What to know and where to go with duck season opening
Waterfowl season is here. It’s one of my favorite seasons for sure. There is no casual with this sport — you’re a waterfowl hunter or you’re not.
Anticipation and excitement for the hunt starts long before opening day with the preparation for the season — there are decoys to check and get ready, clothing and footwear to check to see if they’re suitable for another season, calls to practice, ammunition to stock and guns to clean.
Of all the hunts we do for different species through different seasons, this is the one that involves the most equipment. For a new hunter, that can be expensive, but once you get the right gear and take care of it, it will last for many seasons.
The season is 60 days again this year with a daily limit of six ducks. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources says the daily limit cannot include more than four mallards (only two of which may be hens), three wood ducks, two black ducks, two redheads, two canvasback, one mottled duck and one pintail. Scaup also are included in the daily limit, according to ODNR regulations.
Ducks Unlimited’s late summer 2021 Waterfowl Production Outlook does not paint a pretty picture. Below is the organization’s overview of habitat conditions across key waterfowl breeding areas across parts of Canada and the northern United States:
British Columbia
Summer has been exceptionally hot and dry, drawing down wetlands. But broods of various age and species have been observed and fair to good production is expected. Extremely hot, dry weather has resulted in poor wetland conditions. Larger permanent wetlands are still holding water, and broods are being observed, although in much lower numbers than average. Better wetland conditions exist in the northern parklands and Boreal Forest, where waterfowl production is expected to be average to above.
Saskatchewan
Widespread drought has intensified over the summer, and many semipermanent and even permanent wetlands are now dry across this vast prairie province. Crops are suffering and are likely beyond recovery in many areas. Few broods have been observed and poor production is expected.
Manitoba
The prairie pothole country of southwestern Manitoba remains in the grips of severe drought, and many wetlands are completely dry. Broods have been observed in wetlands that continue to hold water, but poor production is expected. This province is important to us in Ohio for mallard duck production and for mallard ducks that will move through our state. Parts of Ontario are drier than average, but sufficient wetland habitat remains in most areas to sustain ducks through the breeding period. Broods have been observed in typical numbers and average to good production is expected.
North-central U.S.
Wetland conditions have continued to deteriorate across the Great Plains states, with much of the eastern Dakotas and northeastern Montana experiencing extreme or exceptional drought. With little or no wetland habitat remaining, below-average waterfowl production is expected.
Great Lakes and northeastern U.S.
The outlook is mixed across the Great Lakes and northeastern United States. Severe drought conditions have persisted in some areas, which likely limited brood habitat and re-nesting efforts, while better wetland habitat is available in others, where typical production is expected.
Follow the ducks’ migration at ducks.org.
Here are some public areas in Ohio open to waterfowl hunting: Magee Marsha Wildlife Area, Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area, Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, Mosquito Creek Wildlife Area, Beach City Wildlife Area, Shenongo Wildlife Area, Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area and Big Island Wildlife Area.
In District 5, here are some walk-in waterfowl hunting opportunities to check out: Caesars Creek State Park, East Fork State Park, Paint Creek State Park, Brush Creek State Park, Hueston Woods State Park, Lake Loramie State Park, Grand Lake Saint Marys and Spring Valley Wildlife Area. For more information, contact the District 5 office in Xenia at 937372-9261 or visit wildohio.gov
Additional info on state parks can e found at parks. ohiodna.gov
To hunt waterfowl in Ohio you need the following: a hunting license, a current Ohio wetland stamp, a current federal duck stamp and your Harvest Information Program (HIP) number.