Minnesota Waterfowl Migration and Hunting Report, Nov. 17, 2016

Minnesota Waterfowl Migration and Hunting Report, Nov. 17, 2016 NW The following report is a compilation of state and federal wildlife manager reports...
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Minnesota Waterfowl Migration and Hunting Report, Nov. 17, 2016 NW The following report is a compilation of state and federal wildlife manager reports and waterfowl surveys from across Minnesota. This is the 9th report for 2016. Reports will be compiled weekly throughout the hunting season and should be available by Thursday afternoon each week. The Conservation Officer Report, available on the DNR web site, also contains information about waterfowl hunter success across the state. General: 17 November 2016 Waterfowl hunting has remained slow over the past week with the mild weather conditions. A few additional late season migrants such as goldeneyes have moved into the state but abundance of other species such as ring-necked ducks has declined. Canada goose numbers have increased some from last week. Water levels remain high across most of the state for this time of the year with no ice cover yet. Crop harvest is complete.

Roseau

Karlstad

Baudette

Thief Lake Agassiz NWR

NC Crookston Tamarac NWR

Park Rapids

NE

Grand Rapids Rice Lake NWR

Fergus Brainerd Falls Aitkin Little Glenwood Falls

Cloquet

WC Big Stone NWR

Cambridge Sherburne NWR Carlos Avery

LQP Willmar

Appleton Slayton Talcot Lake

Swan Lake Windom

SW

Hunting pressure for waterfowl is extremely low across the state but may pick up slightly over the next few days for those hearty souls willing to brave the elements for one last hunt.

Sauk Rapids

C

MN Valley NWR

Upper Miss. Rochester Owatonna

Winona

SE

The first winter storm of the year will move into the state tonight and tomorrow. Snow amounts will be variable but some areas should see significant snow by late tomorrow. High temperatures are expected to be in the 30s statewide this weekend with lows in the teens in the north and low 20s in the south. Strong north winds are expected (20-40 mph) through Saturday. The forecast into next week calls for a warming trend. Many lakes should be ice-covered by the weekend but some may re-open next week.

blank North Zone Central Zone South Zone

Waterfowl season reminders Duck season dates Sept. 24-Nov. 22 Sept. 24-Oct. 2 and Oct. 8-Nov. 27 Sept. 24-Oct. 2 and Oct. 15-Dec. 4

Goose season dates Sept. 24-Dec. 23 Sept. 24-Oct. 2 and Oct. 8-Dec. 28 Sept. 24-Oct. 2 and Oct. 15-Jan. 4

Bag limits are 6 ducks/day, with no more than: 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 scaup, 3 wood duck, 2 pintail, 2 redhead, 2 canvasback, 1 black duck. Mergansers: 5 per day, no more than 2 may be hooded mergansers. Bag limits for geese are 3 dark geese/day. Possession limits: 3 times the daily bag limit for all migratory birds. Shooting hours begin ½ hour before sunrise until sunset the remainder of the season. Motorized decoys are prohibited statewide through Saturday October 8th and on state wildlife management areas the entire season. Open water hunting: On Lake Pepin, Lake of the Woods, Lake Mille Lacs, and Lake Superior, open water hunting is allowed as long as boats remain anchored. On the Mississippi River south of Hastings, hunting is allowed not more than 100 feet from any shoreline, including islands. Hunters should consult the 2016 Waterfowl Hunting regulations (available from license vendors or online at the Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations page for additional details and regulations. Safety Never Takes A Holiday: treat every gun as if it were loaded, be 100% certain of your target before pulling the trigger, wear your life vest, pay attention to other hunters and your hunting partners, and watch the weather.

The following is a summary of pre-season waterfowl habitat and hunting conditions from various reporting stations across the state.

Area

Northwest Thief Lake WMA

Northeast Cloquet

West central Fergus Falls

Habitat conditions

Waterfowl migrations and weather conditions

Hunter Activity and Success

Lake level is currently 6” below target as we make space for next spring’s runoff. Water levels are noticeably lower, but the lake can be accessed at all major access points. Cover is in good shape.

