Minnesota Waterfowl Hunting

I am a bit confused by the 50% attempt rate that keeps getting referenced.

Were there that fewer teal back in the 60's when this study was conducted? I scout a fair amount in early to mid september and I would say at least 70% of the ducks around at that time of the year are teal on most marshes, lakes, rivers etc. How can hunters shoot at 50% non-teal species when well over 50% of the ducks are teal? I believe the teal population has grown since then but has it by that much?

Nershi wrote:I am a bit confused by the 50% attempt rate that keeps getting referenced.

Were there that fewer teal back in the 60's when this study was conducted? I scout a fair amount in early to mid september and I would say at least 70% of the ducks around at that time of the year are teal on most marshes, lakes, rivers etc. How can hunters shoot at 50% non-teal species when well over 50% of the ducks are teal? I believe the teal population has grown since then but has it by that much?

This is such an incredibly good point. And kind of the basis of why in my lifetime successful duck openers (statewide) have relied heavily on there being a lot of teal still around, we simply don't raise the prairie nesters like we used too.

The continental population was around 4mil in 1965 and mn shot around 180,000. Last year the population was around 9mil and we shot 120,000, which is a far cry from the 30% of the teal in the whole flyway claimed by some.

So attempt rate could be raising the gun and not pulling the trigger?

triplecurler wrote:So attempt rate could be raising the gun and not pulling the trigger?

And who's go say that some of the guys counting flocks shot at aren't counting with their emotions or can't id birds on the wing from a couple hundred yards.

sent from your under your bed

triplecurler wrote:So attempt rate could be raising the gun and not pulling the trigger?

This is exactly correct. "Taking" game is basically te same as contemplating killing something. But I bet they required atleast a shot.

It is my understanding the "attempt" means you actually shot at a duck/s.

And BTW, the 1965 2.5 day Teal season along with the reg season we had harvested 181K BWTeal per the info that Cordts provided at the Mn Waterfowl Symp.

In recent years in the MS flyway, the early season Teal take is about = to reg season take with those states with a Teal seasons to our South. We have harvested in recent years about 100K teal during our reg season. So likley if we had a teal season it wouild be = to around 100K additional Teal. BTW, 61% of the Mn teal harvest is opening weekend.

Trigger wrote: The continental population was around 4mil in 1965 and mn shot around 180,000. Last year the population was around 9mil and we shot 120,000, which is a far cry from the 30% of the teal in the whole flyway claimed by some.

You misunderstand the 30% basis. In 1965 of the total harvest, we shot 1/3 of the Teal harvested in the MS flyway, not 1/3 of all teal.



Some of you perhaps should take a 1/2 hr and view Cordts presentation at the MN Waterfowl Symposium on the BWTeal. He starts at the 48 minute mark. http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/43335416


I forgot that in his presentation, IA now gets a special early any duck season. So it is not unprecedented at all that we could put forth for a 2 day Mid Sept any duck season which would count towards our 60 days. This would totally eliminate the concern of shooting non legal other ducks in a Teal only season.

Yes, but I want extra days. Not just 2 of the 60 in sept. Other states are enjoying up to 9 extra days harvesting ducks. I want them.