Seasonal
Waterfowl
Reports
Waterfowl Report reporting dates: Nov. 26; Dec. 10, 24;
Jan. 7, 21; Feb 4, 11; March 4, 18.
Waterfowl Report for
November 12, 2008
Northwest
Canton: Lake level is 0.20 ft.
above normal. Habitat condition is fair on the lake. High water levels
throughout the spring have limited native forage growth in the shallow portions
of the lake. Winter wheat plantings are mostly planted and are in fair to good
condition. Row crops in the area have been harvested and are in good to
excellent condition. Duck numbers are low to moderate, with a fair number of
divers. Goose numbers are low. Hunting activity is moderate to high, with some
success on teal, wigeon and gadwall. Some migration movement continues to occur
with white-fronted geese and Sandhill Cranes moving
through sporadically. The boat ramp west
of the WMA headquarters is usable as are all boat ramps on the south side of the
lake.
Ft.
Supply:
Lake level is 0.06 ft above normal.
Habitat conditions are fair, with good wheat conditions in the area. Duck
numbers are good. Goose numbers are good. Hunting activity is fair to heavy on
the weekend, with good success. A large increase in bird movement has been seen
in the last couple days.
Southwest
Ft.
Cobb:
Lake level is 0.17 ft. above normal.
Habitat condition is good, with some flooded vegetation. Winter wheat is fair,
with the peanut harvest underway in the area. Duck numbers are low. Goose
numbers are fair. Hunter activity is low, with low success.
Hackberry: Refuge reservoir is approximately 4 foot below
conservation pool. Habitat conditions are fair, with some wild millet in the
area. Winter wheat in the area is in fair condition. Duck numbers are good,
with mostly teal, shoveler, gadwall, wigeon, mallards and pintails in the area.
Goose numbers are fair. Waterfowl numbers increasing with each frontal pass.
Due to lack of rain fall water is limited at Hackberry Flat WMA. Currently
there are two wetland units flooded.
Little River NWR:
Food conditions in the area are good. Duck numbers: mallard 125; gadwall 200;
wood duck 325; hooded merganser 10. No geese observed in the area.
Mtn.
Park:
Lake level is 2.75 ft. below normal.
Habitat condition is fair. Winter wheat is fair in the area. Duck numbers are
low. Goose numbers are low. Hunter activity is low, with low success. No bird
movement seen in the area.
Waurika:
Lake level is normal. Habitat condition is
poor. Wheat is poor in surrounding areas. Most units flooded with good to fair
food conditions depending on unit. Duck numbers are low. Goose numbers are
low. Hunting activity is low. Bird movement in the area has been minimal.
Northeast
Copan: Lake level
is 1.5 ft. above normal. Habitat condition is fair. Flooded native plants on
wetland units are in fair condition, with corn fields on the Wildlife Management
Area in good condition. Plenty of flooded vegetation
present to hold birds. Duck numbers are low, with an increase in
mallards since the last survey. Goose numbers are low. Hunting activity is
moderate, with fair success during the weekdays. Bird movement is increasing
with every frontal passage.
Eufaula:
Lake level is 1.09 ft. below normal.
Current habitat condition is poor. Very little farming in
the area. Duck numbers are low, with a few big ducks being observed in
the area. No geese observed. Hunting activity is low, with little success. No
significant bird movement was noticed in the area.
Ft.
Gibson: Lake
level is 3.02 ft. above normal. Habitat condition is
good, with smartweed, barnyard grass, and some agricultural crops in the area.
Duck numbers are low. No geese observed. Hunter activity is low, with fair
success. Bird movement in the area has been slow.
Hulah: Lake
level is 1.0 ft. above normal. Habitat condition in
the area is fair. Flooded native plants on wetland units are in fair
condition. Wheat fields on the Wildlife Management Area are in good condition.
Duck numbers are low, with an increase in mallards since the last survey. Goose
numbers are low. Hunter activity is low, with low success. Bird movement is
increasing with every frontal passage.
Kaw: Lake
level is 0.90 ft. above normal. Habitat condition is poor. Duck numbers
are low. Goose numbers are low. Hunting activity is low, with low success.
Bird movement has been minimal.
Keystone:
Lake level is 0.97 ft. above normal.
Habitat conditions are poor, except at Cottonwood Creek WDU which is in fair
condition. Both duck and goose numbers are low. Duck numbers though are fair
on Cottonwood Creek WDU. Hunting activity is high on Cottonwood Creek WDU, with
good success. Hunting activity and success are low in other areas outside of
Cottonwood Creek. Good size movement of ducks on the area, but due to limited
food and hunting pressure most ducks are not staying around.
Hunters using the area
this year should be prepared for very deep mud. Caution should be taken,
especially if hunting alone.
Oologah: Lake
level is 0.26 ft. below normal. Current habitat
conditions are poor to fair, with no flooded millet and some plants on the edge
of lake. Ag fields around lake are in poor condition due to flood conditions
this past summer.
Duck numbers are poor to fair, with
mostly gadwalls, mallards, wigeon, lesser
scaup, and green-winged teal. Goose numbers are low. Hunter activity is fair,
with fair success. Good waterfowl migration expected over the next several
weeks with each northern frontal passage.
Sooner:
Lake level is
average. Habitat conditions are poor, with winter wheat around the area in poor
to fair condition. Duck numbers are low, with mostly divers, scaup, and a good
number of coots. Goose numbers are low to moderate. Hunter activity is low,
with low success.
Webbers
Falls:
Lake level is 3.15 ft. above normal.
Habitat condition is good, with smartweed, barnyard grass, bidens, cut
soybeans, corn, milo and wheat in the area. Duck numbers are low. No geese
observed. Hunter activity is low, with fair success. Bird movement in the area
is slow.
Southeast
Grassy
Slough:
Large unit is dry, with the other two units at 20%. Habitat condition is poor.
Duck numbers are low. Goose numbers are low. Hunter activity is low, with no
reports of success. No bird movement seen in the area.
Hugo:
Lake level is normal. Lake
level should be going up with recent rainfall. Habitat condition is fair, with
native plants and some winter wheat in the area. Duck numbers are low. Goose
numbers are low.
Red Slough: Most units are dry except for borrow areas. Habitat condition is
poor. Duck numbers are low. Goose numbers are low. Hunter activity is low,
with good success. Some geese have been moving into the area as of recent.
Texoma:
Lake level is 1.87
ft. below normal. No food sources flooded at current lake levels. All Japanese
Millet plantings were lost to flooding in the summer. Duck numbers are low.
Goose numbers are low. Hunting activity is low, with low success. With current
food conditions hunting efforts should coincide with weather fronts.
Wister:
Lake level is 0.5 ft above normal.
Habitat conditions are poor. Smartweed, sedges, and acorns are in fair
condition in the fourche-maline marsh, but poor
everywhere else. Duck numbers are low. Goose numbers are low. Hunting
activity is moderate, with low success. Some bird movement through the area,
but few are staying.
Status Summary of Waterfowl Development Areas
Planning an outing? Here's the weather
Responsible waterfowl hunters and the U.S. Department of the Interior have been
working together for years in gathering information about waterfowl movements
and natural histories. One of the ways they have been doing this is through
reporting of harvested birds with leg-bands. Here is an easy way for you to
help. When you bring to bag a teal, duck, goose or any migratory bird with a leg
band, call 1-800-327-BAND or report over the internet to
www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl.
A certificate of appreciation will be sent to all hunters who report the bands.
