Upcoming Duck Season and Covid-19

Eric Patterson

Eric Patterson

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Staff member
I would imagine on the current path COVID-19 is carrying us down it will impact the upcoming duck season in numerous ways we can readily see, e.g. no trips to Canada for US citizens, and ways that are yet to be determined. Fishing participation has dramatically increased, will hunting participation follow suit? How about young people home-schooling? With they take advantage and spend early mornings hunting? Will youth numbers go up as a result? Will duck harvest in Canada drop with fewer US hunters travelling there? Will US harvest go up as a result of this? There are many more possibilities than these. Thoughts, theories?

Eric
 
If the schools don?t open during duck season, homeschooling will be duck season for mine. The distance learning was awful before, and I didn?t have to forego my favorite activity during it. This year would be my girls? first season on the boat (not shooting), so yes, every morning will be a duck lesson if I?m person school in CT is cancelled. I also go to fort Kent every year to hunt upland. We occasionally hop the boarder for fun. Will be a big bummer if we can?t this year.
 
On a very personal note, I'm not sure if I'll be able to share a boat or a blind with a hunting partner due to maintaining proper social distancing. I enjoy hunting alone but do occasionally like to share the experience with someone.
 
Eric, I know the spring gobbler hunting pressure increased dramatically here in N FL this last season. As you mentioned, the fishing activity here has also been heavier than I have ever seen it, starting around last January-February. It would not surprise me to see a increase in duck season this year too. I had a waterfowl trip planned to Sask too, but it is not looking good.[frown]
 
Interesting Dale that you say the gobbler season pressure increased. I didn't see that, but then I only hunted one WMA so hardly a good representation of my area.

I know that here tons of people at work have been buying boats and more than a few have bought RVs. I am wondering when the bottom will drop out of that and there will be tons of used boats flooding the market.

For me it will be interesting to see if other states will close their borders to nonresident hunters or nonresidents from particular states. I am getting ready to pitch my leave request but I know that things can change with Covid so it's possible that even if I am granted the leave, my plans may have to drastically change.

As far as duck hunters....there are already lots of duck hunters in the Tallahassee area so if we got even more...well what's another crazy?
 
Here in SC our turkeys took an absolute beating with pressure this past Spring on public lands since kids were all doing virtual school. SC was already struggling in many areas as our turkey numbers dropped due to annual Spring flooding impacts on hatch and poult survival.

I am genuinely concerned about this Fall / Winter as many colleges have already indicated not returning after Thanksgiving until late January. I predict States in the lower 48 will be hammered with a tremendous amount of pressure due to this anomaly. Heavy weather fronts will be the key to success for us down here as new ducks arrive I believe they will quickly be educated and adapt accordingly....but I will still be after them!
 


What we may have is the Perfect Storm for all wildlife.

The Covid Virus, lack of trust & respect for authority, and law enforcement. A host of wildlife diseases, including now "Bunny Ebloa", and habitat threats on all fronts.

In other words circumstances beyond our control at this point in time, and into the future.


If hunter participation & pressure is anything like fishing was/is this year. My neck of the woods is in deep Do-Do.

If ever in recent times there was a time for sportsmanship, ethics, and voluntary restraint, it is now. As it is damn near impossible for DEC/Wildlife agencies to keep things in check. Even the simple check of a persons license, stamps, tags, etc., if they even have them.

I've already seen articles saying - "this is prime time to put wildlife/organic food on the table, so go at it, and go at it hard". Gasoline on the fire.


Waterfowl may have the best opportunity to try to avoid the onslaught. As they have the God given ability to fly from pressured areas (unless bait is used).

The ability for hunters to "migrate" to different areas, local and distant, to peruse them will be hampered, to say the least.


The bumpy ride will continue.

Many of us will adjust accordingly. Some have seen some crazy seasons, this one may top the list.




my 2 cents
VP
 
Eric Patterson said:
I would imagine on the current path COVID-19 is carrying us down it will impact the upcoming duck season in numerous ways we can readily see, e.g. no trips to Canada for US citizens, and ways that are yet to be determined. Fishing participation has dramatically increased, will hunting participation follow suit? How about young people home-schooling? With they take advantage and spend early mornings hunting? Will youth numbers go up as a result? Will duck harvest in Canada drop with fewer US hunters travelling there? Will US harvest go up as a result of this? There are many more possibilities than these. Thoughts, theories?

Eric
Click to expand...

If our turkey and fishing season is any indication, duck season will be a mad house here in New Jersey. We are densely populated, but have quite a bit of open space. They're normally is enough room for everyone. However when you have a large percentage out of work and unable to go to sporting events, bars, or even church the only respite left is the outdoors.
 
