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Waterfowl Habitat Best In Years, Biologists Say

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

LITTLE ROCK, AR –-(AmmoLand.com)- Biologists from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission are taking to the skies this week as part of their periodic aerial waterfowl surveys.

The AGFC is surveying Arkansas’s waterfowl habitats to size up the state’s waterfowl population for this weekend’s opening.

With all of the water in the state, duck concentrations are widely scattered.

Wetland conditions across the entire state are much better than last year. The heavy rains over the past few months kept many farmers out of the fields, AGFC waterfowl program coordinator Luke Naylor said. “Some farmers have allowed water to drain from fields and are trying to catch up on the soybean harvest, for others, crops are a lost cause. Many duck clubs have already captured water and many fields are ready for the season opener,” Naylor said.

Nearly all public areas in the state are at or above target flooding levels. As far as duck numbers are concerned, there are widely scattered reports of concentrations of ducks around the state, Naylor said. “Due to all of the water in the state, ducks have a lot of options to choose from, so we might see ducks in large concentrations in isolated areas,” he said. “They’re probably hoping from hot spot to hot spot,” he added.

Large concentrations of mallards are not being reported in the state at this time, but large numbers of mallards are being reported in South Dakota, Naylor said. “States to the north of Arkansas were flooded as part of the same weather systems that moved through here. There are still lots of flooded fields in other states that are holding ducks to the north of Arkansas,” he explained. Naylor said the additional duck habitat to the north of Arkansas may slow the migration into the state. “A minor migration may have occurred in the last few days, but there’s not a large migration entering the state as they take advantage of that habitat,” he said.

As soon as waterfowl survey results are collected, the information will be available at www.agfc.com.

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DU Migration Map Tops More Than 1.5 Million Page Views
Opening Day site built for waterfowl hunters, by waterfowl hunters.

Ducks Unlimited Migration Map

Ducks Unlimited

MEMPHIS, Tenn –-(AmmoLand.com)- Ducks Unlimited members and waterfowl hunters throughout the U.S. are utilizing DU’s Migration Map in unprecedented numbers.

Surpassing more than 1.5 million page views within the site’s first two months is allowing waterfowl hunters to utilize the migration map to improve their success in the field.

“We have created the ‘ultimate waterfowl hunter’s resource’ with Opening Day-First Flight,” says Anthony Jones, director of internet services for DU.

“The migration map is only successful when hunters post detailed reports of the migration they are personally witnessing while they are in the field. Our numbers are showing that not only are visitors utilizing the map, but the feedback we are getting shows that hunters are using the site’s many aspects as tools within every flyway.”

Opening Day
First Flight offers constantly changing articles, video, gear features and several interactive maps for waterfowl hunters to utilize throughout the season. It offers everything from state agency sites to get licenses to detailed weather maps in conjunction with the Zip Code they plan to waterfowl hunt; it’s the most comprehensive waterfowl hunting site on the web.

“We have continually built interactive applications for the site and the Migration Map,” Jones says. “With the video contest, member photo application and the constantly updated content, it’s not surprising that we have been able to reach 1.5 million page views in the first two months.”

Opening Day-First Flight site and DU’s Migration Map went live Sept. 1, 2009, and will be live until Jan. 31, 2010. Understanding that waterfowl hunters are the foundation of wetland conservation in North America, DU has worked to help improve waterfowl populations since its inception in 1937. The Opening Day-First Flight site is a testament to the passion waterfowl hunters embody and their commitment to the resource. Visit openingday.ducks.org for the experience.

About:
Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved nearly 13 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow, and forever.

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