BY THE NUMBERS
15,656 Ducks Unlimited members in Georgia.
22,962 Acres of habitat Ducks Unlimited has aided in improving or conserving in Georgia
$1.26 Million dollars raised by Georgia Ducks Unlimited banquets in 2012 for conservation projects
Georgia’s regular duck-hunting season opens statewide Saturday, continuing through Dec. 1. A second session runs from Dec.7 through Jan. 26.
Unfortunately, the weather forecasts are calling for temperatures around 50 degrees at dawn Saturday across the state, with only a possibility of showers. Those are not prime duck-hunting conditions.
Cold and damp weather is preferred by the ducks and the hunters.
Marginal weather only adds to the problems that Georgia hunters face. Most ducks migrate down the Mississippi and Atlantic Flyways. The bulk of our state is positioned between those migration routes, with just the coast brushing the Atlantic route.
The lack of migrating waterfowl makes Georgia hunts heavily dependent on homegrown wood ducks and mallards.
Local chapters of Ducks Unlimited work with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to make up for the lack of migrating waterfowl in the state. Local Ducks Unlimited banquets raise funds for conservation work to improve the waterfowl habitat within Georgia.
The Dan Denton Waterfowl Area on the Oconee Wildlife Management Area near Eatonton is a prime example. Ducks Unlimited aided in the improvement of 100 acres of wetlands along the Oconee River, including six ponds manipulated to provide nesting and feeding areas for ducks.
The waterfowl area offers quota duck hunts on Ponds 1 and 3 in late November. Pond 3 then is open to all hunters every Sunday of the season after Dec. 1.
Ducks Unlimited also has financially supported 40 other habitat projects throughout Georgia.
More information on duck-season regulations, dates and quota hunt applications is available at gohuntgeorgia.com. On the drop-down Hunting menu, click the link for Regulations.
More details on Ducks Unlimited conservation projects in the state can be found at duck.org/georgia.
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