Washington-County of Breeding Ducks is for the first time since 2015, and the wetland conditions have improved in the wide swaths of the versatile Prairie Pothole region, in accordance with the status status status of the Watertal Water Provow population in US Fish and Wildlife Service from 2024.
The population of continental duck breeding was estimated at 33.99 million, which is an enhance of 5% compared to last year, but still 4% below the long -term average, while the number of ponds, often the trailer of breeding conditions and potential production, increased by 4% ( 5.16 million ponds) over the past spring.
“The increased breeding population of ducks and steam, along with the conditions of wet habitats, which improved in May and June with good spring rainfall on most prerias, should help increase duck production,” said Frank Rohwer, president and chief scientist of Delta Delta Water in Bismarck , and definitely we have potential dazzling production spots in eastern Dakoty and perhaps in the manitoba. “
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Rohwer and other biologists of water birds say that vast spring rains in PPR can strengthen the production of duck for hunters. As Rohwer said in the past, water birds hunt for the autumn flight, which includes the breeding population, as well as this year’s production of ducks.
The report on the state of the population of water birds 2024 describes in detail the results of the breeding population and habitats in May, carried out in every May by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Canadian services of wild nature since 1955. The expected report is intended to estimate the population of water bird breeding and assess the conditions of habitat .
The results aid to determine the length of the season, dates and limits of bags on four roads of North America. Based on the results of 2024, USFWS will offer Hunters the next frame of the liberal season next season.
Below are some of the most critical points of the report:
• The number of blocks increased to 6.61 million (8%), which puts key species by 16% below the long -term average and one of the lowest in the 1990s.
• Wigeon increased by 55% from last year to 2.92 million. Wigoon is 12% above the long -term average.
• Green Turquoise increased by 20% compared to last year, to 3.01 million. They are 38% above the long -term average.
• SCAUP (also called Bluebills) increased by 16% to 4.07 million, but remains 17% below the long -term average.
“This year’s report suggests that some duck populations had better production last year than expected,” said Dr. Steve Adair, the main scientist of Ducks Unlimited.
According to the report, four duck species on the duck prereques have fallen this year. Gadwalls dropped by 11% to 2.28 million, but remain 11% above their long -term average. Blue-wing turquoise dropped by 12% to 4.6 million, which is 10% below their long-term average. The blades fell by 7% to 2.65 million. Pintails fell by 11% to 1.98 million, with each region in the PPR noted.

Pintail bag limit for growth in 2025-26
According to Delta Water PtalDespite the decrease in the Pintail farming population, the USFWS implements a modern “integrated Hunter collection strategy”, which will enter into force in the hunting season 2025-26.
Based on the breeding population, only 2 million pintails, hunters of water birds on all four roads will be able to collect three pintails a day in the next hunting season. The bag limit for the 2024-25 season remains one pintail in lower 48 states.
Diving ducks

This spring, two popular diving ducks, canvas and red -haired ducks have fallen. The canvas dropped by 8% to 566,000, i.e. 4% below the long -term average. Redheads dropped by 16% to 782.00, which is 6% above the long -term average.
Minnesota
Minnesota 2024 Water bird breeding population It was carried out by Minnesota DNR in May and released last week. The duck’s general number respect (excluding SCAUP) was 387,000 ducks, which was 20% below 2023 estimates, 35% below the average respect of 10 years, and 37% below the long -term average estimate. The estimated population of Mallard breeding was 141,000, which fell compared to respect in 2023. 222,000. The number Mallard was 41% below the 10-year average and 38% below the long-term average 229,000 breeding blocks.
Early turquoise and Canadian goose seasons open Sunday, September 1 in Minnesota. An ordinary water bird opener is September 21. For more information Minnesota DNR website.

Eastern research area
The conditions of the habitat were good for perfection in most eastern research, and duck breeding is mighty. Five out of six species published in the report tables increased, by a 42% enhance in the number of Goldeney, by a 20% jump in green turquoise turquoise and 17% growth of black ducks.
Cervical ducks in style increased by 9%, and the fur made a 1% enhance. Mallards decreased by 4% to 1.17 million, but remain above the threshold for four Mallard bag limits in the 2025-2026 season.
While the number of total ducks in the established area of research increased slightly compared to 2023, all profits were in the far north and west. Only three regions of surveys (out of eight) recorded growth. The central and northern territories of British Columbia/north-eastern British columbia/northwestern estimated 11.25 million ducks, which is an enhance of 35% and 49% above the long-term average for the region.