Duck hunting opens to some high water, low cover

Mississippi isn’t expected to drop below 10 feet until Saturday

Could be a big weekend for duck hunters, though maybe a little unusual.  

Opening day for the Mississippi and southern zones of Wisconsin is Saturday.

La Crosse DNR warden Ed McCann says he hasn’t seen an opener quite like this with all of the flooding. It has made for lots of open water with not much cover.

“I don’t think it really impacts them launching their boats as much as it impacts the ability to find places to hunt and to hide their boats,” McCann said.

Duck hunters will be out a half hour before sunrise searching.

“A bunch of islands are under water and all the wild rice is knocked down already because of the current,” McCann said. “So, there’s not going to be a lot of places for people to hide their boats.”

But, there are plenty of birds to be had for those who are able to deal with the unusual variable of extremely high water levels, McCann mentioned.

“I haven’t seen it like this before in the fall,” McCann said. “I’ve seen high water before, but not where we’ve had a flood this close to the opening to water fowl season. It’ll be interesting.

“But, anybody who has experience on the Mississippi River, I don’t think there will be that much different than your normal springtime levels.”

The Mississippi at La Crosse isn’t expected to drop below 10 feet until after Saturday – 10 feet is still the point where local regulations don’t allow wakes behind boats.