Ohio Waterfowl: Check One Off the Bucket List

With 50-60 degree temperatures all over the state this past week, hunters found themselves in a strange predicament. Many expected low numbers and low activity, but were pleasantly surprised. Reports from across the state actually appeared to show relatively good numbers still in the area. Although nothing moved quite as much during daylight hours, due to the high temps, there still was a strong population in the region. Most of us expected the birds to have practically vanished overnight, but it seems birds south of us in the flyway were making their way back north, thusly passing right through the southern and central part of the state.

This weekend looks like a great opportunity for some late season action. Bitter cold temperatures that we haven’t quite experienced will hopefully push birds back down. Stay near big water because the birds you see will most likely be on the move. Most small marshes have been shot out by this time of the season, but new birds means new opportunities, so feel free to experiment. Personally, all my luck has been on the river and near major wetlands. This past weekend, in fact, a personal goal and lifelong dream of mine became a reality. I harvested my first speck.

If you aren’t familiar with the term “speck”, I’ll explain

White fronted geese, also known as Specklebelly geese, are a distant cousin to our all-too-familiar Canada goose. They are a western and arctic dwelling bird. The majority of specks summer in the arctic, somewhere between Alaska and northern Canada. They either migrate down the west coast to California or Mexico, or they come down the Central Flyway to the gulf. In order to see one in the Ohio valley, a specklebelly has to make some major mistakes.

This particular goose flew into the spread amongst twenty Canada geese. They landed just out of our decoys, and just out of range. After watching the group for what seemed like an hour, I realized one of those geese didn’t have a black bill. About a millisecond after I made this connection, another group flew in but this time they were landing right on top of us. As my brother and good friend (retired Ohio conservation officer, Jim Splete) started to shoot at this new flock I knew it was my one chance at a bird of a lifetime. Then the purest of all luck rained down and I watched my prize fall to the water.

Maybe that was a bit dramatic, but it is exciting to imagine the diversity in the region. There’s only a couple of weeks left and I recommend taking a friend and hitting the water. And to think I almost didn’t hunt this weekend.