By Michael R. Shea

Record low temperatures could strike much of the Atlantic Flyway this weekend, with widespread freeze potential extending from Maine down to parts of Northern Virginia and the Midwest. Northwest winds gusting to 30 mph could drop the temperature as much as 13 degrees below average in some areas. That’s all to say the duck hunting this weekend and next week could be very, very good.
 
At the top of the flyway, bird numbers over previous weeks have almost doubled, by some counts. On Tuesday, 16,800 ducks over 13 different species were counted on the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, on Lake Champlain in Swanton, Vermont. That’s 1.8 times more than the 9,300 birds that were counted on September 24. [ Read Full Post ]

By Michael R. Shea

With low water and seemingly high resident duck numbers, October can’t come fast enough for northeastern hunters. Reports from Maine and New York down through southern New England confirm dry conditions are concentrating ducks around open water. In upstate New York, many hunters are betting early season success on the St. Lawrence River as ponds and swamps in the region have all but completely dried up, said Albany-based Avery Prostaffer Arliss Reed.
 
“Out scouting for deer in the woods I stumbled on a little pond and jumped 20 mallards,” he said. “There are hardly any ducks in the field, but driving around every visible pond has 20, 30 ducks. We’re seeing flocks of blue-wings of 40 to 50 birds, wood ducks everywhere. I just watched 100 brant in the Hudson Valley and they were rolling! They were on their way to Long Island!” [ Read Full Post ]

By Michael R. Shea

Despite a brief cold snap, hot weather continues to plague Atlantic flyway Canada goose hunters. By all reports birds are flying at irregular hours, some feeding in fields well after dark, others spending the day on the water, feeding at pond’s edge. The weather has delayed corn harvests in many states, though most areas are seeing at least silage being cut now.
 
“We’re seeing birds primarily in hay fields,” said Bill Crenshaw, wildlife biologist with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. “This dry weather has really pushed back the [corn] harvest.” [ Read Full Post ]

By Michael R. Shea

Wacky weather and late bird flights characterized opening day on the Atlantic flyway. With most states opening to bluebird weather on Labor Day weekend, hunting was hot, humid, and in some places … crowded.

Hunting the coastal salt ponds along Rhode Island’s south shore, it was almost impossible to avoid the clam diggers, tubers, kayakers and pleasure boaters sunning themselves in the 85-degree weather. “Camo is the new fashion!” one visor-clad older woman on a bright orange sea kayak hollered as we put in at the boat ramp.

Finding a setup safely away from all the sunglasses and bathing suits took some doing, but soon enough bystanders were well far down the horizon. The geese have learned the kayaks are safe. We watched a few waves of birds land down in their direction as the sun fell low and we collectively wished the cornfields were cut. We packed up early, but not before I shot two that decoyed nicely – one carrying a little jewelry. [ Read Full Post ]