Arkansas’ First Aerial Survey Shows Average Duck Numbers

By Ammoland

LITTLE ROCK – -(Ammoland.com)- Arkansas Game and Fish Commission ( AGFC ) biologists took to the skies last week for the 2015-2016 waterfowl season’s first aerial waterfowl survey.

Their observations show an estimated Arkansas population that’s near average, but the percentage of mallards fell below the 2009-2015 long-term average as well as last year’s unusually high mallard population estimate.

AGFC observers counted an estimated 889,191 total ducks in the state’s Delta, including 261,912 mallards. By comparison, the 2009-2015 average for all ducks is about 900,000, while the seven-year average for mallards is about 400,000. Last year’s November mallard count exceeded 500,000 birds.

In southwestern Arkansas, observers counted just more than 37,000 total ducks, including about 21,000 mallards. The Arkansas River Valley survey area had 27,379 total ducks, with 10,126 mallards.

AGFC waterfowl program coordinator Luke Naylor noted that this year’s November survey was preceded by dry, warm conditions. He attributed last year’s higher than average November mallard estimate to unusually cold conditions in November 2014. This year’s November survey began Monday, Nov. 16, prior to the heavy rainfall that fell across the …Read the Rest

Source:: AmmoLand