In the north-central U.S., early spring precipitation greatly improved habitat conditions across much of the Great Plains states. Good wetland conditions are present in the eastern Dakotas, southern Minnesota, and southern and western Montana. Waterfowl habitat conditions in the central Dakotas, northeastern Montana and northeastern Minnesota remain variable, but are generally rated fair.

With all that said, Checkett noted that hunters should still expect the biggest push of ducks with the first cold fronts containing snow when the hunting opens.

TENNESSEE -- SPECIFICALLY
Tim White, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency's waterfowl program coordinator, said there hasn't really been a lack of success the past couple of years overall. Last year was down a bit in some parts of the state, but overall our harvest was okay. He added our midwinter count two years ago was the highest we have ever had.

This past midwinter count was lower, but that was because of extremely mild weather in late December and through mid-January. The past three years have seen good wetland conditions in the prairies and reproduction has been good. Overall, hunting was not as good this past season as it was the previous year, but it was still fairly good at times when water conditions and weather conditions were favorable.

"There is no doubt that ducks are going to stay north of us if we have mild winters or dry river bottoms," White added. "Global warming sure does seem to be a reality to me . . . whatever the cause, it is happening."

For this year, White said the prairies are wet again and reproduction should be good. There will likely be a 60-day season, bag limits may change on scaup, pintails, widgeon or canvasbacks if their numbers are down, but it appears all will be in good shape except maybe scaup.

Again, White said there hasn't been a problem with the fall flights coming out of the prairies, but it is true that weather plays a huge factor in our duck hunting. The past season saw record mild temperatures during the majority of our season and mallards stacked up in Missouri and northern Arkansas. White said hunting was still good around Reelfoot and along the Mississippi River corridor, but Kentucky Lake was slow, as were most points east after the first two weeks.

White said it is mostly a factor of mild weather and dry conditions that have influenced our hunting and duck numbers historically, and that is still the case. We need three ingredients in order to have good duck numbers and good hunting.

First, we need good reproduction.

Second, we need cold weather in December and January.

Third, we need good rains to flood our river bottoms and wetlands to hold the ducks when they arrive.

Two years ago saw a confluence of all three ingredients, and Tennessee had record numbers. Last year, we had cold weather early but dry conditions, and when the rain came, it was with unseasonably (record-setting) mild weather. Hunting was not so good. Two years ago, weather was very cold and ducks came in record numbers, but we were bone dry. None of our rivers were flooded. Ducks stacked up on refuges and private lands, but didn't stay long because of the drought. Those hunters who had water had a banner year.

What can we expect this year? White said duck numbers should be good, but weather is an unknown. If we are wet, our hunting will be good. If it's cold up north, our hunting will be good. If we are wet and it's cold up north, our hunting will be great. White said, on the whole, the best news is that the prairies are wet because everything else depends on that.

Hunters are under the impression that duck numbers aren't what they were, but White said duck reproduction on the prairies should be excellent. We will know more when the May pond count and breeding mallard pair counts come in. They determine whether we will have a liberal or moderate season, but he said he can tell us now, things look good and he doubts any changes are coming other than minor tweaks to bag limits for some minor species like scaup.