The heart of duck season is upon us, and according to Georgia DNR’s Waterfowl Biologist Greg Balkcom, the wet summer may lead to a good duck season.
In his forecast for this year’s duck season, Balkcom said the heavy spring and summer rains filled the state’s wetlands and even those that have been dry during drought conditions over the past several years. He said those previously dry isolated wetlands and beaver ponds have grown up in seed bearing plants and brush, which should make great habitat.
“We’ve got some excellent habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl,” he said. “We’ve also had really good brood rearing habitat for our local wood ducks over the summer… So if we can just get a little cool weather to our north and bring some of those birds down here, I think our Georgia duck hunters will be pleased this year.”
This should be good for folks who like hunting pockets of wetlands, and reservoir hunters may be in for a good season also. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service breeding population estimates are up 33 percent over the long-term average, which means there are lots of ducks out there. The estimate for canvasbacks is up 37 percent above the long-term average. As a result, the limit on cans has gone up one duck to two. Scaup population estimates, on the other hand, are down 25 percent and the limit has gone from four to two. Also of interest to big-water hunters of diving ducks is a 25 percent increase in the eastern estimates for ring necks.
Now we just need some cold weather to push those migrating ducks down here. Duck season is Nov. 23-Dec. 1 and Dec. 7-Jan. 26.
To view Balkcom’s entire waterfowl forecast, go to www.youtube.com/GeorgiaWildlife.
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