Show plenty ok of ducks but they flew too high what hap happened ripened to million ducks last fall 9 th thousands 0 u s a ads of sportsmen all over the c country 0 u n t ry have been asking that question they have been asking it because estimates by the U S fish and wildlife services service ducks unlimited and other competent observers led them to bellev believe e last fall w was as going to be a banner season of duck shooting results w were ere far from what was e expected some shooters blamed the w weather ath others blamed the ducks complaining pla ining that they were not following their established flyways fly ways many were skeptical about the preseason pre season estimates field and streams publisher eltinge F warner set out to get some down to earth answers he asked a number of competent observers who were in a position to check conditions along the nations four major flyways fly ways W will ill J reid los angeles former president of ducks unlimited birds almost one month late local duck population unquestionably exceeded one year ago aco gene A howe amarillo texas member of texas game commission we had a duck concentration cent ration because this has been a dry season the increase in can vas backs has been astonishing the same with redheads western oklahoma had the best shooting in VP years horace thompson st paul minn alinn sportsman and conservationist on the whole there were inore more ducks than ever although they changed their flight in this part of the country back to their old time flight ways and left the deep lake country pretty barren L H barkhausen chicago former president of ducks unlimited As a shooting season 1944 was very unsatisfactory since most of the ducks merely passed from the rest lakes high into the cornfields and back without giving the hunters a good chance at them I 1 do not th think ink there was any question but that there were many more ducks than usual although the kill was much lighter alfred C glassell shreveport la president of ducks unlimited cited in louisiana I 1 am sure we have considerably more ducks than ever before but hunting has been spotty in different localities due to water and food conditions ben east grand rapids mien conservationist low water levels and a mild fall had much to do with one of the poorest duck hunting years in a decade the record flight predicted in advance of the season did not materialize and it is evident that the michigan flyway has not made as good a comeback from the great duck depression as flyways in other sections of the country george J stobie augusta maine commissioner inland fisheries and game duck hunting in maines coastal marshes and tidal estuaries was distinctly better than usual although conditions at inland marshes failed to measure up to those of a year ago flights late and aad highly erratic hunting was best during first two weeks and the last three weeks of the season |