I will also chime in that CT has been the same. Most fishing stores have been cleaned out. Either due to inability to restock or just pure insanity. I?ve been looking at larger boats for the sound, they?re sold within hours or posting. People are everything and drive terribly on the water. I?ve been trying to test out the wrangler I purchased, but I have to go at duck hunting times or I?ll get run down by wake or harassed by the biker gangs of the water on the PWCs. I can?t speak for duck season, as the number of duck hunters has been historically low, but I?m going to assume deer season will be out of control- which really sounds terrifying as a working forester. Turkey season this spring wasn?t terrible, but I assume whatever moves in the woods in the fall will be shot at. Bear have also been picking up lately. They?ve been on the news a lot. We?ve been trying to pass a hunting season on them for many legislative sessions to no avail. I assume more than a dozen will disappear this fall.
 
not too worried about duck season, since I am lucky enough to have access to private marshland- I know who is on it and where they will be.

BUT - with a new upland bird dog pup - an English Setter that is now 7 months old, I am really concerned about how many bow hunters will be out there. NY expanded the archery season several years ago and now it opens with upland bird season- so there is no longer any time I can run a bird dog that does not compete with deer hunters. I don't want to mess up someone else's hunt anymore than I want them to interrupt me. And since they are typically in the woods before light, so its first come first serve. I generally don't upland hunt on weekends just to avoid the competition, on one day a couple years ago I drove to 7 covers in 3 counties before I found one unoccupied. But with so many folks with so much time on their hands - every day could be Saturday this year
 
How's the pup coming along?

I don't know about up north where you live but I have had very few bad experiences with deer hunters and being an upland hunter. Maybe I have just been lucky but the times I have stumbled on a deer hunter in a stand, I have apologized and headed on out....perhaps leaving, perhaps just getting a good ways away depending on the property. Almost every one of them has been gracious and several have told me they like bird hunters because they move the deer around and they have gotten more deer because of bird hunters. I do get not wanting to screw up a hunt for someone but at the same time if you worry about that for every single place you go, you may never get out of the truck. I do drive on more often than not but that doesn't always mean that there aren't people where I am hunting, or where I end up walking to or through. If you are really concerned about the dog, like I was with Drake when he got old and slow and methodical and often could be mistaken as a pig wandering through the woods, I just put a blaze orange vest on him that covered his back and sides, not his belly....so you could do that with your dog as an added precaution.
 

PA has had a Oct. 1st archery season for many, many years with very few problems involving, dog training, other hunters, fishermen, and outdoor folks.

We all shared the same areas, and none got better consideration than others. No one, or type of hunting, etc. was superior to others. The epitome of Blue Collar hunting.

In the 60+ years I lived in PA, it was a level playing field, with lots of hunters (at one time well over one million), and lots of Public & Private Hunting Areas.


Well that boat don't float, in states, and places where folks talk. "Our property - Our DEER!" = Horse Dung.

If they are treated superior, then they feel superior, and take advantage of that to the fullest. And folks, especially politicians suck up to them.

Treat them like all other hunters, with respect. But do not let them stop you from doing what you enjoy, and are also allowed by law, and license to DO.

Mutual respect goes both ways, or we all loose.


With many folks not being able to travel this season, things will get cramped and testy. Especially in places where high hunter numbers were not the usual deal.

I have a feeling that has not escaped wildlife agencies, especially in the East. Things could get interesting.

Be smart, and be safe.


my 2 cents
VP
 
I'm going to be optimistic and hope that between distance learning and expanded work from home strategies that more kids spend time with parents / family members learning to hunt and fish and to respect the outdoors.
 

During the 1960's, and early 70's, our group would hunt the first day of duck in every zone in PA. come hell or high water.

One North Zone first day found us in ANF, at a well known swamp. Of course archery season was already in, but we decided on ducks. At that time ANF never had a shortage of hunters, for whatever was in season. Camps were full, as well as all the small towns.

Anywho, later that morning we decided to move to another spot for the afternoon.

As we came around a bend in the trail near some old apple trees, we stopped dead in our tracks. There on the trail up ahead was a doe. We heard the twang, and saw the doe jump the string, and away she went unharmed.

Then a young boy ran out onto the trail to retrieve the cedar arrow, and a few others that were sticking up out of the ground.


We greeted each other, and his dad perched in one of the apple trees (no tree stand), asked us how the duck hunting was. "Not as good as the deer hunting", one of our crew said.

