Worried about duck numbers...

[Duckman#1]

Today was the last day in ND and I know guys that crushed them up there today on open water. They shouldn’t be there this late.

[PharmHunter]

Hope they head south some by this time next week.

[Griffin]

I’ve been blessed to spend tons of time out west this year. There’s been more ducks than any year I can remember. Eastern flyway is fucked due to loss of habitat. The end

[Calibogue]

Not so sure I completely buy the loss of habitat idea.
Although the lakes don't have the veg they used to, SC has more beavers and more habitat associated with beaves that ever before.
There's more to it than meets the eye IMO.
I still firmly believe that the lineage of SC imprint associated with the rice culture has finally run its course and the ducks have shifted....
I don't know.....

[Calibogue]

Climate change and sea level rise are for real regardless if it's man induced or a nat phenomenon and will be interesting to how the chips fall over the next 20 years along the coast.

[Catdaddy]

Climate change and sea level rise are for real regardless if it's man induced or a nat phenomenon and will be interesting to how the chips fall over the next 20 years along the coast.

I agree......the migration wintering grounds has shifted north for many years. You don't notice it until you are out of it.


Many years ago over a 100000 mallards used to winter in the St John's river in northern Florida. When's the last time somebody killed a wild mallard in FL?

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[willyworm]

There's been more ducks than any year I can remember. Eastern flyway is fucked due to loss of habitat. The end

Loss of habitat or loss of food source(s)?

If loss of habitat is indeed the root, what habitats are you referring to that were so critical to the entire flyway that it's absence would cause this mass exodus?

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[Calibogue]

Loss of nesting habitat I can understand....otherwise, I don't agree with a loss of wintering habitat on Atlantic Flyway. There has been a shift in type maybe but no net loss in my opinion.

[willyworm]

That's what I'm getting at... The habitat is there, but there's nothing on it.

Insert serious conversation about SC Aquatic Mgmt Plan here.

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[Relentlous]

This year has been hit and miss the areas I hunt. I really haven’t gone as much this season as I normally do. I guess I’ve noticed a down hill swing the last 4 seasons on the coast, but I personally blame that on the hurricanes and floods messing up the dikes and flooding out the wigeon grass. Lots of places that use to hold great numbers don’t even manage for waterfowl. The refuges aren’t doing their parts either. I believe, and it’s my personal opinion, is that birds are starting to flyover us more because there’s no place to rest or eat.

[tman]

It is a lack of food source in SC IMHO. There are still ducks in the eastern flyway. Since I moved to South Florida, I have killed way more ducks than I ever had in SC. Just look at the WMA draw hunt harvest results. There are single WMA's in FL that kill more ducks than all SC WMA's combined. For example in 2018/19 season Floridas STA1 harvested 10,759 ducks during regular waterfowl season. In 2018/19, all of SC WMA draw hunts combined harvested 2,435 ducks. That's 1 FL WMA compared to all of SC WMA. (Harvest result #'s courtesy of FWC and SCDNR)

[Calibogue]

This year has been hit and miss the areas I hunt. I really haven’t gone as much this season as I normally do. I guess I’ve noticed a down hill swing the last 4 seasons on the coast, but I personally blame that on the hurricanes and floods messing up the dikes and flooding out the wigeon grass. Lots of places that use to hold great numbers don’t even manage for waterfowl. The refuges aren’t doing their parts either. I believe, and it’s my personal opinion, is that birds are starting to flyover us more because there’s no place to rest or eat.

Insert serious discussion about sea level rise and the massive impact this will have on coastal impoundments!
..... And, there is no lack of food.

[JBK]

Mr Mayor told me at Parr one mourning "To many rooftop's"

It is interesting when you look at human population growth and where the migrations are shifting. Ducks don't seem to like to fly over big cities, obviously there are exceptions.

I think it's a combination of it all.

[willyworm]

And I think the duck numbers are fine.

[trash2]

Since the 1000 yr flood things have not gone well on the coast. Cali you know where I hunt and the surrounding properties, I'd think lack of food could def be a factor due to natural weather phenoms of past 5 or so years. Just my opinion on a small area of SC but it's been an entirely different game since the big flood.

[Calibogue]

Since the 1000 yr flood things have not gone well on the coast. Cali you know where I hunt and the surrounding properties, I'd think lack of food could def be a factor due to natural weather phenoms of past 5 or so years. Just my opinion on a small area of SC but it's been an entirely different game since the big flood.

Lack of feed locally, yes but don't see it regionally or state wide.....

[willyworm]

Just cause they're not in your backyard doesn't mean the numbers are lower. Like Griff said, depends on where you are on what your perception is.

[jwilliams]

I don't know if this has an impact as I'm from different part of the world but in Oct 2019, in sambar lake India, over 10,700 (This is a figure collected and dumped in pits) ducks/migratory birds died including gadwals, garganey, pintail, northern shevlor, tyfted duck, etc...

A rough estimate of over 22,000 birds died which mdeia is hiding. reason is still unknown.
Attachment 52337

I would recommend checking #sportingwoodies passport and travel habits. There seems to be a direct correlation

[trash2]

Just cause they're not in your backyard doesn't mean the numbers are lower. Like Griff said, depends on where you are on what your perception is.

Fully aware, just stating what I've seen and it all started after the big flood. This is a popular area that typically holds plenty of birds and has a lot public hunting going on around it. Just hasn't been right since and food has been an issue for the overall #s in that area. Not implying anything on overall flyway, just a micro observation

[santee11]

Insert serious discussion about sea level rise and the massive impact this will have on coastal impoundments!
..... And, there is no lack of food.

How much have sea levels changed in the last 20 years?