This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

While Utah's general duck and goose hunt seasons don't generally produce the kind of interest that big game hunts do, they offer the longest season and the most public hunting areas to seek out birds.

That makes the season the state's most popular bird hunt.

There is some concern that the low water of the Great Salt Lake this year will create some problems, especially later in the season as the weather gets colder and the birds begin to move south.

That, coupled with about 20 percent less water in the Alberta Canadian prairies that produce most of Utah's ducks means it's probably a good idea to get out hunting soon.

"Pintail numbers across North America were down slightly this past spring," said Blair Stringham, migratory bird coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, "while the number of wigeons was up. The total number of ducks—across North America—was 48.3 million. That's down slightly from a record high of 49.5 million birds estimated in spring 2015."

Another issue was that a hailstorm that moved through the wetlands along the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake last spring killed many newly hatched Canada goose goslings.

And, on the Great Salt Lake where the majority of hunting pressure takes place, wetlands between the lake and wildlife management area boundaries are also dry.

But not all is gloom and doom.

Though Utah breeding and nesting conditions were drier this springs, ducks had good success.

"Geese are doing extremely well in Utah," he says. "Lots of Canada geese will be available this fall."

Wetland conditions on state and federally managed marshes might prove to bring more waterfowl into hunting areas. Conditions on many of those areas are excellent, providing the best cover for birds.

Stringham said this could be good and bad news for hunters.

On the positive side, because of a lack of food on the lake, birds will congregate on the refuges, producing good early-season hunting.

It could also mean they will be leaving the state early.

"The lack of water, on wetlands between the WMAs and the lake, doesn't leave birds with many places to go, to escape hunting pressure," said Stringham. "After being shot at enough times, the birds might decide to leave."

At the federal Bear River Bird Refuge west of Brigham City, spokesperson Kathi Stopher reports improved water conditions and waterfowl numbers for the general waterfowl open Saturday.

For a complete look at current conditions at state waterfowl management areas as well as Utah's three federal refuges, log on to http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/waterfowl-opener-conditions.