No aerial survey this week. Ground counts of Canada geese showed numbers holding steady from last week.

Hunting emphasis on the unit shifted to deer during the firearms deer season, but some hunters continued to chase ducks, although pressure was reduced. Bag checks for the last week showed 0.59 ducks per hunter, with wigeon and mallard number one and two in the bag.

Water levels are near average is most areas throughout Carlton, Pine, and Southern St. Louis Counties. Wild rice stands are variable. Some stands remain dense providing cover, while others are deteriorating. The majority of soybeans have been harvested in Pine County. Corn harvest is still in process.

Duck numbers remain low in the area. Ringnecked ducks are the most common species observed at this time. A fair amount of Canada geese remain in the area. We anticipate species diversity of late season divers will increase after the cold front moves in late this week.

Much colder and windier weather is forecasted for later in the week, with a chance of snow on Friday. There is a good chance the lake will freeze over the weekend.

Not much change, crop harvest Ditto from last week, no weather and few ducks. and tillage mostly done Some new geese around but numbers still relatively low for this time period

Hunting pressure is low.

Little waterfowl hunting activity

Area

Habitat conditions

Glenwood

Unchanged

Detroit Lakes

Central Carlos Avery WMA Mille Lacs WMA Sauk Rapids

Waterfowl migrations and weather conditions

Again low numbers of birds across the work area, several small pushes of duck have occurred when we get a Northwest wind. Goose numbers have increased and are concentrated in several bunches. Weather has been warm and dry with winds mostly out on the South. I did expect a push of ducks this morning (Thursday) but saw very few birds. We are expecting a significant blizzard tonight with rapidly falling temps that should lock up many of the smaller water bodies Wetlands good, rice beds fairly Much cooler weather is forecast for the end of deteriorated. the week into the weekend with a likely chance of snow. The storm track has yet to be forecast. Small grain, soybean, and beet Strong NW winds and temperatures below freezing are expected. harvests are all largely complete. Corn harvest 95% complete. Mallards and a mix of diving duck species are still in the area. Some goldeneyes have been heard and observed but not in large numbers. Coot numbers are still strong although there are fewer this week. There is a fair number of geese around.

Hunter Activity and Success

Again low hunting pressure, but it was higher than expected with deer hunting and the late season, I contribute this to the very warm temps for some hunters to give it one last try. Success has been for the most part very low.

Most hunting activity was for bucks rather than ducks this past weekend. Some reports of successful waterfowl hunters were noted with a mix of mallards, ringnecks, and redheads in the bag. For those hunters who haven’t put away their shotguns birds should be moving this week into the weekend.

Continued warm dry weather has allowed water levels to continue to go down, access is still good. Access is good

Very few ducks were on the WMA early this A few hunters were out on Weds. week. Rain, wind, and cooler temps are forecast. in anticipation of the weather change. Still very quiet.

Good water levels continue in wetlands with no hard water yet. Corn harvest is nearly complete.

Some field feeding of mallards have been observed. No tundra swans showing up yet. Weather has been unseasonably warm and mild with little wind.

Some new migrants have been observed but it is Little to no hunting pressure. No a trickle not a flood. reports have been received. Waterfowl hunting activity can be characterized as low in central MN. Even the larger shallow lakes are not seeing much for any movement or migration of waterfowl.

Area

Habitat conditions

Waterfowl migrations and weather conditions

Hunter Activity and Success

Lac qui Parle WMA

Water level on the upper LQP Lake is finally down to normal pool (934 feet). Marsh Lake level still slightly above normal for mid-November.

Hunting pressure continues to be very low in the state blinds at the refuge/controlled hunting zone, as well as in the Marsh Lake area. Duck hunting success at Marsh Lake was generally poor last weekend. State goose blind hunters are taking a few geese.

