Update from the WDNR Migratory Game Bird Program

By Taylor Finger, WDNR Migratory Game Bird Ecologist

This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s July, 2019 eNewsletter.

An aerial photo done by WDNR shows above average wetland conditions statewide.

The 2019 Wisconsin Waterfowl Breeding Survey has wrapped up and the results will be available on the WDNR waterfowl webpage on July 2nd.  Bird numbers across the state are stable to increasing with our largest increases occurring in Blue-winged Teal and Canada Geese.  Additionally, we saw above average wetland conditions in every region of the state, so we are expecting excellent brood rearing conditions this summer.  This survey has been conducted annually in Wisconsin since 1973 and directly provides mallard population estimates to the US Fish and Wildlife Service to help set our annual season lengths and bag limits.

Also, banding season is underway! We have crews across the state currently rounding up and banding Canada geese.  Each year we have a statewide banding quota of 4,100 Canada Geese.  We have wildlife staff and volunteers from as far south as Racine and Kenosha to as far north as Crex Meadows and crews on Green Bay all the way over to the Mississippi River.  Without the help of volunteers there is no way that we could successfully band the birds we need.  If anyone is interested in volunteering to band either geese or ducks, please reach out to me at taylor.finger@wisconsin.gov or (608) 266-8841) and I will do my best to get you on a crew.  Goose banding will be wrapping up shortly, but we begin banding mallards and wood ducks in early August.

Lastly, the 2019 Wisconsin Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations are available online and will be showing up at your favorite sporting goods store in the next week or so. As a reminder, there were several significant changes to the 2019 waterfowl hunting season structure.  The first of the 2019 migratory game bird seasons will open with the early goose, mourning dove and early teal seasons starting on Sept. 1. Regular waterfowl hunting seasons will include a 60-day duck season, which will start with a statewide opener on Sept. 28th and a 92-day regular goose season, which will have two splits to allow hunting during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Highlights from the 2019 season structure include:

  • increase in length of the early teal season to 9 days (previously 7 days);
  • a single statewide duck season opener for the North, South and Mississippi zones on Sept. 28;
  • a second split in the South Canada goose zone resulting in a goose season that is open during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays;
  • decrease in the pintail daily bag limit (from two to one) based on US Fish and Wildlife Service season framework; and
  • increase in the black duck bag limit (from one to two) based on US Fish and Wildlife Service season framework