North and South Dakota are two of the best-kept hunting secrets in the United States.

Photo Courtesy of Mike Lambeth

When people outside of the Dakotas think of the Dakotas, they think of deer and antelope, or maybe pheasant hunting. However, the Dakotas have some of the hottest waterfowling in the nation!

Great Plains Game & Fish has put together the lowdown on the top waterfowling hotspots in both states. So, read on to find out what the experts say about where to hunt.

BIOLOGICAL FORECAST
According to Ducks Unlimited, most of the waterfowl that are present in the Dakotas are raised on the prairies and in the western boreal forest of the arctic regions. Saskatchewan is also a very important breeding area for ducks and geese that will wing through the Central Flyway.

Last season, duck numbers in this area were down 19 percent from the previous year's estimate. Although waterfowl production in southern Saskatchewan was poor, DU biologist Michael Hill reported that some breeding ducks fared better where wetland conditions were more favorable.

"Good numbers of mallard, gadwall, blue-winged teal and shoveler broods were the most common seen," he said.

In 2008, May pond numbers were down in the north-central United States causing the populations of most duck species to decline. South Dakota reported 3.4 million breeding ducks, a number similar to the previous year's estimate, but 54 percent above the long-term average.

North Dakota's breeding population of approximately 3.8 million ducks was down 22 percent from the previous year, but remained 25 percent above the long-term average.

"With the exception of a few areas like far eastern South Dakota, breeding ducks were limited by a lack of suitable wetland habitat," said DU biologist Scott Stephens. "In North Dakota, for example, our research crews found only about half as many duck nests as we did last year on the same sites. We did receive much needed precipitation in late spring and early summer, benefiting late nesters like gadwalls and blue-wings, but production appears to have been down considerably overall compared to the past several years."

The outlook was much better for goose populations in the Dakotas. Good spring weather with an ample amount of spring rains and late-season snowfall resulted in average to above-average numbers of geese on many of their northern breeding areas. Lesser snow, Ross' and white-fronted geese appear to have had a good hatch, resulting in an increased fall population in the flyway.

Jim Ringleman, DU's director of conservation programs, is excited about the upcoming season, because of habitat conditions being exceptional in North Dakota, and very good throughout most of north-central and eastern South Dakota.

According to a survey conducted by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, duck numbers were up 18.1 percent from last year, and 87 percent above the long-term (1948-2008) average.

"Water (pond) conditions are an astonishing 293 percent above last year, and 69 percent above the long-term average," said Ringleman.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the estimated number of ducks in all flyways is now 42 million, which represents a 13 percent increase over last year's count and a 25 percent increase over the long-term average (since 1955).

The forecast for this coming season is awesome, according to the federal population numbers, state surveys and Ringleman's assessment.

Still, the loss of CRP land will hit hunters and waterfowl hard and soon.

"North Dakota lost 408,000 acres in 2007 and 136,000 in 2008," Ringleman said. "We expect to lose another 500,000 acres in 2009-10. Long-term this will impact duck production, since the CRP is prime nesting habitat."

Sportsmen need to be advocates of CRP.