Ducks Unlimited Survey Offers Mixed View
By Polly Dean
Photos by Jimmy Jacobs
The auther with a wood duck drake.
Though, I won’t pass up the opportunity when it knocks at the door, I do lack the dogs and equipment that make it more feasible to duck hunt on a regular basis.
I have been spoiled and grew to love the sport when Ducks Unlimited hosted duck hunts for women in Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana. I have since hunted ducks closer to home, in metro Atlanta, Lake Oconee and in the state of Alabama. I will admit that those hunts in my home state, took me to some challenging terrain – or shall I say waters.
Donning heavy chest waders, I stomped through muck and mud and waded through waterways all of which was no easy chore, especially when combined with the pitch-black conditions of the ungodly early hour. There are a number of hunts that I recall staring up at the sky with my 12-gauge poised and ready, that I feared that if I took a shot with my gun pointed skyward, I would end up in the opposite direction seated on my tail-end in the mud and muck.
Still, I look forward to each duck season.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently released its report of 2023 on Waterfowl Population Status, based on surveys conducted with partners in May and early June of this year. Results indicate an overall population estimated to be 32.3 million breeding ducks in the traditional survey area. This is somewhat disappointing as it is a 7-percent drop from last year’s survey and a 9-percent drop from the long-term average (since 1955). Improved moisture conditions in the prairies had experts hoping for better numbers, but nesting seasons being delayed by later snowfalls and May rains may have negatively impacted overall production numbers.
As a result of the surveys, Ducks Unlimited’s key takeaways maintain that the populations of most species remain healthy and near the long-term average. Waterfowl hunters should expect respectable flights this fall and winter.
Other factors disclosed are that total pond numbers in the U.S. and Canada have declined 9 percent from the 2022 estimate and is slightly below the long-term average.
Mallard numbers are expected to be down this year.
Overall, mallard and American wigeon numbers were down 18% percent and 14 percent from 2022 respectively. Both were down 23 percent and 28 percent respectively from their long-term average. These declines are a concern for Ducks Unlimited scientists.
Pintails fared much better with their population increasing 24 percent over last year’s record low. Continuing drought in the western Canadian prairie provinces may limit future production.
Future surveys will paint a more complete picture of how well duck populations are recovering from the severe drought of 2020-2021. Additionally, DU doesn’t expect a significant impact on populations from the HPAI (avian influenza) outbreak of 2022.
The Prairie Pothole Region is critical to Georgia’s waterfowl hunters. A significant portion of our ducks migrate from this region, also referred to as “the duck factory.” This region also happens to be DU’s No. 1 conservation focus area. Our state benefits from DU’s Southeastern Coastal Plain conservation work.
The most popular species hunted here in Georgia are mallards, wood ducks, teal, northern pintail, canvasbacks, redheads and wigeons. Most hunters hunt over a spread of decoys and call the birds in.
Wood ducks are native to the Peach State forest and wetlands.
Wood ducks are native to Georgia and a popular target of waterfowl hunters. Their populations had once dwindled and their survival was severely threatened. Their decline mostly was contributed to by the drainage and destruction of their bottom-land hardwood forest habitat, which they used for their breeding and wintering. Because of their range and accessibility, excessive hunting of the birds in the early 20th century also contributed to their potential demise. Fortunately, strict conservation measures were imposed and today the specie’s rebound and recovery are a success story.
Factors for their current stability include, in spite of the continued drainage and clearing of their favored bottom-land hardwood forests, the increase in the amount of beaver and farm ponds. Even though their favorite habitats remain diminished, the species has learned to inhabit and reoccupy other locations that offer aquatic insects and cavity trees or nesting boxes. Their populations eventually grew and expanded into these secondary habitats.
There is no waterfowl conservation organization that represents the needs of Georgia waterfowl hunters as much as Ducks Unlimited. With survey numbers even slightly less than expected, this reinforces the need for wetland and habitat conservation across the continent. For more information on Ducks Unlimited work in Georgia visit their Georgia webside.
Visit the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division website for for complete dates, bag limits and regulations for Georgia’s 2023-24 migratory bird seasons. This also includes “Special Regulations” for specific reservoirs and areas around the state.
Polly Dean is an award-winning writer, photographer, angler and hunter, who makes her home in Athens. She is a member and past president of theGeorgia Outdoor Writers Association. Polly is the Associate Editor of On The Fly South. She can be contacted at pollydean22@gmail.com.
