A Quick Look at Trends:
The species-specific breakdowns in the slides at left show increases for all species but widgeon (down 2 percent over last year), and scaup, which dropped to 37 percent below their long-term average population (something concerned biologists are working hard to change).¿¿ Redheads, on the other hand, are up a whopping 55 percent over last year, canvasbacks are up 33 percent, gadwalls up 30 percent, and in perhaps the report's best news, struggling pintails are up by 32 percent (though still 18 percent off the long-term average).

Expect to see plenty of teal banking in low and fast, as greenwings and bluewings are up 20 and 28 percent over last year respectively. And while mallard numbers did not increase as much as biologists had hoped, remaining 3 percent off the long-term average, they did gain 8 percent over last year, which should translate into a few more birds filtering down though the timber.

All told there will be more of most species of ducks gracing our wetlands this fall. Your gun barrel may get a little hotter in 2006.