MADISON – Variable spring habitat conditions observed in the United States and very good conditions in Canada present a mixed picture for the fall 2007 waterfowl seasons in Wisconsin, according to the state waterfowl biologist. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists reported generally good duck and Canada goose breeding populations and conditions this spring across most of Canada and Alaska.
Duck breeding conditions in the U.S. prairie and Great Lakes states were variable earlier in the season, and some areas experienced declining conditions later on. Overall, production is expected to be fair for ducks and Canada geese. The impact of these spring reports on the fall waterfowl hunting in Wisconsin will depend upon fall weather and water levels.
Wetland conditions
Canada – Waterfowl breeding areas in Canada entered spring with generally good conditions and waterfowl breeding was expected to be good across most of these areas.
U.S. Prairies – Spring habitat conditions ranged from poor to excellent, resulting in variable breeding conditions.
Wisconsin - Spring precipitation was below average from March through May for most of the state, with the north half of the state being especially dry. The southeast portion of the state was wetter with better duck breeding conditions. As summer has progressed, hot and dry weather has lowered water levels. Additional rain this summer will be necessary to improved Wisconsin’s fall waterfowl habitat.
Ducks
Duck populations
The four most abundant ducks in Wisconsin’s fall hunting harvest are mallards, wood ducks, green-winged teal and blue-winged teal. Van Horn notes that many of the ducks harvested in Wisconsin come from birds that breed in Wisconsin, in contrast to other states in the flyway that rely more heavily on birds raised in the prairies or boreal forests of Canada.
This year’s Wisconsin breeding waterfowl survey conducted in early May appeared to be well timed as biologists saw few migrant groups. The results indicate a below average number of breeding mallards, wood ducks and total ducks. The total state breeding duck population estimate of 470,614 is down 10 percent from 2006, but 9 percent above the long-term mean. When compared with the average estimate of 571,715 from more recent years, the 2007 estimate is lower but with the high standard error this estimate is within range of normal year to year variation. Because of the poor wetland conditions in a large part of the state, these results are not surprising. Overall, spring breeding waterfowl numbers in Wisconsin for 2007 appear to be lower than recent years but still higher than long-term means, representing a relatively stable and healthy waterfowl population.
“In addition to the science of the survey, experience plays a role,” said Van Horn. “There are many things that can impact the results of a single year’s survey results. That’s why it’s important to look at the long-term and recent trends in populations rather than focus only on year to year variations in order to get a real feel for how populations are doing in the long haul,” says said Van Horn.
Mallards
“Because they are the most abundant duck in Wisconsin’s harvest at nearly 40 percent of the total harvest, breeding mallards are an important gauge of potential fall waterfowl numbers,” says Van Horn. “Our Wisconsin breeding population estimate for mallards is 210,219 which statistically similar to 2006 and is 16 percent above the long-term mean over the past 34 years. This figure is below the average for the previous 10 years. Breeding mallard numbers in the Great Lakes states (Minn., Mich., Wis.) in total were up 27 percent from 2006 but 24 percent below the 1992-2006 average. Breeding mallard numbers in most of Canada and the U.S. prairies were up from 2006. Overall, these numbers would suggest an average fall for mallard numbers statewide.
Blue-winged Teal
The 2007 Wisconsin blue-winged teal breeding population estimate of 124,093 is statistically similar to 2006, and 10 percent above the long-term mean. Additional years of data will be needed to reveal whether the long term blue-winged teal population decline has halted or if the results of the last couple of years are an artifact of sampling variation. The continental breeding population of Blue-winged teal abundance was up 14 percent from 2006 and 48 percent above the long term mean. The high continental blue-winged teal numbers will mean that nonbreeding states to the south of Wisconsin will have a 16 day early teal season in September. With blue-winged teal numbers good in Wisconsin and with the potential for an early migration into Wisconsin from Canada, an earlier opening date to the duck season would allow hunters to take advantage of this year’s high teal numbers.
Wood ducks
“Wood ducks continue to show a strong trend in the Wisconsin breeding population. This is very encouraging as these ducks are now a major portion of the fall harvest at 17 percent, says Van Horn. “The 2007 Wisconsin breeding population estimate for wood ducks is 87,875, which is a drop from 2006 levels but still 20 percent above the long-term mean. This decline would be expected since a high proportion of the wood duck population estimate in recent years has come from the northern survey areas and these areas have been in drought conditions in 2007.
Canada Geese
“Depending on fall weather conditions, goose hunters in Wisconsin should have a good season,” Van Horn says.
“There are two different populations of Canada geese that are present in Wisconsin during the regular fall hunting season,” says Van Horn. “One population, called giant Canada geese, nests in Wisconsin. A population of slightly smaller birds nests in northern Ontario along the coast of Hudson Bay and then migrates through Wisconsin and other Midwestern states. The latter is called the Mississippi Valley Population (MVP). Results from the most current banding data indicate that half of Wisconsin’s regular goose season harvest comes from the MVP.
