Photo by Kenny Bahr

When it comes to waterfowl hunting, weather is the determining factor. If freezing weather settles in the far northern range of ducks and geese, then Mountain State hunters can usually look forward to large flocks of birds winging their way over well-concealed blinds.

The 2005 Midwinter Waterfowl Survey, conducted by West Virginia biologists during the first week of January, reveals an increase in duck numbers compared with surveys in recent years. A total of 5,253 ducks and 1,145 geese were tallied in the survey.

"The number of ducks observed was near average after two years of below-average counts, while the number of Canada geese observed was well below average," said Steve Wilson, waterfowl biologist for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Section.

Wilson said the absence of snow cover and ice on smaller waters allowed the Canada geese to remain scattered throughout the area in feeding fields and on smaller bodies of water, which reduced their overall count. "The total count for ducks would also have been lower for these same reasons, but one unusually large concentration inflated the total," Wilson noted.

According to the survey report, individual state totals may vary considerably from one year to the next because of weather conditions before and during the survey. The real value of the midwinter survey is the long-term trend that develops over broad areas. West Virginia's data will be combined with counts from other states to obtain regional and national totals that provide reliable indicators of overall waterfowl population trends.

The top three species reported in last year's survey were mallards, black ducks and Canada geese. Other duck species included goldeneyes, buffleheads, scaup, pintails, ruddy ducks and mergansers; two mute swans were also observed.

The waters surveyed included the Kanawha River (Nitro to Point Pleasant), Ohio River (Huntington to Parkersburg), the Tygart Lake/Pleasant Creek Marsh, the West Virginia portion of the Shenandoah River and the New River from Hinton to the Virginia line, including Bluestone Lake.

For waterfowl hunters who take to the rivers and lakes at this time of year, freezing temperatures are a given. Yet even in subfreezing temperatures, moving water such as that found in the numerous rivers that crisscross the state will provide ample opportunity for a quality hunt.

The following areas noted in the midwinter survey provide just such opportunities. Access points and results of recent surveys can help duck hunters plan a successful waterfowl outing.

KANAWHA RIVER (Nitro To Pt. Pleasant)
Last year's survey resulted in a count of 180 ducks and 17 geese on the upper Kanawha River. The previous year, biologists counted 160 ducks and 302 geese on this section of the river. Five years ago, during the 2001 midwinter survey, 1,042 ducks and 659 geese were spotted in this same section.

West Virginia is right on the line between the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways for geese and ducks. Most of the birds for our area come from the northeastern region of the United States. Overall, the Atlantic Flyway fluctuates less than other regions of the country. This helps make West Virginia more stable.

But, as already noted, weather is the key factor in the snapshot survey taken during the first week in January. This was evident in the results of last year's survey on the lower section of the Kanawha River where 85 ducks and 135 geese were reported. In the 2004 survey, 617 ducks and 559 geese were spotted in this region.

For waterfowl hunters in Mason County looking for access to the Kanawha River, the Leon ramp is off state Route (SR) 62 in Leon. The ramp is rated for access for all boats, and a parking lot with 10 spaces is available at this location.