Springtime Waterfowl

[PorkChop]

I really do my best to try not to jump the gun with preseason excitement but currently I am pretty excited for the upcoming season. Lots of ducks around for this time of year. More than I can remember in several years. I’ve never seen so many bachelor drakes for both pintails and mallards. Not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing. Also seeing a big variety of species. Even saw some Bufflehead today which at this point of the year they seem to be way behind. Also, a lot of these little potholes it’s been very common to see mallards, pintails, Gadwall, redheads, canvasbacks, shovelers and BWT all grouped up. (Mainly drakes) once again not sure if that’s good or bad. Have not spotted much for GWT. Yesterday I believe I spotted four different courtship flights. So not sure if those ones are behind the power curve or if they are doing some second attempts.

I noticed the first flock of molt migrators around Memorial Day. Then the first few days of June they were coming through really good. Still seeing some every day. I would say those numbers appear to be up as well. I have not spotted any ducklings yet but the farm Vincenzia works said there is a group on one of their pasture ponds. That seems really early for ducklings, but I trust the source.

As you know, I’m not a biologist and I only see a very small portion of the PPR. I’ve also seen these beautiful conditions in the past all the way into the end of August just to dry up those first three weeks of September before the season starts. But right now, I am very optimistic for my season!

[Rick]

Until proven otherwise, I choose to see that as good news for all of us.

[Darren]

Until proven otherwise, I choose to see that as good news for all of us.

+1

Thanks as always for the boots-on-the-ground perspective.

[PorkChop]

Spotted my first ducklings of the season. Hen mallard with 5 little ones that look pretty good sized. They are on a nice pothole with plenty of cattail cover.

Starting to see plenty of young Killdeers and 5 honker families.

I love this time of year!!

[Duck Engr]

And we appreciate the updates! Thank you sir. Keep em coming. Killdeers sure aren’t hurting. We have several nesting on our place.

[PorkChop]

Still spotting new ducklings. Some of them appear to be hatched for a while now. During her travels yesterday, Vincenzia spotted a hen pintail with 11 ducklings.

We are drying fast. Rain has been spotty. Crops look the best I’ve seen in years. Things are changing fast with the heat and lack of moisture.

[PorkChop]

Some much needed rain coming down. Looks to be coming down better in Canada.

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[PorkChop]

Spotted two more recently hatched ducklings today.

Water is disappearing fast!

I think I posted last year about seeing a big increase in the local dove population. I was very excited for the season. Then right before the season started we had a little cold snap and majority of them disappeared. I didn’t put a lot of effort into looking for them as my dad was here and we were doing some goose hunting. The last week or so I’ve been once again seeing tons on the road and also on the wires by the fields. Most of them are in family groups. Definitely won’t get excited this year till the season starts though. Last year, I don’t believe I even shot at a dove

[Rick]

If you want to see doves disappear, call your buddies and tell them you've got a spot.

[PorkChop]

I will first have to find some buddies

[Rick]

Seems you have a house full.

[PorkChop]

She crossed the road today with 5 little ones. This is the area I killed the skunks, coons and ditch tiger. One skunk was a hundred yards or less from this very pothole. Very rewarding to see them knowing my killing most likely helped!!

[Duck Engr]

We southerners salute your efforts and love to see them paying dividends!

[Rick]

And the dedication to his film making that led him wade cattail marsh.

[PorkChop]

In my western style Safety boots no less! The only thing missing was Reaper and a shotgun over my shoulder

[Deltaman]

Good Job on the varmit killing PC!!!!

[PorkChop]

We have received close to 3 inches of rain in the last few days. It has made a lot of mud but really hasn’t done anything for the potholes. There was some good flooding south of me in the Bismarck area. Hopefully it did not wipe out a bunch of nests. Also have been several areas of hail, which is never good.

Still finding new ducklings. Vincenzia spotted some pheasant chicks yesterday.

Goose season is less than a month away.


Reaper wants a new friend so it looks like we will be picking this fella up in August. What’s better than one Chessie? Two Chessies If this home wasn’t crazy enough I think we might get over our heads now.

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[Duck Engr]

Congrats on the new pup! Looking forward to reaper teaching him his patented photo scowl.

[Rick]

If that little woolly booger doesn't make you smile...

[Deltaman]

Congrats PC, and August and your new pup will be here before you know it

[PorkChop]

Email update from NGDF:

Duck brood numbers were up 28% from 2024, but State Game and Fish Department migratory game bird biologists expect a fall flight of ducks similar to last year.

The fall flight forecast is based on data from the May breeding duck survey and the July duck brood survey, both conducted annually by Game and Fish biologists.

According to John Palarski, migratory game bird management biologist, the department’s 78th annual breeding duck survey conducted in May indicated the 2025 duck index was the 33rd highest on record, down 8.7% from 2024, but still 7% above the 1948–2024 average.

“Spring started off dry, with winter bringing below-average snowfall and above-average temperatures in March. Mallards and pintails were seen moving through North Dakota as early as mid-March, but the lack of meltwater in temporary ponds, coupled with frozen semipermanent wetlands meant that many early migrants simply passed through without stopping,” Palarski said. “This contributed to a lower May index this year, along with a declining midcontinent duck population. Fortunately, we received enough rain in parts of the state to boost production, resulting in a fall flight forecast similar to last year.”

The number of broods observed during the department’s July brood survey was up 28% from 2024, but down 2% from the 1965–2024 average. Blue-winged teal and mallards were the most common broods recorded, accounting for 31.7% and 21.4% of all broods tallied, respectively.

Palarski noted that not all species of waterfowl showed declines in the May index. Most diving duck species showed increases, with redheads up 23% - the highest count on record. The total diver index was the highest since 2020 and the second highest in the past two decades.

Game and Fish biologists will conduct a separate survey in mid-September to assess wetland conditions heading into the waterfowl hunting season.i

[Duck Engr]

Sounds like those late spring rains helped out some like we’d hoped. Thanks for the update!

[PorkChop]

Had an emergency alarm at work early this morning. Thankfully, it was a false alarm. Still not sure what triggered it. But the positive was I was able to take a scouting drive before 11 o’clock mass and check some bigger water areas.
Not sure if it was the timing of things or what but honestly, I saw more duck broods this morning than I typically see in a summer. All sorts of sizes of ducklings. Also very good numbers of local goslings. Many of which are flying now. Always excited when we get this close to the season but today really ramped things up for me. Our early goose season starts in less than two weeks.


And like always my drives are just a bit of dust compared to the entire breeding area but if everything else is like what I saw today, things are looking good. Not sure if I mentioned this early in the spring, but it seemed like ducks were up here a lot earlier than they normally are so maybe they got an early start on their nesting. We are still very dry, but I have seen improvement with all the rain we’ve had the last couple weeks. also, we’ve had a lot of fog the last two weeks so if the old rule of thumb about fog and 90 days from that, we are gonna be hammered with moisture sometime after October. Next spring could be very good for nesting conditions. Time will tell…

[Duck Engr]

Love hearing the reports, especially positive ones!

[Darren]

Thanks for the update, always appreciate your insight there.

[Deltaman]

Great news PC, and Thanks for the update

[PorkChop]

After last night’s thunderstorms starting to see some previously dry potholes holding water. More rain in the forecast. As miserable as it will make field hunting I hope this trend continues into winter. More foggy mornings the last week as well so I think it’s going to be a very, very white Christmas. Once again, the snow sucks, but the moisture will be a welcome site in the spring.

[Duck Engr]

Encouraging! Haven’t looked at the surface map every day but the last couple days I’ve looked I’ve seen showers up your way. Makes me smile every time.