By Steve McCadams
It ended with a bang. Tennessee's duck season that is as after almost two months of above average temperatures a winter cold front descended down south, giving hunters a taste of what waterfowl conditions are supposed to be like on the final day of a 60-day season.
Waterfowlers throughout the region scanned the skies on the last day of season, wondering where this ducky weather was all year and why it waited until the final day to arrive. Several areas reported decent shooting on the last day as brisk northwest winds delivered cold temps and ducks were restless and on the move for a change.
It appears cold weather is in-store for the entire week (19-degrees here this morning) as frigid temps are expected to linger, a forecast that was ordered---but never arrived---during the entire season.
Shallow water zones to our north never froze over this season and lots of ducks stayed in flooded backwaters where thousands of acres of feeding and resting areas that normally freeze up or dry up stayed open and available to lazy ducks. Extended spells of warm weather dominated and many morning were without wind.
Overall it was a very unusual season as the weather did not cooperate for duck hunters. The majority of veteran waterfowlers in this region say it was one of the toughest seasons they can remember in recent times, although season actually got off to a decent start back in late November.
Even though warm weather was present during the first two opening weekends, ducks were here in relatively high numbers and the hunting was good. However, warm weather lingered and then flooding across a portion of four states entered the picture, scattering ducks out over eastern Arkansas, southeast Missouri, western Kentucky, and western Tennessee.
Those inundated areas saw more rain as the season matured but never froze over as is the case in normal winters. The Mississippi and Ohio Rivers backed out over large portions and that pulled ducks to those areas and never gave them up. A few isolated blinds had good shooting at times around those floodwater sectors while other proven blind locations of times past endured very tough hunting conditions.
>From my personal observation of 34 years worth of sunrises as a professional guide it was perhaps the warmest duck seasons I can recall. Week after week delivered warm mornings with no wind and no cold weather in sight as to extended forecasts from meteorologists.
We got off to a good start with a variety of species in the bag each day during the late November and early December hunts. Our duck count peaked (139,000) in the Kentucky Lake area back on December 8th (see refuge charts below) and slowly diminished after that at a time when it should have kept building toward the normal mid to late January peak.
While we always have some warm spells during the season and a slow day here and there, it's rare to have almost two months of mild weather both here and to our north. We had a lot of hunters from northern states this season and when they arrived they would tell us lakes were still open there and ducks were still hanging around long after seasons had ended. They couldn't even ice fish due to the warm weather up north!
As duck hunters close the book on a slow season most know every year is different as is every day in the duck blind. What happened this year has no bearing on what happens next season. Even the ducks don't know. They just react to the present situation---be it cold and dry or warm and wet---and adjust their flight patterns accordingly.
We all rejoice when fall flight forecasts are good. When duck numbers increase and long seasons and liberal bag limits follow wet years on the breeding grounds every knee booter on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line has cause for optimism.
That hasn't change and rightfully so.
While it was a slower-than-normal season for most duck hunters across a wide region, there are always a few who were in the right place at the right time and bagged ducks consistently. They should feel fortunate as times will change.
Many shallow swamps and fields that bagged ducks this year never had to fight ice. In times past when the ice came and stayed the ducks hit and ran. There are seasons ahead when some normalcy of winter weather patterns will resume.
Tearing up outboard motors and punching holes in boats in an attempt to free concrete-hard decoy spreads is something a few duck hunters have forgotten about during these last two seasons. Wading to the honey holes in backwater will change. Not having to rush to fill an empty propane tank the night before a hunt will change as will the perfect performing automatic shotgun that tends to have a mood swing during frigid temperatures when ducks descend.
Seeing bunches of greenwing teal long after Christmas will change. Not seeing goldeneyes, redheads, or canvasbacks arrive in January will change.
Those are but a few I can think of but you get the picture. Change is the only thing constant.
Dreary duck hunters are somewhat depressed right now but come fall many will bounce back with enthusiasm. It only takes one or two good mornings to rejuvenate even the saddest of waterfowlers.
After 34 years in the hunting and fishing business I know what it's like to be a coach; everyone likes you when you're winning! Most remember you from your last season despite longevity of success or track record of survival. Funny how duck hunters and anglers parallel the fans of other sports.
I know what it's like to be king for a day. Ducks (and fish) can do that to you.
Having survived this long I know the crown never fits forever. I learned long ago not to get the big head when ducks do right. Tomorrow has a way of humbling all hunters yet the good days always seem to outnumber the bad for me. That's way I'm looking forward to next season with a handsome brown eyed Labrador who reminds me with every glimpse why we're here and how lucky we are to do what we do every day of the season.
# # #Below are survey dates by USFWS on TN Nat'l Wildlife Refuge and total duck count with comparisons to last year at the same time in parenthesis).
SURVEY DATE TOTAL DUCK COUNT
October 26th 23,194 (+177% Last Yr)November 3rd 32,632 (+11% Last Yr)November 20th 49,492 (-15% Last Yr)December 8th 138,174 (+80% Last Yr)December 18th 131,731 (-14 Last Yr)January 8th 129,957 (-8% Last Yr)