Oklahoma Waterfowl Report for February 6, 2008

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NORTHWEST

Ft. Supply: Lake level is 0.54 ft above normal. Habitat conditions around the lake are poor to fair. Local wheat crops in the area range from good to poor condition. Duck numbers are good, with mostly divers. Goose numbers are fair. Hunting activity is low, with no reports of success. Bird movement in the area has been low, but should increase with forecasted cold fronts.

SOUTHWEST

Ft. Cobb: Lake level is 1.02 ft. above normal. Habitat condition is poor. Winter wheat is good in the area. Goose numbers are good. Hunting activity is high on the weekends, and moderate during the week. Hunter success is fair to good. Bird movement in the area is good, with birds moving around all day.

Hackberry: Refuge reservoir is approximately 4 to 5 foot below conservation pool, with around 600 acres of wetland units flooded. Habitat conditions are fair. Goose numbers are fair. Hunter activity is moderate, with fair success. No significant bird movement in the area. Hackberry Flat Waterfowl Refuge Portion is closed to all activity from October 15 to January 31.

Mtn. Park: Lake level is 1.1 ft. below normal. Habitat condition is fair due to water in shoreline vegetation. Winter wheat is poor to fair on the Wildlife Management Area. Wetland Development Units are flooded and still have some food left. Duck numbers are fair. Goose numbers are fair. Hunting activity is low and success is unknown.

NORTHEAST

Copan: Lake level is 0.62 ft. above normal. Habitat condition is fair. Flooded native plants on wetland units are in fair condition, with corn fields on the Wildlife Management Area in good condition. Plenty of flooded vegetation present to hold birds. Goose numbers are low. Hunting activity is light, with poor success. Most birds have been seen in the upper end of the lake using the moist soil units.

Eufaula: Lake level is 1.25 ft. below normal. Current habitat condition is very poor. Very little farming in the area. Goose numbers are low. No bird movement has been observed in the past few days.

Ft. Gibson: Lake level is 2.8 ft. above normal. Habitat condition is good. Due to the extreme high water throughout summer and early fall the vegetation is in poor shape. There are some agricultural crops in the area. Goose numbers are low. Hunting activity is low, with fair success.

Hulah: Lake level is 0.53 ft. above normal. Lake level is not flooding terrestrial vegetation. Wetland Development Unit is three-quarters full with flooded vegetation. Wheat is coming up in various agricultural fields around the area. Goose numbers are low. Hunting activity is low, with low success.

Kaw: Lake level is 0.93 ft. above normal. Habitat condition is fair. Most food for waterfowl in the area has been depleted. Goose numbers are low. Hunter activity is low, with poor success. Bird movement has been slow.

Keystone: Lake level is normal. Habitat conditions are poor, with almost no food available due to prolonged summer flooding on the lake. Goose numbers are low. Hunter activity and success is low. Hunters using the area this year should be prepared for very deep mud. Caution should be taken, especially if hunting alone.

Oologah: Lake level is .29 ft. above normal. Current habitat conditions are poor to fair. No flooded millet or native vegetation on the lake. Ag fields have not been re-planted due to flood conditions this summer, and most are inaccessible or in poor condition due to ice storm. Goose numbers are poor. Giant Canadians have been seen in the area, flying through, and on private land. Hunter activity and success is unknown. There is significant ice storm damage to the Wildlife Management Area and to the Wetland Development Units. Most if not all roads are un-accessible within the Wildlife Management Area. Hunter’s should contact the Army Corp of Engineer’s Office at Oologah to see if boat ramps are clear or open to access the lake. Upper Verdigris Wetland Development Unit has a few Gadwalls and both units are 90% capacity. Contact the area biologist for information.

Sooner: Lake level is near average. Habitat conditions are poor, with winter wheat around the area also in poor condition. Goose numbers are low.

Webbers Falls: Lake level is 3.66 ft. above normal. Habitat condition is good, with smartweed, barnyardgrass, bidens, cut soybeans, corn, milo and wheat in the area. Goose numbers are low. Hunter activity is low, with fair success.

SOUTHEAST

Grassy Slough: Water level is 70% full. Habitat condition is good. Goose numbers are low. No bird movement has been monitored in the area.

Red Slough: Water level is 85% full. Habitat condition is excellent, with plenty of wild forage. Goose numbers are low.

Texoma: Lake level is 1.11 ft. below normal. Due to high water levels which persisted throughout the growing season no millet or very little native food is available. Goose numbers are low. Hunter activity is low, with low success.