Duck numbers have increased at some areas across Southeast Missouri over the last week, while remaining similar at others.
The good thing for hunters is mallards are starting to show up in decent numbers.
The most recent waterfowl survey by the Department of Conservation showed 32,000 ducks at the Otter Slough Conservation Area, comprising about 7,500 teal, 7,300 mallards and the rest pretty evenly split between pintails, ringnecks, wigeon, gadwalls and shovelers.
Currently, Otter Slough is hunting 33 positions, all distributed through the in-season online drawing. With the red level designation because of COVID-19, there is no morning draw or poor line for vacancies.
Lately, biologist Luke Wehmhoff said, the turnout rate for allocated hunting spots has been around 60%, so some pools are getting rested.
At the Duck Creek Conservation Area, just a little under 28,000 ducks were counted Monday. Gadwalls made up the largest share of the number, followed by mallards, ringneck, shovelers and pintail. Interestingly, no teal were seen.
At Duck Creek, hunting has been available in units A and B, pool 3 and part of pool 2. On Wednesday, a limited number of hunters were to be allowed in pool 8.
Next door at the Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, biologist Brad Pendley counted almost 46,000 ducks on Monday, over half of which were mallards.
In the South Zone, an accurate count could not be done at the Coon Island Conservation Area because of high river levels preventing access.
At the Ten Mile Pond Conservation Area, the latest number was 34,600 ducks, about half of which were mallards.
At the Little River Conservation Area near Kennett, which is only hunted a few days a week, a mere 1,900 ducks were counted recently.
If you hunt ducks in Arkansas, that state’s second duck season segment will open Friday.
Unlike Missouri’s three duck zones, Arkansas uses a statewide season made up of three separate segments. It’s one of the frameworks allowed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Arkansas’ second season will run through Dec. 23.
The biggest issue duck hunters face there is a lack of water in many areas. In talking with statewide waterfowl coordinator Luke Naylor, only the northeast portion of the state has areas with much water.
Both the Mingo National wildlife Refuge and Peck Ranch Conservation Area held their annual managed muzzleloader deer hunts last weekend.
At Mingo, 80 hunters were drawn for the hunt. With the COVID-19 thing going on, staff did not set up a check station like normal, so there was no way to tell how many showed up.
Regardless, hunters at Mingo took 22 deer, which is about average for that hunt.
At Peck Ranch, 200 hunters were drawn for that hunt, but again, there was no way to tell how many showed up.
Hunters at Peck Ranch took 38 deer, according to area manager Preston Mabry, including some especially nice bucks.
That total is slightly above the average for the Peck Ranch hunt.
Missouri’s archery deer season continues to roll along, although at a much slower harvest pace than a month ago.
As of Wednesday, bowhunters had taken 611 deer in Butler County, 655 in Carter County, 93 in Dunklin County, 868 in Reynolds County, 662 in Ripley County, 632 in Stoddard County and 1,126 in Wayne County.
The statewide harvest sits at 59,525, with a month to go, already is oh-so-close to last year’s record take of 61,209.
Last weekend’s antlerless firearms deer season, mostly in other regions of Missouri, resulted in harvest of 15,425 deer. That’s easily better than last year’s 10,543, but falls short of the antlerless season record of 25,151, set in 2003.
Fishing, from what I’ve heard, has improved quite a bit lately.
One friend fished the upper reaches of Wappapello Lake Tuesday and did well catching crappies, and some were dandies.
In fact, he said, it was his best outing for crappies in a long time.
Fishing deep along the river channel has been the key to success.
I almost forgot, but the firearms portion of Missouri’s first elk season opens Saturday and will continue through Dec. 20.
During the Oct. 17-25 archery portion, no elk were taken, though I heard one hunter came pretty close.