re: Paging Larry Reynolds..Duck count flyover

I just crunched the numbers, and the estimate from the coastal transects and Catahoula Lake was 1.21 million. All species were down from last year, except, bluewings. So not great, but not dismal. The distribution was pretty poor, especially in SE Louisiana. In fact, the transect lines through Delacroix and Biloxi were as low as I've ever seen, and we saw very few birds in upper Terrebonne, but LOTS of birds across the river from Venice pulled up the estimate for SE.

In SW LA, we saw big concentrations of ducks on the East Cove unit of Cameron Prairie NWR, in the ag fields between Lacassine NWR and Welsh, and in the ag fields north of Intracoastal City. As you would suspect, most of the marsh is flooded, and there was water everywhere in the ag fields. I'm told birds are stacked up on marsh ridges and will get redistributed Saturday morning. There is no shortage of places for them to go.

The Commission meeting and press releases dominated my day, but I hope to get the report out tomorrow by noon.

Reynolds for Govener

Great work and thanks for keeping us updated, Larry.

wait, isn't the commissioner a land owner or manages land in delicroix? and pushed for the earlier season? and numbers are down in his area

No. Check the list of members of the commission. None are from that area

https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/louisiana-wildlife-and-fisheries-co

He is the one who pushed for the earlier season, but Miami owns a lot of land in Cameron Parish, between Calcasieu and Grand Lakes. Haven't heard of them owning anything in the east