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Aug. 28, 2002
Charlie Farmer, Springfield News Leader Outdoors columnist
Water dampens prospects for teal
According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, blue-winged teal season reflects lower breeding population.
Numbers of teal in the fall flight have little effect on hunting success in Missouri. The timing of migrations, weather and wetland habitat conditions have a much greater influence.
Because of improved habitat conditions in the U.S. and Canadian prairies during the mid- to late-1990s, blue-winged teal populations reached a record high number of 7.4 million in 2000. This allowed a 16-day teal season for the 1998-2001 seasons.
However, a decline of about 3 million breeding blue-winged teal in the last two years is a possible signal of recent changes in this habitat.
As a result, a shorter nine-day season is in effect for 2002. Green-winged teal, seen mostly in October, November and December, generally follow the blue-wing trend but are lower in number.
Blue-winged teal migrations into Missouri begin in mid-August and continue through September, well before the regular duck season.
Blue-wings account for the majority of the September season harvest. Greenwings usually comprise less that 20 percent. Annual teal harvest has ranged widely between 6,500 and 34,500.
September teal seasons in Missouri are designed to correspond to blue-winged teal migrations, yet avoid initial arrivals of other early migrant species such as pintails, shovelers, and even wood ducks reared in Missouri.
Wood ducks especially fly with blue-wings periodically. It’s up to the hunter to make the right call. Duck identification is a must.
Conservation agents fine duck hunters who make mistakes, to the tune of $60 or more.
For these reasons, a sunrise opening ensures adequate light for correct identification of wood ducks, pintails and shovelers during special teal season.
Despite the nine-day teal hunting season, beginning Sept. 14 and ending Sept. 22, there will plenty of duck hunters out for the short season predicts Bill Phillips, wildlife regional supervisor stationed in Springfield.
Phillips says that Stockton Lake is close to normal flow rate and should be good for teal hunting if water conditions stay about the same.
He says the area around Aldrich on the Little Sac River draws quite a few duck hunters. In turn, the mud flats with some green vegetation draw the migratory birds in for feeding and loafing.
Traditionally, Schell-Osage Conservation Area in St. Clair and Vernon counties and Four Rivers Conservation Area in Vernon and Bates counties have the best September teal hunting, due to ample water supplies and duck food.
However, managers at both areas are leery of lack of ample water. While spring rains were plentiful, July and August rains have been sparse.
As it is now, Ken Davis at Schell-Osage says the F pools are holding 375 acres and 300 acres of water. Both pools have been productive during teal season past.
H-pools are dry. Pool B-I is holding 50 acres of water. Barber Lake A-Pool is currently holding 15 acres. C-I Pool holds 3 acres. Shore Bird Marsh is holding 5 acres, Willow Pond 2 acres.
Davis is still optimistic that one good rain could help.
“We have been in these situations many times,” he said. “The only negative for now is that we have not seen any teal. Generally a few flocks are here by this time.
“One positive is an ample food supply for ducks when they do come in. Smart Weed and Millet are abundant.”
Davis wants to let teal hunters know that they must self-register at Area Headquarters before hunting. And then after hunting, place the card back in the box so MDC can determine each day’s bag of teal.
Four Rivers Conservation Area may have had it worse than Schell-Osage, says MDC Wildlife Biologist Josh Cussimanio at Four Rivers headquarters.
Spring flooding at Four Rivers Conservation Area was hard on crops and water pumps. No wonder! The Marmaton, Marais des Cygnes, Little Osage and Big Osage run through the area.
Cussimanio said, “A lot of rain fell and a lot of water was lost in the shooting pools. The millet crop was mostly a bust. We have the boat lanes in place now. Now, everything is dry.”
Hunters should call Four Rivers at (417) 395-2341 for conditions pertaining to teal season as it get closer to the opener Sept. 14.
Truman Reservoir is close to normal 706 flow. That’s good news for teal hunters. Backwater areas and sloughs can provide good action on blue-wings.
Larry Hazelrigg, longtime former sports reporter of the News-Leader, knows Lake Pomme de Terre like the back of his hand. Mostly for fishing.
I asked him about September teal season on Pomme. Larry’s response was, “Not very good. Haven’t seen many teal at all on that lake.”
I told him I saw lots of teal on Pomme one spring day fishing with my son on the flats. They were everywhere. I’m thinking about those Pomme teal.
Maybe an ace-in-the-hole for some lucky teal hunter.
If Bull Shoals was down from its 672 high, there would be teal on the flats. I’ve hunted there with success. But it’s not in the cards for the Bull, at least not now.
