The Flyways

Why did I decide to entitle this blog Flyway Waterfowl? The blog is named after the four flyways that make up the migratory routes of the waterfowl living in North America. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its partners in our neighboring countries manage migratory birds based on these routes.  Seasons, bag limits, and many other regulations are developed and implemented differently in each flyway.  Besides the regulatory differences, each flyway offers unique opportunities for hunting in different environments and for different species.  This is why the blog is entitled as such.  I have lived in and hunted in three out of the four and will soon be living in the fourth.  Over the years I have come to experience how no matter what, where, or how we hunt ducks, we all share the same level of passion, or obsession.

Atlantic Flyway

Late season on Lake Ontario.

The Atlantic Flyway encompasses the areas from eastern Canada and the eastern United States as far west as New York, and as far south as Florida.  The flyway offers some of the oldest traditions of duck hunting in the United States.  I spent my time duck hunting the Atlantic Flyway in New York.  My friends and I spent most of our time hunting the bays and tidal marsh areas of eastern Lake Ontario.  A highlight of the Atlantic Flyway is the abundance of Black Ducks. I shot my first Black Duck in New York, beautiful birds with iridescent colors.  Here is a list of great places to hunt along the Atlantic flyway.

Mississippi Flyway

The Mississippi Flyway stretches from Ohio down to Alabama and west to the states that border the Mississippi River.  This is where I grew up hunting.  We chased ducks all over the state of Wisconsin from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River.  You can check out some stories about our hunts on the Mississippi River here.  One of these spots is listed in the Ducks Unlimited write up about the Mississippi Flyway.  There are wonderful opportunities for public land hunters along the Mississippi with its many estuaries and lakes.  The famous Arkansas timber is located along this flight path, home to the world capital of duck hunting, Stuggart, AR.  See this list for public land opportunities. 

Central Flyway

North Dakota, a mainstay in the Central Flyway.

Just to the west of the Mississippi Flyway lies the Central Flyway.  The Central Flyway consists of the Dakotas to Texas and west to the Rocky Mountains. The Central Flyway is home to the “duck factory”, or the prairie pothole region.  This is where the majority of the ducks in North America breed.  Our family has taken many trips out to North Dakota to chase ducks across the Great Plains on these potholes.  North Dakota was an incredible experience, but the Central Flyway has many more opportunities up and down the flyway. 

Pacific Flyway

West of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean lies the Pacific Flyway.  For the majority of my life this has been a forgotten flyway that has not received much attention, but since the rise of social media, the Pacific Flyway has intrigued me and many others.  I am excited to move out to Washington and experience is for myself.  The Pacific Flyway offers the longest season and the most liberal bag limits.  I will be checking out the list from DU here.

 

What is your favorite flyway to hunt in?