Appleton

High water, mostly dry fields

Blizzard warning will be in effect here on Friday. Significant snow accumulation is forecast (for Friday). Colder air will move in behind the storm - max temps in the high 20s for the weekend. We have gained some geese and ducks at the refuge since last week - goose count up to 11,500 now. Many thousands of ducks in the refuge this morning (17 Nov), mostly mallards – but no comparable gains observed at Marsh L. A surprisingly significant push of waterfowl into the area last week with a few more trickling in. Unfortunately, many only stayed a few days and have moved on. Another push expected with and behind the forecasted blizzard for Friday. We will likely freeze up at least temporarily on many basins.

Willmar

Habitat for waterfowl in this area remains in excellent condition

Southwest

Nicollet area (Swan Lake)

Very dry and mild all week. Front is coming Friday which will bring snow and rain and should move some birds

Temps. have continued above average through today (16th)but a huge change in weather is right at our doorstep with a blizzard watch beginning tomorrow, the 17th, with rain, then snow and much colder temperatures, especially by Saturday and Sunday. Most coots left the area a week ago. The “trickle” migration has continued with some late season birds noted on occasion. Would expect a major migration of what is left to come during the next few days. Earlier in the week good numbers of divers, green winged teal, mallards and gadwall along with excellent numbers of geese were present in the area. Some ducks seemed to have moved on by Thursday with some mallards still in the area. Good numbers should arrive Friday and Saturday.

Hunting pressure has remained light. Success was great for those that found good fields and ponds attractive to new birds AND hunted during the week while we had the main push. Die-hards expected to hit it hard with the forecasted weather will likely do well this weekend. Hunting success and activity has continued to be slow through the deer season and up until this time. Again, the next few days could very well be the “end” for the year. Get out there and give it and try. Keep an eye on the weather and be safe.

Steady numbers of hunters all week with additional hunters in the field Thursday through the weekend with the incoming weather.

Area

Habitat conditions

Waterfowl migrations and weather conditions

Redwood Falls

Harvest is complete, and tillage is 75% done. Wetlands and streams are still full, but have receded from the near flood levels of earlier this fall.

Ducks have been quite rare in the last couple Very little if any waterfowl hunting weeks. Geese are concentrating in refuge going on in the work area at the areas. As of this morning (11-17) flocks of “new” moment. ducks can be found on area wetlands. Scaup, mallards and probably other ducks. A few wood ducks remain along the Minnesota River.

Water levels are near normal. Crop harvest is nearly completed with only a few corn fields and drowned out spots left standing. Tillage is reducing waste grain availability.

The long mild stretch continues. A cold front briefly dropped temperatures to near normal last weekend and with some near freezing temperatures overnight. Duck and coot numbers seemed to drop off considerably by the 14th as birds seemed to move out and few new birds moved in. Ducks, coots, swans and other migrants seem to be moving as the impending storm system is closing in.

Southeast Owatonna

Hunter Activity and Success

Hunting activity and success picked up for Veteran’s Day weekend. Bag reports suggested hunters averaging better than 1 duck per hunter with ring-necks (29%) and scaup (23%) being the most common birds in the bag, followed by gadwall (11%) and a scattering of other dabblers and divers. Midweek activity and success has been low.

Waterfowl Count Data, week of November 14, 2016 Canada geese Number seen:

Area

Date

Thief Lake WMA

11/15

Carlos Avery WMA

11/16

Lac qui Parle WMA

11/16

Swans this week

20

This week

Last count

Ducks Number seen: Last year

4,300

4,500

10

0

11,500

2,500

This week

Last count

NS

6,000

Last year

NS

NS

0

200

500

10,000

1,000

This weeks duck species - % composition

Coot this week

Comments

100% MAL

a

- Numbers seen during the current survey, last survey: the previous count from this year, last year: the number recorded during the same or nearby week last

year. b-

abbreviations: MAL = mallard, GAD = Gadwall, WIG = Am. wigeon, GWT = Am. green-winged teal, BWT = blue-winged teal, SHOV = Northern shoveler, PIN = Northern pintail, WD = Wood duck, RED = Redhead, CAN = Canvasback, SCP = Scaup, RN = Ring-necked duck, HOOD = Hooded merganser, GOLD = Goldeneye; NS = No survey.