Troubling trend for duck hunters in the northeast?

K

Kris Winiarski

Member
Tough to shoot dabblers when it doesn't get cold during the late season. Unfortunately, I only got out for a single hunt after Xmas because my wife and three month old got sick after visiting my in laws. Seasoned closed on the 4th of January.

https://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/article/2015-saw-warmest-december-record-northeast
 
One year doesn't make a trend. If I thought it would continue indefinitely I would sell my gear off.

Last year we froze up in November.
 
Warming appears to be a long term trend (climate), but this year and last year are wildly different because of El Nino (weather).
Either way duck migration patterns seem to have become predictably unpredictable.
 
I agree that the title of the article is misleading...

And scientists would argue that a really cold winter isn't evidence against that increasing trend.

If the trend does continue it will be interesting to see if states shift their season dates at all. Right now I think they cannot federally extend the season past that last week of January due to hunting messing with pair bonding, female body condition for breeding, etc. We have lots of wood ducks moving through our area during the early season and lots of days devoted to it, although I don't see much evidence of duck hunting past that opening week. Maybe at some point down the line we will get a few more days in January. Although, there is a lot of tradition with season dates so I imagine some folks would be against those kinds of changes.
 
Season end is set at Jan 31 due to Trent Lott and others' political work. Pair bonding and body condition are concerns. Our state biologist won't extend to the end and I believe that yours is of the same mind and there has been discussion among the ne biologists (I think). Anyway, I'd rather hunt last, myself.

If it makes it easier to swallow your season, I hunted the perfect freeze up days this week and did not slay them.
 
I feel your frustration. However, I have taught myself to not over think such things as the migration or the weather. Focusing on such things that are beyond our control will lead to disappointment more often than not. It simply is what it is.

That being said I look at my time afield as simply that. Time afield. Work, family, house chores, etc. all impact th amount of time I can hunt. The weather and what birds around are all part of the experience. Trip to trip; season to season; they are unique and special in their own way.

Just my thoughts.
 
I feel your frustration. However, I have taught myself to not over think such things as the migration or the weather. Focusing on such things that are beyond our control will lead to disappointment more often than not. It simply is what it is.

That being said I look at my time afield as simply that. Time afield. Work, family, house chores, etc. all impact th amount of time I can hunt. The weather and what birds around are all part of the experience. Trip to trip; season to season; they are unique and special in their own way.

Just my thoughts.
Click to expand...

I agree totally.

Aside from letting off some steam, bitching about season dates accomplishes nothing...it's not like the head of the USFWS is going to read this and care what I have to say...

I've had seasons where I was in a short sleeved t-shirt opening day, and others where the whole county froze the second day of the season...accuracy in the weather forecasting profession is about as scarce as common sense in the political profession...try and get these two together on a project and see how hard that flops!
 
So true, The Western zone is closing today and I heard birds are just showing up. Trying to align the season with the migration is becoming a crap shoot.
It will be interesting to see what the data shows when we meet in March
 
Don't confuse climate with weather. This years extraordinary temperatures in NE are weather. The 3* warming over 100 years is climate. We are in the ice age cycle and still warming. Or if you like Al Gore's global warming cycle.


Joe
 
Well, my season ended a week ago, and yesterday saw my first big raft of blacks and mallards on the edge of the ice locally. I was thinking of digging out my ice fishing gear to chase some pickerel and perch, but today is pouring rain and predicted to be 50 again.

No question it's been a weird year up here.

I'm hearing a lot of discussion about changing fishing seasons as well as hunting. Our trout season on wild trout water closes on September 30, and this year we still had mid summer warm water temps then. There was no fall fishing to speak of.
 
Don't confuse climate with weather. This years extraordinary temperatures in NE are weather. The 3* warming over 100 years is climate. We are in the ice age cycle and still warming. Or if you like Al Gore's global warming cycle.


Joe
Click to expand...

Last year we had an extremely cold winter (64 days below zero) and no days above 32 from December 20th to March 9th.
It's all weather to me, the wild swings makes it hard to set dates that work for the entire zone.
Jeff our trout season runs to October 15th now , probably to coincide
to columbus day.
 
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