And then there are increasing numbers of whistling ducks. "We're also seeing more whistling ducks, both the fulvous and black-bellied, in the state. In fact, the year before last, for the first time we counted (numerous) whistling ducks (in the winter surveys)," Reynolds said. "In January 2007, we had some 37,000 whistling ducks, and in 2008 we had 52,000. These birds are so rare in our mid-winter survey (over the long term) because they usually winter much farther south.

"So, with fewer mallards, more bluewings and more whistling ducks in Louisiana during our winter survey, that tells me something is happening. And these are fairly long term changes. At least, that's what I'm seeing in the survey."

So with changing habitat, disease concerns, hunting pressure, and weather concerns, the present tense of Louisiana duck hunting is certainly one of change as compared to years gone by.

"Things are even more negative on what is happening in the prairie (nesting) states right now," Reynolds admitted.

For starters, as of press time, the breeding grounds appeared drier than previous years, although the jury was still out on just what effect that will have on fall flight numbers this year.

In addition, the Farm Bill was still being debated in Washington, leaving biologists unsure of the future of crucial conservation programs like the Conservation Reserve Program, something that has clearly been a bona fide boon for ducks on the nesting grounds.

But with rising commodity prices for food and bio-fuel materials, CRP is threatened.

"Waterfowl have no prayer in competing with food (resources)," Reynolds said. "But CRP in 1985 and 1995 gave us some comparative clout because we could offer farmers a viable alternative to take ground out of production and to put it into grassy cover. As a result, ducks and pheasants did very well."

Today, with burgeoning budget numbers on Capitol Hill -- in an election year, no less -- leaving the final version of the Farm Bill in doubt along with the growing cry for cheaper fuel, no one was sure as of press time how nesting ducks will fare in coming years.

So what does all of this for hunters? While Reynolds has hope that things will work out in the long term, he isn't so sure about the short term.

"Right now, I think it's very difficult for people to be optimistic in the next five years," he said. "This is a bad year to ask a duck guy in the south about the future."

Even so, Reynolds is the first to admit that Louisiana is and should remain one of the premiere waterfowl hunting states in the nation for many years to come.

"Absolutely," he said. "The last full year that data is available for, Louisiana was back in first place in terms of ducks harvested and ducks per hunter for the Mississippi Flyway.

"And in our worst season, we were the fourth-highest state in the nation. Last year, we were second in the nation to California, where they have a 107-day duck season and a seven-duck bag limit."

"We may kill the same number of ducks according to (harvest data) and band recovery data, although our hunters may (have) to work a little harder to do it," he added.

In essence, what waterfowl biologists like Reynolds, Helm, Batt, and others are saying is that things aren't like they used to be, not necessarily that the waterfowl sky is falling.

Because even with the challenges being faced today and in the future by duck hunters across Louisiana, there is still ample reason to load up the boat with decoys, grab the shotgun and retriever and head afield for some glorious days of ducks cupping their wings and committing to a waterfowl hunter's spread.

These may not be the good old days of waterfowling in the Sportsman's Paradise as compared to times gone by -- but they're certainly still more than worth the effort of getting out to watch another brilliant sunrise unfold as duck wings whisper overhead.