WEST GULF COASTAL PLAIN

1. WEST GULF COASTAL PLAIN Waterfowl Working Group Randy Wilson, LMVJV Office Chad Manlove, DU – Southern Regional Office Andrew James, AGFC Rich Johnson, AGFC Tom Edwards, USFWS – Arkansas Alan Stacey, ODWC Jim Neal, USFWS – Texas Scott Durham, LDWF Pat Stinson, USFWS – Mississippi Kevin Kraai, TPWD Bill Bartush, DU – East Texas

2. Identify Species of Concern Establish Population Targets Biological Foundation Discern Limiting Factors Establish Objectives to Counter Limiting Factors Conserving, Restoring, and Maintaining WGCP Capacity to Winter Mid-Continent Waterfowl Populations

3. Identify Species of Concern (Wintering) American Black Duck American Wigeon Mallard Gadwall Green-winged Teal Blue-winged Teal Northern Pintail ??? Northern Shoveler Wood Duck Mottled Duck Canvasback Redhead Ring-necked Duck Scaup (greater and lesser) Bufflehead

4. Identify Species of Concern (Breeding) Black-bellied Whistling Duck Mottled Duck Hooded Merganser ??? Wood Duck

5. Identify Species of Concern Establish Population Targets Biological Foundation Discern Limiting Factors Establish Objectives to Counter Limiting Factors Conserving, Restoring, and Maintaining WGCP Capacity to Winter Mid-Continent Waterfowl Populations

7. Establish Population Targets Step 1. Winter Distribution of Ducks Among States Mid-Winter Inventory Data January 1970-79 Step 2. Winter Distribution of Ducks Within States Harvest Data January 1970-79

8. Selection of Counties for Calculation of Waterfowl Population Goals LMVJV Boundary WGCP BCR Questionable Counties

9. Establish Population Targets Target = P * P * Goal state WGCPstate continental state 0.85 (winter mortality rate) Dabblers Wood State & Divers Total Ducks Arkansas 313,871 131,050 444,921 1,300,583 Louisiana 457,530 1,758,113 138,544 31,560 170,104 Oklahoma Texas 778,393 188,000 966,393 Total 2,531,391 808,140 3,339,531

10. Identify Species of Concern Establish Population Targets Biological Foundation Discern Limiting Factors Establish Objectives to Counter Limiting Factors Conserving, Restoring, and Maintaining WGCP Capacity to Winter Mid-Continent Waterfowl Populations

11. Discern Limiting Factors Factors Limiting Carrying Capacity Disease Predation Environmental Contaminants Disturbance Foraging Habitat Non-foraging

12. Establish Objectives to Counter Limiting Factors Conserving, Restoring, and Maintaining WGCP Capacity to Winter Mid-Continent Waterfowl Populations Identify Species of Concern Establish Population Targets Biological Foundation Discern Limiting Factors Biological Model

13. Biological Model Assume all ducks are Mallard-sized Assume that ducks stay for 110-day wintering period

14. Conserving, Restoring, and Maintaining WGCP Capacity to Winter Mid-Continent Waterfowl Populations Identify Species of Concern Establish Population Targets Biological Foundation Discern Limiting Factors Biological Model Establish Objectives to Counter Limiting Factors

16. Establish Objectives to Counter Limiting Factor Habitat Objectives in Duck-Use Days Habitat Objectives 110 = Target * state winter days Dabblers Wood State & Divers Ducks Total Arkansas 34,525,804 14,415,500 48,941,304 Louisiana 143,064,069 50,328,300 193,392,370 Oklahoma 15,239,751 3,471,600 18,711,351 Texas 85,623,268 20,680,000 106,303,268 Total 278,452,892 88,896,300 367,348,293

18. Habitat Inventory Important Habitat Types in the WGCP Bottomland Hardwoods Moist Soil Wetlands Agricultural Crops Submerged Aquatic Vegetation What are the current management capabilities on Public Lands? Private Lands?

19. Habitat Inventory How much naturally flooded habitat can be expected in a given year? How many acres of open aquatic habitat are available? Ponds (small, medium, large) Lakes Reservoirs Current research? Waterfowl Use of stock ponds Foraging Behavior Food Availability