Duck counts up down which way?

[big drift]

I have just heard that the counts are down but when I read th elocal paper they were up. i have seen more birds then i did last year. does any one the straight story. The counts as far as I have been able to tell never match up to what I see. It might be better for USFWS to wait until after season and get counts from guys that are actually out there, yeah right. In Bemidji I have seen Bills, ringnecks, blue and green wings, mallards, goldeneyes, a couple cans, and geese all over. There are still birds just hatching with large clutches. The countdown has started.

[Sartell Angler]

for MN we are up, but as far as the breeding grounds of the prarie pothole region we are down...canada had a late spring this year, and the geese did especially bad....

i'm guessing we'll have a 45 day season this year, but only time will tell.

s.a.

[Riverratpete]

Cracks me up, every year they (you know who)come out with these dire/grand predictions. I swear their in cahoots with the tourism/Chamber of commerce. Here's my thought. 1. Their questimate is just that, how about all the little duckies they can't see? 2. There will be plenty of birds in the fall provided your at the right place at the right time as usual, if your parked in not such a great spot you may not have very good shooting. Just my 2 cents

[WALLEYENUTZ]

If I were a betting man i would say that we will have a 60 day, 6 duck season again.

[big drift]

I am waiting to hear what the brood counts are. this should give us a better idea. I don;t try and take the reports seriously but it is a nice way to spend the off time guessing how it will be.

[Riverratpete]

Bigdrift, I agree it is fun to speculate, I don't mean to poke fun at that aspect, I just get tired of the media and whatnot putting these figures to gospel (I worked for the feds for alot of years)so I'm now naturally suspect.