Waterfowl migration report for week of Oct. 5, provided weekly to the Erie Times-News by the Avery Outdoors Pro-Staff:
Pro-Staff member: David Rearick
Date: Oct. 21
Location: New Castle
Weather: It has been getting progressively colder the last week. Temps below freezing are common at night and colder temps throughout the day appear to be moving in.
Snow cover: None on the ground, but I saw my first spitting snow today
Water conditions: Still low, and getting worse. If we don’t get some major rain soon, we will have an early freeze. I have never seen the water so low.
Feeding conditions: Lots of cut corn and lots of feed in the marshes and swamps that have water.
Species and numbers: Residents Canada geese still abound, but no big push of migrators yet to the north. Duck numbers are down to mostly local and few early migrating mallards.
Migrations: Some new ducks have moved, albeit not many, and no geese to speak of.
Season stage: Still early, with the good hunting yet to come
Hunting report: The hunters I have talked to had moderate to good success. There has been an influx of prime birds being taken early, which is odd for this time of year in our area. To me it indicates the potential for new birds moving in and a bad winter. The Farmer's Almanac agrees.
Gossip: Hunter numbers have been strange this year with lots of hunters in some areas and almost none in others. The season dates overlapping with other game have kept guys hunting different areas.
Date: Oct. 19
Location: London, Ontario
Weather: Warm with highs in the 80’s late last week.
Snow cover: None.
Water conditions: Fair, with water in many of the key holding areas to keep birds in the area
Feeding conditions: Corn just being cut with a mix of “other” cut fields that the birds are using. Mostly chopped corn with few picked fields at this time.
Species and numbers: A fair number of Canada geese and some ducks.
Migrations: Some new birds have moved in, but appeared to be local resident birds.
Season stage: Early on in both the goose and duck seasons for this province.
Hunting report: For those that have been out scouting hard, the hunts have been good. A mix of both ducks and geese in the field have been taken.
Gossip: Get out and scout to find birds, that is the only thing that will make your hunt a success.