November 2007 Updates page 2
2 November
Waterfowl
The opening day waterfowl forecast for the North Zone in Missouri predicted one of the best openers in the way of numbers in decades, but as always, Mother Nature did not cooperate.
The birds had enough food on the nearby refuge areas to accommodate their needs and stay put, which made hunting less productive than anticipated.
There were ample flocks of teal, gadwall and widgeon to provide some action the first couple hours of the season, but we need cold weather in the northern states to push the mallards our way, which is typically late November till the end of the season.
Agriculture
The link between farming and hunting needs little analysis for the readers of this web page. Knowing the trends we track that directly affect MAHA hunters does allow for a greater understanding for why things are the way they are.
"...global demand for crops is expanding....corn, soybeans and wheat will fight for acres in the U.S. next year...demand and prices for both soybeans and wheat is strong....To understand why...look at Asia, especially China...Global demand is rising," he said. "South Korea's paying $7.20 a bushel for corn delivered. China's paying $14.70 for soybeans delivered. The reason for the increase: rising caloric intake, because income is up....Land will come out of the Conservation Reserve Program back into production to meet the demand for grain. Currently, 36 million acres in the program could come out...we're not farming for the farm bill any more. We're farming for the market...."
That last statement is how CRP will lose out and motivate increased bulldozer work.
The News Gazette, Illinois, Analyst tempers crop-price expectations, by Anne Cook, Thursday, November 1, 2007.
Deer Scouting
John - Hope you are well - I don't know if you are interested in deer cam pictures, but here are a couple from [location deleted] (I know they are not huge bucks, but I'd like to see them make it another 1-2 years.) Thanks again for all your hard work - it is VERY appreciated. Thanks [name deleted]
Waterfowl
Some of the work involved to prepare the MAHA wetlands for waterfowl season.
Digging an approach for our pump to pump.
Our Middle Zone pump was in place ready to go. We were saved by a 3 inch rain that night, which raised the water level to run water through the intake pipes and ditches of all our Middle Zone marshes, except for Cass A. This "free water" greatly frees up work hours over pumping. To pump menas to check engine oil levels every four hours and refule every eight.
In Cass A: The landowner is waiting to harvest his beans before he closes the pipes, which will take a good run off rain to fill. Cass A is closed to scouting and hunting for now. It will not open until it fills with water.
Again, don't overlook the irrigation lakes in Cass and Vernon counties. The Settles Ford Wildlife area is up and running after several years of construction improvements and the birds are using it. As a crow flies the Cass lakes are close in proximity to Settles Ford. The same is true with the irrigation lakes in Vernon County and the Four Rivers WMA.
