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Duck decline shouldn’t limit hunting

The Spokesman-ReviewMallards (above) are holding steady in numbers and teal are exceeding the long-term average. But overall, duck numbers are lower than normal nationwide. (Rich Landers / The Spokesman-Review)
By Rich Landers Outdoors editor
The Spokesman-ReviewMallards (above) are holding steady in numbers and teal are exceeding the long-term average. But overall, duck numbers are lower than normal nationwide. (Rich Landers / The Spokesman-Review)

Duck populations are generally down this year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports, but numbers are strong enough to support the liberal season framework of recent years, said Jim Hayden, Idaho Fish and Game Department wildlife manager in Coeur d’Alene.

Idaho will set seasons Tuesday under federal guidelines for the migratory birds. Idaho has proposed seasons similar to last year, except for shorter seasons on scaup and no season for canvasbacks.

The preliminary estimate of total ducks is a little more than 37 million, which is a 9 percent decline from last year’s estimate, but still 11 percent greater than the 1955-2007 average.

Waterfowl populations have always been cyclical, but long-time hunters also have had to adapt to changing migration patterns based on changing habitat and weather patterns.

Here’s a summary from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s survey in the north-central United States, south-central and northern Canada, and Alaska.

•Mallard — 7.7 million birds, similar to last year’s estimate and the long-term average.

•Blue-winged teal — 6.6 million birds, similar to last year’s estimate and 45 percent above the long-term average.

•Green-winged teal — 3 million, similar to last year and 57 percent above the long-term average.

•Gadwall — 2.7 million, 19 percent below last year and 56 percent above the long-term average.

•Redheads — 1.1 million, similar to last year and 66 percent above the long-term average.

•Canvasback — 489,000, 44 percent below last year’s estimate and 14 percent below the long-term average.

•Northern shovelers — 3.5 million, 23 percent below last year and 56 percent above their long-term average.

•Scaup (lesser and greater combined) — 3.7 million, similar to last year and 27 percent below the long-term average.

•Northern pintails — 2.6 million, 22 percent below last year and 36 percent below the long-term average.

•Others — American black ducks, ring-necked ducks, American wigeon, bufflehead, goldeneyes, and mergansers surveyed in eastern North America were similar to last year as well as their 1990-2007 averages.