Family-Outdoors

This painting of a pair of northern pintails by Guy Crittenden of   Richmond, Va., will appear on the 2015-16 Oklahoma Waterfowl Stamp.  The mallard duck is the subject for this year's Oklahoma Waterfowl Stamp design competition. Artists have until 4:30 p.m. Aug. 1 to submit artwork for this prestigious contest that has been conducted by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation since 1980.      The winning artwork will serve as the design for the 2016-17 Oklahoma Waterfowl Stamp, which is purchased by waterfowl hunters in the state and collectors nationwide. The winning artist will receive a $1,200 purchase award courtesy of NatureWorks, a Tulsa-based conservation organization.      "This is really much more than an art contest," said Micah Holmes, information supervisor for the Wildlife Department. "When waterfowl hunters purchase that stamp, they are doing their part in conserving wildlife and preserving the sport of hunting. St...

Fish Point State Wildlife Area, located in Unionville, juts out into the Saginaw Bay. Because of the tremendous variety and abundance of waterfowl found here, the Fish Point area has been called the "Chesapeake of the Midwest." During spring and fall migrations, the habitat and food resources at this site attract thousands of ducks and other water birds. Dabbling and diving ducks, along with Canada geese, are plentiful across the area. Mallards are the most commonly harvested duck, with a good number of green-winged teal, wood ducks, widgeon, pintails, gadwall and black ducks being taken as well.   Waterfowl hunters who want to hunt Fish Point must enter the Managed Hunt drawing. Drawings occur at 5:30 and 11 a.m. daily during the hunting season for the morning and afternoon hunts, respectively. If hunters miss a draw, they are allowed to take a leftover spot if available. There are 63 hunting zones, covering flooded agricultural fields and cattail and emergent m...

Waterfowl in Lake Bowdoin (Photo credit: USFWS Mountain Prairie ) Although breeding habitat conditions have declined from previous years, the 2012 “Trends in Duck Breeding Populations” report estimates waterfowl production in North America’s duck factory is at a record high.  This year’s report estimate of 48.6 million is significantly higher than the 45.6 million birds estimated last year and 43 percent above the long-term average. This annual report summarizes information about the status of duck populations and wetland habitats collected by wildlife biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Canadian Wildlife Service for the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey (Survey).  The Survey samples more than two million square miles of waterfowl habitat across the United States and Canada. Highlights from the Survey in the north-central United States, south-central and northern Canada, and Alaska (the traditional survey area) include the followin...