Duck and elk hunts to open

The options are: 1. Head for the high country with the changing leaves, cooler temperatures and herds of elk or 2. head for the marshes with the waving cattails, shimmering water and flocks of ducks.

Never before have Utah's sportsmen been faced with such a dilemma.

Both the duck and elk hunts will open Saturday — the duck hunt at 8 a.m. in most areas, and not a minute before, and the elk hunt at first light, give or take a few minutes.

Both hunts are expected to be good.

In past years, the duck hunt opened on a Saturday and the elk the following Wednesday. This year the Utah Wildlife Board combined openers.

DUCK HUNT

All of the elements are in place to bring about one of the best duck hunts on record.

First, the level of the Great Salt Lake is about a foot and a half lower than last year, increasing the likelihood of migrating birds stopping in instead of passing over Utah. Second, duck numbers, especially those birds that commonly visit Utah, such as the greenwing, shoveler and gadwall, are at near-record levels.

More ducks and better marsh conditions should mean a better hunt, said Tom Aldrich, waterfowl coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

"For three years now, the level of the Great Salt Lake has been rising. This resulted in salt water flooding some waterfowl habitat," he added. "As a result there were no loafing areas, which are important for holding bird numbers through the fall. This year that trend has been reversed."

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services estimates the number of ducks migrating south at around 90 million, which is the third highest count since 1970. Counts show mallards to be 12 percent lower than 1999 figures, but greenwing teal are up 21 percent, gadwall are 100 percent above their long-term average and shovelers are 73 percent above the long-term average.

Aldrich said the number of goose pairs breeding locally last spring was up 13 percent.

To find good hunting, he suggested hunters take the time to scout marshes and determine which areas are holding birds.

Because of the threat to the endangered tundra swans, all marshes north of the Bear River Bird Refuge will be closed to those with swan permits. This includes some of the state's more popular swan-hunting areas. Swan hunters need to check the proclamation before they hunt.