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has introduced its 2022 lineup, which includes this model. It has a fully enclosed cab and factoryinstalled heating, enabling hunters to comfortably extend the use of their vehicle through the winter. This off-road vehicle is designed for riders who want maximum comfort and capability in a mid-size package. It comes standard with a classexclusive Pro Shield cab system, including all-new doors, full crank-down windows and a Polaris HD 3,500-pound winch, making the ride more comfortable in tough conditions like dust, snow and rain. It starts at $16,999.

EDGE MICRO MAGNETIC FLY BOX: This compact box by Plano Molding, which won the best Fly Fishing Accessory category at the 2021 ICAST Show, offers three layers of fly storage in one box. Soft pads in the top two levels hold onto tiny jigs or flies while the base features a magnetic zone that makes storing nymphs and extra-small flies ultra convenient. It has a crystal clear polycarbonate lid. The rust- and water-resistant box will cost about $30.

POWERBAIT GILLY: The first bait to win Best of Show at an ICAST show, Berkley’s soft, blue gill-shaped bait is infused with the flavor of PowerBait. Additionally, it was named the Best Freshwater Soft Bait at the 2021 show. The Gilly is designed so the hollow head section is soft enough to collapse during strikes and keep the bait swimming upright regardless of how it is rigged. The tabs built into the tail section give the bait a lifelike motion in the water. Texas rigged sideways, on a jighead or even a dropshot, this bait is as realistic as it is versatile. Available in six standard and six HD colors, it is available in three sizes and will have an MSRP of $6.49 for standard colors and $7.49 for HD colors.

KENAI JACKET: No need to layer up or down with Kuiu’s jacket. It regulates a hunter’s core temperature with body-mapped DWR active insulation, which utilizes siliconized fibers to resist saturation to maintain insulation even in wet conditions. The jacket, which is made from breathable fabric that is dead quiet, is ideal for archery hunting because it comfortably stretches with every move. Available in sizes small to 3XL and in two colors and three camo patterns, the jacket costs about $325.

SLOW GLOW G3 HUNTING LIGHT: This third-generation smart LED light by Slow Glow Hunting will stay off during the day and automatically turn itself on at dusk to a dim 5 percent training mode. Once motion is detected in a hunting area, the Slow Glow G3 will slowly increase light intensity over a two-minute period to avoid spooking game, eventually lighting more than 6,000 square feet. Hunters can use the light like an alarm by setting it a few hundred yards away and when the site lights up, they know the game is there. The light, which can be activated from more than 100 yards away with the included remote control, switches between red or green light and features two different lenses for a spot or flood beam pattern. The MSRP is $199.

Speaking from the Central Flyway meeting on Aug. 22, Kraii said the production, despite the drought in typical breeding regions, is thought to be better than expected.

Kraii said mallard declines may be as low as 5 percent, and Canadian ponds were down 14 percent.

Overall, while Delta Waterfowl forecasts a smaller fall flight than waterfowl hunters have experienced for years, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal and gadwall had closer to average production. Other species, especially pintail, wigeon, canvasbacks and mallards, likely fared worse.

Rohwer said many birds overflew the prairies, and those that stayed showed reduced renesting effort and low brood survival.

But Kraii said ducks, especially hens, adapt well to changing conditions, and likely more than expected found areas to nest.

Usually, hunters and wildlife officials can look to more precise information contained in the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Service, but those haven’t taken place the last two years, reportedly due to the pandemic. Some state surveys were conducted, though, including North Dakota, were officials estimated an 80 percent decline in wetlands from 2020, and the breeding duck estimate of 2.9 million marks a 26.9 percent drop from last year.

For good news, even though older ducks are tougher to hunt, Delta Waterfowl said carryover ducks from consistent years of good production means that populations of adult, breeding ducks remain high, with long-term data indicating that most duck populations are well above average — including a 2019 estimate of 38.9 million breeding ducks, 10 percent above average.

For hunters worried about a shorter season and smaller bag limits, Kraii said that won’t happen in the foreseeable future.