No cans on MS Flyway this year...

Rick Pierce

Rick Pierce

Well-known member
Saw on another site that the USFWS is recommending the 60-day package, but a closed season on cans, and a 20-day/40-day split season for bluebills with limit of 2 in the 20-day season and 1 in the remaining 40 days.

My opinion, but the can closure seems like a bad move after a 2-bird limit for the full season last year. And the bluebill season - talk about jury-rigging...
 
With only approximately 125,000 cans shot last year out of the million plus population, and only 450.000 counted this year, kind of makes you wonder how the service lost 400,000 cans this year?

Of course they are probably breeding out side of the survey area, due to water conditions. I heard one waterfowl biologist state that their is possibly a can increase this year and hunters will see quite a few this season.... just none belly up!
 
The harvest was 125,000 but that was not why the season was closed. The harvest strategy calls for a closure when the breeding population is below 500,000 and the allowable harvest was less than the projected harvest. The allowable harvest this year was too low. This year's breeding population was 486,000 birds where last year it was 864,000.
 
Brad

There can be a season on cans if the pop is above 400,000 as long as the pond counts are sufficient. I guess this year they weren't.
 
Eric

Here are the exact words from the harvest strategy.


(1) An open season with a daily bag and possession limit of 1 and 2 canvasbacks (either sex), respectively, for the entire regular duck season whenever the allowable harvest projects a breeding population in the subsequent year of >500,000 canvasbacks. If the subsequent year’s predicted breeding population equals or exceeds 725,000, the option for a daily bag limit of 2 canvasbacks (either sex) and a possession limit of 4 will be offered based on revisions to the strategy in 2008.

(2) A partial season at the “restrictive” package level (currently 30 days in the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways, 39 days in the Central Flyway, and 60 in the Pacific Flyway) within the regular duck season whenever a full season projects a breeding population in the subsequent year of less than 500,000 but a partial season projects a breeding population >500,000 birds; and

(3) A closed season in all Flyways whenever the allowable harvest under both the full and partial seasons project a breeding population in the subsequent year of less than 500,000.
 
A number of waterfowl biologist believe that the can population is as high as last year, but if the birds are nesting outside of the survey area, they can not be counted. The math does not ad up for the population to have dropped off so dramatically, but the USFWS wants to error on the side of caution. I have no problem with this, except the drop is so severe. Going from a 2 bird, 60 day season, to a no bird 60 day season is tough, especially when you hunt in an area where 95% of the ducks are cans.
 
Brad

You're correct. I went bacj and reread the source for the 400,000 number and it was a recommendation by the upper and lower MS flyway council as an alternative to the AHM 500,000 threshold. Evidently the USF&WS didn't go along with it.
 
Yes yes yes I'm lucky if I see a few a year. I won't even bring a gun just a camera. Don't want to deplete the remaining 5 percent. hee hee

especially when you hunt in an area where 95% of the ducks are cans.
Click to expand...


next year Mike I am coming to hunt with you then!!
Click to expand...
 
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HUGE DIE OFF IN THE SPRING MIGRATION THIS YEAR. FEBRUARY MARCH CANS WERE WALKING UP IN PEOPLES YARDS AND DIEING IN THE GREAT LAKE AREAS. SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS MORE INFO CAN CHIME IN AND GIVE DETAILS. IT WAS BIG TALK AT WESTLAKE THIS YEAR
 
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