Dept. of Game, Fish and Parks
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, July 11, 2001
For more information:  Spencer Vaa, 688-4786

WATERFOWL POPULATION ESTIMATES UP FROM LAST YEAR

PIERRE – The May waterfowl breeding and habitat survey conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) across the major duck production areas of North America is completed, and Game, Fish and Parks officials say duck populations in South Dakota appear to have increased from last year.

"In South Dakota, the breeding duck population estimate for 2001 is 4.3 million, up from the 4.0 million estimate of last year and 104 percent above the long-term mean (since 1959)," said Waterfowl Biologist Spencer Vaa. "As well, the USFWS report confirms that the eastern Dakotas are host to more ducks than any other region on the continent."

In large measure, Vaa indicated this success is due to the high pond count this year - almost a million ponds (87 percent above the long-term mean) and excellent production from previous years. 

"Waterfowl have a tendency to return to areas in which they were hatched, and a landscape rich in wetlands and grassland is what is needed for high recruitment," he said. "In particular, the nesting cover provided by land in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP acres) has once again provided outstanding duck nesting habitat. This quality cover, when combined with the good moisture conditions that we have had in South Dakota since 1993-94, should produce an exceptional crop of ducks."

Though the state’s duck population is increasing, the Canada goose population estimate for South Dakota has held relatively stable. 

"The Canada goose population did not make another large increase as it has for the past several years," Vaa said. "The Canada goose population estimate for this year is 170,000, up slightly from the 2000 figure of 165,000. Field studies conducted this summer on radio-collared female Canada geese indicates reduced breeding success is due to a late nesting season and flooding of nests. Despite the lower gosling production, we are still working on numerous crop depredation complaints, and hunters should still see plenty of geese during the September reduction seasons."

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