Migration Alert: Waterfowl Numbers Increasing in Pennsylvania

Things are looking up for hunters in Pennsylvania. The early season was plagued by low water levels and warm temperatures, which forced birds to find more suitable habitat elsewhere. But recent rains, combined with cold weather and snow up north, is pushing new waterfowl into the Keystone State. If current trends continue, the remainder of the season could be good for many hunters.

“I thought I was in Arkansas for a minute,” says Black Duck Outfitters guide Scott Schafer, who does most of his hunting in the western part of the state. His early season was slow due to the lack of water in some of his favorite holes, but condition improved around Thanksgiving. A big push of puddle ducks arrived shortly thereafter, and his groups enjoyed plenty of success through the following weekend. 

“Overall, the hunting has been better than in recent years,” says the veteran guide. “As long as we don’t get frozen out, the rest of the season should be good.”

Over at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA), tundra swans are grabbing the headlines, but that’s not the whole story. Emma Hamaker, an environmental education specialist for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, reports that 200 tundra swans were counted during recent surveys, but northern shovelers, gadwalls, black ducks, and teal have also been present in recent days.

The WMA also suffered from a lack of water earlier in the season. But recent rains have flooded new habitat, and ducks and geese have shown up to take advantage of it. Hamaker says a big push of dabblers arrived about two weeks ago. She notes that hunters who participated in managed hunts on the WMA before Thanksgiving harvested a number of species, including black ducks, gadwalls, and some teal.

In more good news, Jim Wiser of Fins and Feathers Outfitter says lots of geese have arrived in the state’s interior. “There have been some big feeds, with maybe 4,000 or 5,000 honkers,” he says.

Justin Stewart of Geese at Your Feet Outfitters outside of Harrisburg has also been seeing plenty of Canada geese. A big push of honkers is making its way through the area, which should provide good action for field hunters.

As far as ducks go, Stewart believes the bulk of the birds still haven’t made their way down from the north. His bags have recently consisted mostly of mallards and black ducks, along with a smattering of teal, gadwalls, and shovelers. The big push of divers has yet to materialize.

If the predicted cold weather arrives, the action should continue to be good or better throughout the Keystone State. Lows over the coming weekend are expected to hit the 20s in New York and points north, which promises to freeze the backwaters and send more ducks and geese winging their way south.