Charlie Farmer, Springfield News Leader Outdoors columnist
Water dampens prospects for teal
According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, blue-winged teal season reflects lower breeding population.
Numbers of teal in the fall flight have little effect on hunting success in Missouri. The timing of migrations, weather and wetland habitat conditions have a much greater influence.
Because of improved habitat conditions in the U.S. and Canadian prairies during the mid- to late-1990s, blue-winged teal populations reached a record high number of 7.4 million in 2000. This allowed a 16-day teal season for the 1998-2001 seasons.
However, a decline of about 3 million breeding blue-winged teal in the last two years is a possible signal of recent changes in this habitat.
As a result, a shorter nine-day season is in effect for 2002. Green-winged teal, seen mostly in October, November and December, generally follow the blue-wing trend but are lower in number.
Blue-winged teal migrations into Missouri begin in mid-August and continue through September, well before the regular duck season.
Blue-wings account for the majority of the September season harvest. Greenwings usually comprise less that 20 percent. Annual teal harvest has ranged widely between 6,500 and 34,500.
September teal seasons in Missouri are designed to correspond to blue-winged teal migrations, yet avoid initial arrivals of other early migrant species such as pintails, shovelers, and even wood ducks reared in Missouri.
Wood ducks especially fly with blue-wings periodically. It’s up to the hunter to make the right call. Duck identification is a must.
Conservation agents fine duck hunters who make mistakes, to the tune of $60 or more.
For these reasons, a sunrise opening ensures adequate light for correct identification of wood ducks, pintails and shovelers during special teal season.
Despite the nine-day teal hunting season, beginning Sept. 14 and ending Sept. 22, there will plenty of duck hunters out for the short season predicts Bill Phillips, wildlife regional supervisor stationed in Springfield.
Phillips says that Stockton Lake is close to normal flow rate and should be good for teal hunting if water conditions stay about the same.
He says the area around Aldrich on the Little Sac River draws quite a few duck hunters. In turn, the mud flats with some green vegetation draw the migratory birds in for feeding and loafing.
Traditionally, Schell-Osage Conservation Area in St. Clair and Vernon counties and Four Rivers Conservation Area in Vernon and Bates counties have the best September teal hunting, due to ample water supplies and duck food.
However, managers at both areas are leery of lack of ample water. While spring rains were plentiful, July and August rains have been sparse.
As it is now, Ken Davis at Schell-Osage says the F pools are holding 375 acres and 300 acres of water. Both pools have been productive during teal season past.
H-pools are dry. Pool B-I is holding 50 acres of water. Barber Lake A-Pool is currently holding 15 acres. C-I Pool holds 3 acres. Shore Bird Marsh is holding 5 acres, Willow Pond 2 acres.
Davis is still optimistic that one good rain could help.
“We have been in these situations many times,” he said. “The only negative for now is that we have not seen any teal. Generally a few flocks are here by this time.
“One positive is an ample food supply for ducks when they do come in. Smart Weed and Millet are abundant.”
Davis wants to let teal hunters know that they must self-register at Area Headquarters before hunting. And then after hunting, place the card back in the box so MDC can determine each day’s bag of teal.
Four Rivers Conservation Area may have had it worse than Schell-Osage, says MDC Wildlife Biologist Josh Cussimanio at Four Rivers headquarters.
Spring flooding at Four Rivers Conservation Area was hard on crops and water pumps. No wonder! The Marmaton, Marais des Cygnes, Little Osage and Big Osage run through the area.
Cussimanio said, “A lot of rain fell and a lot of water was lost in the shooting pools. The millet crop was mostly a bust. We have the boat lanes in place now. Now, everything is dry.”
Hunters should call Four Rivers at (417) 395-2341 for conditions pertaining to teal season as it get closer to the opener Sept. 14.
Truman Reservoir is close to normal 706 flow. That’s good news for teal hunters. Backwater areas and sloughs can provide good action on blue-wings.
Larry Hazelrigg, longtime former sports reporter of the News-Leader, knows Lake Pomme de Terre like the back of his hand. Mostly for fishing.
I asked him about September teal season on Pomme. Larry’s response was, “Not very good. Haven’t seen many teal at all on that lake.”
I told him I saw lots of teal on Pomme one spring day fishing with my son on the flats. They were everywhere. I’m thinking about those Pomme teal.
Maybe an ace-in-the-hole for some lucky teal hunter.
If Bull Shoals was down from its 672 high, there would be teal on the flats. I’ve hunted there with success. But it’s not in the cards for the Bull, at least not now.
