After a dry and less than stellar year for both duck numbers, reproduction, & duck hunting, I was glad to see a 14% jump overall in duck breeding numbers from 2005 to 2006 in the annual May pond counts conducted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. All species saw an increase in breeding numbers except wigeons & scaup, which saw a 2% & 4% drop in numbers respectively. Fortunately, some of the biggest gainers in population were pintails, redheads, & canvasbacks which need all the help they can get. Redheads realized the biggest gain with a 55% increase in breeding number; followed by canvasbacks with a 33% increase, and pintails with a 32% gain in overall breeding numbers. Mallards only went up 8% after a slightly "un-mallard-like" off year in 2005, but breeding numbers are still well over 7 million strong.
Hopefully, the marshes in the north will stay wet this summer and perhaps the predators will have a hard time locating nests in the lush vegetation of the prairies which will propagate a strong hatch and brood survival rate; and in turn, result in a memorable 2006 waterfowl season. And what with temperatures currently above the century mark here in Missouri, duck season can't get here quick enough for yours truly.
Stay cool.
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