MN breeding mallard numbers down, other species up

[h2ofwlr]

Minnesota DNR: Breeding mallard numbers down, other species up from last year

(Released June 22, 2015)

Minnesota’s breeding mallard population counts are down from last year while other species saw increases, according to the results of the annual Minnesota Department of Natural Resources spring waterfowl surveys.

This year’s mallard breeding population was estimated at 206,000, which is 20 percent below last year’s estimate of 257,000 breeding mallards, 17 percent below the recent 10-year average and 10 percent above the long-term average measured since 1968.

The blue-winged teal population is 169,000 this year, 66 percent above the 2014 estimate of 102,000, but the population remains 21 percent below the long-term average of 212,000 blue-winged teal.

The combined populations of other ducks, such as ring-necked ducks, wood ducks, gadwalls, northern shovelers, canvasbacks and redheads was 149,000, which is 29 percent higher than last year and 16 percent below the long-term average.

The estimate of total duck abundance (excluding scaup) was 524,000, similar to last year’s estimate of 474,000 ducks.

The estimated number of wetlands was 220,000, down 36 percent from last year, and 13 percent below the long-term average. Wetland numbers can vary greatly based on annual precipitation.

“We generally expect to see lower duck numbers during dry years. We did see lower mallard numbers this year, but blue-winged teal and other duck numbers were improved from last year,” said Steve Cordts, DNR waterfowl specialist. “In addition to our counts, the continental waterfowl population estimates will be released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service later this summer and they provide an indicator of what hunters can expect this fall.”

The same waterfowl survey has been conducted each year since 1968 to provide an annual index of breeding duck abundance. The survey covers 40 percent of the state that includes much of the best remaining duck breeding habitat in Minnesota.

A DNR waterfowl biologist and pilot count all waterfowl and wetlands along established survey routes by flying low-level aerial surveys from a fixed-wing plane. The survey is timed to begin in early May to coincide with peak nesting activity of mallards. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides ground crews who also count waterfowl along some of the same survey routes. These data are then used to correct for birds not seen by the aerial crew.

CANADA GEESE
This year’s Canada goose population was estimated at 250,000 geese, which was similar to last year’s estimate of 244,000 geese. This doesn’t include an additional estimated 17,500 breeding Canada geese in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

“The number of Canada geese in Minnesota remains high but the population has been very stable for many years. With the early spring this year, we should see a good hatch of goslings as well,” Cordts said.

The number of breeding Canada geese in the state is estimated via a helicopter survey of nesting Canada geese in April. The survey, which includes most of the state except for the Twin Cities metropolitan area, counts Canada geese on randomly selected plots located in prairie, transition and forested areas.

The DNR will announce this fall’s waterfowl hunting regulations later this summer. Read the Minnesota waterfowl report online.

[cstemig]

Finally a morning with some good news in it....Thanks Al.

I'll bet Walker is happy with the Spoonie numbers increasing

[gimpfinger]

Spoonies are out of controls, time for an intensive harvest season.

Team Power Dump

[h2ofwlr]

How about a Special Sept Spoonie Season? We'll call it the SSSS

[get-n-birdy]

Someday I want a limit of all drake spoonies.

The drakes in the spring time are wicked cool.

Highly underrated birds.

[h2ofwlr]

Some years back while I was hunting Bills up near Alex in mid Nov, there was a flock of 300+ Spoonies in the open water (the shallows were froze). Anyway, I had my Bills and only a few ringers around and had a couple of them and no Redheads around and 2 hours till sunset and the ice was freezing.... Hmmm.. So a group of 35 +- lifted off and circled my Diver spread, they came right in, and I shot 2 pretty nice drakes. They were about 90% full plumage. The best plumage that I've seen in MN while hunting. Frankly it surprised me that they were still around as all the small lakes and sloughs were froze up already.

Didn't Bender post up some Jan pics of Spoonies in FL that he had shoot? I know that he had Teal a lot of times in the photos. This was like 4-5 years ago.

Some day I'd like to head South in Jan for a hunt just to be able to shoot some nice fully plumed ducks.

[Hansen]

Shot deer opener this year . . . the other greenhead.

[maplelakeduckslayer]

Coo pic, I'd really like to get a fully plumed one too

[Trigger]

Some years back while I was hunting Bills up near Alex in mid Nov, there was a flock of 300+ Spoonies in the open water (the shallows were froze). Anyway, I had my Bills and only a few ringers around and had a couple of them and no Redheads around and 2 hours till sunset and the ice was freezing.... Hmmm.. So a group of 35 +- lifted off and circled my Diver spread, they came right in, and I shot 2 pretty nice drakes. They were about 90% full plumage. The best plumage that I've seen in MN while hunting. Frankly it surprised me that they were still around as all the small lakes and sloughs were froze up already.

Didn't Bender post up some Jan pics of Spoonies in FL that he had shoot? I know that he had Teal a lot of times in the photos. This was like 4-5 years ago.

Some day I'd like to head South in Jan for a hunt just to be able to shoot some nice fully plumed ducks.

there is nothing weird about that story. Spoon bills stack up more than mallards right at ice up. The only part I question is why a man of such high ethics would ever want to kill something just for their look? I thought hunting was about food acquisition?

[h2ofwlr]

Well a trip to say LA in Jan solely for meat would likely put the duck meat some where around $150 a lb.