-0.02 ft versus about 24 hours before the stage observation.
Checked Oct 31, 2026, 1:37 PM CDT.
Gauge source & update details
Last successful check Oct 31, 2026, 1:37 PM CDT. Measurements may be provisional and corrected by USGS. Stage and flow can have different observation times.
-0.07 ft versus about 24 hours before the stage observation.
Checked Oct 31, 2026, 1:37 PM CDT.
Gauge source & update details
Last successful check Oct 31, 2026, 1:37 PM CDT. Measurements may be provisional and corrected by USGS. Stage and flow can have different observation times.
-0.19 ft versus about 24 hours before the stage observation.
Checked Oct 31, 2026, 1:37 PM CDT.
Gauge source & update details
Last successful check Oct 31, 2026, 1:37 PM CDT. Measurements may be provisional and corrected by USGS. Stage and flow can have different observation times.
Look back before you pick a spot. Choose an area and season, then expand a report for harvest, weather, wind and any recovered pool results.
B.K. Leach · 2025-2026
Ducks reported
470
Hunters reported
1,240
Ducks / hunter
0.38
59 reports · 59 comparable · 0 excluded. Per hunter uses total ducks divided by total hunters in comparable reports. Report dates are not confirmed hunt dates.
Historical ducks per hunter · ducks / hunter
0.00–1.6259 days
Nov 1Dec 30
Pool/blind coverage: No collected dated kill boards for this selection. Area totals cannot be split into pools. Weather and river data are tentative matches by report date.
Printed map revision: 2022-10-21. Link checked 2026-10-31. Map age is separate from today’s source checks. Labels and boundaries may have changed; confirm posted signs and current MDC instructions.
BirdCast tracks mixed birds at night, not duck-specific flights or local landings.
About the free migration radar
The dashboard normally runs March 1–June 15 and August 1–November 15; late duck migration can fall outside that window. It opens on BirdCast; no paid service or account is required to view it.
MDC surveyed locations
Source check succeeded · Last check: 10/31/2026, 1:37:09 PM CDT.
Ducks in listed surveys
132,025
Surveyed locations
18
Mallards reported
4,850
Observation dates: 2026-10-26 through 2026-10-29. Locations were surveyed on different days; this sum is not a simultaneous statewide census. MDC normally surveys about every other week. We check daily.
Show bird-count location map · 16 mapped locations
Larger circles indicate more surveyed ducks. Numbers match the list below. Approximate location pins; no migration path or hunt boundaries are inferred. All 18 surveyed areas remain in the list.
Count changes appear only after two surveys for the same area within 28 days. No comparable earlier survey means the trend is unavailable; count changes alone do not establish migration direction.
1. Loess Bluffs NWR
43,775 ducksSurveyed 2026-10-27
Species & geese
Gadwalls
7,565
Mallards
170
Mixed Dabblers
0
Mixed Divers
0
Mixed Ducks
0
Pintails
16,020
Ring-Necked Ducks
3,995
Shovelers
1,145
Teal
13,855
Wigeon
25
Canada geese
265
Snow geese
35
White-fronted geese
11,600
The printed species figures do not sum to the printed duck total. Both are retained as reported; species coverage is incomplete or inconsistent.
2. Fountain Grove CA
18,000 ducksSurveyed 2026-10-26
Species & geese
Gadwalls
1,260
Mallards
0
Mixed Dabblers
0
Mixed Divers
0
Mixed Ducks
0
Pintails
9,000
Ring-Necked Ducks
0
Shovelers
540
Teal
6,120
Wigeon
540
Canada geese
350
Snow geese
0
White-fronted geese
0
The printed species figures do not sum to the printed duck total. Both are retained as reported; species coverage is incomplete or inconsistent.
MDC’s Waterfowl and Habitat Survey supplies the counts and species labels. Repeated daily checks do not create new observations. Missing areas are not zero; a refuge count does not establish huntable birds. Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s BirdCast is a separate, free regional reference, linked rather than copied into a duck prediction. BirdCast methods ↗
Before you leave
Confirm the season, permits, draw/check-in requirements and any closures directly with MDC. Choose your primary area and a backup after checking those requirements.
The copied link keeps the selected areas and date. It contains no personal notes. My spots and hunt logs save only in your browser; no login required.
When conditions were like this
B.K. Leach · all collected seasons · historical associations, not a hunt prediction. Matching reports fall within 21 calendar days of your reference date in past years or earlier in this season.
Starting from NWS This Afternoon forecast for 2026-10-31, issued Oct 31, 1:26 PM CDT. This daytime forecast is a rough reference against historical daily averages; adjust the inputs to explore.
Use a recorded day or include river conditions
River values must use the same gauge, measurement and units. Stage tolerance ±1 ft; discharge ±20%. River measurements are regional context, not pool depth. Rain, pressure, habitat and bird numbers are not matched.
Comparison sample
Limited sample: at least 5 reports across 2 seasons in each group are required to show a percentage comparison.
Temperature within ±10°F; wind within ±5 mph and direction within 45° (calm below 2 mph handled separately). 113 eligible reports; 176 outside the time window or missing required data. Rates use summed ducks ÷ summed hunters.
Inspect the matching reports · 0
How to read this comparison
Weather is matched to MDC report dates, which are not confirmed hunt dates. Daily observed averages differ from a forecast’s daytime temperature and wind. Nearby-station conditions may differ from the marsh. Seasons, hunter skill, habitat, hunting rules and survey coverage also affect harvest. These descriptive groups do not establish cause, statistical significance or future success. At least 12 temperature measurements and 12 wind measurements are required per report date. Missing values and duplicate dates are excluded; no synthetic kills are used. Changing the filters is exploratory.
Weather · 2026-10-31
This Afternoon · 70°FWind from E · 9 mphSlight Chance Rain Showers · 22% precipitation
Tonight · 53°FWind from ESE · 2 to 7 mphChance Rain Showers · 37% precipitation
Forecast issued Oct 31, 2026, 1:21 PM CDT. Forecast periods, not past observations.