For 18 seasons I have duck hunted the same waters of E. Central Florida (St. Johns River near its source and the bottom end of the Mosquito Lagoon in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge). For the past 5 years the number of ducks has dwindled downward. This season, there are next to none in these waters, which once were plentiful. We no longer see the rafts of coots that once numbered in the thousands. Today, if we see 20 coots all season that number is high.
The DU and other wildlife expert estimates of Teal, Bluebill, Pintail, Redheads, Woodies, et al Puddle Ducks, and Divers indicates their numbers to be steady or slightly higher. My guess is the availability of food has changed in the local waters and the ducks are not flying into waters where there is no food. But this isn't necessarily true about the MINWR, which is a salt water lagoon as it has remained very stable in its sea grasses, salinity, water depth, etc.
My hunting partner, John and I are not going to chase the ducks. We're old school and sticking with the places we know. But that "strategy" is slowly killing me. It is a WHOLE LOTTA WORK every weekend for NO DUCKS! I think it is beginning to get to John too.
