Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, Land Between The Lakes

Waterfowl Report from Steve McCadams

Young waterfowlers have a special weekend hunt coming up to call their own. It’s the annual Youth Waterfowl Hunting Season, a special two-day hunt held each year the week after the regular season closes.    

It’s open to youngsters age 6-15 years of age. And yes, they are required to be accompanied by an adult at least 21 years of age.    

Each year several states offer the special weekend hunt to youngsters in hopes of introducing kids to the sport of waterfowling in a different atmosphere from the regular season hunts where they often compete with adults for shooting opportunities.    

With the youth hunt it’s the kids who either hit or miss. Odds are they will shoot a few holes in the air but it’s a nice opportunity to see kids participate with their young buddies during a hunt specially designed for them.     

Hopefully, the adults will steer them in the right direction as to gun safety and hunting tips while also providing a nice atmosphere in the blinds where hot biscuits and sausage help pass the down time if ducks are scarce.    

Here’s hoping the kids have a couple of good mornings and share those sunrises with friends and family in the great outdoors.

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DUCK NUMBERS DOWN    

Recent aerial surveys taken on Kentucky Lake at the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge and on Barkley Lake at Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge confirm the decline in duck numbers the last week or two of season.    

Refuge biologist Robert Wheat reported duck numbers on TNWR on Kentucky Lake were down 35 percent from last year’s survey at this time and also down 26 percent from the 5-year average and down 13 percent from the 10-year average.    

Is it any wonder that most duck hunters in this area suffered through a long, dreary season with very few good days throughout the 60-day season? No doubt the warm winter has been a factor.    

Meanwhile, the survey estimated 138,925 ducks using the three units of the refuge. There were a mere 4,151 geese observed, which showed a whopping decline of 63 percent compared to last year at this time and 56 percent below the 5-year average for geese here. In the 10-year average the numbers of geese wintering here were down 45 percent!    

Numbers of diver ducks such as canvasback, ringneck, scaup, bufflehead, and goldeneye were down dramatically compared to times past, a further indication that cold weather never pushed these species down south as lakes up north never froze over during the unusually mild winter.    

Over on Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge at Dover the aerial survey showed 48,413 on ducks and only 2,596 geese. Ducks were actually up 13 percent compared to last year’s count at this time but down 4 percent on the 5-year average there.    

Numbers of geese were down 42 percent compared to last year at this same time and off a whopping 50 percent compared to the 5-year average.     

The aerial surveys were taken back on January 18th at CCNWR and January 20th at TNWR.

Kentucky Lake Area Hunting Overview

The abundance of woodlands, creeks, watersheds, and lowlands along Kentucky Lake & Lake Barkley make a prime hunting location for any type of wildlife. 

Deer hunting is very popular throughout the area due to the ideal habitat for trophy bucks.  Waterfowl kicks in the dead of winter as the ducks move south seeking a warmer climate.  Turkey and small game seasons are also popular amongst hunters especially in Land Between The Lakes.