Habitat conditions are dry for duck opener

LITTLE ROCK - Conditions for the opening of Arkansas's waterfowl season are very dry. The first segment of the state's duck hunting season began Saturday. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission personnel conducted aerial waterfowl surveys Nov. 3-7.

Conditions generally were very dry across the state leading to low habitat availability during the survey period, AGFC waterfowl biologist Luke Naylor said. "Heavy summer rains substantially delayed crop harvest in much of the state. As a result, many fields typically pumped full at this time remained dry as farmers worked to get crops out and fields prepared. A notable exception is the Grand Prairie portion of the east-central survey region where a good amount of habitat had been made available by private landowners with pumping capability," Naylor explained. "The dry conditions are similar to the November 2007 survey period with the exception of the northeast survey region where conditions were wet last year," he added.

AGFC personnel indicated that the statewide total duck count of 418,293 is an 8 percent increase from last year's count of 388,311 ducks. The count is the highest since 2004, but is still below the 1985-2008 November survey average of 564,564 ducks.

November's mallard count of 141,599 is a 4 percent drop from last year's count of 146,735 and below the long-term average of 268,766 mallards. Mallard numbers were much greater than last year in the east-central survey region with nearly 60 percent of all mallards counted in that region, Naylor said. "This is not surprising given the relative abundance of flooded habitat present in the Grand Prairie compared to the rest of the state," he said.

Snow goose numbers (163,550 this year, 170,770 last year) were similar to last year's count. Counts of white-fronted geese markedly increased again this year, nearly doubling from 58,660 in November 2007 to 150,530 in November 2008. Observers noted about equal numbers of snow and white-fronted geese in the three Delta survey regions with slightly greater numbers in northeast Arkansas.

October is historically one of the driest months in Arkansas so dry conditions, including conditions on many Wildlife Management Areas, should not come as a complete surprise, Naylor explained. "Dry fall weather like we are currently experiencing highlight the importance of private landowners flooding agricultural lands to provide early waterfowl habitat. The majority of AGFC wildlife management areas, popular for duck hunting, are completely dependent on rainfall and runoff to fill impoundments," he stated. "We've prepared the state's WMA impoundments for flooding. Now we need some help from Mother Nature to fill those impoundments, Naylor said.

Naylor cautioned that duck numbers are down from 2007 due to continued habitat loss and dry conditions of the breeding grounds in the northern U.S. and Canada. "Hunters should remain cautiously optimistic that habitat conditions and duck migration events occur at a level that will meet high expectations set after last year's excellent season," he said.