2012 Survey Begins!
Spring Waterfowl survey begins. Photo by
Murray Gillespie (Ducks Unlimited Canada).
The 2012 Breeding Population and Habitat Survey got off to an early start in late April, as the first of 12 air crews took to the skies and the associated ground crews began their field work. For a front-row seat for the duration of the survey, check out the Pilot Biologist Reports, where some great stories and pictures are already coming in from Canada and the northern U.S. From this site you can see what the air crews see as they fly fixed-wing aircraft at low altitude (150 ft) over transect lines through waterfowl habitat areas. Over 55,000 miles of transects are flown every year. That’s like counting ducks in a single line over two times around the world!
A cooperative effort of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Canadian Wildlife Service, and state, provincial, and tribal agencies, this survey currently covers more than 2.1 million square miles of the northern United States and Canada, and includes most of the primary duck nesting areas in North America.
Status Update on Waterfowl Management Plan
A new draft of the 2012 North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) is now available on the NAWMP Revision website. This draft has evolved considerably from the first version released last summer, reflecting the useful feedback the NAWMP Plan Committee received during the open comment period.
The Plan Committee is not entertaining additional comments on this draft. However, a special session on the 2012 NAWMP will be held at the upcoming North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Atlanta. The session will be held Monday, March 12, from 1-4 PM. Presenters at the session will review the key elements of the 2012 NAWMP, discuss next steps towards implementation, and solicit input from attendees.
2011 Federal Duck Stamp Contest Winner Announced
For the fourth time, artwork by Joseph Hautman of Plymouth, Minnesota was selected as the winner of the Federal Duck Stamp contest. Hautman previously won the contest in 1991, 2001 and 2007, with his acrylic rendering of a wood duck taking the latest prize on October 30, 2011 during the contest proceedings at the National Conservation Training Center in West Virginia. The 2012-2013 Federal Duck Stamp, featuring the winning art, will go on sale July 1, 2012. Runners-up were Adam Grimm of Burbank, South Dakota (2nd place) and Richard Clifton of Milford, Delaware (3rd place) with, respectively, an oil painting of a single gadwall and an acrylic painting of a mallard pair. Proceeds from the sales of Duck Stamps is used to purchase key waterfowl habitat areas in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
State Agency Hunting Season Info and Regulations at Your Fingertips
Waterfowl hunting season is already well under way across North America, but you might be wondering when the last date to hunt is for your location. Or you might need to know the daily bag limits for a certain species. Each year, state wildlife agencies determine season dates and bag limits based on the data that is gathered by pilot biologists conducting aerial and ground surveys of waterfowl production and habitat in Canada and the northern United States in the spring. For your convenience, links to the most up-to-date regulatory information maintained by each state have been compiled on this site so that you can quickly and easily find the information you need.
Look up 2011-2012 season dates and bag limits for your state
New Duck Stamp Design to be Chosen at National Conservation Training Center October 28-29
The National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia will host the 2011 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest October 28-29. The event is free and open to the public, and is a great opportunity to view the nearly 200 artistic renderings of mallards, blue-winged teal, cinnamon teal, wood ducks, and gadwall. You'll also be among the first to see the new design chosen for the 2012 Duck Stamp, the cornerstone of one of the world's most successful conservation programs, when it is selected by the judges. The scenic NCTC campus is nestled amongst eastern hardwood forests and Potomac River meadows, and offers a limited number of overnight accommodations (call 304-876-7900) for those who would like to attend this event. Or, you can view the proceedings online via a live video stream.
Watch the live video stream. (October 28-29)
