September 2021 - 42

There are approximately 2.8 to 7.4 million blue-winged teal found in North America. (Photo by Greg Bergquist)
by waterfowl biologists. The estimated breeding
population of cinnamon teal in North
America is 100,000 to 300,000.
Blue-winged teal boast the second-highest
population of any duck on the continent,
eclipsed only by the mallard. Blue-winged teal
populations range from around 2.8 to 7.4 million.
Despite notable numbers blue-winged
teal experience up to 65 percent annual mortality
- the highest of any dabbling duck
(those that tip up to feed versus diving).
Green-winged teal lie between the other
two species in relation to population, and its
numbers have increased over the past several
decades. Although the long-term population
average is around 2 million, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service estimated its breeding numbers
at 4 million in 2015 after several years of
excellent nesting production. Blue-winged teal
outnumber green-wings, but hunters annually
bag more green-winged teal in the United
States than any other duck species except
the mallard.
In Wyoming teal harvest fluctuates in
numbers and species. Cowboy State hunters
took 2,391 green-winged teal and 2,268 bluewinged/cinnamon
teal in 2018 according to
USFWS harvest data. In 2019 - the last year
data was available - 1,460 green-winged and
1,618 blue-winged/cinnamon were bagged.
The first step in organizing a successful
teal outing is choosing a location to hunt.
Teals are an attractive option for novice or
casual waterfowlers because their favored
habitat can typically be hunted without specialized
or expensive equipment. " Look for
small wetlands, " Hicks said. " Teal also hang
around small streams and love to roost on
little ponds. "
Hicks advises hunters to avoid deeper
water of large reservoirs. Teal prefer to feed in
shallow water where they search for seeds and
other types of plant matter and aquatic invertebrates.
One national duck hunting expert
oddly likens teal habitat to shark attacks. Most
shark attacks occur in less than three feet
of water. The best teal hunting commonly
follows the same depths.
" Any shallow wetlands around the state
could hold teal early in the season, " Smith
said. " The southeast part of the state has the
largest numbers of waterfowl generally, with
Goshen County and the Laramie plains offering
a lot of wetland habitat to draw them in. "
Small ponds often yield superb hunting.
Abundant water is a key factor in successful breeding of all teal species, such as these blue-winged birds.
(Photo by Elizabeth Boehm)
42 | September 2021
Lisa, Zoe and I once made an early-season
waterfowl hunt on the plains. Good summer

September 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2021

September 2021 - 1
September 2021 - 2
September 2021 - 3
September 2021 - 4
September 2021 - 5
September 2021 - 6
September 2021 - 7
September 2021 - 8
September 2021 - 9
September 2021 - 10
September 2021 - 11
September 2021 - 12
September 2021 - 13
September 2021 - 14
September 2021 - 15
September 2021 - 16
September 2021 - 17
September 2021 - 18
September 2021 - 19
September 2021 - 20
September 2021 - 21
September 2021 - 22
September 2021 - 23
September 2021 - 24
September 2021 - 25
September 2021 - 26
September 2021 - 27
September 2021 - 28
September 2021 - 29
September 2021 - 30
September 2021 - 31
September 2021 - 32
September 2021 - 33
September 2021 - 34
September 2021 - 35
September 2021 - 36
September 2021 - 37
September 2021 - 38
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September 2021 - 40
September 2021 - 41
September 2021 - 42
September 2021 - 43
September 2021 - 44
September 2021 - 45
September 2021 - 46
September 2021 - 47
September 2021 - 48
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https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/wyoming-wildlife-may-2024
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