The Dreaded Drought

By Robert A. Langager

Ok, now that I have your attention, let’s talk about the “D” word. “D” stands for drought, dry, dreary, and other bad things. The period from the middle 1990s to present has been the wettest in North Dakota history. But, all good things must come to an end. Of course, not all of this moisture has been good. We do remember the terrible floods of the last decade. We all must face the reality that a dry spell is in order, and sooner than you may think. What does this mean to the North Dakota sportsperson?

You may already be aware that it has been drier than normal over the last year or so, especially with the non-existent winter that we just had. The temporary wetlands are drying up and there is not any sheet water in the fields right now. This is bad news for the spring snow goose hunters. Snow geese and their pursuers love sheet water in the fields for the spring migration. Sheet water provides both food and a roost for the birds as they make their way north. When the birds cross the border and find little water in the fields they will just cruise through the state, as there is nothing to keep them here. This happened last spring and is only one of the short-term effects that the dreaded “D” word will have on us North Dakota sportsmen.

If this dry spell persists we will inevitably start to feel some long-term problems. We all know that ducks and geese require water in the breeding grounds. If they don’t find suitable water they will be forced to look elsewhere for a place to nest. Where will they go? Well, North Dakota is not nearly as dry as the other states and provinces in the Prairie Pothole Region. If they look north and west they will only find poorer conditions in Montana, southern Manitoba, most of Saskatchewan, most of Alberta. South Dakota is in better shape due to the late snow this winter; the same snow that was keeping those pesky SOBs (Snows or Blues) from crossing the border.

Where will the birds go if we see another drought like the one in the 80s-90s? Remember when the good old days when the limit was 3 ducks and 1 goose? The days when there were few birds and even fewer hunters? I remember those days. I was on the other side of the border in dry southwestern Minnesota wondering where the birds were too. If the birds cannot find suitable habitat anywhere within the Prairie Pothole Region they will be forced to the larger lakes and rivers in Canada and northern Minnesota. This, mind you, is not ideal breeding habitat for the puddle ducks we love to pursue, so the birds will simply not reproduce. This is what happened during the last drought when waterfowl recruitment was so low. There won’t be adequate grasslands AND water to support the birds. Let’s not forget that fewer wetlands will bring about larger concentrations of birds on the remaining wetlands making them more susceptible to disease outbreaks such as avian cholera.

Generally speaking, dryer times mean better times for the upland bird numbers. Wet springs mean lower nesting success as nests are washed out. Add cold to the equation and the chicks will freeze. However, as wetlands continue to dry up they will soon fall prey to the plow, along with the accompanying grasslands and CRP acres; not good for the pheasant hunters either. The loss of such great habitat spells disaster for all outdoorsmen, not just bird hunters.

Part of me feels that a drought would be a blessing in disguise. Lower bird numbers would definitely bring about a reduction in hunting pressure and hunter numbers. A lot of people have taken up the sport since waterfowl numbers began to skyrocket. Maybe there would be increased opportunity for the die-hards that have been hunting here through thick and thin; many of the fair-weather hunters will hang up their waders or look elsewhere for better opportunities. However, I don’t think this would be the scenario at all. Given the current political situation the outfitters are not going anywhere. They will still have their big money clients to appease. What little productive habitat left would be quickly leased up, leaving us freelancers further out of luck than we are now. There simply will not be suitable habitat for everyone to have a place to hunt.

What can we learn and apply if we do indeed find ourselves in a drought? Well, if bird numbers do decline the powers that be need to compensate immediately through reduced bag limits and increased protection placed on the remaining habitat. The USFWS has also bowed to pressure from outfitters and others who profit from the resource. Optimism and money has been abundant in times of record fall flights, but we cannot be blinded by short-term gains and must focus on the long-term goals of good resource management. Current bag limits are already too high. This foolish optimism could bring about poor consequences if the current dry spell continues. We only need to look back ten years to see what could happen again.

Hunting in North Dakota has changed for better and worse since the last drought. We have seen great increases in waterfowl and hunter numbers. We have seen increased hunter success followed by decreased land access due to leasing for the more affluent hunters. Although hunter numbers and access has caused friction amongst different groups, we need to remember why we hunt in the first place. For most it is not the killing that feeds our passion, but rather the camaraderie, the sights, the sounds, and those amazing birds themselves. This is what brings us together. This is our common bond. This is what makes us sportsmen. This is the time, when we are so few and our rivals are so many, that we need to stick together and remember why we are here in the first place.