# CWAC meets Jan 8 Gaylord



## Brougham (Jan 29, 2010)

Heard the CWAC group is meeting at Jays in Gaylord, Jan 8, at 10:00a.m. 
Sounded like similar Fed regs as the 2021 season. So 6 & 60 is on the table again. 
Hope the weather cooperates better 2022


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## don novicki (Oct 13, 2017)

You can read the "Federal Register" of proposed rules for 2022-23 duck season on line. I read some of it and it doesn't sound like anything is finalized yet with the exception of some sea duck species. The break out is as follows for season length: lib-6/60, mod-6/45 or res-3/30. Whatever they decide they will take public input, and then do what the science dictates. I cant possibly see how they could justify another 6/60. JMO though........


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## R.J.M. (Jun 10, 2007)

If they MUST do a change reduce the number in the daily bag but 
Keep the 60 day season . Mother Nature will dictate how our season will be . Lake Erie was awful as far as birds coming throughout the season . With the exception of BBs 
And there not a target bird for me .
Very few reds or cans during the reg season . Tons of mallards on every retention pond from the mall
To apartment complex’s to the metro parks .


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## Shupac (Apr 17, 2005)

Brougham said:


> Heard the CWAC group is meeting at Jays in Gaylord, Jan 8, at 10:00a.m.
> Sounded like similar Fed regs as the 2021 season. So 6 & 60 is on the table again.
> Hope the weather cooperates better 2022


Will it be streamed?


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## propbuster (Mar 4, 2004)

If there has to be a change, 4/60 sounds a lot better than the possible 6/45.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

propbuster said:


> If there has to be a change, 4/60 sounds a lot better than the possible 6/45.


It’s not an option. But yes, I too would prefer that. They say that season length has more Impact than bag limits.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

The guys still hunting after the first two weeks are usually the ones putting up numbers.


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## Jerry Lamb (Aug 3, 2015)

Will spring pond count numbers be the deciding factor in setting the season, or will that be too late?


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## don novicki (Oct 13, 2017)

Agree 4/60 is not an option. Don't they set the season in March or so? I don't know when they do the pond count.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)




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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

No changes for the 2022-2023 season 




https://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/pdf/management/AHM/AHMReport2022.pdf


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## 22 Chuck (Feb 2, 2006)

Interesting. I believe that was the meeting I attended (as spectator) about 5-6 yrs ago.
Very interesting.


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## gaustin (Jan 14, 2009)

craigrh13 said:


> View attachment 805236


Sept 24th lands on Saturday next year. Can we assume that will be the opener for the Northern Zone???


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## Brougham (Jan 29, 2010)

Opening days are probably the biggest discussion after this warm season. 
"Birds were late", or "there are fewer birds", seems to be another point of discussion. 
These (2022) will be the earliest openers under the last, first, second Saturday opener cycle. 
I'd entertain October 1,8,15 for 2022. Then back to regular last, first second cycle. 
Always for most hunting days possible, and reduced ducks if necessary. Opportunities!!!


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## lastflight (Aug 16, 2005)

Brougham said:


> I'd entertain October 1,8,15 for 2022. Then back to regular last, first second cycle.


You have my vote.


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## Rockydawg (Dec 8, 2019)

I like the October 1,8 and 15 dates a lot. The biggest thing I hear from Southwest lower guys is that they would love a little more time in Dec, and those openers would give another December week for the South Zone. I live on a decent sized lake in the Northern part of the South zone. Its amazing how many divers and mallards showed up the 2nd day of the middle zone late split. Happens every year. I think pressure affects the migration more than we would believe.


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## gaustin (Jan 14, 2009)

Rockydawg said:


> I like the October 1,8 and 15 dates a lot. The biggest thing I hear from Southwest lower guys is that they would love a little more time in Dec, and those openers would give another December week for the South Zone. I live on a decent sized lake in the Northern part of the South zone. Its amazing how many divers and mallards showed up the 2nd day of the middle zone late split. Happens every year. I think pressure affects the migration more than we would believe.