The breeding survey of MVP Canada geese estimated 402,640 breeding adults, which is the highest level since 1999 and 10 percent above the 1989-2007 average. The harvest of MVP geese is shared by several other states and provinces. For many years, quotas have been set to protect the breeding population and distribute harvest among several states. This year, however, a new management strategy in the Mississippi Flyway has replaced the quota system for a 5-year stable season trial. Because there are many more giant geese in the flyway, it is thought that the impact of hunter harvest on MVP geese will be buffered by that of the resident giants. In the end, the hope it that this will better control the increasing numbers of resident geese, while still providing for ample hunting opportunity. MVP populations will continue to be monitored during this 5-year trial.
The 2007 breeding population estimate for giant Canada geese nesting in Wisconsin was 125,195, which is down 7 percent from 2006 and 64 percent above the 21-year long-term mean. While the long term trend for Wisconsin’s resident Canada geese is still increasing, recent survey years suggest that this increase may be slowing.
The Canada goose hunting seasons in Wisconsin include the Exterior Zone season of 85 days with a two bird daily bag, a Horicon Zone season of 92 days with six harvest tags per hunter and a two goose daily bag limit and a Collins Zone season of 62 days with six harvest tags per hunter and a two goose daily bag limit.
Early Canada goose season
The early Canada goose hunting period specifically targets local breeding giant Canada geese and is held before migratory geese begin to move into Wisconsin. An estimated 20,000 geese were harvested during this season in 2006. “This has become a popular early hunting season and an important part of our resident Canada goose population management,” Van Horn says. Hunters should note that this season requires a special permit and $3 fee.
The Early Canada goose season will run statewide from Sept. 1-15, with a daily bag of five geese. *Burnett County Subzone: Closed
Youth Waterfowl Hunt
This special hunt aims to recruit new hunters in Wisconsin. In recent years, about 2,500 youth have taken advantage of this opportunity and harvested almost 9,000 ducks and about 250 geese. The dates for this year’s youth hunt are Sept. 15-16. The daily bag for ducks is the same as the regular season. This year, this special season straddles the early and the regular goose seasons. The daily bag for geese on Sept. 15 is the same for the early season (five) and the daily bag on Sept. 16 is the same for the regular season (two geese, regardless of zone). For early season goose hunting on Sept. 15, a youth must purchase and possess an early season goose permit. In the exterior zone on Sept. 16, a youth must purchase and possess an exterior goose permit. In the Horicon and Collins zones on Sept. 16, a youth possessing a valid tag for any time period within that zone may hunt geese within the zone where the tag is valid.
*Burnett County Subzone: Closed
Waterfowl seasons
Canada goose seasons
Exterior Zone
• North Zone: Sept. 16 through Dec. 9; daily bag limit: two
• South Zone: Sept. 16 through Oct. 7 and Oct. 13 through Dec. 14; daily bag limit: two
• Mississippi River Subzone: Sept. 29 at 9 a.m. – Oct. 7 and Oct. 13 – Dec. 27; daily bag limit: two
• Horicon/Collins Zones. Hunters with Horicon and Collins Zone permits will be issued six tags for the time period that they are awarded.
Horicon Zone daily bag limit: two geese with a possession limit of the number of tags issued (six).
• Periods 1 and 2: Sept. 16-Oct. 26
• Periods 3 and 4: Oct. 27 – Dec. 16
Collins Zone daily bag limit: two geese with a possession limit of the number of tags issued (six).
• Period 1: Sept. 16-30;
• Period 2: Oct. 1-21
• Period 3: Oct. 22 – Nov. 16
Other geese
Light geese (Snow, Blue and Ross) and Brant: Seasons are the same as for the Canada goose zones and subzones. Daily bag limit: one brant and 10 light geese (Wisconsin hunters only harvest a few hundred light geese each year but they are overabundant in the US). White-fronted geese: Seasons are the same for Exterior Zone and Collins zone. For the Horicon zone the season begins on Sept. 22 and ends on Dec 16. Daily bag limit: one white-fronted goose.
*Burnett County Subzone: Closed
Ducks
A 60 day season with a daily bag limit of six ducks to include not more than four mallards of which only one may be a hen, one black duck, two redheads, two wood ducks, two scaup, one pintail and two canvasback (for the entire season). In addition five mergansers to include not more than two hooded mergansers. Coot bag limit of 15.
Northern Zone: Sept. 22 at 9 a.m. – Nov. 20.
Southern Zone: Sept. 29 at 9 a.m. – Oct. 7 and Oct. 13 – Dec. 2
