Hunting Washington Forum
Other Hunting => Waterfowl => Topic started by: sticknstringman on October 28, 2011, 04:54:59 PM
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I have be raised to believe that nasty weather up north helps to move the birds down to us. is this a valid point? we have planned many hunts around weather and have had some really great success. Was wondering what everyone on here thought. How cold would it be to move them down? we always looked for freezing temps or snow in BC
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The freeze will push them south. You need the cold weather. Wind and rain just pushes them off the bay and inland.
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The freeze will push them south. You need the cold weather. Wind and rain just pushes them off the bay and inland.
:yeah:
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thanks guys. thats what i was taught. just havent heard much talk on here of weather. anyone put much weight in weather? or just scouting?
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Ducks will migrate no matter what, yes of course weather helps push them down, but I'm pretty sure they will start to move south no matter what happens with the weather. Why do you think all of the blue wings and cinnimon teal migrate so early? Its just a natural thing that they do. I guess it sort of depends on the species of duck you're really targeting, we've already had some new birds such as widgeon in our area.
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It makes sense to me. If I get cold I always think of someplace warmer. If I could fly for free like ducks do, I would be headed south
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Most fist wave migrations happen due to a ducks "internal clock" similar to that of a Salmonid species returning to the river from the blue waters of the ocean. After that, most duck migrate due to food and feeding needs.
Hens and a majority of younger birds will start to head south due to the freeze, this is because they are more "open water" type feeders, as they cant digest grains (rice, barley, millet, and corn) as well as older birds.
Next you will see a big push, the high point of the migration, kick in as the heavy snows start to cover up these grain fields and feeding holes that the older birds are using. When the snow starts to cover the barley and millet, oats and corn up north, the birds start to move to find food.
A ducks life is spent focused on three things. Eat, Survive, and #*%@
If needs two of these three things to be a happy camper...
Give them food and "friends" and they will let their guards down.
But that's just my two sense on the subject anyhow.