Local lake next to where I live in South Zone had buffies and golden eyes the day after the seasoned closed


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

Season dates are set for 3 years at a time. Just an fyi.


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## dankoustas (Sep 18, 2007)

craigrh13 said:


> Season dates are set for 3 years at a time. Just an fyi.


I tried to find the season dates for 2022 but didnt see them. Do you know if they are set yet?
Dan


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

This year they will be voted on for the next 3 years. Traditionally they have kept consistency of last Saturday in September, first Saturday and 2nd Saturday…..for the most part.

We can’t sit here and try to chase the weather. Yes the last two years have been warm. The prior 3 years had hard freezes in November with the one November being record cold across the bird. The rivers in Shi froze over it was so cold for so long. There was an estimated 30-40k birds between the fed and state side and all but a few left the area in a hurry. Mother Nature is unpredictable.


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## Brougham (Jan 29, 2010)

As I recall the season used to be set in August, just before the season opened.
Then it went to one year ahead.


This three year opener forecast is new to me.


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## Urriah (Jul 26, 2013)

Brougham said:


> As I recall the season used to be set in August, just before the season opened.
> Then it went to one year ahead.
> 
> 
> This three year opener forecast is new to me.


The three year opener forecast has been published in the digest for some time. There was always some clamor for set openers prior to that so that people could plan vacations, events, etc. We're probably on the third go-round of setting the next three year's openers.


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## Zeboy (Oct 4, 2002)

My opinion is to push the seasons as late as possible. I can remember several years with hard freezes. Most were followed by a warmup before the end. Those were some of the best days of the season. Sure would be nice to hunt into mid December. I would trade away the two day split in a heartbeat for that opportunity. 

Sent from my SM-G973U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## FPFowler (Mar 2, 2012)

Zeboy said:


> My opinion is to push the seasons as late as possible. I can remember several years with hard freezes. Most were followed by a warmup before the end. Those were some of the best days of the season. Sure would be nice to hunt into mid December. I would trade away the two day split in a heartbeat for that opportunity.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G973U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


X2. Now is the time to contact your cwac reps and let them know how much you loved or hated their last round of decisions…..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## flighthunter (Nov 21, 2005)

What’s the first small number in the season dates being referenced. Sorry in advance for the dumb question If it’s very obvious.


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## Jerry Lamb (Aug 3, 2015)

The weather is so fickle in Michigan the year we push the season end back, we’ll get a hard freeze week the first week in November, everything will leave and we’ll be done.
Leave things as they are. You guys remember just a few years ago. November 9th I believe we got 8” of snow, then we saw lows of 9 and 10 for 2 nights. That was enough. At Harsens out on public water, we shot 3 redheads and 9 buffies the following Saturday. Shot 5 on Sunday. Never shot another duck the rest of the season.
Once the big bays freeze everything leaves.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

There’s currently 4 options for openers CWAC will be voting on.


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## Brougham (Jan 29, 2010)

I didn't see the 2022 dates in the regs . Must have missed it. What page?


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

Brougham said:


> I didn't see the 2022 dates in the regs . Must have missed it. What page?


2022/23/24 dates will be voted on at the meeting.


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## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

don novicki said:


> You can read the "Federal Register" of proposed rules for 2022-23 duck season on line. I read some of it and it doesn't sound like anything is finalized yet with the exception of some sea duck species. The break out is as follows for season length: lib-6/60, mod-6/45 or res-3/30. Whatever they decide they will take public input, and then do what the science dictates. I cant possibly see how they could justify another 6/60. JMO though........


Just no actual data to justify a change since no transect surveys have been conducted for two years. IF you institute season and bag changes, those should have something behind them to make the denfensible...


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

MS flyway will be a 60/6 season. That’s done and over with and already been approved.


