Teal season set to open next weekend

Nevada Daily Mail

Missouri teal hunters should have plenty of targets when the early teal season opens next Saturday for a 16 day run. An early breeding survey showed 8.5 million blue-wing teal, so there will be a lot of teal heading south this month.

The small size and twisting flight of teal gives the illusion of fast speed. Hunters know that these small, compact flocks usually fly low over water and have taken hunters by surprise.

On a teal hunt several years ago, while wading in a marsh, four blue wings flew so close to me that one hit my shotgun as I turned around to see them pass.

These fast flying blue wings are among the first ducks to migrate each fall as well as one of the last to go north in the spring. They are more vocal than most ducks. Their high-pitched peeping and nasal quacking can be commonly heard in the spring and to a lesser extent in the fall.

The outlook for a good season, as usual, will depend on weather and water conditions. These early migrants have already appeared in our area.

Jack Miller was scouting for a place to hunt doves when he flushed several teal using a pond near Nevada. Miller said,

"I was surprised when about a dozen blue-wing teal took flight as I looked over the pond. Now that I know the teal are using the pond, I will be there on opening day, not only to hunt dove, but also teal."

Since the breeding population was high, the Missouri Department of Conservation has set a 16-day season starting on Sept. 6 through Sept 21 with a daily limit of six teal and possession limit of 18.

Going into the Labor Day weekend, Chris Daniel, manager at the Four Rivers Conservation Area, said, " We don't have much water now, but if we get some good rains prior to opening day, things should be good. At present, there are less than 50 blue-wings on the area. We have a good food supply at present and are looking forward to a good season.

The regular duck season will also see an increase in the numbers of birds heading south this fall. The mallard, which is the most sought after duck, saw their numbers increase to an estimated 10.9 million in the breeding survey.

That is an increase of 5 percent over the 2013 season. Mallard numbers have exceeded this number only once in the past 56 years, which was in 1958.

Only two species were down in numbers, pintail, down 3 percent from last year and canvasbacks down 13 percent.

The regular fall duck seasons are: North Zone- Oct. 25-Dec. 23. Middle Zone- Nov. 1 to Dec. 30 and South Zone- Nov. 27 to Jan 25, 2015.

Daily limit is six ducks with species restrictions of; 4 mallards(no more than 2 females) 3 scaup, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 hooded mergansers, 2 pintails, 1 canvasbacks, 1 black duck and 1 mottled duck. The possession limit is three times the daily limit in total 18 which varies by species.

The goose season statewide for snow, blue and Ross's will be Oct.25-Jan 31. White-fronted goose season statewide Nov. 27-Jan. 31, 2015 and Canada goose season statewide Oct. 4-Oct.12 and Nov. 27- Jan. 31, 2015. Daily limits will be three for Canada, 20 for snow, blue and Ross's and two for white-fronted geese.

The Youth weekend hunting dates are: North Zone, Oct. 18-19, Middle Zone, Oct.25-26 and South Zone, Nov.22-23.

With the total number of North American waterfowl near record for the third year in a row, hunters have something to look forward to this fall.