Waterfowl notes: Southern, Mississippi Zones re-open, fall surveys begin
The south and Mississippi River duck and goose zones reopen this Saturday, Oct. 12.
The south duck zone will run from Oct. 12-Dec. 1. The Mississippi River duck zone will run from Oct. 12-Dec. 3, while the south goose zone will run from Oct. 12-Dec. 1; Dec. 16-Jan. 4.
The Mississippi River goose zone will run from Oct. 12-Jan. 4.
The northern duck zone remains open until Nov. 26. The northern goose zone remains open until Dec. 16.
October surveys begin in GB
The 2019 October Green Bay waterfowl survey was conducted on Oct. 7. Waterfowl biologists flew transects 60 m above Green Bay along the east and west shores on two lines one near shore and one offshore. All waterfowl observed were counted and recorded to species are available on the DNR website Wisconsin Waterfowl Surveys under the “Green Bay Fall Survey" tab. Although there are some limitations to this survey, it is important that we conduct this survey for a few reasons. This survey serves as an index of waterfowl use on Green Bay and as the year progresses, we can gather data on population trends for some species that breed in remote Arctic locations and are difficult to survey using traditional methods.
Attention Mississippi Zone hunters:
A voluntary waterfowl avoidance area will once again be in effect during the 2019 fall migration on areas of Navigation Pools 7 and 8 of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Buoys have been placed at commonly used access points in both areas to alert boaters.
Waterfowl are sensitive to human activity occurring near their resting and feeding areas. Even relatively distant boating activity may be enough to cause the birds to flush and burn-up valuable energy reserves. Boaters who voluntarily throttle down and avoid concentrations of waterfowl, wherever they occur, will help the birds accumulate fat reserves needed for the remainder of their long migrations. To further reduce disturbance to waterfowl concentrated in the Goose Island No Hunting Zone, the use of motors is prohibited.
For more information, contact the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service La Crosse District Office at (608) 779-2399 or visit the Visitor Center, located at N5727 County Road Z, Onalaska, WI.