Where Are the Ducks

[ClemsonJosh]

Feels like I’ve burned gas in the truck and boat all over eastern Washington and just not seeing anything other than what appears to be stale ducks.

Anybody seeing the same or am I going crazy?


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[shootem]

Same for me.

[ellensburgpo]

Pretty sure the ducks can’t come south this year due to COVID restrictions. It’s been rough.

[callturner]

Yup, Inslee said they couldn't land till after January.

[Stein]

I looked up the weather in Alaska and was seeing about the same as Western WA, temps in the mid 40s.  They have no reason to head south until they run out of open water.

The locals were a bit stacked in places with water, but with the rain now, my guess is they will spread out again.  I've had some good shoots, but plenty of blanks, it's all or nothing in the places I go.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

There holding tight till Jan 20th to see which side to be on........  Seen lots of Coots rafted up in the mid columbia. Should be easy limits?

[bear]

Seems to be a ton of ducks in Western Wa this year.

[hunterednate]

Flooded corn complexes are holding a lot of birds right now. No reason for them to go elsewhere if they have food and water and roost ponds in the same spot.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Lodge/Eagle-Lakes-Ranch-Lodge-262553643754667/

[Buckjunkie]

I’m not a duck hunter anymore, but three weeks ago there were thousands of ducks on Banks Lake. Only a few trucks with trailers at the launch. The biggest flocks were 2/3rds of the way up the lake before you get to Electric City.

[Whitenuckles]

 Lots of birds here on the wet side. We hunted a Halloween pumpkin patch last weekend. It was amazing. 28 drakes in an hour. I never knew ducks liked rotten pumpkin so much.

[ClemsonJosh]

That’s wild. Never would have guessed that.


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[metlhead]

Massive numbers here on the westside. Knocked out two limits with my daughter this afternoon, real quick. Three weeks ago, the upper Yak valley was loaded with birds. Not really sure westside birds are as dependent on the weather extremes as east side birds. Amazing that somebody thinks pintail numbers are actually low.

[callturner]

I’m not a duck hunter anymore, but three weeks ago there were thousands of ducks on Banks Lake. Only a few trucks with trailers at the launch. The biggest flocks were 2/3rds of the way up the lake before you get to Electric City.

Of coarse, that's the reserve!

[h2ofowlr]

I think NW Washington is holding a majority of the birds right now.  Most I can remember seeing.  Majority of the fields are holding a ton of birds right now and the bays have just as many.  We have been doing very good on them.

[Jimmer]

Still a lot of birds and new birds on the east side.. been smashing them and the geese.
Scouting is your friend.

[Bucks2Ducks]

Flooded corn complexes are holding a lot of birds right now. No reason for them to go elsewhere if they have food and water and roost ponds in the same spot.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Lodge/Eagle-Lakes-Ranch-Lodge-262553643754667/

Well actually there is when they're getting shot at. But good to see your still blaming everything on the flooded corn

[hunterednate]

Flooded corn complexes are holding a lot of birds right now. No reason for them to go elsewhere if they have food and water and roost ponds in the same spot.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Lodge/Eagle-Lakes-Ranch-Lodge-262553643754667/

Well actually there is when they're getting shot at. But good to see your still blaming everything on the flooded corn

True, hunting pressure will push birds off flooded corn. But most corn pond complexes employ strategies to reduce or distribute hunting pressure (such as rotating which ponds they hunt, never shooting into big groups, hunting midday instead of early morning/last light, etc.). Smart managers can thereby keep birds on their property throughout the season. Eagle Lakes, for example, advertises over 40 corn ponds (each of which can hold thousands of birds). A smart manager will carefully select which ponds and which ponds to rest in order to keep the birds on their property.

Another factor to consider is to what extent corn ponds influence mallards' nocturnal behavior. This article has some info along those lines (and may explain why corn ponds are still holding tons of birds, but have become less effective as hunting tools, even for those with access to them):

https://www.wildfowlmag.com/editorial/are-mallard-ducks-becoming-nocturnal/374937

Keep in mind that most large clubs designate "roost lakes" that never get hunted, period. The ducks can loaf on these lakes midday, feed in the flooded corn at night....and never have a reason to fly over public land again for the rest of the season.

Good public hunting can still be had on the eastside, but I'd be very surprised if the explosion of flooded corn over the last decade has not had a big influence on local duck distribution.

[ClemsonJosh]

There’s probably an influence, but I am not trying to debate factors I don’t have any control over right now.

Went and shot a few ducks this weekend, but again kind of stale and not much fat on them my best guess is there hasn’t been a big push. But was just trying to confirm if others were seeing the same.


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[full choke]

There’s probably an influence, but I am not trying to debate factors I don’t have any control over right now.

Went and shot a few ducks this weekend, but again kind of stale and not much fat on them my best guess is there hasn’t been a big push. But was just trying to confirm if others were seeing the same.


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Contrary to the popular line of thinking- birds with little fat on them ARE the migrators.


Big fat mallards are birds that have been around for awhile.

[hunterednate]

There’s probably an influence, but I am not trying to debate factors I don’t have any control over right now.

Went and shot a few ducks this weekend, but again kind of stale and not much fat on them my best guess is there hasn’t been a big push. But was just trying to confirm if others were seeing the same.


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Contrary to the popular line of thinking- birds with little fat on them ARE the migrators.


Big fat mallards are birds that have been around for awhile.

Very true. I've read that it takes 2-3 weeks for mallards to rebuild fat reserves after a big flight. Skinny birds are the fresh ones!

[hunterednate]

There’s probably an influence, but I am not trying to debate factors I don’t have any control over right now.

Went and shot a few ducks this weekend, but again kind of stale and not much fat on them my best guess is there hasn’t been a big push. But was just trying to confirm if others were seeing the same.


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Nice! Keep after it. My wife just had a baby so I'm grounded from duck hunting for now. Hoping by the time I'm back into it in Jan there will be another push of birds.

[Sneaky]

factors that have most negatively impacted waterfowl hunting in washington in my lifetime:

1. climate change

2. flooded corn

Migrations aren't occurring the way they used to. We just haven't had the weather. The few ducks that are around are being harvested and controlled in general like never before through careful management and legal baiting that cannot be accomplished on public lands to the same extent. Anyone who can't see this in simply in denial. Compared to previous years, a lot of guide services are struggling to kill birds this year. Some have even resorted to having clients hunt big water and shoot divers. Doesn't make sense when you own flooded corn mallard mecca.

That being said, there are still some birds to kill and you just have to think outside the box and pay attention to what is happening in your area.

[GFB_Recon]

Their hiding out at my daughters soccer field

[Oldpirate]

Not a lot of birds here in the South Bend area of Willapa Bay