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## Zeboy (Oct 4, 2002)

Jerry Lamb said:


> The weather is so fickle in Michigan the year we push the season end back, we’ll get a hard freeze week the first week in November, everything will leave and we’ll be done.
> Leave things as they are. You guys remember just a few years ago. November 9th I believe we got 8” of snow, then we saw lows of 9 and 10 for 2 nights. That was enough. At Harsens out on public water, we shot 3 redheads and 9 buffies the following Saturday. Shot 5 on Sunday. Never shot another duck the rest of the season.
> Once the big bays freeze everything leaves.


I actually remember that stretch quite well. Was at a friends cottage on lake St. Clare. Was below freezing for 48 hours straight. Being so early in the fall it caught us by surprise. water lines froze to the cottage. I remember having to break ice "in the cut" and transfer water in a 5 gallon bucket to the toilet for our morning "sit downs". We had to break ice all the way back to the launch to get the boat out. . . I also remember going back the the west side of the state and having a very good balance of the season. That's the dilemma we face. Its a big state and just because something is good (or bad)in one area, doesn't mean that it's not exactly the opposite for another area. IMO if we don't have at least one good "freeze up" during the season, we probably missed out on some real good hunting. Your story got me thinking what year that was. Lots of data out there to make it easy to find. It was 2017.

I pulled these for the GR area (where I live). 2017 was by far the coldest November we have had in the last several years. Here's your highs / lows going through early December that year. Hard to believe the season was a bust after the early freeze up.

Nov-17​1​43/3411​34/1921​46/361-Dec​50/272​54/3912​37/3422​34/282​52/303​50/3913​45/3023​45/303​54/274​46/3614​45/3024​57/324​61/435​54/4615​46/3925​52/305​55/286​46/3716​39/2826​43/217​46/3417​43/2827​48/288​46/2518​45/3728​63/469​41/2319​37/2829​45/3210​27/1820​48/3030​48/36

You can see the three day cold snap on the 9th -11th. You can also see the "moderate" temperatures that followed it, all the way into December. My records show we had a pretty good end of the season. This is mostly private land cornfield hunting. Going back to my earlier post. IMO, I would much rather have a season the extends to mid- December instead of the 2 day split. Early "freeze up's" are usually followed by moderate temperatures - just ask the guys itching to go ice fishing. warmups after a freeze can be great duck hunting days. I will post a few old photos off my phone as examples.


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## Zeboy (Oct 4, 2002)

First photo is Nov 20, 2014. Next photo is 5 miles away 4 days later. Melting Snow leaves puddles that make for good hunting.
View attachment 806437









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## Zeboy (Oct 4, 2002)

First picture that didn't post correctly.









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## gaustin (Jan 14, 2009)

craigrh13 said:


> There’s currently 4 options for openers CWAC will be voting on.


Can you share what those are? 
Thank you


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## Brougham (Jan 29, 2010)

Circling back to opening day. This is what I remember, taken from the 2020 digest. Projected only one year out. Why are they going to project three years?


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## Urriah (Jul 26, 2013)

Brougham said:


> Circling back to opening day. This is what I remember, taken from the 2020 digest. Projected only one year out. Why are they going to project three years?
> View attachment 807386


2021 was the last year of the three year cycle…thus needing to do it again this year.


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## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

Urriah said:


> 2021 was the last year of the three year cycle…thus needing to do it again this year.


Given the reality that we have had no USFWS transect survey in two years and pond count survey in a year on the US/Canada breeding grounds, coupled with several years of population increases via these estimates, I would be surprised if marked season structure or bag limits changes were recommended for this cycle.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

Cork Dust said:


> Given the reality that we have had no USFWS transect survey in two years and pond count survey in a year on the US/Canada breeding grounds, coupled with several years of population increases via these estimates, I would be surprised if marked season structure or bag limits changes were recommended for this cycle.


As has been pointed out many times nothing is changing. Same limits, same 6/60 season.


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## Cork Dust (Nov 26, 2012)

craigrh13 said:


> As has been pointed out many times nothing is changing. Same limits, same 6/60 season.


Yet, the hand wringing and teeth gnashing continues in true MS style!


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