The 2008-09 waterfowl season is going to be an interesting one for hunters in the Mid-Atlantic states, as well as across the country.

After all, waterfowl populations in Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey are in very good shape.

Also, thanks to a mild winter last year, resident populations received a boost from migratory birds that wintered over in the Mid-Atlantic region.

While everything looks good for another successful waterfowl season in the region, external issues -- in particular, the price of gas and a depressed economy -- will definitely have an impact. In 2008, fewer hunters will likely take to the marshes and wetlands. Those who do may spend less time actually hunting because of the higher costs involved and subsequent loss of discretionary income.

Most wildlife personnel I spoke with agree that local hunting will benefit from the current economic situation, since people who want to save on fuel are looking for sites closer to home. The segment of the sport that will be hurt will be non-resident hunting, as well as hunters who must travel significant distances to hunt.

During hard economic times, sportsmen traditionally hunt and fish a lot more. Never before, however, has the cost of getting from place to place been so expensive because of gas prices.

NEW JERSEY
A mild winter last season disrupted recent trends for migrating birds in the Garden State. For the last several years, the numbers of birds stopping over in New Jersey had been consistent. But last year's mild winter caused a lot more birds to winter over in the state's plentiful marshes.

Fortunately for sportsmen, more marshes and wetlands have come under the protection of the state. This has helped keep the waterfowl habitat fairly stable, despite the increased development in the central, southern and coastal regions of the Garden State.

Dave Chanda, director of New Jersey's Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) said that the number of waterfowl hunters in the state has also remained constant: Over the last several years, between 10,000 and 12,000 hunters have purchased waterfowl stamps. Chanda said the new electronic licensing system has given them a better handle on hunting statistics, thus helping the DFW bring new hunters into the sport.

New Jersey has both freshwater and saltwater marshes that provide hunters with diverse duck populations to hunt. The state's 100-plus miles of coastline are chock-full of tidal marshes and wetlands, as well as bays, tidal rivers and small streams.

The Pine Lands Protection Act has protected the tea-stained waters of the legendary Jersey Pine Barrens, dotted with wildlife management areas that are available to hunters.

The western side of the state is bordered by Delaware Bay and the Delaware River. Here, too, plenty of waterfowl hunting opportunities are available to waterfowlers.

Delaware Bay is a traditional stopover spot for ducks and geese, and the mild winter of 2007 saw a lot of birds wintering over in the marshes and wetlands along the bay. In addition, the DFW has been working with Ducks Unlimited and the New Jersey Waterfowlers, who have helped secure a lot of access in recent years.

Along the coast, the Delaware River and Delaware Bay, many of the state's WMAs also offer excellent access for waterfowl hunters.

Waterfowl populations in the state are in very good shape. Because New Jersey is an important stopover on the eastern migration route, the state's duck and goose populations vary, depending on the overall number of birds using the Atlantic Flyway on any given year.