds to want corn yet ???

Weird season for sure - I am almost anxious for the potholes to freeze up


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## tsodak (Sep 7, 2002)

But if you think pressure is not having an impact on where the birds are, you have to get out and see some country. Monday I drove from Jamestown to Gackle to Wyndmere to VC and back to Jamestown. Birds few and far between. Tuesday, Jamestown to Carrington to Riverdale to Bismarck to Linton to Wishek to Jamestown. Saw good numbers of geeese along 200, but otherwise very thin. Today, packed my gear to hunt my 10 days back at home with my buds, which is 18 miles southof the border. All I can say is thanks guys!!!! Spot for the morning is swarming, and I haveno worries about being downwinded. It is painfully obvious what this regimen has done this fall, emptying the southern half of ND as far as we are concerned. Yet I had a call from a guy from Ohio that hunted Nelson county who had never seen so many ducks and was ecstatic. He could not imagine people telling him all the ducks were gone. He actually used the word obscene to describe the hunting. I dont know what the total answer is, but someone should bring the guides and legislators down for a drive along both sides of the border.

It's real.

Have a good weekend everyone, finally looks like the weather might cooperate.
Tom


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

Tom, have a great hunt. Please be sure you are south of all birds shot at, so you can shu a few back over the border.


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## gandergrinder (Mar 10, 2002)

Tom,
The difference may be in a ND boys description of an obscene amount of ducks and a Ohio boys description of an obscene amount of ducks. Many people who I have hunted with on there first trip to Nodak freak out at the first field with 2000 ducks. THEN you show them a real field of mallards and geese. Many times expectations are much different for people from different places.


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## bioman (Mar 1, 2002)

After a putting on 600 miles driving from Bismarck - Minot, west to Stanley, south to New Town, east to Makoti, south to Garrison, and then in to the central portion of the State, birds are few and far between! The largest concentration of birds I observed was a large group of approximately 2,500 Canada's and lesser's feeding in a field south of Audubon. No where near the numbers of mallards as in past years. Also, you know something is up when you don't see that many gadwalls. Also, where are all of the coots? I am really becoming suspicious of the brood index, I just didn't see the numbers that the feds advertised.


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

The guys I hunted with this past weekend are satisfied with the bird numbers and the shooting they had. Myself I was very disappointed. While black geese numbers where OK the puddlers just were not around like they should have been for the calander.

Bioman I have been questioning the numbers these past 5 years, as I can remember the 70's very well and at no time have we had the bird numbers even with the water condtions that we did then. Those that are counting birds tell us that local conditions are not indicative of the overall population but unless I see huge migration numbers I would be willing to bet they are skewed at best to allow longer hunting in the southern tier of the country where commerial operations are the cash cows.

One only needs to look at what Trent Lott did a few years ago to see that the USFWS is anwsering to a different drummer than what is best for the birds.


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## Fetch (Mar 1, 2002)

I talked to one of the spring counters a couple yrs ago - He was from California & new to ND & was counting ducks on a sewage lagoon :roll: part of his route he had to cover :roll:

The feeling I left with was, it was just something he had to do, as his job & was not really into it,


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

tsodak,

Was the guy from OH hunting recently? There was a decent amount of birds up until the first week of October but after that it's been pretty thin...and it's still wet! Sloughs and potholes that are normally full of ducks are void of them. I'm sure compared to some areas of the state there's still an OK number but compared to the last few years this is by far the fewest ducks I've seen at this time.


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## win4win (Sep 8, 2003)

Hey Matt

I saw 14 honkers flying over the edge of town today near I-29 and Hwy2!!! Things are looking up! LMAO :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## tsodak (Sep 7, 2002)

He was there until Monday of this week, for 1 week. So it would have been when birds were few and far. The definition of quality is one of the most damaging things that have to be reconciled in this whole affair IMHO.

Thanks Dan, in fact I did sit on the south side this morning, which probably answers why it took me until 8:15 to get GH#5 when if I had been sitting on the north.......

In all honesty, if any of you can spare not an inconsequential amount of time and gas, driving from Wapheton to Linton, and then doubling back from Pollock to Sisseton would be highly educational right now. During a drive around today I saw ducks on anything that was holding any water. I am on the edge of the little coteau, and tonight Iwathced birds fly out of the hills onto the flats like I have not seen since 1985 when the sloughs were dry and my dad and I were building nesting islands in the pastures with a d-8 cat. Still trying to decide if I should go for a nice bufflehead drake to put on the wall in the morning, or if I should go for more GH's.

I'll decide in the morning, but hey, it's one hell of a problem to have!!!! Have a good stormy weekend boys!!!


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