We all laughed, and the guy said. "The action is pretty good, but I'm not used to shootin' out of a tree. So after I miss, my son goes and gets the arrows."

We wished him good luck, and he did the same.


It was different times back then, before compound bows, elaborate tree stands, trail cams, robo duck decoys, etc.

The young lad and his dad were having one heck of a good time, and they did indeed make our day. Cuz all these years later, that memory sticks in my mind.


Could be that when this current stressful mess settles down, we can get back to times like that.

I sure hope so.



VP
 
Dani said:
How's the pup coming along?

I don't know about up north where you live but I have had very few bad experiences with deer hunters and being an upland hunter. Maybe I have just been lucky but the times I have stumbled on a deer hunter in a stand, I have apologized and headed on out....perhaps leaving, perhaps just getting a good ways away depending on the property. Almost every one of them has been gracious and several have told me they like bird hunters because they move the deer around and they have gotten more deer because of bird hunters. I do get not wanting to screw up a hunt for someone but at the same time if you worry about that for every single place you go, you may never get out of the truck. I do drive on more often than not but that doesn't always mean that there aren't people where I am hunting, or where I end up walking to or through. If you are really concerned about the dog, like I was with Drake when he got old and slow and methodical and often could be mistaken as a pig wandering through the woods, I just put a blaze orange vest on him that covered his back and sides, not his belly....so you could do that with your dog as an added precaution.
Click to expand...

Thanks for asking Dani
he is doing very well- at that teenager stage right now where getting him to listen in the house takes some work but he is a very good boy in the field. had him and Macallan out to the club today - and turned them loose (he won't get his feet damp in the morning dew in the front yard, but he'll run into a muddy pond [whistle] ).

i have only run into a very few arrogant bow hunters -some tell me a dog has no business in the woods, and the dog's life means more to me than winning an argument.

Mostly its because many of my grouse / woodcock covers are small and if I cover those well - the other guys hunts are ruined for a while and I am sure his hunting time is as important to him as mine is to me. In bigger covers, I generally know where they hunt and can avoid them. I have one spot a couple bow hunters use often - we've talked and they tell me i move the deer around so we share.

Tweed is growing up to fast - he and Macallan had a grand time running off excess energy today.



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For me, I don't see any negative effects. Possibly public ramp closures? Having said that, they're open now and we're in the peak of boating season here. If they don't close them now, I can't see why they would close them in Fall/Winter when usage more than likely drops 75%. As for other hunters, I am due to have a 2 person boat this season. Hopefully, that goes as planned. I honestly don't see how anyone could be too concerned about field hunts. Keeping space isn't that difficult. Same goes for the open air of a duck boat. Traveling, yes, that could be an issue.
 
Guys and Gals

We need more waterfowl hunters, So I hope that more young people get on board and learn the right way. I hope young people get out and hunt waterfowl. I want this sport to be around for my young grandchildren. Ducks and geese can go where they want to for safety. But getting more money into the sport will help wetlands and nesting programs. Yes ! your all right saying that it could be bad for lots of hunters if their area is packed with hunters. But! I have been trying to look at this in a positive way. I can only wish some new hunters will love our sport like we do. It would be nice to have young people build and take care of wood ducks like I did all these years.
I hate the way some of these people trash our waters and land. They should be defunded and taken to the wood shed. I hate liter and those who think its all city people are so wrong. Some of our own friends liter with the best of them.

anthony sr.


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I agree with you Anthony. I do hope we see new young waterfowl hunters this year. We always have a mad house at the beginning of the season here in South Jersey, as we get a lot of hunters from PA and Delaware for the first couple of weeks and the first day of the second split, but that goes away quickly. If more people hunt, then more people care about the resource, and it gets more attention.
 
Greg

Thanks! I'll be the first one pissed off when someone is in a spot I hunted for years. But if it helps making duck hunting get better for years to come . Then bring on the new bees. We have all been great stewards of the sport we love. We were all new at one time. The old timers were mad at me when I first started. Get out of my spot I always heard. By the way know matter where I set up I heard that same thing. So I hope its my time to say it to some new young men and women. Good things come out of bad times. Some times we all get stronger and we work harder and fight harder for what we love. I'm a old dog and I'm set in my ways. But if the sport I love can be helped then bring on new hunters. Maybe they will clean our wetland if they love the sport.
 
Rick , that has been my experience as well. Had 2 bird hunters come in a state field I was set up on and they pushed 3 deer bedding down past me. I never would have seen them. They came over and we had a nice visit. Most encounters I have a field have been positive with the exception of "the incident at Long Turd Point " but that is for another day
 
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